Budget requests; agencies that don't timely file with LBO shall have request prepared for them by third party.

HB 1602 requires Mississippi state agencies to submit budget requests to the Legislative Budget Office (LBO) within 30 days of the deadline. If an agency misses this deadline, its director must hire a third-party contractor to prepare a new budget that is 3% lower than the agency’s current state general fund budget. The contractor must submit the budget to the LBO within 30 days, and the agency must pay the contractor within 45 days - or risk a spending freeze on its current budget. This applies directly to state agencies that fail to file timely budget requests, with the responsible officer personally liable for unpaid contractor fees.