Yazoo County; authorize to establish an economic and industrial development authority.

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To: Local and Private
Legislation
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Representatives Ford (54th), Clark,
James-Jones

HOUSE BILL NO. 4130
(As Passed the House)

AN ACT TO AUTHORIZE THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF YAZOO COUNTY, 1
MISSISSIPPI, TO ESTABLISH AN ECONOMIC AND INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT 2
AUTHORITY TO BE KNOWN AS THE YAZOO ECONOMIC ALLIANCE; TO PROVIDE 3
FOR THE APPOINTMENT OF TRUSTEES OF THE ALLIANCE; TO PROVIDE THE 4
POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE ALLIANCE; TO PROVIDE THAT THE ALLIANCE 5
MAY BE AUTHORIZED BY THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO PROVIDE CERTAIN 6
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND/OR INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT FOR THE COUNTY 7
AND THE MUNICIPALITIES LOCATED THEREIN; TO AUTHORIZE THE BOARD OF 8
SUPERVISORS TO DISSOLVE THE YAZOO COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT 9
DISTRICT; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 10
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 11
SECTION 1. As used in this act: 12
(a) "Alliance" means the economic and industrial 13
development authority established under the provisions of this act 14
and known as the Yazoo Economic Alliance. 15
(b) "Board of supervisors" means the Board of 16
Supervisors of Yazoo County, Mississippi. 17
(c) "County" means Yazoo County, Mississippi. 18
(d) "Trustee" means either the board of supervisors or 19
separately appointed individuals, as set forth in Section 2(b), 20
who govern and control the Alliance. 21
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SECTION 2. (a) When the board of supervisors shall find and 22
determine that the public convenience and necessity require the 23
same, as evidenced by a resolution duly adopted and entered on the 24
official minutes of such board, it shall establish an economic and 25
industrial development authority, to be known as the Yazoo 26
Economic Alliance. 27
(b) The Alliance shall be composed of five (5) 28
trustees. The board of supervisors, in its sole discretion, shall 29
either (i) appoint themselves to serve as the trustees with terms 30
to run concurrently with their terms of office for supervisor, or 31
(ii) appoint five (5) trustees who are not county officials or 32
employees, but are qualified electors of the county. 33
(c) For those trustees appointed under Section 2(b)(ii) 34
herein, the following shall apply: 35
(i) Three (3) of the trustees of the Alliance 36
shall serve a term of one (1) year and the remaining two (2) 37
trustees shall serve a term of two (2) years. Trustees may be 38
reappointed without limitation. 39
(ii) Any trustee of the Alliance may be 40
disqualified and removed from office for either of the following 41
reasons: 42
1. Conviction of a felony; or 43
2. Failure to attend three (3) consecutive 44
meetings without just cause. 45
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(iii) If a trustee of the Alliance is removed for 46
one of the above reasons, the vacancy shall be filled in the 47
manner prescribed in this section. 48
(iv) Vacancies which occur shall be filled in the 49
same manner as the original appointments and shall be made for the 50
unexpired term. 51
(v) The board of supervisors of the county, or 52
their designee(s), shall be nonvoting, ex-officio members of the 53
Alliance for purposes of serving only in an advisory capacity to 54
the trustees of the Alliance. The attendance of any supervisor at 55
Alliance meetings shall not count towards a quorum of the trustees 56
of the Alliance. 57
SECTION 3. Before entering upon the duties of the office, 58
each trustee of such Alliance, unless such trustees are the board 59
of supervisors, shall take and subscribe the oath of office 60
required by Section 268, Mississippi Constitution of 1890, and 61
shall give bond in the sum of Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00), 62
conditioned upon the faithful performance of his or her duties, 63
such bond to be made payable to the Alliance and to be approved by 64
the Alliance. The premiums on all the surety bonds shall be paid 65
by the Alliance. The trustees of such Alliance shall meet at the 66
regular meeting place of the board of supervisors of the county 67
within five (5) days after the trustees are initially appointed 68
and shall elect from among their number a chairman, vice chairman 69
and secretary-treasurer of the Alliance and shall adopt a seal and 70
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such bylaws, rules and regulations as may be necessary to govern 71
the time, place and manner for holding subsequent meetings of the 72
Alliance and for conduct of its business, not inconsistent with 73
the provisions of this act. The trustees of the Alliance shall 74
serve without salary or compensation, provided, however, that 75
their actual expenses incurred in the performance of their duties 76
may be reimbursed, including mileage as authorized by law for 77
state employees. 78
SECTION 4. (a) The Alliance is hereby expressly authorized 79
and empowered to acquire by gift, purchase or otherwise, and to 80
own, hold, maintain, control and develop real estate and personal 81
property situated within the county, either within or without the 82
corporate limits of a municipality, for development, use and 83
operation as industrial park complexes, industrial sites, business 84
parks or for other economic development purposes whether for 85
commercial, industrial, agricultural or otherwise, such complexes, 86
sites and purposes hereinafter referred to in this act as 87
"projects," and is further authorized and empowered to engage in 88
works of internal improvement therefor, including, but not limited 89
to, construction or contracting for the construction of streets, 90
roads, railroads, site improvements, and water, sewerage, 91
drainage, pollution and other related facilities necessary or 92
required for the development of such projects, and to acquire, 93
purchase, install, lease, finance, construct, own, hold, equip, 94
control, maintain, use, operate and repair structures and 95
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facilities necessary and convenient for the planning, development, 96
use, operation and maintenance of such projects, including, but 97
not limited to, utility installations, elevators, compressors, 98
warehouses, buildings, and air, rail and other transportation 99
terminals, and pollution control facilities. In the event the 100
Alliance takes by gift or otherwise any land, buildings or other 101
tangible assets from any persons, corporations, public or private, 102
the Alliance may assume all or any part of the liabilities 103
resulting from such acceptance under such terms and conditions as 104
will be in the best interest of the citizens of the county. 105
(b) The Alliance is authorized and empowered to sell, 106
lease, trade, exchange or otherwise dispose of sites situated 107
within projects to individuals, firms or corporations, public or 108
private, for all types of industrial, commercial, agricultural or 109
other economic development uses upon such terms and conditions, 110
for such consideration whether monetarily or otherwise, and with 111
such safeguards as will best promote and protect the public 112
interest, convenience and necessity, and to execute options, 113
deeds, leases, contracts, easements and other legal instruments 114
necessary or convenient therefor. The Alliance may also 115
contribute funds and/or resources directly to the development and 116
cost of operation of any industrial development foundation or 117
other private economic development group in the county and may 118
enter into any contracts or agreements effectuating the same which 119
shall be binding on successor boards. 120
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(c) The Alliance is authorized and empowered to fix and 121
prescribe fees, charges and rates for the use of any water, 122
sewerage, pollution or other facilities constructed and operated 123
in connection with projects and to collect the same from persons, 124
firms and corporations using the same for industrial, commercial, 125
agricultural or other economic development purposes, except as to 126
rates and charges against common carriers regulated by an agency 127
of the federal government or the Mississippi Public Service 128
Commission. 129
(d) The Alliance is authorized and empowered to employ 130
engineers, attorneys, accountants, consultants and such executive 131
and administrative personnel and other employees or independent 132
contractors as shall be reasonably necessary to carry out the 133
duties and authority authorized by this act, to determine their 134
qualifications and duties and to establish compensation and other 135
employment benefits as may be advisable to attract and retain 136
proficient personnel. The employees or contractors, if any, of 137
the Alliance shall not be considered as employees of the county 138
for state retirement or any other public purposes. The Alliance, 139
in addition to all other powers, is authorized and empowered to 140
purchase, lease, sell and trade office equipment, to purchase 141
necessary office supplies, to purchase or lease any equipment and 142
vehicles the Alliance deems necessary for economic and industrial 143
development and to carry out the purposes of this act. The 144
Alliance is authorized, in addition to all other powers, to buy, 145
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lease, sell, convey and do all other necessary business 146
transaction for carrying out the purpose of and administering the 147
Alliance and to do all acts necessary and convenient to operate 148
and carry out the duties of the Alliance. 149
(e) When disposing of its real property pursuant to 150
this act, the Alliance may contract with duly licensed realtors 151
and real estate brokers and may pay real estate commissions 152
resulting from such dispositions not to exceed six percent (6%) 153
resulting from such dispositions. No Alliance board trustee, 154
officer or employee may be paid a real estate commission or any 155
other form of compensation from such disposition. 156
(f) Subject to the prior written approval of the board 157
of supervisors, if applicable, the Alliance is expressly 158
authorized and empowered to borrow money by issuing its negotiable 159
promissory notes which may be secured by execution of a deed of 160
trust upon any property owned by the Alliance, or other collateral 161
available to or in the possession of the Alliance. In addition to 162
any available, nonobligated revenues and other funds of the 163
Alliance, the board of supervisors may pledge all or any portion 164
of the levy authorized for support of the Alliance provided for in 165
Section 8 of this act for the repayment of any indebtedness 166
authorized under the provisions of this act, and the county shall 167
be obligated to continue such levy until the authorized 168
indebtedness is paid in full. The pledge of the tax levy to 169
secure repayment of any sums borrowed shall be done only by order 170
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spread upon the minutes of the board of supervisors and the 171
Alliance after the affirmative vote of a majority of the members 172
of the board of supervisors and trustees of the Alliance. This 173
authority to borrow money shall be in addition to the authority of 174
the county to borrow money or issue bonds on behalf of the 175
Alliance as specified in Section 4(i) under this act. 176
The county shall not be liable for the repayment of any 177
indebtedness incurred by the Alliance unless the board of 178
supervisors of the county has pledged a portion of the tax levy 179
otherwise authorized as security therefor, in which event the 180
county shall be obligated only to the extent of the tax levy so 181
pledged. The board of supervisors may, however, authorize payment 182
on such debt from other sources available for such payment. 183
(g) The enumeration of any specific rights and powers 184
contained herein, and elsewhere in this act, where followed by 185
general powers, shall not be construed in a restrictive sense, but 186
rather in as broad and comprehensive a sense as possible to 187
effectuate the purposes of this act. Nothing in this act should 188
be construed to limit, restrict, or otherwise alter the duties, 189
responsibilities and authority of the board of supervisors as 190
provided under the Mississippi Constitution of 1890 and the laws 191
of the State of Mississippi. 192
(h) Any industrial or economic development purchase 193
agreement or lease or related economic development agreements may 194
be executed upon such terms and conditions, which shall be binding 195
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on any successor boards, and for such monetary rental or other 196
consideration as may be found adequate and approved by the 197
Alliance in orders or resolutions authorizing the same. Any 198
covenants and obligations of the purchaser or lessee to make 199
expenditures in determined amounts, and within such time or times, 200
for improvements to be erected on the land by such purchaser or 201
lessee and to conduct thereon industrial or economic development 202
operations in such aggregate payroll amounts and for such period 203
of time or times as may be determined and defined in such purchase 204
agreement or lease, and to give preference in employment where 205
practicable to qualified residents of the county in which any 206
project is situated, shall, if included in such purchase agreement 207
or lease, constitute and be deemed sufficient consideration for 208
the execution of any such purchase agreement or lease in the 209
absence of a monetary rental or other consideration. Any such 210
instrument may contain reasonable provisions giving the purchaser 211
or lessee the right to remove its or his improvements upon 212
termination of the lease. 213
(i) Upon the request of the Alliance and in addition to 214
any other authority prescribed by law, the board of supervisors, 215
in its discretion, may issue bonds for the benefit of the Alliance 216
pursuant to the authority contained in Section 19-5-99, 217
Mississippi Code of 1972. 218
(j) Not less than sixty (60) days prior to the end of 219
its fiscal year, the Alliance shall file with the board of 220
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supervisors a budget of projected revenues, expenses and other 221
financial activities for the coming fiscal year in a form 222
satisfactory to the board of supervisors and, in addition thereto, 223
as soon after the end of each fiscal year as practicable, the 224
Alliance shall file with the board of supervisors a copy of its 225
certified audit and financial statement for the immediate past 226
fiscal year of the Alliance. 227
SECTION 5. The Alliance is authorized and empowered to take 228
all actions and expend any such funds of the Alliance as shall be 229
necessary or determined to be in the public interests for the 230
promotion of economic and/or industrial development in the county, 231
including, but not limited to, efforts to develop, promote, 232
attract and/or expand existing businesses and industries, new 233
businesses and industries, tourism, aerospace and aviation 234
businesses, communications and information technology businesses, 235
remote data centers, contact centers, warehousing and distribution 236
businesses, shared services centers, defends homeland/security 237
businesses, metal fabrication businesses, research and development 238
businesses, manufacturing, tourism and hospitality businesses 239
within the county, and to expend such funds of the Alliance as 240
shall be necessary or determined in the public interests to 241
develop and promote the county's workforce, promote available jobs 242
within the county, and to develop and promote such training 243
programs for the same. 244
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SECTION 6. The carrying out of the corporate purposes of the 245
Alliance is in all respects for the benefit of the people of the 246
county and is a public purpose, and the Alliance will be 247
performing an essential governmental function in the exercise of 248
the powers conferred upon it by this act. Hence, any property 249
owned or held by the Alliance or under its jurisdiction under the 250
provisions of this act shall be exempt from all taxation in the 251
State of Mississippi. 252
SECTION 7. The notes specifically authorized by this act 253
shall be exempt from all income taxation in the state and shall 254
not be included in any debt limit calculation. 255
SECTION 8. (a) In addition to rights, duties and powers now 256
or hereafter conferred upon the board of supervisors, the board of 257
supervisors, at the request of the Alliance, if applicable, is 258
authorized and empowered, in its discretion, to make available to 259
the Alliance any revenue in the general fund of the county which 260
is otherwise unappropriated, for economic or industrial 261
development purposes. If it currently levies and collects the tax 262
pursuant to Section 19-9-111, Mississippi Code of 1972, the board 263
of supervisors may, in its discretion and without the need to 264
re-authorize and re-notice intent, continue to the levy the tax of 265
the not more than two (2) mills to be used to support and maintain 266
the Alliance. If such tax is not currently levied, the board of 267
supervisors may levy such tax in accordance with Section 19-9-111, 268
Mississippi Code of 1972, to support and maintain the Alliance. 269
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(b) Further, the board of supervisors may, in its 270
discretion, levy an additional tax of not more than two (2) mills 271
against the taxable property in the county to be used to support 272
and maintain the Alliance created hereunder. Before any such levy 273
is made, the board of supervisors shall signify its intention to 274
make such a levy and publish same in a newspaper published in said 275
county for thirty (30) days prior to making said levy. In the 276
event more than twenty percent (20%) or fifteen hundred (1500), 277
whichever is less, of the qualified electors of the county protest 278
in writing to the board of supervisors against the imposition of 279
such tax levy within thirty (30) days from the date such notice is 280
published, then such proposed tax levy shall not be made unless 281
same is approved by a special election called for said purpose. 282
Said special election shall be conducted and had as provided by 283
law. This levy shall be in addition to all other levies provided 284
by law and in this act. 285
SECTION 9. The Alliance, in addition to the monies which may 286
be received by it from the sale of bonds, notes and from the 287
collection of revenues, rents and earnings derived under the 288
provisions of this act, shall have the authority to accept from 289
any public or private agency, or from any individual, grants for 290
or in aid of the construction of any project, or for the payment 291
of bonds, and to receive and accept contributions from any source 292
of money or property or other things of value to be held, used and 293
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applied only for the purposes for which such grants or 294
contributions may be made. 295
SECTION 10. (a) Notwithstanding any provision of this act 296
to the contrary, the trustees of the Alliance, with the written 297
approval of the board of supervisors, if applicable, and the 298
governing authorities of any municipality located within the 299
county, may enter into a contract providing for the delivery of 300
economic development and/or industrial development services to the 301
municipality and contribution of funds by the municipality to the 302
Alliance. If the municipality contributes funds to the Alliance, 303
the contract may provide for the appointment by the municipal 304
governing authorities of such number of nonvoting representatives, 305
as may be determined by the parties to the contract, to advise in 306
the management of the Alliance. 307
(b) The trustees of the Alliance, with the approval of 308
the board of supervisors, if applicable, may enter into a contract 309
or agreement with the governing body of any other local or 310
regional economic or industrial development foundation, private 311
economic development group, or other public entity or alliance for 312
the purposes of promoting, attracting and locating economic and/or 313
industrial development within the county. Such contracts and 314
agreements shall be binding on successor boards. 315
SECTION 11. Upon the creation of the Alliance authorized by 316
this act, the board of supervisors is authorized, by duly adopted 317
resolution, to dissolve the Yazoo County Economic Development 318
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ST: Yazoo County; authorize to establish an
economic and industrial development authority.
District, created by Section 19-5-99, Mississippi Code of 1972, 319
and to transfer, donate or sell any part of the assets, 320
liabilities and other responsibilities and obligations of the 321
district, to the Alliance under such terms and conditions as may 322
be in the best interest of the county, or as may be otherwise 323
required by law to effectuate the intent of this act. 324
SECTION 12. The Alliance is authorized to apply for and 325
accept grants and loans on behalf of the Alliance, the county and 326
any contracting municipality from the State of Mississippi or the 327
United States of America or any agency thereof; and, to contract 328
with any agency of the State of Mississippi and United States of 329
America for the development of the county. 330
SECTION 13. This act shall be deemed to be full and complete 331
authority for the exercise of the powers herein granted, but this 332
act shall not be deemed to repeal or to be in derogation of any 333
existing law of this state whereunder projects of the character 334
herein defined may be constructed or financed. 335
SECTION 14. The board of supervisors are authorized and 336
empowered to adopt any and all lawful resolutions, orders and/or 337
ordinances; to execute such documents, contracts, leases, 338
certificates and indentures; and to do and perform any and all 339
acts and things necessary and requisite to carry out the purposes 340
of this act. 341
SECTION 15. This act shall take effect and be in force from 342
and after its passage. 343