Legislative Updates

The following legislation from the 2024 Legislative Session revises the powers and duties of the Mississippi Development Authority:

SB2696 – Mississippi Main Street Grant Program
An Act To Amend Sections 57-78-3 And 57-78-5, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Revise The Definition Of Certain Terms For Purposes Of The Program; To Expand Grant Program Eligibility; To Allow Applicants Who Did Not Receive A Grant The Prior Year To Take Priority For Grants Granted The Following Year; To Amend The Easement Requirements For Grantees; And For Related Purposes.

SB2830 – Mississippi Flexible Tax Incentive Act; revise definition and annual report due date, and correct agency reference.
An Act To Amend Section 57-114-3, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Revise The Definition Of “qualified Business Or Industry” To Make It Conform To The Definition Of “qualified Economic Development Project”; To Amend Section 57-114-13, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Modify The Date On Which An Annual Report By A Qualified Business Or Industry Is Due To Be Filed With The Mississippi Development Authority; To Amend Section 57-114-15, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Correct A Reference To The Department Of Revenue To Conform To The Applicable Reference To The Department Of Employment Security; And For Related Purposes.

HB155 – CAP Loan Amendment to include repair, renovation, and improvement of municipal gas facilities
An Act To Amend Section 57-1-301, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Revise The Definition Of The Term “capital Improvements” For Purposes Of The Local Governments Capital Improvements Revolving Loan Program To Include Repair, Renovation And Improvement Of Municipal Natural Gas Facilities; And For Related Purposes.

HB1617 – County industrial development authorities certain; revise certain provisions regarding.
An Act To Create New Section 57-31-35, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Authorize The Acquisition And Development By An Industrial Development Authority Created Pursuant To Section 57-31-1 Et Seq., Or By An Economic Development District, Created Pursuant To Section 19-5-99, Of At Least 800 Or More Contiguous Acres As A Megasite To Attract Significant Industrial Development Projects; To Provide For The Financing And Development Of Such A Megasite Project; To Amend Sections 19-9-1, 19-9-5 And 43-37-3, Mississippi Code Of 1972, In Conformity To The Preceding Section; And For Related Purposes.

HB1343 – Students of active duty service members and civilian personnel; revise residency requirements to allow transfers to another district of choice.
An Act To Amend Section 37-15-29, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Clarify The School Enrollment Choices Of Children Whose Parents Are Active Members Of The United States Armed Forces Or Civilian Military Personnel; To Allow The Children Of Active Members Of The United States Armed Forces To Attend The School District Or School Of Their Choice Whether Or Not The Parent Or Legal Guardian Reside On A Military Base; To Allow The Children Of Military Civilian Personnel Who Reside On A Military Base To Attend The School District Or School Of Their Choice; To Remove The Limitation On Prohibited Distance Of Transporting Such Students By Excluding The District From Providing Transportation To Such Students; To Limit Students To One Transfer Per Academic Year; To Provide That Once A Child Has Transferred And Enrolled In Another School District, His Or Her Parent Is Not Required To Reapply For Continued Admission In The School District Or School Of Last Attendance; And For Related Purposes.

SB2519 – Mississippi Foreign Land Ownership Act
An Act To Enact The Mississippi Foreign Land Ownership Act To Limit The Ability Of Nonresident Aliens To Maintain Ownership Of Mississippi Agricultural And Forestry Land If They Are From A Country That Is Considered A Foreign Adversary By The United States Secretary Of Commerce; To Define Terms; To Limit Nonresident Aliens From Countries That Are Labeled Adverse To The United States From Exercising Ownership Of Mississippi Lands Past A Prescribed Amount Of Time; To Outline Situations For Which This Act Shall Not Apply; To Create Procedures For The Attorney General And Mississippi Secretary Of State To Follow To Penalize Violations Of This Act; To Amend Sections 89-1-23 And 29-1-75, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Conform; And For Related Purposes.

SB2776 – Immediate possession; authorize for certain public agencies for roads & public utilities for an economic development project.
An Act To Amend Section 11-27-81, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Authorize Certain Public Agencies To Exercise The Right To Immediate Possession Of Easements Or Rights-of-way For Public Highways And Roads, And For Water Utilities, Sewer Utilities, Drainage Utilities And Other Public Utility Purposes In Connection With A Project Defined In Section 57-75-5(f)(xxxiii); And For Related Purposes.

Mississippi Development Authority 2024 Legislative Update

The following legislation from the 2023 Legislative Session revises the powers and duties of the Mississippi Development Authority:

HB 770 – Mississippi Office of Space and Technology
Authority of MDA to administer the renamed Office of Space and Technology at Stennis Space Center.

SB 2359 – Mississippi Main Street Revitalization Grant Program Act
MDA, in conjunction with the Mississippi Main Street Association, will make appropriated funds available to selected Main Street Designated Community programs for projects leading to the revitalization of Mississippi’s downtowns.

SB 2525 – Forestry Facility Grant Program
MDA shall establish, administer, manage, and make expenditures and allocations of grant funds available to designated forestry facility projects that lead to the expansion of Mississippi’s forestry products industry.

Mississippi Development Authority 2023 Legislative Update

FY23 Executive Budget Recommendation