Automatic stay pending appeal; provide for certain municipal/county rulings.

HB 969 requires Mississippi municipalities and counties to automatically pause certain property-related rulings - such as demolition orders, tree removal, or nuisance abatement - when an appeal is filed, keeping the ruling on hold until the appeal process ends. During this pause, no irreversible actions can be taken, and if a government entity violates the stay, they must pay property owners damages including at least $10,000 per structure or tree destroyed, plus restoration costs and attorney fees. The bill amends state law to clarify that property owners can sue for these damages under the Tort Claims Act without government immunity for willful or reckless violations.