SB2852 • 2026

West Central Mississippi Incubator Grant Program; establish with county governments, DFA and local development districts.

AN ACT TO ESTABLISH THE WEST MISSISSIPPI INCUBATOR GRANT PROGRAM IN COOPERATION WITH THE MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION'S OFFICE OF SURPLUS PROPERTY, LOCAL DEVELOPMENT DISTRICTS AND COUNTY GOVERNMENTS IN HUMPHREYS, MADISON, SHARKEY, SUNFLOWER, WASHINGTON AND YAZOO COUNTIES; TO SET FORTH THE PURPOSE OF THE PROGRAM; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

Did Not Pass

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

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

Plain English Breakdown

The bill did not pass during its session and thus has no effective date or further details on funding availability.

West Central Mississippi Incubator Grant Program

This bill establishes the West Central Mississippi Incubator Grant Program to assist new businesses and micro-enterprises in six counties through collaboration with local entities.

What This Bill Does

Establishes the West Central Mississippi Incubator Grant Program, a collaborative effort involving the Mississippi Development Authority, county governments, and local development districts.
Provides shared office space, utilities, equipment, reduced rents, technical assistance, business personnel support, building security, janitorial services, on-site office support, and management assistance to new businesses in six counties: Humphreys, Madison, Sharkey, Sunflower, Washington, and Yazoo.
Requires the establishment of one incubator center in each of the six named counties with support from local governments and development districts.
Authorizes the Mississippi Development Authority to enter into contracts for operating these centers and to use public and private funds to support them.

Who It Names or Affects

New businesses and micro-enterprises in West Central Mississippi
Local government entities in Humphreys, Madison, Sharkey, Sunflower, Washington, and Yazoo counties

Terms To Know

Incubator Grant Program: A program that helps new businesses grow by providing them with resources like office space and technical support.
Micro-enterprises: Very small businesses, often just starting out.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill did not pass in the session it was introduced.
It is unclear how much funding will be available for each incubator center.
Details about specific services and support provided to new businesses are not fully detailed in the summary.

Bill History

2026-02-03 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System
02/03 (S) Died In Committee
2026-01-19 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System
01/19 (S) Referred To Finance

Official Summary Text

West Central Mississippi Incubator Grant Program; establish with county governments, DFA and local development districts.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

S. B. No. 2852 *SS08/R245* ~ OFFICIAL ~ G1/2
26/SS08/R245
PAGE 1 (icj\kr)

To: Finance
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Senator(s) Thomas

SENATE BILL NO. 2852

AN ACT TO ESTABLISH THE WEST MISSISSIPPI INCUBATOR GRANT 1
PROGRAM IN COOPERATION WITH THE MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE 2
AND ADMINISTRATION'S OFFICE OF SURPLUS PROPERTY, LOCAL DEVELOPMENT 3
DISTRICTS AND COUNTY GOVERNMENTS IN HUMPHREYS, MADISON, SHARKEY, 4
SUNFLOWER, WASHINGTON AND YAZOO COUNTIES; TO SET FORTH THE PURPOSE 5
OF THE PROGRAM; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 6
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 7
SECTION 1. (1) The Mississippi Development Authority is 8
hereby authorized to establish the West Central Mississippi 9
Incubator Grant Program, which shall be a collaborative 10
partnership with the Mississippi Department of Finance and 11
Administration's Office of Surplus Property, the Mississippi 12
Association of Cooperatives, the Humphreys County Board of 13
Supervisors, the Madison County Board of Supervisors, the Sharkey 14
County Board of Supervisors, the Sunflower County Board of 15
Supervisors, the Washington County Board of Supervisors, the Yazoo 16
County Board of Supervisors, the Belzoni-Humphreys Development 17
Foundation, the Madison County Economic Development Authority, the 18
Sunflower County Economic Development District, the Washington 19
County Economic Alliance, the South Delta Planning and Development 20
S. B. No. 2852 *SS08/R245* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/SS08/R245
PAGE 2 (icj\kr)

District and the Central Mississippi Planning and Development 21
District. The Mississippi Development Authority, along with each 22
entity specified above, shall act as a planning council to 23
establish the West Central Mississippi Incubator Grant Program, 24
which will be an entrepreneurship program to grow new businesses 25
and micro-enterprises in West Central Mississippi. 26
(2) The purpose of the West Central Mississippi Incubator 27
Grant Program shall be to assist the development of new businesses 28
in West Central Mississippi, through assistance and access to 29
resources provided through the entities named in subsection (1) of 30
this section. Services will include shared office space, 31
utilities and equipment, reduced rents, access to technical and 32
business personnel, building security and janitorial services, 33
on-site office support and management assistance. Graduates of 34
the incubator program will create more jobs and strengthen the 35
local economy in the West Central Mississippi region. Funds and 36
resources are to be provided for the establishment of one (1) 37
incubator in each of the following counties, the location of which 38
is to be determined by the Mississippi Development Authority in 39
consultation with the entities named in subsection (1) of this 40
section: Humphreys, Madison, Sharkey, Sunflower, Washington and 41
Yazoo. 42
(3) The West Central Mississippi Incubator Grant Program 43
will be under the administrative oversight of the Mississippi 44
Development Authority, which is authorized to enter into contracts 45
S. B. No. 2852 *SS08/R245* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/SS08/R245
PAGE 3 (icj\kr)
ST: West Central Mississippi Incubator Grant
Program; establish with county governments, DFA
and local development districts.
for the operation of the incubator and to receive and expend funds 46
for the support of the incubator from public and private sources. 47
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from 48
and after July 1, 2026. 49