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SB2782 • 2026

BEAM; amend provisions concerning determination and award for funding.

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 77-19-15, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO STIPULATE THAT A FINAL DETERMINATION AND AWARD MAY BE ISSUED AFTER PRELIMINARY DETERMINATIONS ARE PUBLISHED ON BEAM'S WEBSITE; TO ADD CLARIFYING LANGUAGE; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

Did Not Pass

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

Sponsor
Parks
Last action
2026-02-03
Official status
Dead
Effective date
Passage

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Amends Rules for Determining Funding Awards for Broadband Projects

This bill changes the rules about how BEAM, a Mississippi office that helps with broadband expansion and accessibility, decides on funding awards after posting preliminary decisions online.

What This Bill Does

  • Changes the law to allow BEAM to issue final determinations and awards for broadband projects after posting preliminary decisions on their website.
  • Requires BEAM to publish applications, proposed service areas, and speeds on its website within thirty days of making initial decisions.
  • Allows BEAM to accept comments or objections about each application for thirty days from the date these details are published online.
  • Adds rules that prevent funding awards if another provider is already deploying broadband in the same area.

Who It Names or Affects

  • BEAM, the Office of Broadband Expansion and Accessibility of Mississippi
  • Applicants seeking funding for broadband projects

Terms To Know

BEAM
The Office of Broadband Expansion and Accessibility of Mississippi, which helps with broadband expansion and accessibility.
Preliminary determination
An initial decision made by BEAM about whether a project should receive funding before the final award is issued.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill did not pass during its session and has no current effect.
  • It applies retroactively from April 14, 2022, if passed.

Bill History

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

    02/03 (S) Died In Committee

  2. 2026-01-19 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System

    01/19 (S) Referred To Energy

Official Summary Text

BEAM; amend provisions concerning determination and award for funding.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
S. B. No. 2782 *SS08/R922* ~ OFFICIAL ~ G1/2
26/SS08/R922
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To: Energy
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Senator(s) Parks

SENATE BILL NO. 2782

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 77-19-15, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, 1
TO STIPULATE THAT A FINAL DETERMINATION AND AWARD MAY BE ISSUED 2
AFTER PRELIMINARY DETERMINATIONS ARE PUBLISHED ON BEAM'S WEBSITE; 3
TO ADD CLARIFYING LANGUAGE; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 4
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 5
SECTION 1. Section 77-19-15, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 6
amended as follows: 7
77-19-15. (1) An applicant for funding under this chapter 8
shall provide the following information at a minimum on the 9
application: 10
(a) The location of the project by use of a shapefile; 11
(b) The type and amount of broadband infrastructure to 12
be deployed for the project, including the amount the applicant 13
intends to invest in the project from private funds; 14
(c) Evidence regarding the unserved or underserved 15
nature of the community in which the project is to be located; 16
(d) The number of households that will have access to 17
broadband service as a result of the project, or whose Internet 18
S. B. No. 2782 *SS08/R922* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/SS08/R922
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access service will be upgraded to broadband service as a result 19
of the project; 20
(e) The significant community institutions that will 21
benefit from the proposed project; 22
(f) Evidence of community support for the project with 23
a narrative on the impact that the investment will have on 24
community and economic development efforts in the area; 25
(g) The total cost of the project and a detailed budget 26
and schedule for the project, including the submission of a 27
business plan that provides for the use of funds provided under 28
this chapter. Funds shall not be used to support the operational 29
expenses of the network or to subsidize any other service provided 30
by the applicant; and 31
(h) The broadband service provider's experience and 32
financial capabilities. 33
(2) After scoring and considering all applications, the 34
Office of Broadband Expansion and Accessibility of Mississippi 35
(BEAM) shall make its preliminary determinations. Within thirty 36
(30) days after the preliminary determinations have been made, 37
BEAM shall publish on its website the applications, the proposed 38
geographic broadband service area illustrated by a shapefile, and 39
the proposed broadband service speeds for each application that 40
receives a preliminary determination. A final determination and 41
award may then be issued, subject to subsections (3) and (4) of 42
this section. 43
S. B. No. 2782 *SS08/R922* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/SS08/R922
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(3) For projects serving retail end users, within thirty 44
(30) days from the date the preliminary determinations are 45
published on BEAM's website, BEAM shall accept comments or 46
objections concerning each application and investigate each of 47
them as appropriate. BEAM shall consider all comments and 48
objections received and the investigative findings in determining 49
whether an applicant is eligible for a final determination and 50
award. 51
(4) For projects serving retail end users, BEAM shall not 52
make a final determination and award to an applicant if verifiable 53
information is made available that shows the proposed project 54
includes an area where broadband services currently are deployed, 55
or where construction of a network to deploy broadband service is 56
underway by a provider other than the applicant, and the 57
construction is scheduled to be completed within one (1) year 58
after the date of the application. 59
(5) An applicant's or challenging party's trade secrets, 60
financial information and proprietary information submitted under 61
this chapter as part of an application or challenge are exempt 62
from disclosure under the Mississippi Public Records Act, Section 63
25-61-1 et seq. 64
(6) Any contractor deploying broadband infrastructure for a 65
project that has been awarded grant monies by BEAM is encouraged 66
to use Mississippi employment to the fullest extent possible. 67
S. B. No. 2782 *SS08/R922* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/SS08/R922
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ST: BEAM; amend provisions concerning
determination and award for funding.
SECTION 2. These amendments shall apply retroactively from 68
and after passage of the BEAM Act on April 14, 2022. 69
SECTION 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from 70
and after its passage. 71