Transportation funding; authorize public-private partnerships to include naming rights.

HB 1261 allows Mississippi's Department of Transportation, counties, or municipalities to form public-private partnerships where private companies fund highway, road, or bridge improvements in exchange for naming rights to those projects. The bill prohibits partnerships with companies selling products illegal for minors (like tobacco or alcohol) and requires all funds from such agreements to be deposited into a special fund managed by the department. This fund must be used exclusively for capital improvements to rest areas, visitor centers, and welcome centers statewide, with unspent balances carrying forward annually instead of reverting to the general fund. The law takes effect July 1, 2025.