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To: Accountability,
Efficiency, Transparency
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026
By: Representative Banks
HOUSE BILL NO. 740
AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 5-3-57, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO 1
AUTHORIZE THE JOINT LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE ON PERFORMANCE 2
EVALUATION AND EXPENDITURE REVIEW TO EVALUATE AND MONITOR ALL 3
CONTRACTS FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS THAT ARE FULLY OR 4
PARTIALLY FUNDED WITH TAX DOLLARS TO ENSURE MINORITY CONTRACTOR 5
PARTICIPATION IS FAIR AND EQUITABLE; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 6
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 7
SECTION 1. Section 5-3-57, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 8
amended as follows: 9
5-3-57. The committee shall have the following powers: 10
(a) To conduct, in any manner and at any time deemed 11
appropriate, a performance evaluation of all agencies. It may 12
examine or investigate the budget, files, financial statements, 13
records, documents or other papers of the agency deemed necessary 14
by the committee. 15
(b) To conduct, in any manner and at any time deemed 16
appropriate, a review of the budget, files, financial statements, 17
records, documents or other papers, as deemed necessary by the 18
committee, of any agency; to make selected review of any funds 19
expended and programs previously projected by such agency; to 20
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investigate any and all salaries, fees, obligations, loans, 21
contracts, or other agreements or other fiscal function or 22
activity of any official or employee thereof (including 23
independent contractors where necessary); and to do any and all 24
things necessary and incidental to the purposes specifically set 25
forth in this section. 26
(c) To conduct an investigation of all agencies which 27
are, in whole or in part, operated or supported by any 28
appropriation or grant of state funds, or which are, in whole or 29
in part, supported or operated by any funds derived from any 30
statewide tax, license fee, or permit fee or which collects or 31
administers any statewide tax, license fee, or permit fee by 32
whatever name called; such committee shall also have full and 33
complete authority to investigate all laws administered and 34
enforced by any such offices, departments, agencies, institutions 35
and instrumentalities, and the manner and method of the 36
administration and enforcement of such laws; to investigate any 37
evasion of any statewide tax, privilege fee or license fee; to 38
investigate all disbursements of public funds by any office, 39
agency, department, institution or instrumentality specified 40
herein; to study the present laws relative to such agencies, 41
offices, departments, institutions and instrumentalities, and the 42
laws providing for the levying or imposition and collection of any 43
state tax, privilege fee or license fee; to make recommendations 44
to the Legislature as to the correction of any imperfections, 45
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inequalities or injustices found to exist in any of such laws, and 46
to do any and all things necessary and incidental to the purposes 47
herein specifically set forth. Provided further that the 48
committee shall upon petition by one-half (1/2) the elected 49
membership of either the Senate or House of Representatives 50
perform a complete investigation and audit of any agency, entity 51
or group subject to investigation or audit by passage of Sections 52
5-3-51 through 5-3-69. 53
(d) The committee, in its discretion, if it determines 54
that such action is necessary to carry out the responsibilities of 55
Sections 5-3-51 through 5-3-69, may employ an attorney or 56
attorneys to file or assist the Attorney General's office in 57
filing actions for the recovery of any funds discovered to have 58
been misused or misappropriated and to prosecute or assist in 59
prosecution of criminal violations, if any, revealed or discovered 60
in the discharging of their duties and responsibilities. 61
(e) To evaluate and monitor all contracts for economic 62
development projects that are fully or partially funded with tax 63
dollars to ensure minority contractor participation is fair and 64
equitable. Such evaluation and monitoring shall include, but not 65
be limited to, the bid process, awarding of contracts, the bid 66
pre-requests requirements and any state bonding requirements that 67
may be restrictive and may not allow an open market of bond 68
providers. 69
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ST: PEER; authorize to monitor certain
contracts for economic development projects to
ensure fair minority contract participation.
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from 70
and after July 1, 2026. 71