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HB544 • 2026

State institutions of higher learning; create grant program to assist with endowments to recruit and employ certain professors.

AN ACT TO PROVIDE THAT THE MISSISSIPPI DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY SHALL ESTABLISH A PROGRAM TO PROVIDE GRANTS TO STATE INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING TO ASSIST SUCH INSTITUTIONS WITH ESTABLISHING ENDOWMENTS FOR THE PURPOSE OF RECRUITING AND EMPLOYING PROFESSORS OF QUANTUM COMPUTING AND PROFESSORS OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE ENGINEERING; TO PROVIDE AN APPLICATION PROCESS FOR STATE INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING THAT DESIRE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE GRANT PROGRAM; TO CREATE THE "STATE INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING QUANTUM COMPUTING AND ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE ENGINEERING PROFESSORS FUND" AS A SPECIAL FUND IN THE STATE TREASURY; TO PROVIDE THAT MONIES IN THE FUND SHALL BE DISBURSED, UPON APPROPRIATION BY THE LEGISLATURE, IN THE DISCRETION OF THE MISSISSIPPI DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY, TO PROVIDE GRANTS AUTHORIZED IN THIS ACT; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

Budget Technology
Did Not Pass

The latest official action shows that this bill did not move forward in that session.

Sponsor
Zuber
Last action
2026-02-03
Official status
Dead
Effective date
July 1, 20

Plain English Breakdown

The bill did not pass, so there is no official implementation or further details about how it would be administered beyond what is stated in the summary.

Grant Program to Help Universities Hire Quantum Computing and AI Engineering Professors

This bill proposes a grant program run by the Mississippi Development Authority (MDA) for state universities to establish endowments aimed at recruiting and employing professors in quantum computing and artificial intelligence engineering.

What This Bill Does

  • Creates a grant program managed by MDA to assist state institutions of higher learning with establishing endowments for hiring professors specializing in quantum computing and AI engineering.
  • Requires participating universities to submit applications detailing their plans, including the amount of funds from other sources dedicated to the endowment and the number of professors they intend to recruit or employ.
  • Establishes a special fund called 'State Institutions of Higher Learning Quantum Computing and Artificial Intelligence Engineering Professors Fund' within the State Treasury for disbursement upon legislative appropriation.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Mississippi Development Authority (MDA)
  • State institutions of higher learning in Mississippi
  • Professors specializing in quantum computing and artificial intelligence engineering

Terms To Know

Endowment
Money or property donated to a university for generating income to support activities such as hiring professors.
Mississippi Development Authority (MDA)
The agency responsible for economic development in Mississippi, including administering grant programs.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This bill did not pass during the session and therefore has no current effect.
  • Details about specific rules for applying or the amount of money available are not provided in this summary.

Bill History

  1. 2026-02-03 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System

    02/03 (H) Died In Committee

  2. 2026-01-12 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System

    01/12 (H) Referred To Universities and Colleges;Appropriations A

Official Summary Text

State institutions of higher learning; create grant program to assist with endowments to recruit and employ certain professors.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
H. B. No. 544 *HR43/R954* ~ OFFICIAL ~ G1/2
26/HR43/R954
PAGE 1 (BS\KP)

To: Universities and
Colleges; Appropriations A
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Representative Zuber

HOUSE BILL NO. 544

AN ACT TO PROVIDE THAT THE MISSISSIPPI DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY 1
SHALL ESTABLISH A PROGRAM TO PROVIDE GRANTS TO STATE INSTITUTIONS 2
OF HIGHER LEARNING TO ASSIST SUCH INSTITUTIONS WITH ESTABLISHING 3
ENDOWMENTS FOR THE PURPOSE OF RECRUITING AND EMPLOYING PROFESSORS 4
OF QUANTUM COMPUTING AND PROFESSORS OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE 5
ENGINEERING; TO PROVIDE AN APPLICATION PROCESS FOR STATE 6
INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING THAT DESIRE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE 7
GRANT PROGRAM; TO CREATE THE "STATE INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER 8
LEARNING QUANTUM COMPUTING AND ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE ENGINEERING 9
PROFESSORS FUND" AS A SPECIAL FUND IN THE STATE TREASURY; TO 10
PROVIDE THAT MONIES IN THE FUND SHALL BE DISBURSED, UPON 11
APPROPRIATION BY THE LEGISLATURE, IN THE DISCRETION OF THE 12
MISSISSIPPI DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY, TO PROVIDE GRANTS AUTHORIZED IN 13
THIS ACT; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 14
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 15
SECTION 1. (1) As used in this section, the following words 16
and phrases shall have the meanings as defined in this section 17
unless the context clearly indicates otherwise: 18
(a) "MDA" means the Mississippi Development Authority. 19
(b) "State institution of higher learning" means a 20
state institution of higher learning described in Section 21
37-101-1, Mississippi Code of 1972. 22
(2) (a) The MDA shall establish a program to provide grants 23
to state institutions of higher learning to assist such 24
H. B. No. 544 *HR43/R954* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR43/R954
PAGE 2 (BS\KP)

institutions with establishing endowments for the purpose of 25
recruiting and employing professors of quantum computing and 26
professors of Artificial Intelligence engineering. 27
(b) A state institution of higher learning desiring 28
assistance under the grant program established under this section 29
must submit an application to the MDA. The application must 30
contain: 31
(i) A description of the purposes for which a 32
grant is requested, such as the endowment the state institution of 33
higher learning desires to establish and the type and number of 34
professors that the institution of higher learning intends to 35
recruit and/or employ; 36
(ii) The amount of funds from sources other than 37
assistance under this section dedicated by the institution of 38
higher learning for the endowment; 39
(iii) The amount of grant funds requested; and 40
(iv) Any other information requested by the MDA. 41
(c) The MDA shall review such application and determine 42
whether the applicant is eligible for assistance under the grant 43
program. If the MDA approves the applicant for assistance under 44
the grant program, it shall issue a certificate to the applicant 45
designating the applicant as eligible for assistance under the 46
program. 47
(3) There is created in the State Treasury a special fund, 48
to be designated as the "State Institutions of Higher Learning 49
H. B. No. 544 *HR43/R954* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR43/R954
PAGE 3 (BS\KP)
ST: State institutions of higher learning;
create grant program to assist with endowments
to recruit and employ certain professors.
Quantum Computing and Artificial Intelligence Engineering 50
Professors Fund", which shall consist of funds made available by 51
the Legislature in any manner. The fund shall be maintained by 52
the State Treasurer as a separate and special fund, separate and 53
apart from the General Fund of the state. Unexpended amounts 54
remaining in the fund at the end of a fiscal year shall not lapse 55
into the State General Fund, and any interest earned or investment 56
earnings on amounts in the fund shall be deposited into such fund. 57
Monies in the fund shall be disbursed, upon appropriation by the 58
Legislature, in the discretion of the MDA, to provide grants for 59
the purposes described in this section. 60
(4) The MDA shall have all powers necessary to implement and 61
administer the program established under this section, and the MDA 62
shall promulgate rules and regulations, in accordance with the 63
Mississippi Administrative Procedures Law, necessary for the 64
implementation of this section. 65
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from 66
and after July 1, 2026. 67