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HB884 • 2026

Bonds; mandate election on issue of county or municipal bonds.

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTIONS 19-9-11, 19-9-13 AND 21-33-307, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO MANDATE THE HOLDING OF AN ELECTION ON THE QUESTION OF ISSUING COUNTY OR MUNICIPAL BONDS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

Elections
Did Not Pass

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

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

Plain English Breakdown

The bill text does not provide specific details on the rules governing bond issuance limits, only stating that under no circumstances shall any municipality exceed the bond limit as set by statute for municipalities.

Mandatory Elections for County or Municipal Bonds

This bill requires that an election must be held before county or municipal bonds can be issued.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires a public vote on whether to issue county or municipal bonds.
  • Specifies how the board of supervisors and governing authorities must announce bond issuance plans in newspapers and at public places.
  • Sets rules for when these announcements should be made before an election.

Who It Names or Affects

  • County boards of supervisors
  • Municipal governing authorities
  • Residents who vote in elections

Terms To Know

Bonds
Financial agreements where a government borrows money from the public and promises to pay it back with interest.
Governing authority
The group of people who make decisions for a city or town, like a mayor and council members.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This bill did not pass during the session.
  • It only applies to counties and municipalities in Mississippi.
  • Details about how elections are held are provided by other laws.

Bill History

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

    02/03 (H) Died In Committee

  2. 2026-01-16 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System

    01/16 (H) Referred To Ways and Means

Official Summary Text

Bonds; mandate election on issue of county or municipal bonds.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
H. B. No. 884 *HR31/R689* ~ OFFICIAL ~ G1/2
26/HR31/R689
PAGE 1 (BS\JAB)

To: Ways and Means
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Representative Horne

HOUSE BILL NO. 884

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTIONS 19-9-11, 19-9-13 AND 21-33-307, 1
MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO MANDATE THE HOLDING OF AN ELECTION ON 2
THE QUESTION OF ISSUING COUNTY OR MUNICIPAL BONDS; AND FOR RELATED 3
PURPOSES. 4
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 5
SECTION 1. Section 19-9-11, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 6
amended as follows: 7
19-9-11. Before issuing any bonds for any of the purposes 8
enumerated in Sections 19-9-1 * * * and 19-9-3, the board of 9
supervisors shall adopt a resolution declaring its intention so to 10
do, stating the amount of bonds proposed to be issued and the 11
purpose for which the bonds are to be issued, and the date upon 12
which the board proposes to direct the issuance of such bonds. 13
Such resolution shall be published once a week for at least three 14
(3) consecutive weeks in at least one (1) newspaper published in 15
such county. * * * If no newspaper be published in such county, 16
then such notice shall be given by publishing the resolution for 17
the required time in some newspaper having a general circulation 18
in such county and, in addition, by posting a copy of such 19
H. B. No. 884 *HR31/R689* ~ OFFICIAL ~
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PAGE 2 (BS\JAB)

resolution for at least twenty-one (21) days * * * at three (3) 20
public places in such county. * * * An election on the question 21
of the issuance of such bonds shall be called and held as is 22
provided in Sections 19-9-13 * * * and 19-9-15. * * * 23
SECTION 2. Section 19-9-13, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 24
amended as follows: 25
19-9-13. * * * Notice of the election * * * provided for in 26
Section 19-9-11 * * * shall be signed by the clerk of the board of 27
supervisors and shall be published once a week for at least three 28
(3) consecutive weeks, in at least one newspaper published in such 29
county. The first publication of such notice shall be made not 30
less than twenty-one (21) days prior to the date fixed for such 31
election, and the last publication shall be made not more than 32
seven (7) days prior to such date. If no newspaper is published 33
in such county, then such notice shall be given by publishing the 34
same for the required time in some newspaper having a general 35
circulation in such county and, in addition, by posting a copy of 36
such notice for at least twenty-one (21) days next preceding such 37
election at three (3) public places in such county. 38
SECTION 3. Section 21-33-307, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 39
amended as follows: 40
21-33-307. Before issuing any bonds for any of the purposes 41
enumerated in Section 21-33-301, the governing authority of the 42
issuing municipality shall adopt a resolution declaring its 43
intention so to do, stating the amount of bonds proposed to be 44
H. B. No. 884 *HR31/R689* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR31/R689
PAGE 3 (BS\JAB)

issued and the purpose for which the bonds are to be issued, and 45
the date upon which the aforesaid authority proposes to direct the 46
issuance of such bonds. Such resolution shall be published once a 47
week for at least three (3) consecutive weeks in at least one (1) 48
newspaper published in such municipality. * * * If no newspaper 49
be published in such municipality, then such notice shall be given 50
by publishing the resolution for the required time in some 51
newspaper having a general circulation in such municipality and, 52
in addition, by posting a copy of such resolution for at least 53
twenty-one (21) days * * * at three (3) public places in such 54
municipality. The publication of the resolution may be made as 55
provided in Section 21-17-19. * * * An election on the question 56
of the bonds shall be called and held as is provided in Section 57
21-33-309. Notice of such election shall be signed by the clerk 58
of the municipality and shall be published once a week for at 59
least three (3) consecutive weeks in at least one (1) newspaper 60
published in such municipality. The first publication of such 61
notice shall be made not less than twenty-one (21) days prior to 62
the date fixed for such election, and the last publication shall 63
be made not more than seven (7) days prior to such date. If no 64
newspaper is published in such municipality, then such notice 65
shall be given by publishing the same for the required time in 66
some newspaper having a general circulation in such municipality 67
and published in the same or an adjoining county and, in addition, 68
by posting a copy of such notice for at least twenty-one (21) days 69
H. B. No. 884 *HR31/R689* ~ OFFICIAL ~
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PAGE 4 (BS\JAB)
ST: Bonds; mandate election on issue of county
or municipal bonds.
next preceding such election at three (3) public places in such 70
municipality. * * * 71
Under no circumstances shall any municipality exceed the bond 72
limit as set by statute for municipalities. 73
SECTION 4. This act shall take effect and be in force from 74
and after July 1, 2026. 75