Appropriation; Veterans Affairs Board.

S. B. No. 3101 *SS08/A731SG* ~ OFFICIAL ~ A1/2
26/SS08/A731SG
PAGE 1

To: Appropriations
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Senator(s) Hopson, DeBar, Williams,
DeLano, Seymour, Simmons (13th), Tate

SENATE BILL NO. 3101
(As Sent to Governor)

AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR THE PURPOSE OF DEFRAYING 1
THE EXPENSES OF THE STATE VETERANS AFFAIRS BOARD AND THE 2
MISSISSIPPI STATE VETERANS HOMES FOR FISCAL YEAR 2027. 3
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 4
SECTION 1. The following sum, or so much thereof as may be 5
necessary, is hereby appropriated out of any money in the State 6
General Fund not otherwise appropriated, for the purpose of 7
defraying the expenses and paying salaries of the State Veterans 8
Affairs Board for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026, and 9
ending June 30, 2027........................... $ 5,711,024.00. 10
SECTION 2. The following sum, or so much thereof as may be 11
necessary, is hereby appropriated out of any money in the special 12
fund in the State Treasury to the credit of the State Veterans 13
Affairs Board which is comprised of special source funds collected 14
by or otherwise available to the board, for the support and 15
maintenance of said board for the fiscal year beginning 16
July 1, 2026, and ending June 30, 2027......... $ 6,755,828.00. 17
S. B. No. 3101 *SS08/A731SG* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/SS08/A731SG
PAGE 2

SECTION 3. Of the funds appropriated under the provisions of 18
this act, not more than the following amount of funds, with the 19
exception of the provisions in this section, shall be expended 20
only for “Personal Services,” which includes “Vacancy Funding,” 21
for the following authorized number of employment headcount: 22
FUNDING: 23
General Funds: $ 4,281,587.00 24
Special Funds: $ 423,478.00 25
Total Funds: $ 4,705,065.00 26
PERSONAL SERVICES: 27
Employee Salaries, Wages and 28
Fringe Benefits: $ 4,522,370.00 29
Progressions: $ 0.00 30
Vacancy Funding: $ 182,695.00 31
Total Personal Services: $ 4,705,065.00 32
AUTHORIZED HEADCOUNT: 33
Permanent: 39 34
Time-Limited: 25 35
As used in this section, the term “Personal Services” shall 36
mean funds provided under the major object of expenditure category 37
Personal Services for Salaries, Wages, and Fringe Benefits. Funds 38
in this category shall not be transferred to any other category. 39
It is the intention of the Legislature to ensure compliance 40
with the Variable Compensation Plan, as outlined in Section 41
25-9-147, Mississippi Code of 1972. Payment from these funds 42
S. B. No. 3101 *SS08/A731SG* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/SS08/A731SG
PAGE 3

shall be in accordance with the Variable Compensation Plan 43
promulgated by the Mississippi State Personnel Board. It is the 44
Legislature’s intention that no employee’s salary falls below the 45
minimum salary established by the Mississippi State Personnel 46
Board. 47
The State Personnel Board shall determine and publish the 48
projected annual cost of “Personal Services” based on monthly and 49
year-to-date payroll expenditures in compliance with the 50
provisions of this act. 51
With the funds herein appropriated, it shall be the agency’s 52
responsibility to ensure that no single personnel action or 53
combination of personnel actions, when annualized, exceeds the 54
Fiscal Year 2027 appropriation for “Personal Services” with the 55
exception of escalated funds. Further, it shall be the agency’s 56
responsibility to ensure that funds required to be appropriated 57
for “Personal Services” for Fiscal Year 2028 do not exceed Fiscal 58
Year 2027 funds appropriated for that purpose unless programs or 59
positions are added to the agency’s Fiscal Year 2027 budget by the 60
Mississippi Legislature. 61
If, at the time the agency takes any action to change 62
“Personal Services,” the State Personnel Board determines that the 63
agency has taken or will take an action that would cause the 64
agency to exceed the funds appropriated in this act when 65
annualized for Fiscal Year 2027 or increase the need for “Personal 66
Services” for Fiscal Year 2028, when annualized, the State 67
S. B. No. 3101 *SS08/A731SG* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/SS08/A731SG
PAGE 4

Personnel Board shall process no salary actions until such time as 68
the requirements of the provisions of this section are met with 69
the exception of new hires determined to be essential for the 70
agency. 71
When used in this section, “Vacancy Funding” shall mean funds 72
included in the Total Personal Services amount listed above and 73
designated for approved vacancies in Fiscal Year 2027. These 74
funds are to be utilized to increase the number of filled 75
headcounts that were authorized but unfilled as of the last day of 76
Fiscal Year 2026. If the agency fills additional headcounts after 77
March 1, 2026, until the end of Fiscal Year 2026, the amount of 78
available Vacancy Funding may be proportionally adjusted to 79
reflect the updated number of filled headcounts. The agency shall 80
be responsible for ensuring that “Vacancy Funding” is used to 81
increase headcounts and not for promotions, title changes, 82
in-range salary adjustments, or any other mechanism for increasing 83
salaries for current employees. 84
Any transfers or escalations shall be made in accordance with 85
the terms, conditions, and procedures established by law or 86
allowable under the terms set forth within this act. The State 87
Personnel Board shall not escalate positions or increase the 88
Personal Services total without written approval from the 89
Department of Finance and Administration. The Department of 90
Finance and Administration shall not provide written approval to 91
escalate any funds for salaries and/or headcounts without proof of 92
S. B. No. 3101 *SS08/A731SG* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/SS08/A731SG
PAGE 5

availability of new or additional funds above the appropriated 93
level. Unless specifically noted, all Fiscal Year 2026 escalated 94
headcounts have been accounted for and shall be converted to 95
authorized time-limited headcounts. 96
No general funds authorized to be expended herein shall be 97
used to replace federal funds and/or other special funds used for 98
salaries authorized under the provisions of this act and which are 99
withdrawn and no longer available. 100
None of the funds herein appropriated shall be used in 101
violation of the Internal Revenue Service’s Publication 15-A 102
relating to the reporting of income paid to contract employees, as 103
interpreted by the Office of the State Auditor. 104
If the agency’s total authorized headcount decreases from 105
Fiscal Year 2026 to Fiscal Year 2027, it will be the agency’s 106
discretion as to what headcounts are removed. 107
SECTION 4. In addition to all other sums herein 108
appropriated, the following sum, or so much thereof as may be 109
necessary, is hereby appropriated out of any money in the State 110
General Fund not otherwise appropriated, for the purpose of 111
defraying the operating expenses and paying salaries of the 112
Mississippi State Veterans Homes as established in Section 35-1-19 113
for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026, and ending 114
June 30, 2027.................................. $ 6,357,359.00. 115
SECTION 5. In addition to all other sums herein 116
appropriated, the following sum, or so much thereof as may be 117
S. B. No. 3101 *SS08/A731SG* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/SS08/A731SG
PAGE 6

necessary, is hereby appropriated out of any money in the special 118
fund in the State Treasury to the credit of the State Veterans 119
Affairs Board, which is comprised of special source funds 120
collected by or otherwise available to the board, for the purpose 121
of defraying the expenses and paying salaries of the Mississippi 122
State Veterans Homes as established in Section 35-1-19 for the 123
fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026, and ending June 30, 2027...... 124
.............................................. $ 48,011,634.00. 125
SECTION 6. Of the funds appropriated under the provisions of 126
Section 4 of this act and authorized for expenditure under the 127
provision of Section 5 of this act, the following positions are 128
authorized: 129
AUTHORIZED HEADCOUNT: 130
Permanent: 242 131
Time Limited: 254 132
Any transfers or escalations shall be made in accordance with 133
the terms, conditions, and procedures established by law. 134
No general funds authorized to be expended herein shall be 135
used to replace federal funds and/or other special funds which are 136
being used for salaries authorized under the provisions of this 137
act and which are withdrawn and no longer available. 138
None of the funds herein appropriated shall be used in 139
violation of Internal Revenue Service's Publication 15-A relating 140
to the reporting of income paid to contract employees, as 141
interpreted by the Office of the State Auditor. 142
S. B. No. 3101 *SS08/A731SG* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/SS08/A731SG
PAGE 7

SECTION 7. It is the intention of the Legislature that the 143
Executive Director of the State Veterans Affairs Board has the 144
authority to transfer spending authority between and within the 145
budgets of the State Veterans Affairs Board and the Mississippi 146
State Veterans Homes, in an amount not to exceed twenty-five 147
percent (25%) of the authorized budgets in the aggregate. The 148
purpose of this authority is to use available cash reserves more 149
efficiently. It is further the intention of the Legislature that 150
the State Veterans Affairs Board shall submit written 151
justification for the transfer to the Legislative Budget Office 152
and the Department of Finance and Administration on or before the 153
fifteenth of the month prior to the effective date of the 154
transfer. 155
SECTION 8. Of the funds appropriated under the provisions of 156
Sections 1 and 2 of this act, funds in the amount of Two Hundred 157
Fifty Thousand Dollars ($250,000.00) are provided to defray the 158
cost of providing care to indigent/low-income Mississippi veterans 159
and the nonveteran surviving spouses of Mississippi veterans if 160
the surviving spouse was a resident of a state veterans home at 161
the time of the veteran's death and who, subsequent to the 162
veteran's death, meets the indigent/low-income criteria 163
established by the State Veterans Affairs Board in the state 164
veterans homes. It is the intention of the Legislature that the 165
provision pertaining to use of indigent/low-income surviving 166
spouses be retroactive for any such period, prior to the effective 167
S. B. No. 3101 *SS08/A731SG* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/SS08/A731SG
PAGE 8

date of this act, that a current surviving spouse may have met the 168
criteria. This section and its provisions shall be known and 169
cited as the "Hilton R. 'Jack' Vance Act of 1997." 170
SECTION 9. The State Veterans Affairs Board shall have 171
continued authority for all actions related to the planning, 172
development, construction, and outfitting of the Mississippi 173
Veterans Memorial Cemeteries, pursuant to Section 35-1-41. 174
SECTION 10. It is the intention of the Legislature that the 175
State Veterans Affairs Board shall maintain complete accounting 176
and personnel records related to the expenditure of all funds 177
appropriated under the provisions of this act and that such 178
records shall be in the same format and level of details as 179
maintained for Fiscal Year 2026. It is further the intention of 180
the Legislature that the budget request for Fiscal Year 2028 shall 181
be submitted to the Joint Legislative Budget Committee in a format 182
and level of detail comparable to the format and level of detail 183
provided during the Fiscal Year 2027 budget request process. 184
SECTION 11. It is the intention of the Legislature that the 185
State Veterans Affairs Board and the Mississippi State Veterans 186
Homes are hereby authorized to escalate, budget and expend funds 187
from fund number 3373200000, in an amount not to exceed Five 188
Million Dollars ($5,000,000.00), for the purpose of operating the 189
state veterans homes as authorized by law, in accordance with 190
rules and regulations of the Department of Finance and 191
S. B. No. 3101 *SS08/A731SG* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/SS08/A731SG
PAGE 9

Administration in a manner consistent with the escalation of 192
federal funds. 193
SECTION 12. It is the intention of the Legislature that 194
whenever two (2) or more bids are received by this agency for the 195
purchase of commodities or equipment, and whenever all things 196
stated in such received bids are equal with respect to price, 197
quality and service, the Mississippi Industries for the Blind 198
shall be given preference. A similar preference shall be given to 199
the Mississippi Industries for the Blind whenever purchases are 200
made without competitive bids. 201
SECTION 13. The following sum, or so much thereof as may be 202
necessary, is reappropriated out of any money in the Capital 203
Expense Fund not otherwise appropriated, to the State Veterans 204
Affairs Board – Mississippi State Veterans Home System for the 205
purpose of reauthorizing the expenditure of Capital Expense Funds 206
as authorized in Senate Bill No. 2035, 2025 First Extraordinary 207
Session, for the purpose of start-up and stand-up operating costs 208
at the Tradition State Veterans Home for the fiscal year beginning 209
July 1, 2026, and ending June 30, 2027............ $ 850,000.00. 210
Notwithstanding the amount reappropriated under the 211
provisions of this section, in no event shall the amount expended 212
exceed the unexpended balances as of June 30, 2026. In addition, 213
this reappropriation shall not change the purpose for which the 214
funds were originally authorized. 215
S. B. No. 3101 *SS08/A731SG* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/SS08/A731SG
PAGE 10

SECTION 14. Of the funds appropriated under the provisions 216
of Section 2, Three Million Five Hundred Thousand Dollars 217
($3,500,000.00), or so much thereof, shall be derived out of any 218
money in the State Treasury to the credit of the Capital Expense 219
Fund, as created in Section 27-103-303, Mississippi Code of 1972, 220
and allocated in a manner as determined by the State Treasurer. 221
These funds are provided to the Mississippi Veterans Affairs Board 222
for roof replacement, HVAC upgrades, and the purchase or repair of 223
domestic boilers at the Kosciusko and Collins Homes. 224
SECTION 15. It is the intent of the Legislature to provide 225
funding for the relocation of the Veterans Nursing Home currently 226
located in Jackson, Mississippi, to Rankin County, Mississippi. 227
Such funding is intended to be provided upon the award of funds 228
through the United States Department of Veterans Affairs State 229
Home Construction Grant Priority List, at which time the 230
Legislature shall consider and provide the required state matching 231
funds, subject to the availability of funds and compliance with 232
applicable law. 233
SECTION 16. The money herein appropriated shall be paid by 234
the State Treasurer out of any money in the State Treasury to the 235
credit of the proper fund or funds as set forth in this act, upon 236
warrants issued by the State Fiscal Officer; and the State Fiscal 237
Officer shall issue his warrants upon requisitions signed by the 238
proper person, officer or officers in the manner provided by law. 239
S. B. No. 3101 *SS08/A731SG* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/SS08/A731SG
PAGE 11
ST: Appropriation; Veterans Affairs Board.
SECTION 17. This act shall take effect and be in force from 240
and after July 1, 2026. 241