This bill restores the right to vote to Larry Sills, a resident of Newton County, Mississippi, who had previously been disqualified due to past criminal convictions. The legislation specifically addresses his 1981 burglary and larceny charges, as well as his 1985 grand larceny conviction, noting that he completed his prison sentence in 1989 and has since lived as a law-abiding citizen. By passing this act, the state removes the legal barriers that prevented Sills from participating in elections, effective immediately upon the bill's enactment.
This bill restores the right to vote to Robert Maxwell of Oktibbeha County, Mississippi, who had previously lost his voting rights due to embezzlement convictions in 1981 and 1996. The legislation states that Maxwell has since behaved as a law-abiding citizen and officially reinstates his status as an eligible elector. Once signed into law, the change takes effect immediately, allowing Maxwell to participate in elections without further legal barriers.
This Mississippi bill clarifies how the 120-day driver's license suspension for DUI convictions is calculated, specifying that the suspension period begins 21 days after a conviction or non-adjudication. It also establishes stricter penalties for drivers under the legal drinking age, including longer suspension times and mandatory interlock-restricted licenses for repeat offenders. The legislation updates administrative procedures to ensure consistent application of these timelines and penalties across the state.
HB 1783 appropriates state funds to support the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources for the fiscal year 2025, totaling approximately $257 million from special funds and $3.6 million from the general fund. The bill authorizes the department to hire 108 permanent and 65 temporary staff members while establishing strict rules to prevent salary increases for current employees and requiring detailed accounting of all expenditures. Additionally, the legislation allocates $11.7 million specifically for tidelands projects, including public access improvements like boat launches and piers in various coastal counties, as well as management initiatives and bond repayments.
This bill appropriates approximately $101.5 million from state funds to support the Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks for the 2025 fiscal year. The funding covers general operations, specific programs like Project WILD, and authorizes a staff of 580 employees, including 527 permanent positions. It also establishes performance targets for license sales, boat registrations, and wildlife management activities while setting strict rules to prevent salary increases without new funding. Additionally, the legislation provides a $550 annual uniform allowance for conservation officers and requires detailed financial reporting to the Legislature.
This bill appropriates state funds to cover the operating expenses of the Department of Finance and Administration, the Tort Claims Board, and the Mississippi Commission on the Status of Women for the 2025 fiscal year. It authorizes specific permanent and time-limited job positions within the Department of Finance and Administration and the Tort Claims Board while establishing strict rules to prevent using these funds for salary increases or promotions of current employees. The legislation also includes provisions requiring that general funds not replace withdrawn federal money and ensuring compliance with tax reporting requirements for contract workers.
This bill changes the schedule for runoff elections in Mississippi by extending the time between the first and second round of voting from three weeks to four weeks. It applies to primary elections for party nominees, general elections for statewide and local offices, and special runoff elections for county election commissioners. Additionally, the legislation explicitly prohibits the use of ranked-choice voting systems in any statewide, county, local, municipal, or school district elections within the state. These changes affect all candidates and voters participating in Mississippi elections where a majority vote is required to win a seat.
This bill authorizes the State of Mississippi to issue up to $95 million in revenue bonds to fund the construction of a new warehouse for the Department of Revenue's Alcoholic Beverage Control Division. To repay the debt on these bonds, the legislation increases the bailment fee charged on stored alcoholic beverages and establishes a special fund to manage loan payments. Additionally, the bill directs the Department of Finance and Administration to select a suitable site within 50 miles of the new state capitol building and requires a construction contract to be signed by October 1, 2024.
This bill authorizes the state of Mississippi to issue $20 million in general obligation bonds for the ACE Fund while adjusting the authorized bond amounts for various other economic development and infrastructure programs. It increases funding limits for initiatives such as business investment, defense base closure projects, and small unmanned aircraft system manufacturing grants, while simultaneously reducing the authorized bond totals for several other specific projects. The legislation also establishes new grant programs to support small unmanned aircraft manufacturers and state land improvements, and it extends the timeframes for issuing bonds related to heritage centers and transportation upgrades. Additionally, the bill directs the transfer of funds between existing state accounts to finance these new and modified projects.
This bill appropriates funding for the Mississippi Department of Employment Security to cover its expenses for the 2025 fiscal year. It allocates money from the State General Fund and the Unemployment Trust Fund to support staff salaries, operational costs, and specific programs like One-Stop Career Centers and unemployment compensation administration. The legislation also establishes rules for hiring, limits salary increases to new hires only, and grants preference to the Mississippi Industries for the Blind when purchasing goods or services. Additionally, it sets aside specific amounts for data systems, workforce training initiatives, and administrative support.
This bill appropriates state funds to support the Mississippi Office of Student Financial Aid for the 2025 fiscal year, covering scholarships, loans, and grants for eligible students. It establishes specific funding priorities, such as reserving money for new optometry students and ensuring that the FAITH Scholarship Program receives a designated portion of federal and special source funds. The legislation also sets rules for fund allocation, including a preference for the Mississippi Industries for the Blind in purchasing equipment and a limit preventing students from receiving aid from multiple undergraduate grant programs simultaneously. Additionally, the bill requires the agency to submit detailed annual reports on award amounts and recipient data while mandating that official transcripts cannot be issued to students with unpaid loan balances.
SB 2792 updates Mississippi laws regarding foster care and adoption to better protect children and support families involved in the system. The bill requires that children aged 12 or older be served with legal summons and represented by counsel in cases where parents' rights are being terminated, while also ensuring courts consider the preferences of children aged 14 and above. It establishes a new fund to pay for legal representation for indigent parents and guardians, clarifies definitions of child neglect, and sets specific timelines for permanency hearings. Additionally, the legislation mandates training for court intake officers and judges on child safety and introduces a waiver for adoption filing fees when the Department of Child Protection Services is involved.
