Mississippi School Resource Officers School Safety (MS ROSS) Act; create to provide funding to local law enforcement agencies.

H. B. No. 4065 *HR26/R2605CS* ~ OFFICIAL ~ R3/5
26/HR26/R2605CS
PAGE 1 (BS\KW)

To: Ways and Means
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Representatives Lamar, Arnold

COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE
FOR
HOUSE BILL NO. 4065

AN ACT TO ESTABLISH THE "MISSISSIPPI SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS 1
SCHOOL SAFETY (MS ROSS) ACT" FOR THE PURPOSE OF AUTHORIZING THE 2
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY TO ASSIST LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT 3
AGENCIES AND SCHOOL GOVERNING BODIES WITH THE COST OF EMPLOYING A 4
SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER (SRO) AT EACH SCHOOL CAMPUS WITHIN THE 5
JURISDICTIONS OF THEIR LAW ENFORCEMENT AND GOVERNING AUTHORITIES; 6
TO DEFINE TERMINOLOGY; TO PROVIDE THAT THE ASSISTANCE OF EMPLOYING 7
SROS SHALL BE MADE AVAILABLE TO PUBLIC AND PRIVATE ELEMENTARY AND 8
SECONDARY SCHOOLS; TO PROVIDE THAT THE DEPARTMENT SHALL ALLOCATE A 9
PERCENTAGE OF THE COST FOR THE EMPLOYMENT OF ONE SRO FOR EACH 10
SCHOOL CAMPUS; TO REQUIRE THE LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY AND/OR 11
THE SCHOOL GOVERNING BOARD TO PROVIDE THE REMAINING PERCENTAGE OF 12
THE COST FOR THE EMPLOYMENT OF ONE SRO FOR EACH SCHOOL CAMPUS 13
WITHIN THEIR JURISDICTION OF CONTROL; TO REQUIRE LOCAL LAW 14
ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES AND SCHOOL GOVERNING BODIES TO MAKE JOINT 15
APPLICATION TO THE DEPARTMENT FOR THE APPROVAL OF ALLOCATION OF 16
FUNDS; TO SPECIFY THE INFORMATION TO BE INCLUDED IN THE 17
APPLICATION; TO PRESCRIBE THE DETAILS OF THE PROGRAM INCLUDING THE 18
REQUIREMENT OF A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING OR INTERLOCAL 19
AGREEMENT BETWEEN A LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY AND A SCHOOL 20
GOVERNING BODY; TO AMEND SECTION 37-7-321, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 21
1972, IN CONFORMITY TO THE PRECEDING PROVISIONS; TO CREATE THE 22
MISSISSIPPI SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS SCHOOL SAFETY (MS ROSS) FUND 23
AS A SPECIAL FUND IN THE STATE TREASURY; TO PROVIDE THAT MONIES IN 24
THE SPECIAL FUND SHALL BE USED TO PROVIDE FUNDS TO LOCAL LAW 25
ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES AND SCHOOL GOVERNING BODIES FOR THE PURPOSES 26
DESCRIBED IN THIS ACT; TO AUTHORIZE THE ISSUANCE OF STATE GENERAL 27
OBLIGATION BONDS TO PROVIDE FUNDS FOR THE MISSISSIPPI SCHOOL 28
RESOURCE OFFICERS SCHOOL SAFETY (MS ROSS) FUND; AND FOR RELATED 29
PURPOSES. 30
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 31
H. B. No. 4065 *HR26/R2605CS* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R2605CS
PAGE 2 (BS\KW)

SECTION 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the 32
"Mississippi School Resource Officers School Safety (MS ROSS) 33
Act." 34
SECTION 2. As used in this act, the following terms shall 35
have the meanings ascribed herein unless context or use requires 36
otherwise: 37
(a) "Act" means the "Mississippi School Resource 38
Officers School Safety (MS ROSS) Act." 39
(b) "Applicable percentage" means the percentage of 40
financial responsibility borne by the Department of Public Safety 41
for costs associated with the total salary for the employment of 42
one (1) school resource officer by a local law enforcement agency 43
per public and private school campus, inclusive of benefits, 44
training, equipment and other necessary costs, not to exceed 45
Fifty-five Thousand Dollars ($55,000.00), which shall be 46
established at seventy-five percent (75%) of such costs for each 47
fiscal year, beginning with fiscal year 2027, and which, further, 48
shall neither be increased nor decreased without prior 49
authorization by enactment of the Legislature upon the request of 50
the Commissioner of Public Safety. 51
(c) "Department" means the Mississippi Department of 52
Public Safety. 53
(d) "Local law enforcement agency" means the local 54
police department or county sheriff's office that has primary law 55
enforcement authority over the schools within its jurisdiction. 56
H. B. No. 4065 *HR26/R2605CS* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R2605CS
PAGE 3 (BS\KW)

(e) "Independent school" means a nonpublic school 57
operating within the State of Mississippi that: 58
(i) Is a member of the Midsouth Association of 59
Independent Schools (MAIS) and located in the State of 60
Mississippi; 61
(ii) Is accredited by a state, regional or 62
national accrediting organization, including the State Board of 63
Education; and 64
(iii) Is not subject to the purview of authority 65
of the State Board of Education, unless such school is accredited 66
by the board. 67
(f) "Program" means the Mississippi School Resource 68
Officers School Safety (MS ROSS) program, established in and 69
administered by the Mississippi Department of Public Safety. 70
(g) "School governing body" means: 71
(i) The local school board of a public school 72
district; 73
(ii) The charter school governing board of a 74
charter school; and 75
(iii) The board or other governing body of an 76
accredited independent school, as such governing body is 77
prescribed in the charter, bylaws or other governing documents of 78
the independent school. 79
(h) "School resource officer" or "SRO" means a sworn 80
law enforcement officer employed by a local law enforcement agency 81
H. B. No. 4065 *HR26/R2605CS* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R2605CS
PAGE 4 (BS\KW)

and assigned to public or private elementary or secondary school 82
campuses to provide community policing efforts to combat school 83
violence and improve student and school safety in or on the 84
property of the school campus to which he or she is assigned. 85
SECTION 3. (1) There is hereby established the Mississippi 86
School Resource Officers School Safety (MS ROSS) program in the 87
Mississippi Department of Public Safety to provide funding to 88
assist local law enforcement agencies in providing school resource 89
officers (SROs) to all public and private elementary and secondary 90
school campuses within the jurisdictions over which such agencies 91
have primary law enforcement authority for the purpose of 92
providing enhanced security and community policing in and around 93
all elementary and secondary schools therein. 94
(2) The MS ROSS program shall meet the following 95
requirements and standards: 96
(a) The program shall provide an incentive for law 97
enforcement agencies to build collaborative partnerships with the 98
school community and to use community policing efforts to combat 99
school violence and implement educational programs to improve 100
student and school safety; 101
(b) (i) The department shall provide the funds under 102
the authority of this act for the administration of the program to 103
provide the applicable percentage of the cost associated with the 104
employment of one (1) school resource officer (SRO) by a local law 105
enforcement agency for each school campus within the jurisdiction 106
H. B. No. 4065 *HR26/R2605CS* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R2605CS
PAGE 5 (BS\KW)

over which the agency has primary law enforcement authority, to be 107
applied towards the SRO's salary and benefits, training, equipment 108
and other costs deemed necessary by the local law enforcement 109
agency and school governing body to enable the SRO to perform his 110
or her duties in and around elementary and secondary schools up to 111
a total salary cost of Fifty-five Thousand Dollars ($55,000.00). 112
However, if the total cost associated with the employment of a SRO 113
employed under the provisions of this act exceeds Fifty-five 114
Thousand Dollars ($55,000.00), then the department shall only pay 115
the lesser of the applicable percentage of the Fifty-five Thousand 116
Dollars ($55,000.00) for the respective scholastic year for which 117
the funds are allocated or the actual amount of the difference 118
between the original starting salary and the maximum total salary 119
cost established in this subsection. Any amount in excess of the 120
applicable percentage shall be borne by the local law enforcement 121
agency or school district, or combination of both; and 122
(ii) The department shall require the parties 123
making joint application for funds under paragraph (c) to commit 124
to paying the remaining percentage of the cost associated with the 125
employment of one (1) school resource officer (SRO) by a local law 126
enforcement agency for each school campus under the authority and 127
control of the school governing board that falls within the 128
jurisdiction of the local law enforcement agency, to be applied 129
towards the SRO's salary and benefits, training, equipment and 130
other costs deemed necessary by the local law enforcement agency 131
H. B. No. 4065 *HR26/R2605CS* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R2605CS
PAGE 6 (BS\KW)

and school governing body to enable the SRO to perform his or her 132
duties in and around elementary and secondary schools; 133
(c) Local law enforcement agencies and school governing 134
bodies shall make joint application to the department for funds 135
under the authority of subsection (1) of this section for the 136
purpose of funding the employment of SROs in the amount prescribed 137
in paragraph (b) of this subsection. The joint application 138
submitted by the local law enforcement agency and school governing 139
body shall, at a minimum: 140
(i) Identify the local law enforcement agency to 141
provide the school resource officers, and the name of chief law 142
enforcement officer of the agency; 143
(ii) Identify the school governing body to be 144
served by the local law enforcement agency, and the names of the 145
president of such governing body and the superintendent or head of 146
schools under the governing body's authority and control; 147
(iii) The total number of schools, the total 148
number of school campuses and the names of all schools under the 149
schools governing body's authority and control; 150
(iv) The names of the principals of each school 151
under the schools governing body's authority and control; 152
(v) The name, address and phone number of each 153
school campus to be served by a school resource officer (SRO); 154
(vi) The proposed salary of each school resource 155
officer (SRO), with the acknowledged understanding that the 156
H. B. No. 4065 *HR26/R2605CS* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R2605CS
PAGE 7 (BS\KW)

department will only pay the lesser of applicable percentage for 157
the respective scholastic year for which the funds are allocated 158
or the actual amount of the difference between the original 159
starting salary and the maximum total salary cost established 160
under paragraph (b) of this subsection of salaries that do not 161
exceed Fifty-five Thousand Dollars ($55,000.00); and 162
(vii) The approximate number of school resource 163
officers (SROs) necessary for employment to accomplish the goal of 164
assigning one (1) SRO to each school campus as required by this 165
act; 166
(d) The local law enforcement agency and the 167
appropriate school governing body shall enter into a Memorandum of 168
Understanding (MOU) or an interlocal agreement, signed by the 169
chief law enforcement officer and the appropriate school 170
officials, which provides: 171
(i) Documentation of the roles and 172
responsibilities to be undertaken by the law enforcement agency 173
and the educational school partners through this collaborative 174
effort; 175
(ii) That school resource officers (SROs) will be 176
official employees of the local law enforcement agency that has 177
primary law enforcement authority over the schools within its 178
jurisdiction; 179
(iii) Which party to the MOU or interlocal 180
agreement, the local law enforcement agency or school governing 181
H. B. No. 4065 *HR26/R2605CS* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R2605CS
PAGE 8 (BS\KW)

body, will be financially responsible for funding the match of the 182
cost associated with the employment of each school resource 183
officer (SRO) by a local law enforcement agency, if only one (1) 184
such party will bear the financial responsibility; 185
(iv) If both parties to the MOU or interlocal 186
agreement will share the financial responsibility of funding the 187
required match of the cost associated with the employment of each 188
school resource officer (SRO) by a local law enforcement agency, 189
then the MOU or interlocal agreement shall stipulate the portion 190
of the percentage of the matching funds each party shall be 191
obligated to commit for each SRO employed and assigned to school 192
campuses under the authority and control of the school governing 193
body; and 194
(v) A Narrative Addendum to document that school 195
resource officers (SROs) will be assigned to work in and around 196
public and private elementary or secondary school campuses and 197
provide supporting documentation in the following areas: 198
1. Problem identification and justification; 199
2. Community policing strategies to be used 200
by the SROs; 201
3. Quality and level of commitment to the 202
effort; and 203
4. The link to community policing; and 204
(e) Upon the employment of an individual to serve as a 205
school resource officer under the provisions of this act, the 206
H. B. No. 4065 *HR26/R2605CS* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R2605CS
PAGE 9 (BS\KW)

employing school district, in conjunction with said school 207
resource officer, shall complete the development and/or 208
enhancement of a comprehensive school safety plan for each school 209
campus in the school district under the school resource officer's 210
enforcement authority within sixty (60) days of the approval of 211
the individual's employment by the local school governing 212
authority. Before the expiration of the sixty-day period, the 213
local school governing authority shall provide copies of the 214
comprehensive school safety plan to the local law enforcement 215
agency having primary law enforcement authority over each school 216
impacted by the school safety plan(s) within their jurisdiction, 217
and to the Department of Public Safety. 218
(3) School resource officers (SROs) may serve in a variety 219
of roles, including, but not limited to, that of a law enforcement 220
officer, safety specialist, law-related educator, problem-solver 221
and community liaison. These officers may teach programs such as 222
crime prevention, substance abuse prevention and gang resistance, 223
as well as monitor and assist troubled students through mentoring 224
programs. The SROs may also identify physical changes in the 225
environment that may reduce crime in and around school campuses, 226
as well as assist in developing school policies which address 227
criminal activity and school safety. 228
(4) All agencies receiving funds through the Mississippi 229
School Resource Officers School Safety (MS ROSS) program are 230
required to send the individuals employed as school resource 231
H. B. No. 4065 *HR26/R2605CS* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R2605CS
PAGE 10 (BS\KW)

officers (SROs) to the Mississippi Law Enforcement Officers' 232
Training Academy or a law enforcement training academy approved by 233
the Mississippi Department of Public Safety, where they shall be 234
required to participate in training through the Advanced Law 235
Enforcement Rapid Response Training Program at such academy. 236
(5) The Mississippi Department of Public Safety shall 237
promulgate rules and regulations prescribing procedures for the 238
application, expenditure requirements and the administration of 239
the Mississippi School Resource Officer School Safety (MS ROSS) 240
program established in this section, and shall make a report on 241
the implementation of the MS ROSS program with any recommendations 242
to the 2027 Regular Session of the Legislature. 243
SECTION 4. There is created in the State Treasury a special 244
fund, to be designated as the "Mississippi School Resource 245
Officers School Safety (MS ROSS) Fund", which shall consist of 246
funds made available by the Legislature in any manner. The fund 247
shall be maintained by the State Treasurer as a separate and 248
special fund, separate and apart from the General Fund of the 249
state. Unexpended amounts remaining in the fund at the end of a 250
fiscal year shall not lapse into the State General Fund, and any 251
interest earned or investment earnings on amounts in the fund 252
shall be deposited into such fund. Monies in the fund shall be 253
disbursed, in the discretion of the Department of Public Safety, 254
to provide funds to local law enforcement agencies and school 255
governing bodies for the purposes described in this section. 256
H. B. No. 4065 *HR26/R2605CS* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R2605CS
PAGE 11 (BS\KW)

The department may use an amount equal to one percent (1%) of the 257
monies in the fund, not to exceed One Hundred Fifty Thousand 258
Dollars, for the purpose of defraying the costs of the department 259
in administering the program. 260
For fiscal year 2027, the Legislature shall appropriate funds 261
for the implementation of the "Mississippi School Resource 262
Officers School Safety (MS ROSS) Program" at the start of the 263
2026-2027 scholastic year, in an amount of not less than Five 264
Million Dollars ($5,000,000.00), which shall be allocated to 265
approved local law enforcement agency-school governing body 266
partner grantees based on total number of applications received 267
and approved in accordance with the criteria and timelines 268
established by the Mississippi Department of Public Safety. If 269
the Legislature fails to appropriate the funds necessary for the 270
implementation of the MS ROSS Program as required by this section, 271
funding for implementation may be secured by the issuance of 272
general obligation bonds under the authority of Section 6 of this 273
act. Beginning with fiscal year 2028, and for each fiscal year 274
thereafter, the Legislature shall appropriate an amount to fund 275
applications for assistance during that fiscal year, but not to 276
exceed Two Millions Dollars ($2,000,000.00) per fiscal year, 277
contingent upon the level of need for the support and 278
administration of the program as determined by the Department of 279
Public Safety, based upon the level of participation between 280
H. B. No. 4065 *HR26/R2605CS* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R2605CS
PAGE 12 (BS\KW)

partnering local law enforcement agencies and school governing 281
bodies. 282
SECTION 5. Section 37-7-321, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 283
amended as follows: 284
37-7-321. (1) (a) The school board of any school district 285
within the State of Mississippi, in its discretion, may employ one 286
or more persons as security personnel and may designate such 287
persons as peace officers in or on any property operated for 288
school purposes by such board upon their taking such oath and 289
making such bond as required of a constable of the county in which 290
the school district is situated. 291
(b) Local law enforcement agencies having primary law 292
enforcement authority over schools within their jurisdiction, in 293
conjunction with the school boards of every school district within 294
the State of Mississippi, through a Memorandum of Understanding 295
(MOU) or interlocal agreement, signed by the law enforcement 296
executive and the appropriate school official(s), shall employ 297
individuals to serve as school resource officers (SROs), provided 298
that the MOU or interlocal agreement shall require a minimum of 299
one (1) school resource officer to be assigned each school campus 300
operating under the authority and control of the local school 301
board. 302
(2) Any person employed by a school board as a security 303
guard or school resource officer (SRO) or in any other position 304
that has the powers of a peace officer, who is not a sworn law 305
H. B. No. 4065 *HR26/R2605CS* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R2605CS
PAGE 13 (BS\KW)

enforcement officer, must receive a minimum level of basic law 306
enforcement training, as jointly determined and prescribed by the 307
Board on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Training and the 308
State Board of Education, within two (2) years of the person's 309
initial employment in such position. * * * The failure of any 310
person employed in such position to receive the required training 311
within the designated time * * * will result in the withdrawal of 312
that person's * * * authority to exercise the powers of a peace 313
officer in or on the property of the school district. 314
(3) The school board is authorized and empowered, in its 315
discretion, and subject to the approval of the Federal 316
Communications Commission, to install and operate a noncommercial 317
radio broadcasting and transmission station for educational and 318
vocational educational purposes. 319
(4) If a law enforcement officer is duly appointed to be a 320
peace officer by a school district under this section, the local 321
school board may enter into an interlocal agreement with other law 322
enforcement entities for the provision of equipment or traffic 323
control duties, however, the duty to enforce traffic regulations 324
and to enforce the laws of the state or municipality off of school 325
property lies with the local police or sheriff's department which 326
cannot withhold its services solely because of the lack of such an 327
agreement. 328
(5) (a) During any period of the regular scholastic year or 329
extended school year programs in which academic instruction is 330
H. B. No. 4065 *HR26/R2605CS* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R2605CS
PAGE 14 (BS\KW)

being provided to students upon the campuses of a public and 331
private elementary or secondary schools, school resource officers, 332
employed by a local law enforcement agency to provide community 333
policing efforts to combat school violence and improve student and 334
school safety, shall maintain an active and visible presence upon 335
the school campus to which he or she is assigned under the program 336
defined in Section 2 of this act. For purposes of this section, 337
"regular scholastic year" means the minimum one hundred eighty 338
(180) days which public schools are required to be kept in session 339
under Section 37-13-63 to constitute a scholastic year. "Extended 340
school year programs" means those programs authorized by law, 341
which extend beyond the one hundred eighty-day term of a regular 342
scholastic year, including summer school instruction. In the 343
performance of his or her duties, a school resource officer shall 344
report for duty on the campus of the school of assignment not 345
later than one (1) hour before the start of each school day on 346
Monday through Friday, and remain thereon for one (1) hour after 347
the conclusion of normal daily instruction. No school resource 348
officer shall be required to work on Saturday or Sunday, unless a 349
school sponsored event is hosted upon the school campus which the 350
school resource officer has been assigned, which such events shall 351
include extracurricular and cocurricular activities. 352
(b) When school is not in session (i.e. holidays, 353
summer vacation, fall breaks, declarations of emergency which 354
suspend the requirements for school attendance, etc.), the school 355
H. B. No. 4065 *HR26/R2605CS* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R2605CS
PAGE 15 (BS\KW)

resource officer shall report to his or her immediate supervisor 356
within the local law enforcement agency of employment for further 357
assignment of duties that are directly related to activities and 358
functions of the local law enforcement agency. 359
(c) Notwithstanding a school resource officer's 360
permanent employment with the local law enforcement agency with 361
whom a local school governing authority has entered into a 362
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) or an interlocal agreement for 363
the assignment of a school resource officer, the employing local 364
law enforcement agency shall not require a school resource officer 365
to leave his or her assigned post at a school during the time 366
specified for the performance of his or her duties as prescribed 367
in paragraph (a) of this subsection to perform work duties 368
directly related to activities and functions of the local law 369
enforcement agency, unless it has been determined by the chief law 370
enforcement officer of the employing agency that exigent 371
circumstances exist, which have created an emergency situation of 372
an impending catastrophic nature that requires swift action to 373
prevent imminent danger to life, substantial harm to the public 374
welfare or serious damage to property. 375
SECTION 6. (1) As used in this section, the following words 376
shall have the meanings ascribed herein unless the context clearly 377
requires otherwise: 378
(a) "Accreted value" of any bond means, as of any date 379
of computation, an amount equal to the sum of (i) the stated 380
H. B. No. 4065 *HR26/R2605CS* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R2605CS
PAGE 16 (BS\KW)

initial value of such bond, plus (ii) the interest accrued thereon 381
from the issue date to the date of computation at the rate, 382
compounded semiannually, that is necessary to produce the 383
approximate yield to maturity shown for bonds of the same 384
maturity. 385
(b) "State" means the State of Mississippi. 386
(c) "Commission" means the State Bond Commission. 387
(2) (a) The commission, at one time, or from time to time, 388
may declare by resolution the necessity for issuance of general 389
obligation bonds of the State of Mississippi to provide funds for 390
the program authorized in Section 3 of this act. Upon the 391
adoption of a resolution by the Department of Public Safety, 392
declaring the necessity for the issuance of any part or all of the 393
general obligation bonds authorized by this subsection, the 394
department shall deliver a certified copy of its resolution or 395
resolutions to the commission. Upon receipt of such resolution, 396
the commission, in its discretion, may act as the issuing agent, 397
prescribe the form of the bonds, determine the appropriate method 398
for sale of the bonds, advertise for and accept bids or negotiate 399
the sale of the bonds, issue and sell the bonds so authorized to 400
be sold and do any and all other things necessary and advisable in 401
connection with the issuance and sale of such bonds. The total 402
amount of bonds issued under this section shall not exceed Five 403
Million Dollars ($5,000,000.00). No bonds shall be issued under 404
this section after July 1, 2030. 405
H. B. No. 4065 *HR26/R2605CS* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R2605CS
PAGE 17 (BS\KW)

(b) Any investment earnings on amounts deposited into 406
the special fund created in Section 4 of this act shall be used to 407
pay debt service on bonds issued under this section, in accordance 408
with the proceedings authorizing issuance of such bonds. 409
(3) The principal of and interest on the bonds authorized 410
under this section shall be payable in the manner provided in this 411
subsection. Such bonds shall bear such date or dates, be in such 412
denomination or denominations, bear interest at such rate or rates 413
(not to exceed the limits set forth in Section 75-17-101, 414
Mississippi Code of 1972), be payable at such place or places 415
within or without the State of Mississippi, shall mature 416
absolutely at such time or times not to exceed twenty-five (25) 417
years from date of issue, be redeemable before maturity at such 418
time or times and upon such terms, with or without premium, shall 419
bear such registration privileges, and shall be substantially in 420
such form, all as shall be determined by resolution of the 421
commission. 422
(4) The bonds authorized by this section shall be signed by 423
the chairman of the commission, or by his facsimile signature, and 424
the official seal of the commission shall be affixed thereto, 425
attested by the secretary of the commission. The interest 426
coupons, if any, to be attached to such bonds may be executed by 427
the facsimile signatures of such officers. Whenever any such 428
bonds shall have been signed by the officials designated to sign 429
the bonds who were in office at the time of such signing but who 430
H. B. No. 4065 *HR26/R2605CS* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R2605CS
PAGE 18 (BS\KW)

may have ceased to be such officers before the sale and delivery 431
of such bonds, or who may not have been in office on the date such 432
bonds may bear, the signatures of such officers upon such bonds 433
and coupons shall nevertheless be valid and sufficient for all 434
purposes and have the same effect as if the person so officially 435
signing such bonds had remained in office until their delivery to 436
the purchaser, or had been in office on the date such bonds may 437
bear. However, notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, 438
such bonds may be issued as provided in the Registered Bond Act of 439
the State of Mississippi. 440
(5) All bonds and interest coupons issued under the 441
provisions of this section have all the qualities and incidents of 442
negotiable instruments under the provisions of the Uniform 443
Commercial Code, and in exercising the powers granted by this 444
section, the commission shall not be required to and need not 445
comply with the provisions of the Uniform Commercial Code. 446
(6) The commission shall act as the issuing agent for the 447
bonds authorized under this section, prescribe the form of the 448
bonds, determine the appropriate method for sale of the bonds, 449
advertise for and accept bids or negotiate the sale of the bonds, 450
issue and sell the bonds so authorized to be sold, pay all fees 451
and costs incurred in such issuance and sale, and do any and all 452
other things necessary and advisable in connection with the 453
issuance and sale of such bonds. The commission is authorized and 454
empowered to pay the costs that are incident to the sale, issuance 455
H. B. No. 4065 *HR26/R2605CS* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R2605CS
PAGE 19 (BS\KW)

and delivery of the bonds authorized under this section from the 456
proceeds derived from the sale of such bonds. The commission may 457
sell such bonds on sealed bids at public sale or may negotiate the 458
sale of the bonds for such price as it may determine to be for the 459
best interest of the State of Mississippi. All interest accruing 460
on such bonds so issued shall be payable semiannually or annually. 461
If such bonds are sold by sealed bids at public sale, notice 462
of the sale of any such bonds shall be published at least one 463
time, not less than ten (10) days before the date of sale, and 464
shall be so published in one or more newspapers published or 465
having a general circulation in the City of Jackson, Mississippi, 466
to be selected by the commission. 467
The commission, when issuing any bonds under the authority of 468
this section, may provide that bonds, at the option of the State 469
of Mississippi, may be called in for payment and redemption at the 470
call price named therein and accrued interest on such date or 471
dates named therein. 472
(7) The bonds issued under the provisions of this section 473
are general obligations of the State of Mississippi, and for the 474
payment thereof the full faith and credit of the State of 475
Mississippi is irrevocably pledged. If the funds appropriated by 476
the Legislature are insufficient to pay the principal of and the 477
interest on such bonds as they become due, then the deficiency 478
shall be paid by the State Treasurer from any funds in the State 479
Treasury not otherwise appropriated. All such bonds shall contain 480
H. B. No. 4065 *HR26/R2605CS* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R2605CS
PAGE 20 (BS\KW)

recitals on their faces substantially covering the provisions of 481
this subsection. 482
(8) Upon the issuance and sale of bonds under the provisions 483
of this section, the commission shall transfer the proceeds of any 484
such sale or sales to the special fund created in Section 4 of 485
this act. The proceeds of such bonds shall be disbursed solely 486
upon the order of the Department of Finance and Administration 487
under such restrictions, if any, as may be contained in the 488
resolution providing for the issuance of the bonds. 489
(9) The bonds authorized under this section may be issued 490
without any other proceedings or the happening of any other 491
conditions or things other than those proceedings, conditions and 492
things which are specified or required by this section. Any 493
resolution providing for the issuance of bonds under the 494
provisions of this section shall become effective immediately upon 495
its adoption by the commission, and any such resolution may be 496
adopted at any regular or special meeting of the commission by a 497
majority of its members. 498
(10) The bonds authorized under the authority of this 499
section may be validated in the Chancery Court of the First 500
Judicial District of Hinds County, Mississippi, in the manner and 501
with the force and effect provided by Chapter 13, Title 31, 502
Mississippi Code of 1972, for the validation of county, municipal, 503
school district and other bonds. The notice to taxpayers required 504
H. B. No. 4065 *HR26/R2605CS* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R2605CS
PAGE 21 (BS\KW)

by such statutes shall be published in a newspaper published or 505
having a general circulation in the City of Jackson, Mississippi. 506
(11) Any holder of bonds issued under the provisions of this 507
section or of any of the interest coupons pertaining thereto may, 508
either at law or in equity, by suit, action, mandamus or other 509
proceeding, protect and enforce any and all rights granted under 510
this section, or under such resolution, and may enforce and compel 511
performance of all duties required by this section to be 512
performed, in order to provide for the payment of bonds and 513
interest thereon. 514
(12) All bonds issued under the provisions of this section 515
shall be legal investments for trustees and other fiduciaries, and 516
for savings banks, trust companies and insurance companies 517
organized under the laws of the State of Mississippi, and such 518
bonds shall be legal securities which may be deposited with and 519
shall be received by all public officers and bodies of this state 520
and all municipalities and political subdivisions for the purpose 521
of securing the deposit of public funds. 522
(13) Bonds issued under the provisions of this section and 523
income therefrom shall be exempt from all taxation in the State of 524
Mississippi. 525
(14) The proceeds of the bonds issued under this section 526
shall be used solely for the purposes herein provided, including 527
the costs incident to the issuance and sale of such bonds. 528
H. B. No. 4065 *HR26/R2605CS* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R2605CS
PAGE 22 (BS\KW)
ST: Mississippi School Resource Officers School
Safety (MS ROSS) Act; create to provide funding
to local law enforcement agencies.
(15) The State Treasurer is authorized, without further 529
process of law, to certify to the Department of Finance and 530
Administration the necessity for warrants, and the Department of 531
Finance and Administration is authorized and directed to issue 532
such warrants, in such amounts as may be necessary to pay when due 533
the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on, or the 534
accreted value of, all bonds issued under this section; and the 535
State Treasurer shall forward the necessary amount to the 536
designated place or places of payment of such bonds in ample time 537
to discharge such bonds, or the interest thereon, on the due dates 538
thereof. 539
(16) This section shall be deemed to be full and complete 540
authority for the exercise of the powers herein granted, but this 541
section shall not be deemed to repeal or to be in derogation of 542
any existing law of this state. 543
SECTION 7. This act shall take effect and be in force from 544
and after July 1, 2026. 545