2024 Legislation Affecting Municipalities

House Bill 155: Revises the definitions of the term “capital improvements” for purposes of the Local Government Capital Improvements Revolving Loan Program to include repair, renovation, and improvement of municipal natural gas facilities.

Amends Section 57-1-301 to allow Local Government Capital Improvements Revolving Loan Program funds to be used for the repair, renovation, and improvement of municipal natural gas facilities.

House Bill 776: Local Option Alcoholic Beverage Control Law; revises certain provisions regarding authority of municipalities and counties under.

Amends Section 67-1-7 Municipalities that have voted in favor of coming out from under the dry law may enforce such proper rules and regulations for fixing zones and territories to promote public health, morals, and safety, as they may by ordinance provide. Municipalities may enforce such proper location of package retailer stores within the municipality by application of a properly adopted zoning ordinance. The Alcoholic Beverage Control Division shall not issue any permit which would conflict with any zoning ordinance legally adopted by the governing authorities of any municipality or rule or regulation of any board of supervisors of any county as set forth in Section 67-1-7(1).

House Bill 1161: Alcoholic beverages; authorizes municipalities in dry counties vote to come out from under the dry law.

Amends 67-1-14 to remove the population threshold to allow for an election held for the purpose under the election laws applicable to such municipality, to either prohibit or permit, except as otherwise provided under Section 67-9-1, the sale of alcoholic beverages.

House Bill 1577: Bidding terms for public depositories for counties and municipalities; makes compatible.

Amends 27-105-105-353 to state that municipalities shall use the same intervals of time (up to 4 years) as counties for receiving bids from financial institutions for the privilege of holding public funds. The board is prohibited from designating a depository during the last year of a four-year term.

House Bill 1707: (Changes Purchase Law) 2023 Local Improvements Projects Fund; clarifies and corrects names and purposes of certain projects funded from.

Amends the Purchasing law procedure for purchases using federal funds for the procurement of any good or service, including exempt personal and professional services, must comply with the Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards - Subpart D - Post Federal Award Requirements Procurement Standards, in accordance with 2 CFR 200.317 through 2 CFR 200.327.

It also amends the purchasing law to require the Department of Finance and Administration to develop and implement a process that creates a preferred vendor list for both disaster debris removal and monitoring.

Senate Bill 2492: Uses tax; revises certain provisions regarding funds distributed to municipalities and counties for infrastructure purposes.

Amends 27-67-35 to allow Use Tax funds to be used for purchasing personal property or equipment related to repair, maintenance and/or reconstruction of roads, streets, bridges, water infrastructure, and sewer infrastructure, including stormwater and drainage improvements in municipalities. This bill also allows municipalities to include salaries paid to employees who work directly on street, water, or sewer improvements in the required base expenditures, even though municipalities cannot utilize the Use Tax funds to pay salaries to these employees.

SB2532: Bonds; clarifies municipalities and counties may issue serial and single term.

Amends 21-33-315 to state any municipality may issue a single-term bond payable annually which amortizes as described herein, complies with the other requirements described herein, and with a final maturity not longer than twenty (20) years.

SB2707: Business Improvement District Act; technical amendments.

Makes various technical amendments to the Business Improvement District Act.

SB2740: Insurance; authorizes counties, municipalities, school districts, and other political subdivisions to pool risk.

The governing board of any county, municipality, municipal separate school district, other school district or community/junior college district, and the governing board or head of any other political subdivision or entity may negotiate for, secure and pool their risks under this section and may provide for the purchase of any one or more policies of property insurance, or the establishment of a self-insurance fund or self-insurance reserves, or any combination thereof.

SB3231: Public Employees’ Retirement System (PERS); revises employer contribution rate increase, and redefines responsibilities of board and legislature.

From and after the effective date of this act, the increase in the employer’s contribution rate scheduled to take effect on July 1, 2024, is rescinded and shall not take effect; however, on July 1 of each year from 2024 through 2028, the employer’s contribution rate shall be increased by one-half percent (1/2%). Any recommendation by the board to adjust the employer contributions shall be accompanied by at least two (2) assessments from actuaries who are independent from each other and the retirement plan.

For More Information

The Mississippi State University Extension Center for Government and Community Development (GCD) staff design and deliver educational programs, training activities, information, and technical assistance in response to the high-priority economic and community development needs of Mississippi communities and their citizens. Participants in GCD programs include local government leaders, community-based organizations, state and local agencies, and business enterprises.

Center for Government and Community Development

Mississippi State University Extension Service

(662) 325-3141

gcd@ext.msstate.edu

Publication 4021 (POD-07-24)

By Jason Camp, PhD, Extension Specialist II, Center for Government and Community Development.