Appropriation; Development Authority, Mississippi.

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To: Appropriations
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Senator(s) Hopson, DeBar, Blackwell,
McLendon, Parks, Simmons (13th), Wiggins

SENATE BILL NO. 3070
(As Sent to Governor)

AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION TO DEFRAY THE EXPENSES OF THE 1
MISSISSIPPI DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY FOR FISCAL YEAR 2027. 2
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 3
SECTION 1. The following sum of money, or so much thereof as 4
may be necessary, is hereby appropriated out of any money in the 5
State General Fund not otherwise appropriated, to defray the 6
expenses of the Mississippi Development Authority for the fiscal 7
year beginning July 1, 2026, and ending June 30, 2027............. 8
............................................... $ 22,530,799.00. 9
SECTION 2. The following sum, or so much thereof as may be 10
necessary, is hereby appropriated out of any money in the State 11
Treasury to the credit of the Mississippi Development Authority or 12
the appropriate special fund for the purpose of defraying the 13
expenses incurred in the operation of the various divisions of the 14
authority for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026, and ending 15
June 30, 2027.................................. $ 296,325,957.00. 16
SECTION 3. Of the funds appropriated under the provisions of 17
this act, not more than the following amount of funds, with the 18
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exception of the provisions in this section, shall be expended 19
only for "Personal Services," which includes "Vacancy Funding," 20
for the following authorized number of employment headcount: 21
FUNDING: 22
General Funds: $ 12,980,883.00 23
Special Funds: $ 3,251,514.00 24
Total Funds: $ 16,232,397.00 25
PERSONAL SERVICES: 26
Employee Salaries, Wages and 27
Fringe Benefits: $ 14,609,157.00 28
Progressions: $ 0.00 29
Vacancy Funding: $ 1,623,240.00 30
Total Personal Services: $ 16,232,397.00 31
AUTHORIZED HEADCOUNT: 32
Permanent: 162 33
Time-Limited: 43 34
As used in this section, the term "Personal Services" shall 35
mean funds provided under the major object of expenditure category 36
Personal Services for Salaries, Wages, and Fringe Benefits. Funds 37
in this category shall not be transferred to any other category. 38
It is the intention of the Legislature to ensure compliance 39
with the Variable Compensation Plan, as outlined in Section 40
25-9-147, Mississippi Code of 1972. Payment from these funds 41
shall be in accordance with the Variable Compensation Plan 42
promulgated by the Mississippi State Personnel Board. It is the 43
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Legislature's intention that no employee's salary falls below the 44
minimum salary established by the Mississippi State Personnel 45
Board. 46
The State Personnel Board shall determine and publish the 47
projected annual cost of "Personal Services" based on monthly and 48
year-to-date payroll expenditures in compliance with the 49
provisions of this act. 50
With the funds herein appropriated, it shall be the agency's 51
responsibility to ensure that no single personnel action or 52
combination of personnel actions, when annualized, exceeds the 53
Fiscal Year 2027 appropriation for "Personal Services" with the 54
exception of escalated funds. Further, it shall be the agency's 55
responsibility to ensure that funds required to be appropriated 56
for "Personal Services" for Fiscal Year 2028 do not exceed Fiscal 57
Year 2027 funds appropriated for that purpose unless programs or 58
positions are added to the agency's Fiscal Year 2027 budget by the 59
Mississippi Legislature. 60
If, at the time the agency takes any action to change 61
"Personal Services," the State Personnel Board determines that the 62
agency has taken or will take an action that would cause the 63
agency to exceed the funds appropriated in this act when 64
annualized for Fiscal Year 2027 or increase the need for "Personal 65
Services" for Fiscal Year 2028, when annualized, the State 66
Personnel Board shall process no salary actions until such time as 67
the requirements of the provisions of this section are met with 68
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the exception of new hires determined to be essential for the 69
agency. 70
When used in this section, "Vacancy Funding" shall mean funds 71
included in the Total Personal Services amount listed above and 72
designated for approved vacancies in Fiscal Year 2027. These 73
funds are to be utilized to increase the number of filled 74
headcounts that were authorized but unfilled as of the last day of 75
Fiscal Year 2026. If the agency fills additional headcounts after 76
March 1, 2026, until the end of Fiscal Year 2026, the amount of 77
available Vacancy Funding may be proportionally adjusted to 78
reflect the updated number of filled headcounts. The agency shall 79
be responsible for ensuring that "Vacancy Funding" is used to 80
increase headcounts and not for promotions, title changes, 81
in-range salary adjustments, or any other mechanism for increasing 82
salaries for current employees. 83
Any transfers or escalations shall be made in accordance with 84
the terms, conditions, and procedures established by law or 85
allowable under the terms set forth within this act. The State 86
Personnel Board shall not escalate positions or increase the 87
Personal Services total without written approval from the 88
Department of Finance and Administration. The Department of 89
Finance and Administration shall not provide written approval to 90
escalate any funds for salaries and/or headcounts without proof of 91
availability of new or additional funds above the appropriated 92
level. Unless specifically noted, all Fiscal Year 2026 escalated 93
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headcounts have been accounted for and shall be converted to 94
authorized time-limited headcounts. 95
No general funds authorized to be expended herein shall be 96
used to replace federal funds and/or other special funds used for 97
salaries authorized under the provisions of this act and which are 98
withdrawn and no longer available. 99
None of the funds herein appropriated shall be used in 100
violation of the Internal Revenue Service's Publication 15-A 101
relating to the reporting of income paid to contract employees, as 102
interpreted by the Office of the State Auditor. 103
If the agency's total authorized headcount decreases from 104
Fiscal Year 2026 to Fiscal Year 2027, it will be the agency's 105
discretion as to what headcounts are removed. 106
The Legislature authorized two (2) new headcounts, which are 107
included in the authorized headcount above for Fiscal Year 2027. 108
New Headcount Titles Authorized: 109
Project Management Family – 2 110
SECTION 4. In compliance with the "Mississippi Performance 111
Budget and Strategic Planning Act of 1994," it is the intent of 112
the Legislature that the funds provided herein shall be utilized 113
in the most efficient and effective manner possible to achieve the 114
intended mission of this agency. Based on the funding authorized, 115
this agency shall make every effort to attain the targeted 116
performance measures provided below: 117
FY2027 118
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Performance Measures Target 119
Economic Dev & Incentives 120
Number of National Recruitment Contacts 1,000 121
Number of International Investment Contracts 1,800 122
Number of International Trade Contacts 3,000 123
Number of Qualified National Prospects 225 124
Return on Investment 10.00 125
Number of New Businesses - Global Contacts 15 126
Number of New Jobs from Global Contacts 3,000 127
Number of Minority and Small Business 128
Contacts 8,000 129
Number of Minority Business 130
Certification Applications Processed 150 131
Technical Assistance to Disadvantaged 132
Contacts 2,500 133
State Contracting with Minority Business 55,000,000 134
Number of Interactions with Interested 135
Businesses 3,000 136
Number of Qualified Contacts 750 137
Number of Expansions 30 138
Number of Jobs Created from Expansions 3,000 139
Number of Energy Efficiency and 140
Renewable Energy Direct Contacts 10,000 141
Community Dev & Incentives 142
Number of Requests for Financing or 143
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Incentives 225 144
Awarded Grants and Loans for Community 145
and Economic Development 50,000,000 146
Number of Grants and Loans Awarded 100 147
Support Services Program 148
Administration as a Percent of Total Budget 9.50 149
Tourism (visit Ms) 150
Number of Tourist Inquiries Generated 42,312 151
Number of Visitors per Year 44,135,000 152
Travel Revenue ($ in Billions) 12.00 153
Number of Tourists Registered 2,371,161 154
A reporting of the degree to which the performance targets 155
set above have been or are being achieved shall be provided in the 156
agency's budget request submitted to the Joint Legislative Budget 157
Committee for Fiscal Year 2028. 158
SECTION 5. Of the funds appropriated in Section 2 of this 159
act, the amount of Eight Hundred Thousand Dollars ($800,000.00) 160
shall be provided from the Mississippi Department of 161
Transportation to defray the expenses of the Mississippi 162
Development Authority in operating the state welcome centers. 163
SECTION 6. It is the intention of the Legislature that the 164
Mississippi Development Authority shall maintain complete 165
accounting and personnel records related to the expenditure of all 166
funds appropriated under this act and that such records shall be 167
in the same format and level of detail as maintained for Fiscal 168
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Year 2026. It is further the intention of the Legislature that 169
the agency's budget request for Fiscal Year 2028 shall be 170
submitted to the Joint Legislative Budget Committee in a format 171
and level of detail comparable to the format and level of detail 172
provided during the Fiscal Year 2027 budget request process. 173
SECTION 7. Of the funds appropriated in Sections 1 and 2 of 174
this act, the amount of Four Million Eight Hundred Seventy-six 175
Thousand Two Hundred Ninety-eight Dollars ($4,876,298.00), or so 176
much thereof as may be necessary, is provided for the purpose of 177
supporting Mississippi Tourism Advertising and Promotion for 178
Fiscal Year 2027, and shall not be expended for any type of 179
cultural exchange program. Of the funds appropriated herein and 180
allocated within this section, Two Hundred Ninety-nine Thousand 181
Dollars ($299,000.00) is provided for Tourism Grant Development 182
Awards. 183
SECTION 8. It is the intention of the Legislature that none 184
of the funds appropriated above shall be expended unless members 185
of the Mississippi House of Representatives and Mississippi Senate 186
are notified at least five (5) days prior to a public ceremony 187
announcing the award of any grant in their district or any public 188
announcement or ceremony regarding the groundbreaking or opening 189
of a facility, roadway or bridge for which the Legislature has 190
made funds available. Any signage regarding any public event or 191
any new facility, roadway or bridge shall include the following 192
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language: "Funds were made available for this project by the 193
Mississippi State Legislature." 194
SECTION 9. It is the intention of the Legislature that 195
whenever two (2) or more bids are received by this agency for the 196
purchase of commodities or equipment, and whenever all things 197
stated in such received bids are equal with respect to price, 198
quality and service, the Mississippi Industries for the Blind 199
shall be given preference. A similar preference shall be given to 200
the Mississippi Industries for the Blind whenever purchases are 201
made without competitive bids. 202
SECTION 10. Of the funds appropriated in Section 1 of this 203
act, One Hundred Thousand Dollars ($100,000.00) is provided for 204
the Mississippi Delta National Heritage Areas. 205
SECTION 11. Of the funds appropriated in Section 1 of this 206
act, One Hundred Thousand Dollars ($100,000.00) is provided for 207
the Mississippi Hills National Heritage Area. 208
SECTION 12. It is the intention of the Legislature that the 209
Mississippi Development Authority is hereby authorized to 210
escalate, budget, and expend funds from any source not to exceed 211
Ten Million Dollars ($10,000,000.00) in accordance with rules and 212
regulations of the Department of Finance and Administration in a 213
manner consistent with the escalation of federal funds. 214
SECTION 13. It is the intention of the Legislature that the 215
Mississippi Development Authority shall submit a notification of 216
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any General Fund Transfers out of the major category Subsidies 217
into any other major categories to the Legislative Budget Office. 218
SECTION 14. Of the funds appropriated in Section 1 of this 219
act, Twenty Thousand Twenty-five Dollars ($20,025.00) shall be 220
provided for the support of the Mississippi River Parkway 221
Commission. 222
SECTION 15. Of the funds appropriated in Section 1 of this 223
act, One Million Seventeen Thousand Dollars ($1,017,000.00) shall 224
be transferred to Innovate Mississippi. 225
SECTION 16. Of the funds appropriated in Section 1 of this 226
act, One Hundred Fifty-six Thousand Dollars ($156,000.00) is 227
provided for the Energy High School Academy, established in 228
Section 37-69-7, Mississippi Code of 1972. 229
SECTION 17. Of the funds appropriated in Section 1 of this 230
act, it is the intention of the Legislature that Fifty Thousand 231
Dollars ($50,000.00) shall be allocated to the Mississippi Book 232
Festival. 233
SECTION 18. Of the funds appropriated herein, Five Hundred 234
Thousand Dollars ($500,000.00) shall be provided to the 235
Mississippi Main Street Association for statewide support and 236
operations. 237
SECTION 19. It is the intention of the Legislature that the 238
Mississippi Development Authority shall provide quarterly reports 239
on the status of Gulf Coast Restoration Fund projects to the 240
Legislative Budget Office and the Department of Finance and 241
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Administration. It is further the intention of the Legislature 242
that the Mississippi Development Authority shall provide the Joint 243
Legislative Budget Committee a detailed report and other such 244
related information on each project's expenditures with the 245
subsequent fiscal year's budget submission. 246
SECTION 20. The following sum, or so much thereof as may be 247
necessary, is reappropriated out of any money in the Gulf Coast 248
Restoration Fund not otherwise appropriated to the Mississippi 249
Development Authority for the purpose of reauthorizing the 250
expenditure of Gulf Coast Restoration Fund, as provided in Senate 251
Bill No. 2046, 2025 First Extraordinary Session, for the fiscal 252
year beginning July 1, 2026, and ending June 30, 2027............. 253
.................................................... $ 617,065.00. 254
These funds are provided for administrative expenses at the 255
Mississippi Development Authority as outlined in Section 57-119-7, 256
Mississippi Code of 1972. 257
Notwithstanding the amount reappropriated under this section, 258
the amount that may be expended under the authority of this 259
section shall not exceed the unexpended balance of the funds 260
remaining as of June 30, 2026, from the amount authorized for the 261
previous fiscal year. In addition, this reappropriation shall not 262
change the purpose for which the funds were originally authorized. 263
SECTION 21. The following sum, or so much thereof as may be 264
necessary, is reappropriated out of any money in the Capital 265
Expense Fund not otherwise appropriated, for the Mississippi 266
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Development Authority for the purpose of reauthorizing the 267
expenditure of Capital Expense Funds for the Air Service 268
Development Act, as authorized in Senate Bill No. 2046, 2025 269
First Extraordinary Session, for the fiscal year beginning 270
July 1, 2026, and ending June 30, 2027............ $ 93,897.00. 271
Notwithstanding the amount reappropriated under this section, 272
the amount that may be expended under the authority of this 273
section shall not exceed the unexpended balance of the funds 274
remaining as of June 30, 2026, from the amount authorized for the 275
previous fiscal year. In addition, this reappropriation shall not 276
change the purpose for which the funds were originally authorized. 277
SECTION 22. It is the intention of the Legislature that the 278
Mississippi Development Authority may provide operational support 279
to any park operated by the United States National Park Service in 280
Mississippi during the event of a government shutdown that 281
materially affects the operations of such park. 282
SECTION 23. Of the funds appropriated in Section 2 of this 283
act, the following sums, or so much thereof as may be necessary is 284
appropriated out of the following funds in the State Treasury to 285
the credit of the Mississippi Development Authority for the 286
purpose of Mississippi Major Economic Impact Projects for the 287
fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026, and ending June 30, 2027: 288
(a) Triple Crown Fund for the purposes described in 289
Section 57-1-651, Mississippi Code of 1972...... $ 25,162,916.00. 290
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It is the intention of the Legislature that the Mississippi 291
Development Authority provide the reporting requirements of each 292
fund appropriated in this section on or before January 5 of each 293
year. 294
SECTION 24. Of the funds appropriated in Section 2, Three 295
Hundred Fifty-six Thousand Dollars ($356,000.00), or so much 296
thereof as may be necessary, shall be derived out of any money in 297
the State Treasury to the credit of the Project Poppy Fund, as 298
created in Section 57-1-631, Mississippi Code of 1972, and 299
allocated in a manner as determined by the Treasurer's Office and 300
One Million Six-Hundred Thousand Dollars ($1,600,000.00), or so 301
much thereof as may be necessary, shall be derived out of any 302
money in the State Treasury to the credit of the Project Atlas 303
Fund, as created in Section 57-1-641, Mississippi Code of 1972, 304
and allocated in a manner as determined by the Treasurer's Office. 305
These funds are provided for expediting services needed for 306
Project Poppy and Project Atlas. 307
SECTION 25. In addition to all other funds appropriated 308
herein, the following sum, or so much thereof as may be necessary, 309
is hereby appropriated out of any money in the State General Fund 310
not otherwise appropriated, to the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway 311
Development Authority for the purposes enumerated in Section 312
51-27-1, Mississippi Code of 1972, for the fiscal year beginning 313
July 1, 2026, and ending June 30, 2027......... $ 253,789.00. 314
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SECTION 26. In addition to all other funds appropriated 315
herein, the following sum, or so much thereof as may be necessary, 316
is hereby authorized for expenditure out of any special source 317
funds which are collected by or otherwise become available for the 318
purpose of defraying the expenses of the Tennessee-Tombigbee 319
Waterway Development Authority for the fiscal year beginning 320
July 1, 2026, and ending June 30, 2027......... $ 357,802.00. 321
SECTION 27. Of the funds appropriated under the provisions 322
of Sections 25 and 26 of this act, the following positions are 323
authorized: 324
AUTHORIZED HEADCOUNT: 325
Permanent: 3 326
Time-Limited: 0 327
Any transfers or escalations shall be made in accordance with 328
the terms, conditions and procedures established by law. 329
No general funds authorized to be expended herein shall be 330
used to replace federal funds and/or other special funds which are 331
being used for salaries authorized under the provisions of this 332
act and which are withdrawn and no longer available. 333
SECTION 28. Of the funds appropriated under the provisions 334
of Section 2, Fourteen Million Dollars ($14,000,000.00), or so 335
much thereof, shall be derived out of any money in the State 336
Treasury to the credit of the Mississippi Site Development Grant 337
Fund, as created in Section 57-1-701, Mississippi Code of 1972, 338
and allocated in a manner as determined by the Treasurer's Office. 339
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ST: Appropriation; Development Authority,
Mississippi.
These funds are provided to defray expenses for Mississippi Site 340
Development Grants. 341
SECTION 29. Of the funds provided in Section 1 of this act, 342
Eight Hundred Eighty Thousand Dollars ($880,000.00) is provided 343
for marketing activities, which include updating strategic plans 344
to improve the measurement of program performance and 345
effectiveness, updating websites and branding materials, and 346
performing marketing research to provide stronger program 347
outcomes. 348
SECTION 30. The money herein appropriated shall be paid by 349
the State Treasurer out of any money in the State Treasury to the 350
credit of the proper fund or funds as set forth in this act, upon 351
warrants issued by the State Fiscal Officer; and the State Fiscal 352
Officer shall issue his warrants upon requisitions signed by the 353
proper person, officer or officers, in the manner provided by law. 354
SECTION 31. This act shall take effect and be in force from 355
and after July 1, 2026. 356