KLS Keeping Law Simple Legislation in plain English

Straight-ahead summaries built from the official bill text. We keep the source links front and center and leave the decision up to you.

Back to Mississippi

SB2884 • 2026

Property Tax Elimination and Replacement Study Committee; create.

AN ACT TO CREATE THE PROPERTY TAX ELIMINATION AND REPLACEMENT STUDY COMMITTEE TO EXAMINE, EVALUATE AND DEVELOP RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING THE MEANS FOR AND EFFECTS OF ELIMINATING AD VALOREM TAXES ON REAL PROPERTY, AND THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAYS OF REPLACING THE REVENUE THAT WOULD BE LOST AS A RESULT OF SUCH ELIMINATION; TO PROVIDE FOR THE COMPOSITION, ORGANIZATION AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE COMMITTEE; TO PROVIDE THAT THE COMMITTEE SHALL REPORT ITS FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE LEGISLATURE NO LATER THAN DECEMBER 1, 2026; TO DIRECT THE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE TO PROVIDE NECESSARY STAFF AND ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT TO THE COMMITTEE; TO ALLOW FOR ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FROM THE JOINT LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE ON PERFORMANCE EVALUATION AND EXPENDITURE REVIEW (PEER), UPON REQUEST AND SUBJECT TO AVAILABLE RESOURCES; TO PROVIDE FOR COMPENSATION ACCORDING TO LAW FOR LEGISLATIVE MEMBERS AND TRAVEL EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENT FOR NON-LEGISLATIVE MEMBERS; TO PROVIDE FOR THE DISSOLUTION OF THE COMMITTEE ON JANUARY 1, 2027, OR UPON THE SUBMISSION OF ITS FINAL REPORT, WHICHEVER IS EARLIER; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

Budget Taxes
Did Not Pass

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

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

Plain English Breakdown

The bill did not pass, so its exact impact is uncertain.

Property Tax Study Committee

This bill creates a committee to study the effects of eliminating property taxes and suggests ways to replace lost revenue.

What This Bill Does

  • Creates the Property Tax Elimination and Replacement Study Committee.
  • The committee will review how ad valorem taxes on real property contribute to local government revenues over the past ten years.
  • It will evaluate cost savings for local governments if these taxes are eliminated.
  • The committee must assess the impact of revenue loss from eliminating property taxes on state appropriations processes.
  • It explores alternative methods to raise revenue lost due to elimination of ad valorem taxes, including funding both state and local governments.
  • Develops recommendations for legislative or administrative reforms to be implemented in the next session.
  • Reports findings and recommendations to the Legislature by December 1, 2026.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Local government officials
  • State legislators

Terms To Know

Ad valorem taxes
Taxes based on the value of property or goods.
PEER
Joint Legislative Committee on Performance Evaluation and Expenditure Review, which can help with the committee's work if needed.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill did not pass in its session.
  • It is unclear how much money would be saved or lost by removing property taxes.
  • There are no details on what new tax methods might replace property taxes.

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 Finance

Official Summary Text

Property Tax Elimination and Replacement Study Committee; create.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
S. B. No. 2884 *SS08/R781* ~ OFFICIAL ~ G1/2
26/SS08/R781
PAGE 1 (icj\kr)

To: Finance
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Senator(s) Berry

SENATE BILL NO. 2884

AN ACT TO CREATE THE PROPERTY TAX ELIMINATION AND REPLACEMENT 1
STUDY COMMITTEE TO EXAMINE, EVALUATE AND DEVELOP RECOMMENDATIONS 2
REGARDING THE MEANS FOR AND EFFECTS OF ELIMINATING AD VALOREM 3
TAXES ON REAL PROPERTY, AND THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAYS OF REPLACING 4
THE REVENUE THAT WOULD BE LOST AS A RESULT OF SUCH ELIMINATION; TO 5
PROVIDE FOR THE COMPOSITION, ORGANIZATION AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF 6
THE COMMITTEE; TO PROVIDE THAT THE COMMITTEE SHALL REPORT ITS 7
FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE LEGISLATURE NO LATER THAN 8
DECEMBER 1, 2026; TO DIRECT THE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE TO PROVIDE 9
NECESSARY STAFF AND ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT TO THE COMMITTEE; TO 10
ALLOW FOR ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FROM THE JOINT LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE 11
ON PERFORMANCE EVALUATION AND EXPENDITURE REVIEW (PEER), UPON 12
REQUEST AND SUBJECT TO AVAILABLE RESOURCES; TO PROVIDE FOR 13
COMPENSATION ACCORDING TO LAW FOR LEGISLATIVE MEMBERS AND TRAVEL 14
EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENT FOR NON-LEGISLATIVE MEMBERS; TO PROVIDE FOR 15
THE DISSOLUTION OF THE COMMITTEE ON JANUARY 1, 2027, OR UPON THE 16
SUBMISSION OF ITS FINAL REPORT, WHICHEVER IS EARLIER; AND FOR 17
RELATED PURPOSES. 18
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 19
SECTION 1. (1) Study committee established. There is 20
hereby created the Property Tax Elimination and Replacement Study 21
Committee to examine, evaluate and develop recommendations 22
regarding the means for and effects of eliminating ad valorem 23
taxes on real property, and the most effective ways of replacing 24
the revenue that would be lost as a result of such elimination. 25
The committee shall, at a minimum: 26
S. B. No. 2884 *SS08/R781* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/SS08/R781
PAGE 2 (icj\kr)

(a) Conduct a comprehensive review of the contribution 27
of ad valorem taxes on real property to the revenue of local 28
governments throughout the state, including counties, 29
municipalities, and school districts, over the past ten (10) 30
years; 31
(b) Evaluate the cost savings to local governments that 32
would result from elimination of the duties associated with the 33
assessment and collection of ad valorem taxes on real property; 34
(c) Assess the impact on the state appropriations 35
process of the revenue loss to local governments that would result 36
from the elimination of ad valorem taxes on real property; 37
(d) Explore and evaluate alternative methods for 38
raising the revenue that would be lost from the elimination of ad 39
valorem taxes on real property, including methods that would 40
directly fund local governments, as well as methods that would 41
directly fund state government; and 42
(e) Develop recommendations for legislative or 43
administrative reforms to be implemented in the next legislative 44
session. 45
(2) Composition of the committee. (a) The committee shall 46
be composed of the following twelve (12) members: 47
(i) The Commissioner of Revenue; 48
(ii) One (1) member appointed by the Governor; 49
(iii) One (1) member appointed by the Lieutenant 50
Governor; 51
S. B. No. 2884 *SS08/R781* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/SS08/R781
PAGE 3 (icj\kr)

(iv) One (1) member appointed by the Speaker of 52
the House of Representatives; 53
(v) The Chair of the Senate Finance Committee, or 54
his/her designee; 55
(vi) The Chair of the House Ways and Means 56
Committee, or his/her designee; 57
(vii) The Chair of the Senate Appropriations 58
Committee, or his/her designee; 59
(viii) The Chair of the House Appropriations A 60
Committee, or his/her designee; 61
(ix) The Chair of the Senate Agriculture 62
Committee, or his/her designee; 63
(x) The Chair of the House Agriculture Committee, 64
or his/her designee; 65
(xi) The Chair of the Senate Forestry Committee, 66
or his/her designee; and 67
(xii) The Chair of the House Forestry Committee, 68
or his/her designee. 69
(b) Appointments to the committee shall be made within 70
thirty (30) days of the effective date of this act. 71
(3) Committee organization and responsibilities. (a) At 72
its first meeting, the committee shall: 73
(i) Elect a chairperson and vice-chairperson from 74
among its members; and 75
S. B. No. 2884 *SS08/R781* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/SS08/R781
PAGE 4 (icj\kr)

(ii) Establish rules for transacting business and 76
keeping records. 77
(b) The committee shall meet as necessary and report 78
its findings and recommendations to the Legislature no later than 79
December 1, 2026. 80
(c) A majority of committee members shall constitute a 81
quorum for conducting business. 82
(4) Support and cooperation. (a) The Department of Revenue 83
shall provide necessary staff and administrative support to the 84
committee. 85
(b) In addition, the Joint Legislative Committee on 86
Performance Evaluation and Expenditure Review (PEER) may provide 87
additional staff and administrative support to the committee upon 88
request and subject to available resources. 89
(c) To achieve its objectives, the committee may 90
request data, analysis and assistance from any state agency, 91
division or political subdivision. 92
(5) Compensation of committee members. (a) Legislative 93
members of the study committee shall be entitled to per diem and 94
reimbursement of expenses in accordance with Section 25-3-41, 95
Mississippi Code of 1972. 96
(b) Non-legislative members shall serve without 97
compensation but may be reimbursed for necessary travel expenses 98
from any available funds designated for such purposes. 99
S. B. No. 2884 *SS08/R781* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/SS08/R781
PAGE 5 (icj\kr)
ST: Property Tax Elimination and Replacement
Study Committee; create.
(6) Dissolution of the committee. The committee shall be 100
dissolved on January 1, 2027, or upon the submission of its final 101
report, whichever is earlier. 102
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from 103
and after its passage. 104