MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

2017 Regular Session

To: Appropriations

By: Senator(s) Clarke

Senate Bill 2625

(COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE)

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 27-104-203, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO AUTHORIZE STATE AGENCIES TO CHARGE EACH OTHER FOR SERVICES IF FEDERAL GRANTS, PASS-THROUGH FUNDS, COST ALLOCATION CHARGES, SURPLUS PROPERTY CHARGES OR PROJECT FEES ARE INVOLVED; TO AMEND SECTION 27-104-205, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT CERTAIN SPECIAL FUNDS SHALL BE EXEMPT FROM THE REQUIREMENT THAT ALL SPECIAL FUNDS ARE TO BE DEPOSITED INTO THE STATE GENERAL FUND; TO AMEND SECTIONS 7-3-59, 23-15-169.7, 23-15-5 AND 79-29-1203, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO CLARIFY THAT THE END OF YEAR BALANCE OF THE HELP MISSISSIPPI VOTE FUND AND THE ELECTIONS SUPPORT FUND SHALL BE DEPOSITED INTO THE STATE GENERAL FUND AND THE PROGRAM SHALL BE ADMINISTERED FROM APPROPRIATIONS FROM THE STATE GENERAL FUND; TO AMEND SECTION 7-5-305, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO CLARIFY THAT THE EXPENSES OF THE INSURANCE INTEGRITY ENFORCEMENT FUND PROGRAM SHALL BE DEFRAYED BY APPROPRIATION FROM THE STATE GENERAL FUND AND ALL FEES AUTHORIZED UNDER THIS PROGRAM SHALL BE DEPOSITED INTO THE STATE GENERAL FUND AS DETERMINED BY THE STATE FISCAL OFFICER; TO AMEND SECTIONS 9-11-35 AND 21-23-23, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT THE MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE SHALL ADMINISTER THE JUSTICE COURT COLLECTIONS PAYMENT PROGRAM AND THE MUNICIPAL COURT COLLECTIONS PAYMENT PROGRAM; TO DELETE THE JUSTICE COURT COLLECTIONS SPECIAL FUND; TO DELETE THE MUNICIPAL COURT COLLECTIONS SPECIAL FUND; TO AMEND SECTION 11-46-17, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT THE TORT CLAIMS BOARD SHALL BE EXEMPT FROM THE REQUIREMENT THAT SPECIAL FUNDS ARE TO BE DEPOSITED INTO THE STATE GENERAL FUND AND FROM THE PROHIBITION AGAINST CHARGING FEES; TO AMEND SECTIONS 25-31-41 AND 99-19-72, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO CLARIFY THAT THE DISTRICT ATTORNEYS OPERATION FUND SHALL BE DEPOSITED INTO THE STATE GENERAL FUND AND THE EXPENSES OF THE DISTRICT ATTORNEYS SHALL BE DEFRAYED BY APPROPRIATION FROM THE STATE GENERAL FUND; TO AMEND SECTIONS 27-19-99 AND 27-19-155, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT LICENSE PLATES AND DECAL FEES SHALL BE DEPOSITED INTO THE STATE GENERAL FUND; TO AMEND SECTION 27-19-179, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO CLARIFY THAT THE EXPENSES OF THE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE LICENSE TAG ACQUISITION FUND PROGRAM SHALL BE DEFRAYED BY APPROPRIATION FROM THE STATE GENERAL FUND AND ALL FEES AUTHORIZED UNDER THIS PROGRAM SHALL BE DEPOSITED INTO THE STATE GENERAL FUND AS DETERMINED BY THE STATE FISCAL OFFICER; TO AMEND SECTION 27-104-21, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT REVENUE FROM THE STATEWIDE COST ALLOCATION (SWCA) PLAN SHALL ONLY BE USED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION FOR THE MAINTENANCE OF STATE-OWNED PROPERTY; TO AMEND SECTION 29-1-95, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT THE PROCEEDS FROM TAX SALES IN THE LAND RECORDS MAINTENANCE FUND ADMINISTERED BY THE SECRETARY OF STATE USED TO PAY TAXES DUE TO LOCAL GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES SHALL BE EXEMPT FROM THE REQUIREMENT THAT ALL SPECIAL FUNDS ARE TO BE DEPOSITED INTO THE STATE GENERAL FUND; TO AMEND SECTION 29-1-107, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2017, PUBLIC TRUST TIDELANDS LEASES SHALL BE NEGOTIATED BY THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT OF MARINE RESOURCES AND EXECUTED BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF THE COUNTY IN WHICH THE TIDELANDS IS LOCATED AND THE SECRETARY OF STATE MAY ASSIST IN THE MANAGEMENT OF SUCH LANDS ON REQUEST; TO AMEND SECTION 29-15-9, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT THE PUBLIC TRUST TIDELANDS FUND SHALL BE ADMINISTERED BY THE MISSISSIPPI COMMISSION ON MARINE RESOURCES TO BE EXPENDED ON THE MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST AS PROVIDED BY LAW; TO AMEND SECTION 29-15-10, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO TRANSFER THE PUBLIC TRUST TIDELANDS ASSESSMENT FUND TO THE PUBLIC TRUST TIDELANDS FUND; TO AMEND SECTIONS 37-26-3 AND 37-26-9, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO CLARIFY THAT THE EXPENSES OF THE STATE COURT EDUCATION FUND AND THE STATE PROSECUTOR EDUCATION FUND AND THE STATE COURT CONSTITUENTS FUND AND THE STATE COURT SECURITY SYSTEMS FUND PROGRAMS SHALL BE DEFRAYED BY APPROPRIATION FROM THE STATE GENERAL FUND AND ALL FEES AUTHORIZED UNDER THIS PROGRAM SHALL BE DEPOSITED INTO THE STATE GENERAL FUND AS DETERMINED BY THE STATE FISCAL OFFICER; TO AMEND SECTION 37-26-11, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO CLARIFY THAT THE EXPENSES OF THE CHILDREN'S ADVOCACY CENTERS FUND PROGRAM SHALL BE DEFRAYED BY APPROPRIATION FROM THE STATE GENERAL FUND AND ALL FEES AUTHORIZED UNDER THIS PROGRAM SHALL BE DEPOSITED INTO THE STATE GENERAL FUND AS DETERMINED BY THE STATE FISCAL OFFICER; TO AMEND SECTION 43-19-61, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO CLARIFY THAT THE EXPENSES OF THE LEGAL DIVISION OF THE CHILD SUPPORT UNIT SHALL BE DEFRAYED BY APPROPRIATION FROM THE STATE GENERAL FUND AND ALL FEES AUTHORIZED UNDER THIS PROGRAM SHALL BE DEPOSITED INTO THE STATE GENERAL FUND AS DETERMINED BY THE STATE FISCAL OFFICER AND TO DELETE REFERENCE TO CERTAIN TRUST FUNDS; TO AMEND SECTION 43-47-39, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO CLARIFY THAT THE EXPENSES OF THE VULNERABLE PERSONS UNIT SHALL BE DEFRAYED BY APPROPRIATION FROM THE STATE GENERAL FUND AND ALL FEES AUTHORIZED UNDER THIS PROGRAM SHALL BE DEPOSITED INTO THE STATE GENERAL FUND AS DETERMINED BY THE STATE FISCAL OFFICER; TO AMEND SECTION 45-2-21, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO CLARIFY THAT THE EXPENSES OF THE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS AND FIREFIGHTERS DISABILITIES BENEFITS FUND SHALL BE DEFRAYED BY APPROPRIATION FROM THE STATE GENERAL FUND AND ALL FEES AUTHORIZED UNDER THIS PROGRAM SHALL BE DEPOSITED INTO THE STATE GENERAL FUND AS DETERMINED BY THE STATE FISCAL OFFICER; TO AMEND SECTION 45-6-21, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO CLARIFY THAT THE EXPENSES OF THE MOTORCYCLE OFFICERS TRAINING PROGRAM SHALL BE DEFRAYED BY APPROPRIATION FROM THE STATE GENERAL FUND AND ALL FEES AUTHORIZED UNDER THIS PROGRAM SHALL BE DEPOSITED INTO THE STATE GENERAL FUND AS DETERMINED BY THE STATE FISCAL OFFICER; TO AMEND SECTION 53-1-77, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO CLARIFY THAT THE EXPENSES OF THE EMERGENCY PLUGGING PROGRAM AND THE OIL AND GAS CONSERVATION FUND PROGRAM SHALL BE DEFRAYED BY APPROPRIATION FROM THE STATE GENERAL FUND AND ALL FEES AUTHORIZED UNDER THIS PROGRAM SHALL BE DEPOSITED INTO THE STATE GENERAL FUND AS DETERMINED BY THE STATE FISCAL OFFICER; TO AMEND SECTION 27-103-303, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO INCREASE THE INDIVIDUAL PROJECT CAP ON EXPENDITURES FROM THE CAPITAL EXPENSE FUND; TO AMEND SECTION 71-3-73, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT THE YEAR-END BALANCE OF THE SECOND INJURY FUND SHALL BE DEPOSITED INTO THE STATE GENERAL FUND; TO AMEND SECTIONS 73-31-7, 73-75-3, 73-75-7, 73-75-11 AND 73-75-27, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT THE LICENSED BEHAVIOR ANALYST LICENSURE LAW SHALL BE ADMINISTERED BY THE STATE BOARD OF PSYCHOLOGY, TO PROVIDE THAT THE MISSISSIPPI AUTISM BOARD SHALL BECOME AN ADVISORY BOARD, AND TO CLARIFY THAT THE EXPENSES OF THE LICENSURE LAW SHALL BE DEFRAYED BY APPROPRIATION FROM THE STATE GENERAL FUND AND ALL FEES AUTHORIZED UNDER THIS PROGRAM SHALL BE DEPOSITED INTO THE STATE GENERAL FUND AS DETERMINED BY THE STATE FISCAL OFFICER; TO AMEND SECTION 75-57-119, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO CLARIFY THAT THE PROPANE EDUCATION AND RESEARCH FUND SHALL BE DIVERTED INTO THE STATE GENERAL FUND AND THE PROGRAM SHALL BE ADMINISTERED BY APPROPRIATION FROM THE STATE GENERAL FUND; TO AMEND SECTION 75-63-81, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT THE PRENEED CONTRACTS LOSS RECOVERY FUND SHALL BE EXEMPT FROM THE REQUIREMENT THAT SPECIAL FUNDS BE DIVERTED INTO THE STATE GENERAL FUND AND TO PROVIDE THAT NO SUCH FUNDS MAY BE USED IN THE ADMINISTRATION OF THIS PROGRAM; TO AMEND SECTION 77-1-6, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO CLARIFY THAT THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION REGULATION FUND SHALL BE DEPOSITED INTO THE STATE GENERAL FUND AS DETERMINED BY THE STATE FISCAL OFFICER; TO AMEND SECTION 77-3-87, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO CLARIFY THAT THE AMOUNT OF THE PUBLIC UTILITIES REGULATORY ASSESSMENT SHALL NOT EXCEED THE TOTAL LEGISLATIVE APPROPRIATION AND THAT THE PROCEEDS OF SUCH ASSESSMENT SHALL BE DEPOSITED INTO THE STATE TREASURY FOR THE CREDIT OF THE GENERAL FUND; TO AMEND SECTION 77-3-721, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO CLARIFY THAT THE MISSISSIPPI TELEPHONE SOLICITATION REGULATION FUND SHALL BE DEPOSITED INTO THE STATE GENERAL FUND AS DETERMINED BY THE STATE FISCAL OFFICER; TO AMEND SECTION 93-21-31, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO CLARIFY THAT THE EXPENSES OF THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE DIVISION OF THE OFFICE OF ATTORNEY GENERAL SHALL BE DEFRAYED BY APPROPRIATION BY APPROPRIATION FROM THE STATE GENERAL FUND AND ALL FEES AUTHORIZED UNDER THIS PROGRAM SHALL BE DEPOSITED INTO THE STATE GENERAL FUND AS DETERMINED BY THE STATE FISCAL OFFICER; TO AMEND SECTION 97-3-54.8, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO CLARIFY THAT THE EXPENSES OF THE RELIEF FOR VICTIMS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING FUND PROGRAM SHALL BE DEFRAYED BY APPROPRIATION FROM THE STATE GENERAL FUND AND ALL FEES AUTHORIZED UNDER THIS PROGRAM SHALL BE DEPOSITED INTO THE STATE GENERAL FUND AS DETERMINED BY THE STATE FISCAL OFFICER; TO AMEND SECTION 97-33-51, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO CLARIFY THAT THE CHARITABLE BINGO FUND SHALL BE DIVERTED INTO THE STATE GENERAL FUND AND THE CHARITABLE BINGO LAW SHALL BE ADMINISTERED BY APPROPRIATION FROM THE STATE GENERAL FUND; TO AMEND SECTION 97-45-25, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO CLARIFY THAT THE EXPENSES OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S CYBER CRIME CENTRAL SPECIAL FUND PROGRAM SHALL BE DEFRAYED BY APPROPRIATION FROM THE STATE GENERAL FUND AND ALL FEES AUTHORIZED UNDER THIS PROGRAM SHALL BE DEPOSITED INTO THE STATE GENERAL FUND AS DETERMINED BY THE STATE FISCAL OFFICER; TO AMEND SECTION 99-41-29, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO CLARIFY THAT THE EXPENSES OF THE CRIME VICTIMS COMPENSATION FUND PROGRAM SHALL BE DEFRAYED BY APPROPRIATION FROM THE STATE GENERAL FUND AND ALL FEES AUTHORIZED UNDER THIS PROGRAM SHALL BE DEPOSITED INTO THE STATE GENERAL FUND AS DETERMINED BY THE STATE FISCAL OFFICER; TO AMEND CHAPTER 25, LAWS OF 2016 (SENATE BILL NO. 2916), TO REVISE THE APPROPRIATION TO THE OFFICE OF SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FISCAL YEAR 2017; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. Section 27-104-203, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

27-104-203. From and after July 1, 2016, no state agency shall charge another state agency a fee, assessment, rent, audit fee, personnel fee or other charge for services or resources received. The provisions of this section shall not apply (a) to grants, contracts, pass-through funds, project fees or other charges for services between state agencies and the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning, any public university, the Mississippi Community College Board, any public community or junior college, and the State Department of Education, nor (b) to charges for services between the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning, any public university, the Mississippi Community College Board, any public community or junior college, and the State Department of Education, nor (c) to federal grants, pass-through funds, cost allocation charges, surplus property charges or project fees between state agencies as approved or determined by the State Fiscal Officer. The Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning, any public university, the Mississippi Community College Board, any public community or junior college, and the State Department of Education shall retain the authority to charge and be charged for expenditures that they deemed nonrecurring in nature by the State Fiscal Officer.

SECTION 2. Section 27-104-205, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

27-104-205. (1) From and after July 1, 2016, the expenses of the following enumerated state agencies shall be defrayed by appropriation of the Legislature from the State General Fund: the State Fire Marshal, the State Fire Academy, the Office of Secretary of State (not including the Preneed Contracts Loss Recovery Fund), the Mississippi Public Service Commission, the Mississippi Department of Information Technology Services, the State Personnel Board, the Mississippi Department of Insurance (not including the Municipal Fire Protection Fund, Section 83-1-37, and the County Volunteer Fire Department Fund, Section 83-1-39), the Mississippi Law Enforcement Officers' Minimum Standards Board; * * *~~the Mississippi Tort Claims Board;~~ the Mississippi Gaming Commission; the Mississippi Oil and Gas Board; the Mississippi Department of Revenue - License Tag; the Office of the State Public Defender; the Mississippi Workers' Compensation Commission; the Office of Attorney General; and the Mississippi Department of Finance and Administration (not including the Statewide Cost Allocation Plan, the Office of Surplus Property and the Office of Insurance). Beginning July 1, 2016, any fees, assessments or other revenues charged for the support of the above-named state agencies shall be deposited into the State General Fund, and any special fund or depository established within the State Treasury for the deposit of such fees, assessments or revenues shall be abolished and the balance transferred to the State General Fund. Expenses heretofore drawn from such special funds or other depositories shall be drawn from the agencies General Fund Account.

(2) Beginning with the fiscal year ending June 30, 2016, the amount to be appropriated annually from the State General Fund for the support of each of the above-named state agencies shall not exceed the amount appropriated for such purpose in the preceding fiscal year, plus any increases in or additional fees, assessments or other charges authorized by act of the Legislature for the succeeding fiscal year.

(3) The provisions of this section shall not apply to any trust fund account that is maintained by any above-named agency.

(4) The provisions of this section shall not prohibit any of the above-named agencies from maintaining clearing accounts in approved depositories.

(5) The provisions of this section shall not apply to any trust fund accounts maintained by the Public Employees' Retirement System and protected under Section 272A of the Mississippi Constitution of 1890.

SECTION 3. Section 7-3-59, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

7-3-59. (1) Except as otherwise provided in this section, all fees collected by the Office of the Secretary of State under Section 75-9-525 shall be deposited in State Treasury Special Fund 3111, and shall be used to operate the activities of the Office of the Secretary of State as necessary to administer the filing and research provisions of Revised Article 9 of the Uniform Commercial Code and to pay to each chancery clerk such amounts as that clerk shall be owed under subsection (2) of this section. The expenditure of the funds deposited in this fund shall be paid by the State Treasurer upon requisition signed by the Office of the Secretary of State.

(2) (a) Through September 30, 2007, for each filing and indexing of a financing statement under Part 5 (Filing) of Title 75, Chapter 9 (Uniform Commercial Code Revised Article 9 - Secured Transactions), the Secretary of State shall remit the following fee to the chancery clerk of the Mississippi county, if any, indicated on the face of the financing statement as the domicile of the debtor, or, if no county is so indicated, the Mississippi county of the address of the debtor stated on the financing statement.

(i) Five Dollars ($5.00), when the financing statement is communicated in writing, either in the standard form prescribed by the Secretary of State or not in the standard form so prescribed, plus Two Dollars ($2.00) for each additional debtor name more than one (1) required to be indexed.

(ii) Five Dollars ($5.00) if the financing statement is communicated by another medium authorized by filing-office rule.

(b) From and after October 1, 2007, for each filing and indexing of a financing statement under Part 5 (Filing) of Title 75, Chapter 9 (Uniform Commercial Code Revised Article 9 - Secured Transactions), the Secretary of State shall remit the following fee to the County Voting Systems Assistance Bond Sinking Fund created under Section 3 of House Bill No. 562, 2006 Regular Session, in such amounts as specified in Section 3 of House Bill No. 562, 2006 Regular Session, and shall distribute the remainder of the fees to the "Help Mississippi Vote Fund" created in Section 23-15-169.7.

(ii) Five Dollars ($5.00) if the financing statement is communicated by another medium authorized by filing-office rule.

(3) The Secretary of State shall remit to each chancery clerk not less than monthly the amount owed under subsection (2) of this section. Each payment shall be accompanied by a detailed accounting of the transactions represented by that payment. However, from and after October 1, 2007, the Secretary of State shall remit to the County Voting Systems Assistance Bond Sinking Fund and the "Help Mississippi Vote Fund" not less than monthly the amount provided under subsection (2) of this section. Each payment shall be accompanied by a detailed accounting of the transactions represented by that payment.

(4) From and after July 1, 2016, the expenses of * * * ~~this agency~~ the Office of Secretary of State shall be defrayed by line item appropriation from the State General Fund to the Office of Secretary of State and all user charges and fees authorized under this section shall be deposited into the State General Fund as authorized by law and as determined necessary by the State Fiscal Officer for the purpose of paying principal and interest on bond issues for county voting systems, and shall not be authorized for expenditure by the Secretary of State to reimburse or otherwise defray the expenses of any office administered by the Secretary of State.

(5) From and after July 1, 2016, no state agency shall charge another state agency a fee, assessment, rent or other charge for services or resources received by authority of this section.

SECTION 4. Section 23-15-169.7, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

23-15-169.7. (1) There is created in the State Treasury a special fund, to be designated the "Help Mississippi Vote Fund" to the credit of the Secretary of State, which shall be comprised of the monies required to be deposited into the fund under Section 7-3-59, and any other funds that may be made available for the fund by the Legislature.

(2) Monies in the fund shall be expended by the Secretary of State to support the state's maintenance of efforts as required by the federal mandates of the Help America Vote Act of 2002.

(3) Unexpended amounts remaining in the special fund at the end of a fiscal year shall not lapse into the State General Fund, and any interest earned or investment earnings on amounts in the special fund shall be deposited to the credit of the special fund.

(4) From and after July 1, 2016, the expenses of this agency shall be defrayed by line item appropriation from the State General Fund to the Office of Secretary of State and all user charges and fees authorized under this section shall be deposited into the State General Fund as authorized by law and as determined by the State Fiscal Officer, and shall not be authorized for expenditure by the Secretary of State to reimburse or otherwise defray expenses of any office administered by the Secretary of State.

(5) From and after July 1, 2016, no state agency shall charge another state agency a fee, assessment, rent or other charge for services or resources received by authority of this section.

SECTION 5. Section 23-15-5, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

23-15-5. (1) There is created in the State Treasury a special fund to be known as the Elections Support Fund. Monies derived from annual report fees imposed upon limited liability companies under Section 79-29-1203 shall be deposited into the Elections Support Fund. Unexpended amounts remaining in the fund at the end of the fiscal year shall not lapse into the State General Fund, and any interest earned or investment earnings on amounts in the fund shall be disbursed as provided in subsection (2) of this section. The expenditure of monies in the fund shall be under the direction of the Secretary of State as provided by subsection (2) of this section, and such funds shall be paid by the State Treasurer upon warrants issued by the Department of Finance and Administration.

(2) (a) Monies in the fund shall be used as follows:

(i) Fifty percent (50%) of the monies in the special fund shall be distributed annually to the counties, based on the proportion that the population of a county bears to the total population in all counties of the state population according to the most recent information from the United States Census Bureau, for the purpose of acquiring, upgrading, maintaining or repairing voting equipment, systems and supplies, hiring temporary technical support, conducting elections using such voting equipment or systems and training election officials; and

(ii) The remaining fifty percent (50%) of the monies in the special fund shall be allocated annually to the Secretary of State and expended for the purpose of maintaining, upgrading or equipping the Statewide Elections Management System.

(b) The Secretary of State shall create standard training guidelines to assist counties in training election officials with the funds authorized under subsection (2)(a)(ii) of this section. Any criteria established by the Secretary of State for the purposes of this section shall be used in addition to any other training or coursework prescribed by the Secretary of State to train circuit clerks, poll managers and any other election officials participating in county elections.

(c) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no monies from the Elections Support Fund shall be used by the Secretary of State or any person associated with the Office of the Secretary of State to provide or otherwise support expert testimony in any manner for any hearing, trial or election contest.

(3) From and after July 1, 2016, the expenses of * * * the Office of Secretary of State shall be defrayed by line item appropriation from the State General Fund to the Office of Secretary of State and all user charges and fees authorized under this section shall be deposited into the State General Fund as authorized by law and as determined by the State Fiscal Officer, and shall not be authorized for expenditure by the Secretary of State to reimburse or otherwise defray the expenses of any office administered by the Secretary of State.

(4) From and after July 1, 2016, no state agency shall charge another state agency a fee, assessment, rent or other charge for services or resources received by authority of this section.

SECTION 6. Section 79-29-1203, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

79-29-1203. (1) No document required to be filed under this chapter shall be effective until the applicable fee required by this section is paid. The following fees shall be paid to and collected by the Secretary of State for the use of the State of Mississippi:

(a) Filing of Reservation of Limited Liability Company Name or Transfer or Cancellation of Reservation, Twenty-five Dollars ($25.00).

(b) [Reserved]

(d) Filing of Certificate of Formation, Fifty Dollars ($50.00).

(e) Filing of Amendment to Certificate of Formation, Fifty Dollars ($50.00).

(f) Filing of Certificate of Dissolution, Fifty Dollars ($50.00).

(g) Filing of Application for Registration of Foreign Limited Liability Company, Two Hundred Fifty Dollars ($250.00) and Ten Dollars ($10.00) for each day, but not to exceed a total of One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00) for each year the foreign limited liability company transacts business in this state without a registration as a foreign limited liability company.

(h) Filing of Certificate of Correction, Fifty Dollars ($50.00).

(i) Filing of Certificate of Cancellation of Registration of Foreign Limited Liability Company, Fifty Dollars ($50.00).

(j) Filing of an Annual Report of Domestic Limited Liability Company, (no fee).

(k) Filing of an Annual Report of Foreign Limited Liability Company, to be deposited in the Elections Support Fund created in Section 23-15-5, Two Hundred Fifty Dollars ($250.00).

(l) Certificate of Administrative Dissolution, (no fee).

(m) Filing of Application for Reinstatement Following Administrative Dissolution, Fifty Dollars ($50.00).

(n) Certificate of Administrative Revocation of Authority to Transact Business, (no fee).

(o) Filing of Application for Reinstatement Following Administrative Revocation, One Hundred Dollars ($100.00).

(p) Certificate of Reinstatement Following Administrative Dissolution, (no fee).

(q) Certificate of Reinstatement Following Administrative Revocation of Authority to Transact Business, (no fee).

(r) Filing of Certificate of Revocation of Dissolution, Twenty-five Dollars ($25.00).

(s) Application for Certificate of Existence or Authorization, Twenty-five Dollars ($25.00).

(t) Any other document required or permitted to be filed under this chapter, Twenty-five Dollars ($25.00).

(2) The Secretary of State shall collect a fee of Twenty-five Dollars ($25.00) each time process is served on the Secretary of State under Section 79-29-101 et seq.

(3) The Secretary of State shall collect the following fees for copying and certifying the copy of any filed document relating to a domestic or foreign limited liability company:

(a) One Dollar ($1.00) a page for copying; and

(b) Ten Dollars ($10.00) for the certificate.

(4) The Secretary of State may promulgate rules to:

(a) Reduce the filing fees set forth in this section or provide for discounts of fees as set forth in this section to encourage online filing of documents or for other reasons as determined by the Secretary of State; and

(b) Provide for documents to be filed and accepted on an expedited basis upon the request of the applicant. The Secretary of State may promulgate rules to provide for an additional reasonable filing fee to be paid by the applicant and collected by the Secretary of State for the expedited filing services.

(5) From and after July 1, 2016, the expenses of the Office of Secretary of State shall be defrayed by line item appropriation from the State General Fund to the Office of Secretary of State and all user charges and fees authorized under this section shall be deposited into the State General Fund as authorized by law and as determined by the State Fiscal Officer, and shall not be authorized for expenditure by the Secretary of State to reimburse or otherwise defray the expenses of any office administered by the Secretary of State.

(6) From and after July 1, 2016, no state agency shall charge another state agency a fee, assessment, rent or other charge for services or resources received by authority of this section.

SECTION 7. Section 7-5-305, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

7-5-305. (1) To fund the Insurance Integrity Enforcement Bureau, the Workers' Compensation Commission may assess each workers' compensation carrier and self-insurer, in the manner provided in Section 71-3-99, an amount based upon the proportion that the total gross claims for compensation and medical services and supplies paid by such carrier or self-insurer during the preceding one-year period bore to the total gross claims for compensation and medical services and supplies paid by all carriers and self-insurers during such period. The total amount assessed and collected by the commission from all workers' compensation carriers and self-insurers used to fund the Insurance Integrity Enforcement Bureau during each fiscal year shall be based upon the recommendation of the Insurance Integrity Enforcement Bureau, but shall not exceed One Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars ($150,000.00). The funds received from the assessment in this subsection (1) shall be used primarily for the purpose of investigating and prosecuting workers' compensation fraud. Within thirty (30) days of receipt, the Workers' Compensation Commission shall transfer such assessment from the Administrative Expense Fund into a special fund of the Office of the Attorney General created in the State Treasury and designated as the "Insurance Integrity Enforcement Fund."

(2) In addition to the monies collected under the assessment provided in this section to fund the Insurance Integrity Enforcement Bureau, for fiscal year 1999 the sum of One Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars ($150,000.00) shall be appropriated by the Legislature to the Insurance Integrity Enforcement Fund from the State General Fund. The funds received from the appropriation in this subsection (2) shall be used primarily for the purpose of investigating and prosecuting insurance fraud other than workers' compensation fraud.

(3) The Insurance Integrity Enforcement Bureau may accept gifts, grants and appropriations of state and federal funds for deposit in the Insurance Integrity Enforcement Fund. The Insurance Integrity Enforcement Fund shall be used solely to defray the expenses of the Insurance Integrity Enforcement Bureau, and any interest earned on monies in such fund shall be credited to the fund. Expenditures from the Insurance Integrity Enforcement Fund shall be made upon requisition by the Attorney General and subject to appropriation by the Legislature.

(5) From and after July 1, 2016, no state agency shall charge another state agency a fee, assessment, rent or other charge for services or resources received by authority of this section.

SECTION 8. Section 9-11-35, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

9-11-35. (1) * * * The Department of Revenue shall administer the Justice Court Collections Payment Program. The purpose of the * * * ~~fund~~ program shall be to provide support for salaries of justice court personnel, for the purchase, operation and maintenance of software and equipment, for facility planning and improvement, and for other expenses incurred for the purpose of collecting fines and assessments within the justice court system. Monies * * * ~~in the fund~~ appropriated by the Legislature to the Department of Revenue for the purposes of funding the Justice Court Collections Payment Program shall be expended by the department * * * to each participating county based upon that county's deposits in the Treasury of the monies received under the provisions of Section 99-19-73.

* * *

~~(e) Donations; and~~

(2) The Department of Revenue shall promulgate rules and procedures relating to * * * the disbursement of monies * * * ~~in the fund~~ to participating counties. The department * * * ~~of Revenue~~ shall promulgate rules and procedures to * * * ~~insure~~ ensure that the justice court system of a participating county practices proper and effective collection procedures for the collection of fines and other assessments. The county may use monies * * * ~~from the fund~~ received from the program to defray the costs associated with collection actions under Section 19-3-41(4) for collection of delinquent fines and other assessments. The county shall participate in collection actions under Section 19-3-41(2) for collection of delinquent fines and other assessments in order to qualify. * * *

SECTION 9. Section 21-23-23, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

21-23-23. (1) * * * The Department of Revenue shall administer the Municipal Court Collections Payment Program. The purpose of the * * * ~~fund~~ program shall be to provide support for salaries of municipal court personnel, for the purchase, operation and maintenance of software and equipment, for facility planning and improvement, and for other expenses incurred for the purpose of collecting fines and assessments within the municipal court system. Monies * * * ~~in the fund~~ appropriated by the Legislature to the Department of Revenue for the purposes of funding the Municipal Court Collections Payment Program shall be expended by the department * * * to each participating municipality based upon that municipality's deposits in the Treasury of the monies received under the provisions of Section 99-19-73.

* * *

~~(e) Donations; and~~

(2) The Department of Revenue shall promulgate rules and procedures relating to * * * the disbursement of monies * * * ~~in the fund~~ to participating municipalities. The department * * * ~~of Revenue~~ shall promulgate rules and procedures to * * * ~~insure~~ ensure that the municipal court system of a participating municipality practices proper and effective collection procedures for the collection of fines and other assessments. If a municipality uses its own employees to collect delinquent fines and other assessments owed to the municipality, then it may use monies from the fund to defray the costs associated with these collection actions. In addition, the governing authority of a participating municipality shall contract with a private attorney or private collection agent or agency to collect delinquent criminal fines and other assessments as provided in Section 21-17-1(6) in order to qualify. * * *

SECTION 10. Section 11-46-17, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

11-46-17. (1) There is hereby created in the State Treasury a special fund to be known as the "Tort Claims Fund."

All monies that the Department of Finance and Administration receives and collects under the provisions of subsection (2) of this section and all funds that the Legislature appropriates for use by the board in administering the provisions of this chapter shall be deposited in the fund. All monies in the fund may be expended by the board for any and all purposes for which the board is authorized to expend funds under the provisions of this chapter. All interest earned from the investment of monies in the fund shall be credited to the fund. Monies remaining in the fund at the end of a fiscal year shall not lapse into the State General Fund.

(2) From and after July 1, 1993, each governmental entity other than political subdivisions shall participate in a comprehensive plan of self-insurance or one or more policies of liability insurance or combination of the two, all to be administered by the Department of Finance and Administration. The plan shall provide coverage to each of such governmental entities for every risk for which the board determines the respective governmental entities to be liable in the event of a claim or suit for injuries under the provisions of this chapter, including claims or suits for injuries from the use or operation of motor vehicles; the board may allow the plan to contain any reasonable limitations or exclusions not contrary to Mississippi state statutes or case law as are normally included in commercial liability insurance policies generally available to governmental entities. The plan may also provide coverage for liabilities outside the provisions of this chapter, including, but not limited to, liabilities arising from Sections 1983 through 1987 of Title 42 of the United States Code and liabilities from actions brought in foreign jurisdictions, and the board shall establish limits of coverage for such liabilities. Each governmental entity participating in the plan shall make payments to the board in such amounts, times and manner determined by the board as the board deems necessary to provide sufficient funds to be available for payment by the board of the costs it incurs in providing coverage for the governmental entity. Each governmental entity of the state other than the political subdivisions thereof participating in the plan procured by the board shall be issued by the board a certificate of coverage whose form and content shall be determined by the board but which shall have the effect of certifying that, in the opinion of the board, each of such governmental entities is adequately insured.

Before July 1, 1993, the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning may provide liability coverage for each university, department, trustee, employee, volunteer, facility and activity as the board of trustees, in its discretion, shall determine advisable. If liability coverage, either through insurance policies or self-insurance retention is in effect, immunity from suit shall be waived only to the limit of liability established by the insurance or self-insurance program. From and after July 1, 1993, liability coverage established by the board of trustees must conform to the provisions of this section and must receive approval from the board. Should the board reject a plan, the board of trustees shall participate in the liability program for state agencies established by the board.

(3) All political subdivisions shall, from and after October 1, 1993, obtain a policy or policies of insurance, establish self-insurance reserves, or provide a combination of insurance and reserves as necessary to cover all risks of claims and suits for which political subdivisions may be liable under this chapter; a political subdivision shall not be required to obtain pollution liability insurance. However, this shall not limit any cause of action against a political subdivision relative to limits of liability under the Tort Claims Act. The policy or policies of insurance or self-insurance may contain any reasonable limitations or exclusions not contrary to Mississippi state statutes or case law as are normally included in commercial liability insurance policies generally available to political subdivisions. All the plans of insurance or reserves or combination of insurance and reserves shall be submitted for approval to the board. The board shall issue a certificate of coverage to each political subdivision whose plan it approves in the same manner as provided in subsection (2) of this section. Whenever any political subdivision fails to obtain the board's approval of its plan, the political subdivision shall act in accordance with the rules and regulations of the board and obtain a satisfactory plan of insurance or reserves or combination of insurance and reserves to be approved by the board.

(4) Any governmental entity may purchase liability insurance to cover claims in excess of the amounts provided for in Section 11-46-15 and may be sued by anyone in excess of the amounts provided for in Section 11-46-15 to the extent of the excess insurance carried; however, the immunity from suit above the amounts provided for in Section 11-46-15 shall be waived only to the extent of excess liability insurance carried.

(5) Any two (2) or more political subdivisions may contract to pool their liabilities as a group under this chapter. The pooling agreements and contracts may provide for the purchase of one or more policies of liability insurance or the establishment of self-insurance reserves or a combination of insurance and reserves and shall be subject to approval by the board in the manner provided in subsections (2) and (3) of this section.

(6) The board shall have subrogation rights against a third party for amounts paid out of any plan of self-insurance administered by the board pursuant to this section on behalf of a governmental entity that is not a political subdivision as a result of damages caused under circumstances creating a cause of action in favor of such governmental entity against a third party. The board shall deposit in the Tort Claims Fund all monies received in connection with the settlement or payment of any claim, including proceeds from the sale of salvage.

(7) * * * During Fiscal Year 2017, the board shall have full authority to assess agencies and governmental entities as per Section 11-46-19(1)(r).

* * *

SECTION 11. Section 25-31-41, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

25-31-41. (1) There is created in the State Treasury a special fund designated as the District Attorneys Operation Fund. The funds shall be administered by the Attorney General. The fund shall consist of monies deposited therein as provided in Section 99-19-72 and monies from any other source designated for deposit into the fund. The Attorney General may also accept monies from any public or private source for deposit into the fund. Money remaining in the fund at the end of a fiscal year shall not lapse into the State General Fund, and any interest earned from the investment of monies in the fund shall be deposited to the credit of the fund.

(2) Monies in the fund shall be subject to appropriation by the Legislature and may only be used for the purpose of assisting district attorneys as determined necessary by the Attorney General. Monies in the fund used for the purposes described in this section shall be in addition to other funds available from any other source for such purposes.

(3) From and after July 1, 2016, the expenses of district attorneys shall be defrayed by appropriation from the State General Fund and all user charges and fees authorized by Section 99-19-72(1)(a) and (b) shall be deposited into the State General Fund as authorized by law and as determined by the State Fiscal Officer, and charges and fees authorized by Section 99-19-72(1)(c) shall be retained by the circuit clerks for expenditures authorized by law.

SECTION 12. Section 99-19-72, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

99-19-72. (1) A filing fee of One Hundred Fifty Dollars ($150.00) is hereby levied on each petition to expunge an offense under Section 99-19-71 to be collected by the circuit clerk and distributed as follows:

(a) One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) to be deposited into the Judicial System Operation Fund;

(b) Forty Dollars ($40.00) to be deposited into the District Attorneys Operation Fund; and

(2) From and after July 1, 2016, the expenses of district attorneys shall be defrayed by appropriation from the State General Fund and all user charges and fees authorized by paragraphs (a) and (b) of subsection (1) of this section shall be deposited into the State General Fund as authorized by law and as determined by the State Fiscal Officer, and charges and fees authorized by paragraph (c) of subsection (1) of this section shall be retained by the circuit clerks for expenditures authorized by law.

SECTION 13. Section 27-19-99, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

27-19-99. (1) The Department of Revenue shall furnish the tax collector of each county a sufficient supply of license tags or plates and a sufficient supply of license receipts with which to make the collection of the taxes imposed by the provisions of this article, which such tax collectors are required to collect. The license tag receipts shall be on forms prescribed by the department. Upon the payment of the taxes and fees required by this article, the tax collector shall issue the license receipt in the form prescribed by the department. The department shall keep account against the tax collector for the license taxes and fees collected. The tax collector shall keep a similar account.

(2) The tax collector shall, at the end of each month or within twenty (20) days thereafter, pay into the county road fund all privilege taxes collected by him during the preceding month upon motor vehicle privilege licenses which he is entitled to issue, less the county's commission.

(3) The tax collector shall keep a record of the information furnished by the owners of each motor vehicle registered. The record shall be made in numerical order by tag number or decal number, whichever is appropriate. At the end of each month, or within twenty (20) days thereafter, the tax collector shall submit to the department a copy of such record, together with the copy of each registration receipt, and shall, at the same time, remit to the department the registration fee for each license tag or decal sold by him during the preceding month. When the tax collector shall have complied with the provisions of this section and shall have forwarded to the department, within the time specified, all reports required of him hereunder, he shall then be entitled to retain five percent (5%) of the registration fees imposed in Section 27-19-43(3)(a) and (b), to be paid into the county general fund; otherwise the county's commission shall be forfeited. The five percent (5%) shall not apply to any additional registration fee imposed above the amounts imposed in Section 27-19-43(3)(a) and (b). The department shall keep a record from the duplicates filed by the tax collectors of all registered vehicles.

(4) Counties that use their existing computer system to communicate all data regarding vehicle title and registration transactions to the state's central computer system shall be allotted Fifty Cents (50�) for each registration fee collected by the county and remitted to the Department of Revenue. Such communication must successfully pass any edit features and successfully create or update title/registration records on the network system. This amount paid to the county shall be deposited into the county general fund to be expended only for costs incurred for the purchase of equipment, software, maintenance, or other costs directly related to the title/registration network system, and for education and training.

(5) All monies remitted to the department by tax collectors as registration or tag fees from the portion of the rate imposed in Section 27-19-43(3)(a) and (b), and all monies received by the department directly as registration or tag fees from the portion of the rate imposed in Section 27-19-43(3)(a) and (b) * * * shall be paid by the department into the General Fund of the State Treasury on the first day of the month succeeding the month in which such fees are received by the department.

* * *

( * * *76) Except as otherwise provided in Section 31-17-127, all monies remitted to the department by tax collectors as registration or tag fees from the additional rate of Five Dollars ($5.00) and all monies received by the department directly as registration or tag fees from the additional rate of Five Dollars ($5.00) shall be paid into the State Treasury to the credit of the State Highway Fund for the construction or reconstruction of highways designated under the highway program created under Section 65-3-97.

SECTION 14. Section 27-19-155, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

27-19-155. The license or number tag herein provided for shall be purchased by the License Tag Commission, composed of the Governor, Commissioner of Revenue, Attorney General and the State Treasurer, upon competitive bids, after having given three (3) weeks' notice of the time and place of purchase, by publishing said notice in at least three (3) newspapers, at least one (1) of which shall be published in the State of Mississippi, for a period of three (3) weeks prior to the date of purchase. The successful bidder shall enter into a bond with some surety company, authorized to do business in the state, as surety thereon, payable to the State of Mississippi, in a sum equal to the amount of his contract, conditioned for the faithful and prompt carrying out of said bid, and, in the event of the failure to comply with the terms of said contract, the amount of said bond shall be forfeited as liquidated damages and may be recovered by the Attorney General in any appropriate action. The License Tag Commission is hereby authorized and empowered to renegotiate any contract entered into for the purchase of license tags in order to obtain any other or additional tags necessitated by the passage of this article.

All monies received by the * * *~~State Tax Commission~~ Department of Revenue as registration or tag fees, either from the tax collectors, or from licenses issued by the * * *~~State Tax Commission~~ Department of Revenue, shall be paid into the State Treasury on the same day in which such funds are collected by the * * *~~State Tax Commission~~ Department of Revenue. * * *

SECTION 15. Section 27-19-179, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

27-19-179. (1) There is created in the State Treasury a special fund to be designated as the " Department of Revenue License Tag Acquisition Fund." The special fund shall consist of monies deposited therein under Sections 27-19-99 and 27-19-155 and monies from any other source designated for deposit into the fund. Unexpended amounts remaining in the special fund at the end of a fiscal year shall not lapse into the State General Fund, and any interest earned or investment earnings on amounts in the fund shall be deposited to the credit of the fund.

(2) From and after July 1, 2010, monies in the special fund may be used by the Department of Revenue for the purpose of paying the costs incurred for purchasing license tags and decals and associated freight costs under Section 27-19-1 et seq. The department may escalate its budget and expend monies from the special fund in accordance with rules and regulations of the Department of Finance and Administration in a manner consistent with the escalation of federal funds.

(3) From and after July 1, 2016, the expenses of * * * ~~this agency~~ the Department of Revenue License Tag Acquisition Fund Program shall be defrayed by appropriation from the State General Fund and all user charges and fees authorized under this section shall be deposited into the State General Fund as authorized by law and as determined by the State Fiscal Officer.

(4) From and after July 1, 2016, no state agency shall charge another state agency a fee, assessment, rent or other charge for services or resources received by authority of this section.

SECTION 16. Section 27-104-21, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

27-104-21. (1) All general and special fund agencies shall, upon making application for federal funds, forward a summary of such applications to the Legislative Budget Office. The Legislative Budget Office shall have an opportunity to review such applications and make its comments thereon to the Executive Director of the Department of Finance and Administration and the state agency making application. Unless otherwise specified in the appropriation bill, the Executive Director of the Department of Finance and Administration shall have the authority to approve escalations in a budget using one hundred percent (100%) federal money.

(2) New employee positions funded one hundred percent (100%) by or from federal funds may be authorized by the Executive Director of the Department of Finance and Administration subject to the rules and regulations of the State Personnel Board. No federal funds may be expended for programs or activities other than those which have been authorized by act of the Legislature or which are encompassed by a state agency's program structure as provided by law. The Executive Director of the Department of Finance and Administration shall immediately send notice of the approval of such budget escalation to the Legislative Budget Office. The Executive Director of the Department of Finance and Administration shall ensure that the Legislative Budget Office receives timely, detailed and accurate information about the amount and use of federal funds by state agencies.

(3) The Department of Finance and Administration shall require, by rule and regulation, that each agency receiving federal funds shall apply for federal reimbursement for state central services costs in accordance with Office of Management and Budget Circular A-21 or A-87, which reimbursement shall be deposited directly into the Statewide Cost Allocation Fund, which is hereby established within the State Treasury. An agency's failure to timely apply for such reimbursement shall be condition sufficient to authorize the Department of Finance and Administration to transfer an amount equal to not less than fifty percent (50%) nor more than one hundred percent (100%) of the total amount designated to such agency in the applicable fixed cost agreement of the state central service cost allocation plan. These funds shall be transferred from any available funds within such agency into the Statewide Cost Allocation Fund upon execution of a requisition for issuance of warrant by the Executive Director of the Department of Finance and Administration. Any funds on hand in said Statewide Cost Allocation Fund at the end of the fiscal year shall lapse into the State General Fund. From and after July 1, 2016, any revenue generated from this fund shall be used only for the maintenance, upkeep and utility costs of state-owned property, and any amount on hand at the end of the fiscal year that is not necessary to defray the cost of such maintenance, upkeep and utility costs shall, after August 15 of each year, be transferred to the State General Fund as authorized by law and as determined by the State Fiscal Officer.

SECTION 17. Section 29-1-95, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

29-1-95. (1) All taxes due the county, municipality, public school district, drainage district or levee board on lands sold to the state for taxes and listed into the Secretary of State's office shall remain in abeyance until the land be sold, and thereafter such taxes shall be paid out of the purchase money; but state, county, municipality, public school district, drainage district or levee board taxes shall not accrue on such lands after the fiscal year in which it was certified to the state. Upon the payment of the purchase money of any tax land into the Treasury, the Secretary of State shall certify to the Department of Finance and Administration and to the Treasurer the amount of fees and costs allowed to the county tax collector and chancery clerk, as in cases of the redemption of lands from tax sales, under the provisions of Section 25-7-21; and the Department of Finance and Administration shall issue warrants in favor of such county tax collector and chancery clerk for the amount of such fees. The Secretary of State shall also certify to the Department of Finance and Administration and the Treasurer the amount of the county, municipality, public school district, drainage district and levee board taxes for which said land was sold to the state, and all taxes accruing on said land until the year in which it was certified to the state; and the Department of Finance and Administration shall issue warrants in favor of the proper county, municipality, public school district, drainage district, and levee board for the said four (4) years' taxes. The balance of the purchase money shall be deposited into a special fund to be known as the "Land Records Maintenance Fund," that is hereby created in the State Treasury * * *. The fund shall be administered by the Secretary of State. Any amount on hand in said Land Records Maintenance Fund at the end of the fiscal year * * * ~~shall not lapse into the State~~ that is not necessary to pay any obligations to local governmental units set out in this subsection shall, after June 30 of each year, be transferred to the General Fund, and shall not be authorized for expenditure by the Secretary of State to reimburse or otherwise defray the expenses of any office administered by the Secretary of State.

(2) If, after the payment of the fees and costs allowed to the county tax collector and the chancery clerk, as aforesaid, the balance of the purchase money of any tax land paid into the Treasury shall be insufficient to cover the amount of the state, county, municipality, public school district, drainage district or levee board taxes due thereon, or if the records of the Secretary of State fail to show the amount of state, county, municipality, public school district, drainage district or levee board taxes accruing for the years until said land was certified to the state, on lands sold by the Secretary of State, he shall apportion the balance of the purchase money derived from the sale of such lands between the state, county, municipality, public school district, drainage district and levee board upon the basis of the amount of taxes due the state, county, municipality, public school district, drainage district and levee board, respectively, at the time said land was struck off to the state for delinquent taxes by the sheriff and tax collector, and for which said lands were struck off to the state.

(3) All funds derived from the sale of properties under the provisions of Sections 7-11-15, 29-1-27, 29-1-29, 29-1-35, 29-1-37, 29-1-53 through 29-1-57, 29-1-73 and 29-1-81 through 29-1-87 shall be handled in the manner provided herein for funds derived from the sale of lands.

(4) From and after July 1, 2016, the expenses of this agency shall be defrayed by appropriation from the State General Fund and all user charges and fees authorized under this section shall be deposited into the State General Fund as authorized by law. The requirements of this subsection (4) shall not apply to disbursements made to local governmental units from the Land Records Maintenance Fund, and to any funds which by law are to be collected and deposited to the Land Records Maintenance Fund.

(5) From and after July 1, 2016, no state agency shall charge another state agency a fee, assessment, rent or other charge for services or resources received by authority of this section. This prohibition shall not apply to payments made from the Land Records Maintenance Fund provided for in subsection (1) of this section.

SECTION 18. Section 29-1-107, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

29-1-107. (1) The Secretary of State with the approval of the Governor shall, as far as practicable, rent or lease all lands belonging to the state, except as otherwise provided by law for a period of not exceeding one (1) year, and account for the rents therefrom in the same manner as money received from the sale of state lands, provided that no state land shall be rented or leased to individuals, corporations, partnerships, or association of persons for hunting or fishing purposes. Property belonging to the state in municipalities, even though it may have been subdivided into lots, blocks, divisions, or otherwise escheated or was sold to the state by such description, may likewise be leased or rented by the Secretary of State under the terms provided above for other state lands, and the rents accounted for in the same manner. The state shall have all the liens, rights and remedies accorded to landlords in Sections 89-7-1 through 89-7-125; said leases and rental contracts shall automatically terminate on the date provided in said leases or contracts.

(2) (a) The Secretary of State, with the approval of the Governor, may rent or lease surface lands, tidelands or submerged lands owned or controlled by the State of Mississippi lying in or adjacent to the Mississippi Sound or Gulf of Mexico or streams emptying therein, for a period not exceeding forty (40) years for rental payable to the state annually. However, the term of any lease of state public trust tidelands to a person possessing a license under the Mississippi Gaming Control Act shall be governed by the provisions of subsection (4) of this section. Provided however, that effective July 1, 2017, all such public tidelands and submerged land leases shall be negotiated by the Executive Director of the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources and executed by the president of the board of supervisors of the county in which the surface, tidelands or submerged lands are located, on behalf of such board of supervisors, subject to the approval of the Secretary of State as an advisory trustee. From and after July 1, 2017, it shall be the duty of the Secretary of State to collect the lease rentals on all such tidelands or submerged land leases which shall be deposited into a clearing account at the State Treasury for transfer into the Public Trust Tidelands Fund established in Section 29-15-9, Mississippi Code of 1972. It shall be the duty of the Secretary of State to assist the appropriate board of supervisors, when so requested, in establishing and maintaining public tidelands management systems.

(b) The lessee under such agreement may construct such necessary items for marking channels, docking, wharfing, mooring or fleeting vessels which shall be in aid of navigation and not obstructions thereto.

(c) A lessee of record may be given the option to renew for an additional period not to exceed twenty-five (25) years; however, the term of a renewal for a lease of state public trust tidelands to a person possessing a gaming license under the Mississippi Gaming Control Act shall be governed by the provisions of subsection (4) of this section. The holder of a lease of Public Trust Tidelands, at the expiration thereof, shall have a prior right, exclusive of all other persons, to re-lease as may be negotiated by the Executive Director of the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources and agreed upon between the holder of the lease and the board of supervisors of the county in which the tidelands is located with the approval of the Secretary of State as co-trustee in the same manner as provided in paragraph (a) of this subsection relating to the prior lease.

(d) Leases shall provide for review and rent adjustments at each fifth anniversary tied either to the All Urban Consumer Price Index-All Items (CPI) or to an appraisal which deducts the value of any improvements by the lessee which substantially enhance the value of the land. In the case where the initial rental was based on the value set by the ad valorem tax rolls, then the rent review and adjustment clause shall be likewise based on the value set by such tax rolls. In the event that the lessor and lessee cannot agree on a rental amount, the lease may be cancelled at the option of the lessor. The lessee shall, within thirty (30) days after execution of a sublease or assignment, file a copy thereof, including the total consideration therefor, with the Secretary of State. This paragraph shall not apply to a lease of state public trust tidelands or submerged lands to a person possessing a gaming license under the Mississippi Gaming Control Act who operates a gaming establishment on such tidelands.

(3) Provided, however, the current occupants of public trust tidelands that were developed after the determinable mean high-water line nearest the effective date of the Coastal Wetlands Protection Law shall pay an annual rental based on the fair market value as determined by the assessed valuation of the property. The holder of a lease of Public Trust Tidelands, at the expiration thereof, shall have a prior right, exclusive of all other persons, to re-lease as may negotiated by the Executive Director of the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources and agreed upon between the holder of the lease and the board of supervisors of the county in which the tidelands is located with the approval of the Secretary of State as co-trustee in the same manner as provided in subsection (2)(a) of this section relating to the prior lease.

(4) (a) This section shall apply to any person possessing a license under the Mississippi Gaming Control Act who operates a gaming establishment in any of the three (3) most southern counties of the state.

(b) The following shall apply to all leases of state public trust tidelands executed by such a licensee:

(i) Every lease executed after August 29, 2005, shall be for a period of thirty (30) years for rental payable to the state annually.

(ii) By operation of this section, any lease executed before August 29, 2005, may, at the option of the lessee, either remain at the term stated in the original execution of the lease or be converted to a thirty-year term lease, beginning on such date after August 29, 2005, that the lessee either resumes or begins permanent gaming activities as approved by the Mississippi Gaming Commission, and the lessee shall be required to comply with all other provisions of the lease. Should the lessee choose to operate in a structure that is not on state public trust tidelands and that is on property contiguous to tidelands leased by the lessee, the lessee shall be required to comply with all other provisions of the lease and shall be exempt from the assessment provided for in paragraph (c) of this subsection. Easements for and rights-of-way for public streets and highways shall not be construed to interrupt the contiguous nature of a parcel of property. In the event that a lessee does not elect either to remain bound by the original term of the lease or to convert the lease to a thirty-year term, the board of supervisors of the county in which the tidelands leasehold is located with the approval of the Secretary of State as co-trustee may lease the state public trust tidelands that are the subject of the lease to any other person or entity in the same manner as provided in subsection (2)(a) of this section relating to the prior lease.

(iii) Leases shall provide for review and rent adjustments at each annual anniversary tied to the All Urban Consumer Price Index-All Items (CPI). In the case of the renewal of a lease after the expiration of the original thirty-year term under this subsection, each renewal shall be for a term of thirty (30) years. The base rate to which the CPI shall apply for purposes of executing the subsequent lease shall be negotiated by the lessee with the board of supervisors of the county in which the tidelands leasehold is located with the approval of the Secretary of State as co-trustee in the same manner as provided in subsection (2)(a) of this section relating to the prior lease.

(c) (i) Except as otherwise provided in this paragraph, any person possessing a license under the Mississippi Gaming Control Act who does not lease public trust tidelands from the state or any of its political subdivisions, and who operates a gaming establishment in any of the three (3) most southern counties of the state, shall pay an annual in-lieu tidelands assessment to the Public Trust Tidelands Assessments Fund (hereinafter referred to as "fund") created in Section 29-15-10, in the amount and manner provided for in this paragraph.

For calendar year 2006, the annual in-lieu tidelands assessment paid by the licensee to the fund shall be:

1. Four Hundred Thousand Dollars ($400,000.00), if the capital investment in the part of the structure in which licensed gaming activities are conducted is Fifty Million Dollars ($50,000,000.00) or less.

2. Four Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars ($450,000.00), if the capital investment in the part of the structure in which licensed gaming activities are conducted is equal to or more than Fifty Million Dollars ($50,000,000.00) but less than Sixty Million Dollars ($60,000,000.00).

3. Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($500,000.00), if the capital investment in the part of the structure in which licensed gaming activities are conducted is equal to or more than Sixty Million Dollars ($60,000,000.00) but less than Seventy-five Million Dollars ($75,000,000.00).

4. Six Hundred Thousand Dollars ($600,000.00), if the capital investment in the part of the structure in which licensed gaming activities are conducted is equal to or more than Seventy-five Million Dollars ($75,000,000.00) but less than One Hundred Million Dollars ($100,000,000.00).

5. Seven Hundred Thousand Dollars ($700,000.00), if the capital investment in the part of the structure in which licensed gaming activities are conducted is equal to or more than One Hundred Million Dollars ($100,000,000.00) but less than One Hundred Twenty-five Million Dollars ($125,000,000.00).

6. Seven Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars ($750,000.00), if the capital investment in the part of the structure in which licensed gaming activities are conducted is equal to or more than One Hundred Twenty-five Million Dollars ($125,000,000.00).

For each calendar year thereafter, the Secretary of State shall review and adjust the value of the capital investment and the annual in-lieu tidelands assessment due. Such review and adjustment shall be tied to the CPI.

(ii) This paragraph shall not apply to a gaming licensee if the licensee conducts gaming in a structure that is located on property that is leased from the Mississippi State Port at Gulfport or any political subdivision of the state, or to a licensee who conducts gaming in a structure that is located on property that is leased to the licensee jointly by the State of Mississippi and the City of Biloxi; however, with regard to property owned by a political subdivision of the state, this exception shall only apply to property owned by the political subdivision on August 29, 2005, if legal gaming could have been conducted on such property on that date.

(iii) This paragraph shall not apply to a gaming licensee if the licensee conducts gaming in a structure that is located on property that is not leased from the State of Mississippi and/or a political subdivision of the State of Mississippi and is not on state public trust tidelands, and if the licensee conducted gaming on that property before August 29, 2005.

SECTION 19. Section 29-15-9, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

29-15-9. (1) There is created in the State Treasury a special fund to be known as the "Public Trust Tidelands Fund." The fund shall be administered by the * * * ~~Secretary of State as trustee~~ Mississippi Commission on Marine Resources, acting through the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources.

(2) Forty percent (40%) of any funds derived from lease rentals of tidelands and submerged lands, except those funds derived from mineral leases, or funds previously specifically designated to be applied to other agencies, shall be transferred annually to the special fund and shall be available for programs of tidelands management and access as authorized under this subsection (2). * * * The Secretary of State shall annually provide to the Chairmen of the House and Senate Ports and Marine Resources Committees the total rental amounts received pursuant to Section 29-1-107, Mississippi Code of 1972, and shall not use any of the funds for administrative costs. * * * ~~Any remaining~~ Funds derived from lease rentals shall be disbursed pro rata to the local taxing authorities for the replacement of lost ad valorem taxes, if any. Then, any remaining funds shall be disbursed to the Mississippi Commission on Marine Resources for new and extra programs of tidelands management, such as conservation, reclamation, preservation, acquisition, education or the enhancement of public access to the public trust tidelands or public improvement projects as they relate to those lands. Any political subdivision, agency or nonprofit entity seeking to qualify for tidelands funds for the subsequent fiscal year shall submit a proposal to the commission no later than July 1 of the preceding fiscal year, and all proposals submitted will be reviewed and evaluated by the commission in accordance to department plans and procedures.

(3) Sixty percent (60%) of any funds * * * ~~that are~~ derived from lease rentals of tidelands and submerged lands shall be appropriated as separate line items in an appropriation bill for tideland programs or projects authorized under this section for political subdivisions or other agencies or nonprofit entities, and shall be disbursed as provided in this subsection (3).

(a) The Department of Marine Resources shall make progress payments in installments based on the work completed and material used in the performance of a tidelands project only after receiving written verification from the political subdivision * * * or, agency or nonprofit entity. The political subdivision * * * or, agency or nonprofit entity shall submit verification of the work completed or materials in such detail and form that the department may require.

(b) The Department of Marine Resources shall make funds available for the purpose of using such funds as a match or leverage for federal or other funds that are available for the designated tidelands project. Funds that have been appropriated by the Legislature shall not be repurposed and instead shall be returned to the Public Trust Tidelands Fund for allocation and appropriation.

SECTION 20. Section 29-15-10, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

29-15-10. * * *

Effective July 1, 2017, the "Public Trust Tidelands Assessments Fund" shall be abolished and the outstanding balance of this fund, and all future assessments, shall be transferred to the "Public Trust Tidelands Fund" created in Section 29-15-9, Mississippi Code of 1972, to be expended as provided by law.

SECTION 21. Section 37-26-3, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

37-26-3. (1) In addition to any other fees or costs now or as may hereafter be provided by law, there is hereby charged in all civil cases in the chancery, circuit, county, justice and municipal courts of this state a court education and training cost in the amount of Two Dollars ($2.00), except in justice court cases where the amount sued for is less than Fifteen Dollars ($15.00). Such cost shall be collected by the clerk or judicial officer from the party bringing the civil action at the time of filing and taxed as costs.

(2) From and after July 1, 2017, the expenses of this agency shall be defrayed by appropriation from the State General Fund and all user charges and fees authorized under this section shall be deposited into the State General Fund as authorized by law and as determined by the State Fiscal Officer.

(3) From and after July 1, 2017, no state agency shall charge another state agency a fee, assessment, rent or other charge for services or resources received by authority of this section.

SECTION 22. Section 37-26-9, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

37-26-9. (1) It shall be the duty of the clerk of any court to promptly collect the costs imposed pursuant to the provisions of Section 37-26-3. In all cases the clerk shall monthly deposit all such costs so collected with the State Treasurer either directly or by other appropriate procedures. All such deposits shall be clearly marked for the State Court Education Fund and the State Prosecutor Education Fund. Upon receipt of such deposits, the State Treasurer shall credit seventy-five percent (75%) of any amounts so deposited to the State Court Education Fund created pursuant to subsection (2) of this section, and shall credit the remaining twenty-five percent (25%) of any amounts so deposited to the State Prosecutor Education Fund created pursuant to subsection (3) of this section.

(2) Such assessments as are collected under Section 99-19-73 shall be deposited in a special fund hereby created in the State Treasury and designated the "State Court Education Fund." Monies deposited in such fund shall be expended by the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning as authorized and appropriated by the Legislature to defray the cost of providing: (i) education and training for the courts of Mississippi and related personnel; (ii) technical assistance for the courts of Mississippi and related personnel; and (iii) current and accurate information for the Mississippi Legislature pertaining to the needs of the courts of Mississippi and related personnel.

(3) Such assessments as are collected under Section 99-19-73 shall be deposited in a special fund hereby created in the State Treasury and designated the "State Prosecutor Education Fund." Monies deposited in such fund shall be expended by the Attorney General of the State of Mississippi as authorized and appropriated by the Legislature to defray the cost of providing: (i) education and training for district attorneys, county prosecuting attorneys and municipal prosecuting attorneys; (ii) technical assistance for district attorneys, county prosecuting attorneys and municipal prosecuting attorneys; and (iii) current and accurate information for the Mississippi Legislature pertaining to the needs of district attorneys, county prosecuting attorneys and municipal prosecuting attorneys.

(4) A supplemental fund is hereby created in the State Treasury and designated the State Court Constituents Fund. Monies deposited in such fund shall be for the education and training of judges and related court personnel other than those specified in Section 37-26-1(b). In addition to any other fees or costs now or as may hereafter be provided by law, there is hereby charged in all civil cases in the chancery, circuit, county, justice and municipal courts of this state a supplemental court education and training cost in the amount of Fifty Cents (50�), except in justice court cases where the amount sued for is less than Fifteen Dollars ($15.00); and in all criminal cases in the circuit, county, justice and municipal courts of this state, except in cases where the fine is less than Ten Dollars ($10.00). Such costs shall be charged and collected as provided by Sections 37-26-3 and 37-26-5.

After the transfer to the State Prosecutor Education Fund of twenty-five percent (25%) of the money provided for in subsection (1) of this section, there shall then be transferred into the State Court Education Fund the money on deposit in the State Court Constituents Fund.

(5) A special fund is created in the State Treasury and designated the "State Court Security Systems Fund." Monies deposited in such fund shall be expended for general courtroom security as well as the maintenance and operation of security surveillance and detection devices for the courtrooms of each court of the State of Mississippi specified in Section 37-26-1(2). The Administrative Office of Courts shall conduct a study to assess and determine the security needs of the courts and is authorized to expend monies in the fund for the purposes of the fund as authorized and appropriated by the Legislature.

(6) From and after July 1, 2017, the expenses of the State Court Education Fund, the State Prosecutors Education Fund, the State Court Constituents Fund and the State Court Security Systems Fund shall be defrayed by appropriation from the State General Fund and all user charges and fees authorized under this section shall be deposited into the State General Fund as authorized by law and as determined by the State Fiscal Officer.

(7) From and after July 1, 2016, no state agency shall charge another state agency a fee, assessment, rent or other charge for services or resources received by authority of this section.

SECTION 23. Section 37-26-11, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

37-26-11. (1) There is created in the State Treasury a special fund to be known as the Children's Advocacy Centers Fund, which shall be administered by the Office of the Attorney General. The purpose of the fund shall be for training forensic interviewers in child abuse and child sexual abuse cases, training law enforcement officers and prosecutors about child abuse cases, expanding the number of Children's Advocacy Centers of Mississippi to underserved areas, and other related purposes. Monies in the fund shall be expended by the Attorney General, upon appropriation by the Legislature. The fund shall be a continuing fund, not subject to fiscal-year limitations, and shall consist of:

(a) Monies appropriated by the Legislature for the purposes of funding the Children's Advocacy Centers of Mississippi;

(b) The interest accruing to the fund;

(d) Monies received from the federal government;

(e) Donations; and

(f) Monies received from such other sources as may be provided by law.

(2) From and after July 1, 2016, the expenses of the Children's Advocacy Centers Fund Program shall be defrayed by appropriation from the State General Fund and all user charges and fees authorized under this section shall be deposited into the State General Fund as authorized by law and as determined by the State Fiscal Officer.

(3) From and after July 1, 2016, no state agency shall charge another state agency a fee, assessment, rent or other charge for services or resources received by authority of this section.

SECTION 24. Section 43-19-61, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

43-19-61. (1) There is created in the State Treasury a special * * * ~~trust~~ fund to be designated as the "Child Support Prosecution * * * ~~Trust~~ Fund." The fund shall be used by the Office of the Attorney General for the prosecution of delinquent child support cases and may also be used to draw down the sixty-six percent (66%) federal reimbursement IV-D funds for support of the Legal Division of the Child Support Unit of the Mississippi Department of Human Services.

(2) From and after July 1, 2016, the expenses of the legal division of the Child Support Unit shall be defrayed by appropriation from the State General Fund and all user charges and fees authorized under this section shall be deposited into the State General Fund as authorized by law and as determined by the State Fiscal Officer.

(3) From and after July 1, 2016, no state agency shall charge another state agency a fee, assessment, rent or other charge for services or resources received by authority of this section.

SECTION 25. Section 43-47-39, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

43-47-39. (1) There is created in the State Treasury a special fund to be known as the Vulnerable Persons Training, Investigation and Prosecution * * * ~~Trust~~ Fund. The purpose of the fund shall be to provide funding for the Vulnerable Persons Unit in the Office of the Attorney General to assist in the training of law enforcement officers, judges, district attorneys, state agencies and investigators at the Department of Human Services with regard to issues arising under the Vulnerable Persons Act, and to provide funding for the Vulnerable Persons Unit in the Office of the Attorney General to assist in the investigation and prosecution of statewide offenders who abuse, neglect or exploit vulnerable persons. The fund shall be a continuing fund, not subject to fiscal-year limitations.

(2) Funding shall be provided by assessments collected from violations set out in Section 99-19-73.

(3) From and after July 1, 2016, the expenses of the Vulnerable Persons Unit shall be defrayed by appropriation from the State General Fund and all user charges and fees authorized under this section shall be deposited into the State General Fund as authorized by law and as determined by the State Fiscal Officer.

(4) From and after July 1, 2016, no state agency shall charge another state agency a fee, assessment, rent or other charge for services or resources received by authority of this section.

SECTION 26. Section 45-2-21, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

45-2-21. (1) Whenever used in this section, the term:

(a) "Covered individual" means a law enforcement officer or firefighter, including volunteer firefighters, as defined in this section while actively engaged in protecting the lives and property of the citizens of this state when employed by an employer as defined in this section; it does not include employees of independent contractors.

(b) "Employer" means a state board, commission, department, division, bureau, or agency, or a county, municipality or other political subdivision of the state, which employs, appoints or otherwise engages the services of covered individuals.

(c) "Firefighter" means an individual who is trained for the prevention and control of loss of life and property from fire or other emergencies, who is assigned to firefighting activity, and is required to respond to alarms and perform emergency actions at the location of a fire, hazardous materials or other emergency incident.

(d) "Law enforcement officer" means any lawfully sworn officer or employee of the state or any political subdivision of the state whose duties require the officer or employee to investigate, pursue, apprehend, arrest, transport or maintain custody of persons who are charged with, suspected of committing, or convicted of a crime.

(2) (a) The Attorney General's office shall make a monthly disability benefit payment equal to thirty-four percent (34%) of the covered individual's regular base salary at the time of injury when a covered individual, while engaged in the performance of the individual's official duties, is accidentally or intentionally injured in the line of duty as a direct result of a single incident. The benefit shall be payable for the period of time the covered individual is physically unable to perform the duties of the covered individual's employment, not to exceed twelve (12) total payments for any one (1) injury. Chronic or repetitive injury is not covered. Benefits made available under this section shall be in addition to any workers' compensation benefits and shall be limited to the difference between the amount of workers' compensation benefits and the amount of the covered individual's regular base salary. Compensation under this section shall not be awarded where a penal violation committed by the covered individual contributed to the disability or the injury was intentionally self-inflicted.

(b) Payments made under this subsection are exempt from the claims and demands of creditors of the covered individual.

(3) (a) There is established in the State Treasury a special fund to be known as the Law Enforcement Officers and Fire Fighters Disability Benefits * * * ~~Trust~~ Fund. The * * * ~~trust~~ fund shall be funded by any funds made available by the Legislature or by donation, contribution, gift or any other source.

(b) The State Treasurer shall invest the monies of the * * * ~~trust~~ fund in any of the investments authorized for the funds of the Public Employees' Retirement System under Section 25-11-121, and those investments shall be subject to the limitations prescribed by Section 25-11-121.

(c) Unexpended amounts remaining in the * * * ~~trust~~ fund at the end of the state fiscal year shall not lapse into the State General Fund, and any income earned on amounts in the * * * ~~trust~~ fund shall be deposited to the credit of the * * * ~~trust~~ fund.

(4) The Attorney General's office shall be responsible for the management of the * * * ~~trust~~ fund and the disbursement of disability benefits authorized under this section. The Attorney General shall adopt rules and regulations necessary to implement and standardize the payment of disability benefits under this section, to administer the * * * ~~trust~~ fund created by this section and to carry out the purposes of this section. The Attorney General's office may expend up to ten percent (10%) of the monies in the * * * ~~trust~~ fund for the administration and management of the * * * ~~trust~~ fund and carrying out the purposes of this section.

(5) From and after July 1, 2016, the expenses of the Law Enforcement Officers and Fire Fighters Disability Benefits Fund shall be defrayed by appropriation from the State General Fund and all user charges and fees authorized under this section shall be deposited into the State General Fund as authorized by law and as determined by the State Fiscal Officer.

(6) From and after July 1, 2016, no state agency shall charge another state agency a fee, assessment, rent or other charge for services or resources received by authority of this section.

SECTION 27. Section 45-6-21, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

45-6-21. (1) There is created in the State Treasury a special fund to be known as the Motorcycle Officers Training Program Fund, which shall be administered by the Office of the Attorney General. The purpose of the fund shall be to provide funding for the training of state and local law enforcement officers, including, but not limited to, motorcycle officers training. All courses provided under the Motorcycle Officers Training Program shall be administered and approved by the Mississippi Law Enforcement Officers Association. Monies in the fund shall be expended by the Attorney General, upon appropriation by the Legislature. The fund shall be a continuing fund, not subject to fiscal-year limitations, and shall consist of:

(a) Monies appropriated by the Legislature for the purposes of funding the Motorcycle Officers Training Program;

(b) The interest accruing to the fund;

(d) Monies received from the federal government;

(e) Donations; and

(f) Monies received from such other sources as may be provided by law.

(2) From and after July 1, 2016, the expenses of the Motorcycle Officers Training Program shall be defrayed by appropriation from the State General Fund and all user charges and fees authorized under this section shall be deposited into the State General Fund as authorized by law and as determined by the State Fiscal Officer.

(3) From and after July 1, 2016, no state agency shall charge another state agency a fee, assessment, rent or other charge for services or resources received by authority of this section.

SECTION 28. Section 53-1-77, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

53-1-77. (1) The State Oil and Gas Supervisor, as ex officio secretary of such board, shall remit to the State Treasurer all monies collected by reason of the assessments made and fixed under the provisions of Section 53-1-73, and the State Treasurer shall deposit all such monies in a special fund known as the "Oil and Gas Conservation Fund," which is hereby continued in effect.

(2) All monies on deposit in the Oil and Gas Conservation Fund on April 10, 1948, and all monies hereafter deposited in such fund, shall be * * * ~~held in trust~~ for the use of the board to pay the expenses and costs incurred in connection with the administration and enforcement of the oil and gas conservation laws of the State of Mississippi and the rules, regulations and orders of the State Oil and Gas Board issued thereunder. Disbursements shall be made from such fund only upon requisition of the State Oil and Gas Supervisor, as approved and allowed by the board, and which requisitions shall be supported by itemized statements thereto attached showing the purpose or purposes of such expenditures. Such requisitions shall be drawn upon the State Auditor, who shall issue a warrant upon said fund. Such warrants so issued shall be paid by the State Treasurer upon presentation.

(3) The State Oil and Gas Supervisor, as ex officio secretary of the Oil and Gas Board, shall submit, within ten (10) days, after the convening of each session of the Legislature, to the Legislature a detailed report of all receipts, expenditures and balance on hand, of funds coming to the Oil and Gas Board from any source whatsoever.

(4) In the event that at any particular time, the Oil and Gas Conservation Fund contains an amount greater than Two Hundred Thousand Dollars ($200,000.00) more than the current fiscal year's estimated budget, the amount of the excess may be used by the board and at the board's discretion, to plug any oil or gas well, including any Class II well, in the state which has been determined by the board to represent an imminent threat to the environment and which has been determined by the board to be an "orphan" well.

(5) The board shall have the authority, in its discretion, to use whatever legal means available to it to attempt to collect any amounts so expended from any responsible party. Any amounts so collected shall be returned to the Oil and Gas Board's Emergency Plugging Fund created herein.

(6) Amounts of surplus in the Oil and Gas Conservation Fund of over Two Hundred Thousand Dollars ($200,000.00) shall be transferred to a separate special fund of the Oil and Gas Board to be known as the Emergency Plugging Fund, for the proper plugging of wells pursuant to this section. The supervisor shall have the authority, and it shall be his duty to transfer any amounts in the Emergency Plugging Fund back to the Oil and Gas Conservation Fund in the event and to the extent to which the Oil and Gas Conservation Fund should at any time contain less than a Two Hundred Thousand Dollars ($200,000.00) surplus.

(7) For purposes of this section, orphan well means any oil or gas well in the state, including Class II wells, which has not been properly plugged according to the requirements of the statutes, rules and regulations governing same and for which a responsible party such as an owner or operator cannot be located or for which, for whatever reason, there is no other party which can be forced to plug the well.

(8) From and after July 1, 2016, the expenses of * * *~~this agency~~ the Emergency Plugging Fund program and the Oil and Gas Conservation Fund program shall be defrayed by appropriation from the State General Fund and all user charges and fees authorized under this section shall be deposited into the State General Fund as authorized by law and as determined by the State Fiscal Officer.

(9) From and after July 1, 2016, no state agency shall charge another state agency a fee, assessment, rent or other charge for services or resources received by authority of this section.

SECTION 29. Section 27-103-303, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

27-103-303. (1) There is created in the State Treasury a special fund, separate and apart from any other fund, to be designated the Capital Expense Fund.

(2) The Capital Expense Fund shall not be considered as a surplus or available funds when adopting a balanced budget as required by law. The State Treasurer shall invest all sums in the Capital Expense Fund not needed for the purposes provided for in this section in certificates of deposit, repurchase agreements and other securities as authorized in Section 27-105-33(d) or Section 7-9-103, as the State Treasurer may determine to yield the highest market rate available. Interest earned on this fund shall be deposited by the State Treasurer into the State General Fund.

(3) The Capital Expense Fund shall be used for capital expense needs, repair and renovation of state-owned properties and specific * * * ~~projects~~ expenditures authorized by the Legislature. The Legislature shall designate those capital expense projects, repair and renovation projects and other authorized projects in an appropriation act passed by the Legislature, which shall direct the Director of the Department of Finance and Administration to administer the projects.

(4) In addition to the purposes specified in subsection (3) of this section, the Capital Expense Fund shall be used to provide funds for emergency repairs on state-owned buildings and the emergency plugging of orphaned wells identified by the Oil and Gas Board, upon requisition of the Director of the Department of Finance and Administration. Whenever the director determines that funds are immediately needed for emergency repairs on state-owned buildings, he shall requisition the funds needed from the Capital Expense Fund, which shall be subject to the limitations set forth in this subsection. At the same time he makes the requisition, the director shall notify the Lieutenant Governor, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the respective Chairmen of the Senate Appropriations Committee, the Senate Finance Committee, the House Appropriations Committee and the House Ways and Means Committee and the Legislative Budget Office of his determination of the need for the funds, the amount that he has requisitioned and where the funds will be used. If the amount requisitioned is available in the Capital Expense Fund, is not allocated for any specific projects as authorized in subsection (3) of this section and is within the limitations set forth below in this subsection, then the director may escalate the budget of the Bureau of Building, Grounds and Real Property Management to use the full amount of the requisitioned funds for the emergency repairs, and transfer that amount to the bureau for that purpose. If the amount requisitioned is more than the amount available in the Capital Expense Fund or above the limitations set forth below in this subsection, then the director may escalate the budget of the bureau to use the amount that is available within the limitations for the emergency repairs, and transfer that amount to the bureau for that purpose. The maximum amount that may be transferred from the Capital Expense Fund to the bureau for any single emergency shall be * * * One Million Dollars ($1,000,000.00), and the maximum amount that may be transferred to the bureau for all emergencies during any fiscal year shall be * * * ~~Two Million Dollars ($2,000,000.00)~~ Four Million Dollars ($4,000,000.00).

(5) Funds deposited in the Capital Expense Fund shall be used only for the purposes specified in this section, and as long as the provisions of this section remain in effect, no other expenditure, appropriation or transfer of funds in the Capital Expense Fund shall be made except by act of the Legislature making specific reference to the Capital Expense Fund as the source of those funds.

(6) Unexpended funds in the Capital Expense Fund at the end of a fiscal year shall not lapse into the State General Fund but shall remain in the fund for use under this section. Any funds appropriated from the Capital Expense Fund that are unexpended at the end of a fiscal year shall lapse into the Capital Expense Fund.

SECTION 30. Section 71-3-73, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

71-3-73. (1) If an employee who has previously lost, or lost the use of, one (1) hand, one (1) arm, one (1) foot, one (1) leg, or one (1) eye, becomes permanently and totally incapacitated through the loss, or loss of use, of another member or organ, the employer shall be liable only for the compensation payable for such second injury. In addition to such compensation and after the completion of the payment therefor, the employee shall be paid the remainder of the compensation that would be due for permanent total incapacity, out of a special fund known as the "Second Injury Fund," and created for such purpose in the following manner:

In every case of compensable death of an employee under this chapter, the employer or, if insured, his insurance carrier shall pay to the commission the sum of Three Hundred Dollars ($300.00) except in cases where there is no dependency, then there shall be paid to the commission the sum of Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) to be deposited with the State Treasurer for the benefit of said fund. A suspension of said payments of Three Hundred Dollars ($300.00) per death shall be made when the total amount of all such payments, together with the accumulated interest thereon, equals or exceeds Three Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars ($350,000.00), and no further contributions to said fund shall be made except in cases where there is no dependency. Whenever, thereafter, the amount of such sum shall be reduced below One Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars ($150,000.00) by reason of payments made pursuant to this section, then such contributions of Three Hundred Dollars ($300.00) per death shall be resumed forthwith and shall continue until such sum, together with accumulated interest thereon, shall again amount to Three Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars ($350,000.00); and the commission shall direct the distribution thereof.

(2) From and after July 1, 2016, the expenses of this agency shall be defrayed by appropriation from the State General Fund and all user charges and fees and contributions authorized under this section and the outstanding balance of said fund on July 1, 2016, shall be deposited into the State General Fund as authorized by law and as determined by the State Fiscal Officer.

(3) From and after July 1, 2016, no state agency shall charge another state agency a fee, assessment, rent or other charge for services or resources received by authority of this section.

SECTION 31. Section 73-31-7, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

73-31-7. (1) The board shall annually elect from its membership a chairman and executive secretary at a meeting held during the last two (2) quarters of the fiscal year. The board shall meet at any other times as it deems necessary or advisable, or as deemed necessary and advisable by the chairman or a majority of its members or the Governor. Reasonable notice of all meetings shall be given in the manner prescribed by the board. A majority of the board shall constitute a quorum at any meeting or hearing; except that when only four (4) members are present, decisions not gaining unanimous support shall be decided by mail ballot to all board members within fifteen (15) days succeeding the board meeting. Any meeting at which the chairman is not present shall be chaired by his designee.

(2) The board is authorized and empowered to:

(a) Adopt and, from time to time, revise any rules and regulations not inconsistent with, and as may be necessary to carry into effect the provisions of this chapter.

(b) Within the funds available, employ and/or contract with a stenographer and other personnel, and contract for services, as are necessary for the proper performance of its work under this chapter.

(d) Examine, license, and renew the license of duly qualified applicants.

(e) Conduct hearings upon complaints concerning the disciplining or licensing of applicants and psychologists.

(f) Deny, approve, withhold, revoke, suspend and/or otherwise discipline applicants and licensed psychologists.

(g) Issue an educational letter to a licensee in order to assist that individual in his or her practice as a psychologist. Such a letter will not be considered to be disciplinary action.

(h) Cause the prosecution and enjoinder of all persons violating this chapter, and incur necessary expenses therefor.

(i) Charge a fee of not more than Seven Hundred Dollars ($700.00) to a qualified psychologist as determined by the board who is applying for certification by the board to conduct examinations in civil commitment proceedings.

(j) Purchase general liability insurance coverage, including errors and omissions insurance, to cover the official actions of the board members and contract personnel and suits against them in their individual capacity. That coverage shall be in an amount determined by the board to be adequate, and the costs of the insurance shall be paid out of any funds available to the board.

(k) As additional responsibilities, effective July 1, 2018, the board shall administer and carry out the functions of Sections 73-75-1 through 73-75-25, relating to the licensure of licensed behavior analysts and licensed assistant behavior analysts.

(3) Within thirty (30) days after the close of each fiscal year ending June 30, the board shall submit an official report, reviewed and signed by all board members, to the Governor concerning the work of the board during the preceding fiscal year. The report shall include the names of all psychologists to whom licenses have been granted; any cases heard and decisions rendered in relation to the work of the board; the names, remuneration and duties of any employees of the board; and an account of all monies received and expended by the board.

SECTION 32. Section 73-75-3, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

73-75-3. Definitions. The following definitions apply as used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise requires:

(a) "Board" means the Mississippi Autism Board and effective July 1, 2018, means the State Board of Psychology established and empowered under Section 73-31-5 et seq., Mississippi Code of 1972.

(b) "Person" means any individual, organization or corporate body, except that only an individual may be licensed under this chapter.

(c) "Practice of applied behavior analysis" means interventions based on scientific research and the direct observation and measurement of behavior and the environment. Behavior analysts utilize contextual factors, motivating operations, antecedent stimuli, positive reinforcement, and other consequences to help people develop new behaviors, increase or decrease existing behaviors, and emit behaviors under specific environmental conditions. The practice of behavior analysis expressly excludes psychological testing, diagnosis of a mental or physical disorder, neuropsychology, psychotherapy, cognitive therapy, sex therapy, psychoanalysis, hypnotherapy, and long-term counseling as treatment modalities.

(d) "Licensed behavior analyst" means an individual currently certified by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board as a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) or Board Certified Behavior Analyst-Doctoral (BCBA-D) and licensed under Section 73-75-13(d) to practice applied behavior analysis.

(e) "Licensed assistant behavior analyst" means an individual currently certified by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board as a Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst (BCABA) and licensed pursuant to Section 73-75-13(e) to practice applied behavior analysis under the supervision of a licensed behavior analyst.

(f) "Behavior technician" means an individual currently certified by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board as a Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) to provide applied behavior analysis treatments under the supervision and direction of a licensed behavior analyst or licensed assistant behavior analyst.

SECTION 33. Section 73-75-7, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

73-75-7. Mississippi Autism Board; membership; term of office; appointment; qualifications. (1) The Mississippi Autism Board of Advisors shall consist of five (5) members. Effective July 1, 2018, the board shall be reconstituted as the Mississippi Autism Board of Advisors appointed as follows: The Governor shall appoint one (1) licensed psychologist practicing in the area of applied behavior analysis, one (1) licensed behavior analyst, and one (1) public member who is not licensed in behavior analysis and who is the family member of a recipient of applied behavior analysis services. The Lieutenant Governor shall appoint two (2) licensed behavior analysts.

(2) The licensed psychologist member shall serve an initial term of one (1) year, the licensed behavior analyst appointed by the Governor shall serve an initial term of two (2) years, the public member shall serve an initial term of three (3) years, and the two (2) licensed behavior analysts appointed by the Lieutenant Governor shall serve initial terms of four (4) years. All subsequent appointees shall serve four-year terms.

(3) All appointees shall serve at the will and pleasure of the appointing official.

(4) Each board member shall serve without compensation, but shall receive actual traveling and incidental expenses necessarily incurred while engaged in the discharge of official duties.

Effective July 1, 2018, the Mississippi Autism Board of Advisors shall advise the State Board of Psychology on any rules and regulations relating to the licensure of licensed behavior analysts or licensed assistant behavior analysts under this chapter.

SECTION 34. Section 73-75-11, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

73-75-11. (1) * * * From and after July 1, 2016, the expenses of the administration of the provisions of this chapter shall be defrayed by appropriation from the State General Fund and all fees, licenses and other charges assessed under this section shall be deposited into the State General Fund as authorized by law and determined by the State Fiscal Officer.

(2) The State Board of Psychology shall receive and account for all funds received. * * * Such funds shall be subject to audit by the Auditor of the State of Mississippi.

(3) The Mississippi Autism Board of Advisors shall be assigned to the * * * State Board of Psychology for administrative and ministerial purposes.

SECTION 35. Section 73-75-27, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

73-75-27. * * * (1) From and after July 1, 2016, the expenses of the administration of the provisions of this chapter shall be defrayed by appropriation from the State General Fund and all fees, licenses and other charges assessed under this section shall be deposited into the State General Fund as authorized by law and determined by the State Fiscal Officer.

(2) From and after July 1, 2016, no state agency shall charge another state agency a fee, assessment, rent or other charge for services or resources received by authority of this section.

SECTION 36. Section 75-57-119, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

75-57-119. (1) There is established a propane education and research program to be administered by the Department of Insurance through the State Liquefied Compressed Gas Board, created in Section 75-57-101, Mississippi Code of 1972, for the purpose of promoting the growth and development of the propane industry in Mississippi.

(2) There is created in the State Treasury a special fund to be designated as the "Mississippi Propane Education and Research Fund."

(3) (a) There is imposed and levied an assessment of One-tenth Cent (1/10�) per gallon on compressed gas except for compressed natural gas or liquefied natural gas. The assessment may be increased by not more than One-tenth Cent (1/10�) per gallon per year and the total assessment shall not exceed One-half Cent (1/2�) per gallon.

(b) The assessment shall accrue at the same time and in the same manner as the tax levied on compressed gas under the provisions of Section 27-59-11(1), Mississippi Code of 1972. On or before the fifteenth day of each month the funds collected by the State Tax Commission during the previous month, less three and one-half percent (3-1/2%) of the gross amount collected, shall be deposited into the special fund created in subsection (2) of this section. The State Tax Commission may retain three and one-half percent (3-1/2%) of the funds collected under this section as administrative fees.

(c) Disbursements from the special fund created in subsection (2) of this section shall be made upon warrants issued by the State Fiscal Officer upon requisitions signed by the Commissioner of Insurance, or his designee, in the manner provided by law. Any interest earned by investing the proceeds in such special fund shall be credited to such special fund and shall not be deposited in the State General Fund. The State Fiscal Officer may issue warrants for the payment of monies from the special fund, upon requisition by the Commissioner of Insurance, or his designee, for refunds to dealers as provided in subsection (4) of this section.

(4) Any propane dealer may request and receive a refund of the amount of assessment remitted from the sale of propane if he makes a written application with the Department of Insurance by the end of each quarter in which the sales were made, supported by bona fide copies of tax reports. The application forms shall be prepared by the Department of Insurance and shall be available to all retailers. All such applications shall be processed and refunds paid by the Department of Insurance within sixty (60) days after the funds have been received by the department.

(5) At the end of each quarter, the Department of Insurance shall make available to the State Liquefied Compressed Gas Board all unencumbered funds collected under the provisions of this section. The Department of Insurance may retain an amount not to exceed three and one-half percent (3-1/2%) of the funds collected under the provisions of this section as administrative fees.

(6) (a) Any person liable for the assessment shall be subject to the same requirements and penalties set forth for distributors under the provisions of Section 27-59-1 et seq., Mississippi Code of 1972.

(b) The State Tax Commission is hereby authorized and empowered to promulgate all rules and regulations necessary for the collection of the assessment.

(7) The State Liquefied Compressed Gas Board shall establish, with the approval of the Commissioner of Insurance, rules and regulations necessary to carry out the provisions of this section.

(8) The State Liquefied Compressed Gas Board may expend the proceeds collected under this section only on research and development of more cost effective uses of propane and on educational programs, safety programs and market development of propane.

(9) This section shall not be implemented until such time as the State Liquefied Compressed Gas Board conducts an election by all licensed propane dealers in this state. Each license holder shall have one (1) vote in such election. A ballot shall be sent to each license holder by certified mail. A majority of those ballots returned within thirty (30) days after the ballots are received by the propane dealers must be in the affirmative before this section is effective. An additional election may be held by the State Liquefied Compressed Gas Board at such time as approved by the Commissioner of Insurance.

(10) The State Liquefied Compressed Gas Board shall notify the State Tax Commission in writing of the imposition of the assessment and of any increase of the assessment. The imposition of the assessment and any increase of the assessment shall become effective on the first day of the second month succeeding the month in which the notice to impose or increase the assessment was given.

(11) The State Liquefied Compressed Gas Board shall notify the State Tax Commission in writing of the abatement or reduction of the assessment. The abatement or reduction of the assessment shall become effective on the last day of the month succeeding the month in which such notice was given.

(12) From and after July 1, 2016, the expenses of this program shall be defrayed by appropriation from the State General Fund and all user charges and fees authorized under this section shall be deposited into the State General Fund as authorized by law and as determined by the State Fiscal Officer.

(13) From and after July 1, 2016, no state agency shall charge another state agency a fee, assessment, rent or other charge for services or resources received by authority of this section.

SECTION 37. Section 75-63-81, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

75-63-81. (1) There is established a Preneed Contracts Loss Recovery Fund, hereinafter referred to as the "fund," to be administered by directors of the Preneed Contracts Loss Recovery Association, hereinafter referred to as the "association." Directors are to be appointed by the Secretary of State. The purpose of the fund is to reimburse the estates, or in the absence of an estate filing, the purchaser or applicant with payment jointly to the funeral home providing services or merchandise, or both, of beneficiaries of preneed funeral contracts who have suffered financial loss as a result of the misfeasance, fraud, default, failure or insolvency of a registered Mississippi preneed provider.

(2) The fund shall be funded from a charge not to exceed Ten Dollars ($10.00) to be added to the cost of every preneed contract sold from and after July 1, 2009; however, if the preneed contract is funded solely with insurance that is protected by the Mississippi Life and Health Insurance Guaranty Association, then that fee shall not be charged. The association may reduce, suspend or resume collection of the fee at any time and for any period to ensure that a sufficient amount is available to meet anticipated disbursements and to maintain an adequate reserve consistent with actuarial guidance.

The per-contract fees shall be remitted quarterly to the association for each quarter of the calendar year with a quarterly fee form as prescribed by the Secretary of State. The per-contract fee is not subject to the trusting requirements of Section 75-63-59. The fees shall be remitted to the association no later than fifteen (15) days after each quarter. Absent the Secretary of State's approval of an extension for good cause shown, preneed providers failing to timely report and remit the per-contract fee to the association may be subject to a penalty of One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) per day for each day of delinquency, payable to the fund.

(3) All sums received by the association shall be held in a separate account maintained by the State Treasurer to be used solely as provided in this article. Warrants to the fund may only be issued by the Department of Finance and Administration upon request by a majority vote of the directors of the Preneed Contracts Loss Recovery Association. All interest or other income earned on the fund shall be retained by the fund.

(4) Reimbursements from the fund must not exceed the total payment made for preneed funeral services or merchandise, cemetery services or merchandise, or both. No current insurance benefits or future graduated insurance benefits may be reimbursed, including any current or future graduated insurance benefits in any insurance company insolvency guaranty fund association. Upon the death of the beneficiary and the applicant's compliance with all applicable rules of the association, reimbursement from the fund may be made to the estate of the beneficiary, the purchaser or applicant with payment jointly to the funeral home or cemetery providing services or merchandise, or both, only to the extent to which losses are not bonded or otherwise covered. If the association makes payments from the fund under this section, the association is subrogated in the reimbursed amount and may bring an action against any person or entity, including a preneed provider. The association may enforce claims it may have for restitution or otherwise and may employ and compensate from the fund consultants, legal counsel, accountants and other persons it considers appropriate to assure compliance with this section.

(5) The association shall investigate all applications made and may reject or allow claims, in whole or in part. Payment may be made only to the extent that monies are available in the fund, and payments may be prorated among claimants. Reimbursements for completed claims must be processed subject to availability of monies in the fund. The association has complete discretion to determine the order and manner of payment of approved applications. The association may approve one (1) application, in whole or in part, that includes more than one (1) reparation claim for the benefit of purchasers of prepaid contracts of an insolvent registrant as part of a plan to arrange for another registrant to assume the obligations of the licensee being liquidated if the association finds that the plan is reasonable and is in the best interests of the contract beneficiaries. All payments are a matter of privilege and not a right, and no person has a right in the fund as a third-party beneficiary or otherwise.

(6) The association shall develop a form of application for reimbursement.

(7) This fund and all interest earned may be used only as prescribed in this section and may not be used for any other purposes to the extent losses are not bonded, insured, or otherwise covered, protected or reimbursed. Further, all monies deposited into the fund shall not be subject to any deduction, tax, judgment lien, levy, or any other type of assessment except as may be provided in this article. The association may expend monies from the fund to:

(a) Make reimbursements on approved applications;

(b) Purchase insurance to cover losses and association liability as considered appropriate by the directors and not inconsistent with the purpose of the fund;

(c) Invest portions of the fund as are not currently needed to reimburse losses and maintain adequate reserves, as are permitted to be made by fiduciaries under state law;

(d) Pay the expenses of the association for administering the fund, including employment of legal counsel, accountants, consultants and other persons the board considers necessary to assure compliance with this section * * *.;

(e) Effective upon passage of this act, no monies deposited to the fund may be used to reimburse, or otherwise defray any costs that the Office of the Secretary of State may incur in administering this fund, or in support of the association.

(8) No person may make, publish, disseminate, circulate or place before the public, or cause, directly or indirectly, to be made, published, disseminated, circulated, or placed before the public, in a newspaper, magazine or other publication, or in the form of a notice, circular, pamphlet, letter, poster or over any radio station or television station, or in any other way, any advertisement, announcement, or statement that uses the existence of the fund for the purpose of sales, solicitation or inducement to purchase any form of preneed contract covered under this article.

(9) The Secretary of State may establish rules and regulations necessary to implement the purposes of * * *~~the~~ this section including, but not limited to, rules governing the association's operations, claim procedures, determination of solvency or insolvency of a preneed provider, claimant eligibility and determination of appropriate loss payee.

(10) No purchaser or representative of a purchaser is provided in this section with any administrative right or legal or equitable right to any funds collected for this association to satisfy any judgment or economic loss of the purchaser from a prepaid funeral or cemetery organization except for the purposes of this section. This fund is established for the discretionary relief of purchasers and their representatives of prepaid funeral or cemetery contracts from insolvent prepaid funeral or cemetery organizations or prepaid funeral businesses with severe trust fund account shortages as determined by the directors. Coverage is limited to the claimant's actual contract payments made. There shall be no fund coverage for additional economic damages, attorney's fees, recovery costs, interest, other equitable relief or noneconomic damages.

Further, no claimant shall be eligible for compensation from the fund unless the contract purchaser for whom a claim is asserted paid to the preneed provider the loss recovery fee required by subsection (2) of this section. The fund shall have no liability for preneed contracts sold or claims that occurred or accrued before July 1, 2009.

(11) There shall be no liability on the part of and no cause of action of any nature shall arise against any director of the association, the Secretary of State, his representatives, agents or employees for any act or omission by them in the performance of their powers and duties under this article, or in its administration, dispensation, handling or collection of funds for the program.

(12) Directors of the association shall be appointed by the Secretary of State and shall consist of no fewer than five (5), one (1) from each of the Mississippi Supreme Court Districts and two (2) from the state at large. In making director appointments the Secretary of State shall consider, among other things, whether all association members are fairly represented. At least three (3) of the directors must possess five (5) years or more experience in the preneed funeral service and merchandise business as an owner or manager. All directors shall be appointed for staggered six-year terms, with the exception of the initial terms of service for the original five (5) directors. The Secretary of State may appoint any director to a successive six-year term. The initial term of service for all directors shall begin on October 1, 2009, with the initial term of two (2) directors to be determined by the Secretary of State at appointment expiring on September 30, 2011, and two (2) directors to be determined by the Secretary of State at appointment expiring on September 30, 2013. The initial term for the remaining director to be determined by the Secretary of State at appointment shall expire on September 30, 2015.

(13) * * * [Deleted]

(14) The association and its directors shall assist the Secretary of State and be subject to the applicable provisions of the laws of this state. The association shall be subject to examination and regulation by the Secretary of State. The association by its directors shall prepare and submit to the Secretary of State each year, not later than March 1 of each year, a financial report in a form approved by the Secretary of State and a report of activities during the preceding calendar year.

(15) Appeal rights for claim decisions issued by the association directors exist in the chancery court in this state in which an estate has been open for probate by the representative of the claimant; the chancery court in the county in which the preneed contract was purchased; or the chancery court in this state of the claimant's or decedent's home county. A notice of appeal must be filed within thirty (30) days of the association's written order denying the claim, in whole or in part, and appeal to the chancery court is limited to a review of the record made before the association's directors on a substantial evidence evidentiary standard.

SECTION 38. Section 77-1-6, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

77-1-6. There is hereby established in the State Treasury a special fund to be known as the "Public Service Commission Regulation Fund." Such fund shall be the sole fund of the commission for all monies collected and deposited to the credit of or appropriated to the commission. The fund shall be administered as provided in this title and shall be audited annually by the State Auditor.

From and after July 1, 2016, the expenses of this agency shall be defrayed by appropriation from the State General Fund and all user charges and fees authorized under this section shall be deposited into the State General Fund as authorized by law and as determined by the State Fiscal Officer.

From and after July 1, 2016, no state agency shall charge another state agency a fee, assessment, rent or other charge for services or resources received by authority of this section.

SECTION 39. Section 77-3-87, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

77-3-87. All reasonable and necessary expenses of the administration of the duties imposed on the public utilities staff and on the commission by Title 77, Mississippi Code of 1972, excluding the reasonable and necessary expenses of the administration and enforcement by the commission of the laws of this state pursuant to Chapters 7 and 9, Title 77, Mississippi Code of 1972, shall be provided as follows: There is hereby levied a tax upon (a) all utilities, the rates of which are subject to regulation by the provisions of this chapter and upon (b) all utilities not subject to such rate regulation which furnish to the ultimate consumer utility services of the type described by subparagraph (i) of paragraph (d) of Section 77-3-3 and otherwise subject to regulation by the provisions of this chapter, such levy to be effective on the first day of each year and to be calculated as follows: The rate of the tax shall be one hundred sixty-four thousandths of one percent (164/1000 of 1%) per year, of the gross revenues from the intrastate operations of the utilities taxed under this section. The rate of the tax for electric power associations and rural electrification authorities shall be ninety thousandths of one percent (90/1000 of 1%) per year of the gross revenues from the intrastate operations of electric power associations and rural electrification authorities taxed under this section. Effective July 1, 2017, the sum of all taxes levied by this section shall not exceed the total legislative appropriation of monies * * * for the Public Utilities staff and the Public Service Commission for the ensuing fiscal year. The commission and the executive director of the public utilities staff shall certify to the Department of Revenue the amount of legislative appropriations of monies for the regulation of utilities. The Department of Revenue shall adjust the tax rates on a pro rata basis to generate the necessary revenues established by such legislative appropriations. Each utility which is subject to the tax levied by this section shall file a statement of its gross revenue by April 1 of each year showing the gross revenue for the preceding year's operation. These statements of gross revenue shall be filed with the Department of Revenue on forms prescribed and furnished by the Department of Revenue. The Department of Revenue shall file a copy of these statements of gross revenue with the public utilities staff and the commission. The Department of Revenue shall calculate the amount of tax to be paid by each of the utilities and shall submit a statement thereof to the respective utilities, and the amount shown due in the statements to the utilities shall be paid by them within thirty (30) days thereafter to the Department of Revenue. The Department of Revenue shall furnish the public utilities staff and the commission with an itemized list showing gross and net revenues, assessments, tax collections and other related information for the respective utilities. * * * The Department of Revenue shall deposit these funds into the General Fund of the State Treasury on the same day collected.

All administrative provisions of the Mississippi Sales Tax Law, including those which fix damages, penalties and interest for nonpayment of taxes and for noncompliance with the provisions of such chapter, and all other duties and requirements imposed upon taxpayers, shall apply to all persons liable for taxes under the provisions of this chapter, and the Commissioner of Revenue shall exercise all the power and authority and perform all the duties with respect to taxpayers under this chapter as are provided in the Mississippi Sales Tax Law except where there is a conflict, then the provisions of this chapter shall control. The term "gross revenue" as used in this section is the total amount of all revenue derived by each of the utilities from its intrastate operations, which are subject to rate regulation under the provisions of this chapter or which constitute utility services of the type described by subparagraph (i) of paragraph (d) of Section 77-3-3 and which are regulated by this chapter and furnished to ultimate consumers. The Department of Revenue is hereby authorized to use all tax returns of any utilities available to it and to make audits as may be deemed necessary of all records of utilities in order to correctly determine the amount of such gross revenue.

All proceeds of the above-mentioned tax are hereby allocated to the public utilities staff and to the commission in the manner provided in this section for the purpose of this chapter.

Each utility subject to the provisions of this section shall be allowed to recover, through the use of a rate adjustment clause or rider, the total amount of taxes paid by the utility pursuant to this section for the reasonable and necessary expenses of the commission and the public utilities staff.

From and after July 1, 2016, no state agency shall charge another state agency a fee, assessment, rent or other charge for services or resources received by authority of this section.

SECTION 40. Section 77-3-721, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

77-3-721. All fees collected under the provisions of this article shall be deposited into a special fund which is created in the State Treasury to be expended by the commission for the implementation and administration of this article. * * * From and after July 1, 2016, the expenses of this agency shall be defrayed by appropriation from the State General Fund and all user charges and fees authorized under this section shall be deposited into the State General Fund as authorized by law and as determined by the State Fiscal Officer.

This section shall stand repealed July 1, 2017.

SECTION 41. Section 93-21-31, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

93-21-31. (1) There is hereby created in the State Treasury a special fund designated as the Domestic Violence Training Fund. The fund shall be administered by the Attorney General. Money remaining in the fund at the end of a fiscal year shall not lapse into the State General Fund and any interest earned from the investment of monies in the fund shall be deposited to the credit of the fund. Monies appropriated to the fund shall be used by the Attorney General for the general administration and expenses of the Domestic Violence Division which provides training to law enforcement, prosecutors, judges, court clerks and other professionals in the field of domestic violence awareness, prevention and enforcement.

(2) The clerks of the various courts shall remit the proceeds generated by Chapter 434, Laws of 2009, to the Department of Finance and Administration as is done generally for other fees collected by the clerks.

(3) From and after July 1, 2016, the expenses of the Domestic Violence Division of the Office of Attorney General shall be defrayed by appropriation from the State General Fund and all user charges and fees authorized under this section shall be deposited into the State General fund as authorized by law and as determined by the State Fiscal Officer.

(4) From and after July 1, 2016, no state agency shall charge another state agency a fee, assessment, rent or other charge for services or resources received by authority of this section.

SECTION 42. Section 97-3-54.8, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

97-3-54.8. Relief for Victims of Human Trafficking Fund. (1) There is hereby created in the State Treasury a special fund to be known as the "Relief for Victims of Human Trafficking Fund." The fund shall be a continuing fund, not subject to fiscal-year limitations, and shall consist of:

(a) Monies appropriated by the Legislature;

(b) The interest accruing to the fund;

(d) Monies received from such other sources as may be provided by law.

(2) The monies in the Relief for Victims of Human Trafficking Fund shall be used by the Mississippi Attorney General's office solely for the administration of programs designed to assist victims of human trafficking, to conduct training on human trafficking to law enforcement, court personnel, attorneys, and nongovernmental service providers, and to support the duties of the statewide human trafficking coordinator as set forth in this act.

(3) From and after July 1, 2016, the expenses of the Relief for Victims of Human Trafficking Fund program shall be defrayed by appropriation from the State General Fund and all user charges and fees authorized under this section shall be deposited into the State General Fund as authorized by law and as determined by the State Fiscal Officer.

(4) From and after July 1, 2016, no state agency shall charge another state agency a fee, assessment, rent or other charge for services or resources received by authority of this section.

SECTION 43. Section 97-33-51, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

97-33-51. (1) The provisions of Sections 97-33-1 through 97-33-49 shall not apply to any raffle wherein a ticket is sold and a prize is offered when such raffle is being held by and for the benefit of any nonprofit civic, educational, wildlife conservation or religious organization with all proceeds going to said organization.

(2) The provisions of Sections 97-33-1 through 97-33-49 shall not apply to any bingo game wherein a prize is offered when such bingo game is being held in accordance with the provisions of the Charitable Bingo Law.

(3) A bingo game or a raffle held pursuant to the provisions of the Charitable Bingo Law shall not be considered a game or gambling game for the purposes of Section 75-76-1 et seq.

(4) From and after July 1, 2016, the expenses of this program shall be defrayed by appropriation from the State General Fund and all user charges and fees authorized under this section shall be deposited into the State General Fund as authorized by law and as determined by the State Fiscal Officer.

(5) From and after July 1, 2016, no state agency shall charge another state agency a fee, assessment, rent or other charge for services or resources received by authority of this section.

SECTION 44. Section 97-45-25, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

97-45-25. (1) In a proceeding for violations under Title 97, Chapter 45, Section 97-5-33 or Section 97-19-85, the court, in addition to the criminal penalties imposed under this chapter, shall assess against the defendant convicted of such violation double those reasonable costs that are expended by the Office of Attorney General, the district attorney's office, the sheriff's office or police department involved in the investigation of such case, including, but not limited to, the cost of investigators, software and equipment utilized in the investigation, together with costs associated with process service, court reporters and expert witnesses. The Attorney General or district attorney may institute and maintain proceedings in his name for enforcement of payment in the circuit court of the county of residence of the defendant and, if the defendant is a nonresident, such proceedings shall be in the Circuit Court of the First Judicial District of Hinds County, Mississippi. The Attorney General or district attorney shall distribute the property or interest assessed under this section as follows:

(a) Fifty percent (50%) shall be distributed to the unit of state or local government whose officers or employees conducted the investigation into computer fraud, identity theft or child exploitation which resulted in the arrest or arrests and prosecution. Amounts distributed to units of local government shall be used for training or enforcement purposes relating to detection, investigation or prosecution of computer and financial crimes, including computer fraud or child exploitation.

(b) Where the prosecution was maintained by the district attorney, fifty percent (50%) shall be distributed to the county in which the prosecution was instituted by the district attorney and appropriated to the district attorney for use in training or enforcement purposes relating to detection, investigation or prosecution of computer and financial crimes, including computer fraud or child exploitation. Where a prosecution was maintained by the Attorney General, fifty percent (50%) of the proceeds shall be paid or distributed into the Attorney General's Cyber Crime Central or the Attorney General's special fund to be used for consumer fraud education and investigative and enforcement operations of the Office of Consumer Protection. Where the Attorney General and the district attorney have participated jointly in any part of the proceedings, twenty-five percent (25%) of the property forfeited shall be paid to the county in which the prosecution occurred, and twenty-five percent (25%) shall be paid to the Attorney General's Cyber Crime Central or the Attorney General's special fund to be used for the purposes as stated in this paragraph.

(2) From and after July 1, 2016, the expenses of the Attorney General's Cyber Crime Central or Attorney General's special fund program shall be defrayed by appropriation from the State General Fund and all user charges and fees authorized under this section shall be deposited into the State General Fund as authorized by law and as determined by the State Fiscal Officer.

(3) From and after July 1, 2016, no state agency shall charge another state agency a fee, assessment, rent or other charge for services or resources received by authority of this section.

SECTION 45. Section 99-41-29, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

99-41-29. (1) From and after July 1, 1990, there is hereby created in the State Treasury a special interest-bearing fund to be known as the Crime Victims' Compensation Fund. The monies contained in the fund shall be * * * ~~held in trust~~ used for the sole purpose of payment of awards of compensation to victims and claimants pursuant to this chapter, the payment of all necessary and proper expenses incurred by the division in the administration of this chapter, payment of sexual assault examinations pursuant to Section 99-37-25, payment of Address Confidentiality Program administrative expenses pursuant to Section 99-47-1(7) and payment of other expenses in furtherance of providing assistance to victims of crime through information referrals, advocacy outreach programs and victim-related services. Expenditures from the fund shall be paid by the State Treasurer upon warrants issued by the Department of Finance and Administration, and upon requisitions signed by the Attorney General or his duly designated representative in the manner provided by law. The fund shall be a continuing fund, not subject to fiscal-year limitations, and shall consist of: (a) monies appropriated by the Legislature for the purposes of compensating the victims of crime and other claimants under this chapter; (b) the interest accruing to the fund; (c) monies recovered by the director under the provisions of Section 99-41-21; (d) monies received from the federal government; and (e) monies received from such other sources as may be provided by law.

(2) No compensation payments shall be made which exceed the amount of money in the fund. The state shall not be liable for a written order to pay compensation, except to the extent that monies are available in the fund on the date the award is ordered. The Attorney General shall establish such rules and regulations as shall be necessary to adjust awards and payments so that the total amount awarded does not exceed the amount of money on deposit in the fund. Such rules and regulations may include, but shall not be limited to, the authority to provide for suspension of payments and proportioned reduction of benefits to all claimants; provided, however, no such reductions as provided for shall entitle claimants to future retroactive reimbursements in future years.

(3) From and after July 1, 2016, the expenses of the Crime Victims Compensation Fund Program (including the Crime Victims Compensation Administration Fund) shall be defrayed by appropriation from the State General Fund and all user charges and fees authorized under this section shall be deposited into the State General Fund as authorized by law and as determined by the State Fiscal Officer.

(4) From and after July 1, 2016, no state agency shall charge another state agency a fee, assessment, rent or other charge for services or resources received by authority of this section.

SECTION 46. Chapter 25, Laws of 2016 (Senate Bill No. 2916), is amended as follows:

Section 1. The following sum, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is hereby appropriated out of any money in the State General Fund not otherwise appropriated, for the support and maintenance of the Secretary of State for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2016, and ending

June 30, 2017................................. $ 16,046,492.00.

Section 2. Of the funds appropriated in Section 1 and all sums available in the Point Cadet Leasing Fund, the Secretary of State shall make the payments due in the amount of One Million Five Hundred Ninety-three Thousand Nine Hundred Seventy Dollars and Fifty-two Cents ($1,593,970.52) in accordance with the Point Cadet Compromise and Settlement Agreement dated August 15, 2002.

Section * * * 2 3. Of the funds appropriated under the provisions of Section 1, the following positions are authorized:

AUTHORIZED POSITIONS:

Permanent: Full Time........... 98

Part Time........... 0

Time-Limited: Full Time........... 13

Part Time........... 0

With the funds herein appropriated, it shall be the agency's responsibility to make certain that funds required to be appropriated for "Personal Services" for Fiscal Year 2018 do not exceed Fiscal Year 2017 funds appropriated for that purpose, unless programs or positions are added to the agency's Fiscal Year 2017 budget by the Mississippi Legislature. Based on data provided by the Legislative Budget Office, the State Personnel Board shall determine and publish the projected annual cost to fully fund all appropriated positions in compliance with the provisions of this act. It shall be the responsibility of the agency head to ensure that no single personnel action increases this projected annual cost and/or the Fiscal Year 2017 appropriations for "Personal Services" when annualized, with the exception of escalated funds and the award of benchmarks. If, at the time the agency takes any action to change "Personal Services," the State Personnel Board determines that the agency has taken an action which would cause the agency to exceed this projected annual cost or the Fiscal Year 2017 "Personal Services" appropriated level, when annualized, then only those actions which reduce the projected annual cost and/or the appropriation requirement will be processed by the State Personnel Board until such time as the requirements of this provision are met.

Any transfers or escalations shall be made in accordance with the terms, conditions and procedures established by law or allowable under the terms set forth within this act. The State Personnel Board shall not escalate positions without written approval from the Department of Finance and Administration. The Department of Finance and Administration shall not provide written approval to escalate any funds for salaries and/or positions without proof of availability of new or additional funds above the appropriated level.

No general funds authorized to be expended herein shall be used to replace federal funds and/or other special funds which are being used for salaries authorized under the provisions of this act and which are withdrawn and no longer available.

None of the funds herein appropriated shall be used in violation of Internal Revenue Service's Publication 15-A relating to the reporting of income paid to contract employees, as interpreted by the Office of the State Auditor.

Section * * * 3 4. None of the funds appropriated by this act shall be expended for any purpose that is not actually required or necessary for performing any of the powers or duties of the Office of the Secretary of State that are authorized by the Mississippi Constitution of 1890, state or federal law, or rules or regulations that implement state or federal law.

Section * * * 4 5. No part of the funds appropriated herein shall be used, either directly or indirectly, for the purpose of paying any clerk, stenographer, assistant, deputy, or other person who may be related by blood or marriage within the third degree, computed by the rules of the civil law, to the official employing or having the right of employment or selection thereof; and in the event of any such payment, then the official or person approving and making or receiving such payment shall be jointly and severally liable to return to the State of Mississippi and to pay into the State Treasury three (3) times any such amount so paid or received, to be recovered at suit of the Attorney General; provided that when the relationship is by affinity and the person through whom the relationship was established is dead, this provision shall not apply.

Section * * * 5 6. Of the funds appropriated in Section 1, the Secretary of State may use funds appropriated for the purposes of defraying litigation expenses associated with the enforcement of the Mississippi Securities Act, the Regulation of Charitable Solicitations Act, and the administration of the Public Trust.

Section * * * 6 7. In compliance with the "Mississippi Performance Budget and Strategic Planning Act of 1994," it is the intent of the Legislature that the funds provided herein shall be utilized in the most efficient and effective manner possible to achieve the intended mission of this agency. Based on the funding authorized, this agency shall make every effort to attain the targeted performance measures provided below:

FY2017

Performance Measures Target

Business Services

Percentage of Phone Calls Answered within

10 Seconds (%) 92.00

Elections

Number of Voter Registrations Updated via

Secure Online Website 50.00

Number of Poll Workers to Successfully

Complete the Online Training Program 82.00

Percentage of Poll Workers who Successfully

Complete the Online Poll Manager Training

on their First Attempt (%) 60.00

Publications

Number of Visits to the Secretary of State's

Website 11,000,000.00

Public Lands

Number of Tax-Forfeited Properties Sold 500.00

Support Services

Support Services as a Percentage of Total

Agency Expenditures (%) 27.00

A reporting of the degree to which the performance targets set above have been or are being achieved shall be provided in the agency's budget request submitted to the Joint Legislative Budget Committee for Fiscal Year 2018.

Section 8. The following sum, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated out of any money in the State Treasury to the credit of the Land Records Maintenance Fund, for the purpose of making distributions to local governments for back taxes owed for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2016, and ending June 30, 2017 One Million Dollars ($1,000,000.00).

None of the funds appropriated in this section shall be used for the operations of the Office of the Secretary of State.

Section 9. In addition to all sums appropriated herein, the Secretary of State is authorized to transfer from the Public Trust Tidelands Fund an amount not to exceed Nine Million Two Hundred Thousand Thirty-one Dollars ($9,200,031.00) to the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources.

Section * * * 7 10. It is the intention of the Legislature that whenever two (2) or more bids are received by this agency for the purchase of commodities or equipment, and whenever all things stated in such received bids are equal with respect to price, quality and service, the Mississippi Industries for the Blind shall be given preference. A similar preference shall be given to the Mississippi Industries for the Blind whenever purchases are made without competitive bids.

Section * * * 8 11. The money herein appropriated shall be paid by the State Treasurer out of any money in the State Treasury to the credit of the proper fund or funds as set forth in this act, upon warrants issued by the State Fiscal Officer; and the State Fiscal Officer shall issue his warrants upon requisitions signed by the proper person, officer or officers in the manner provided by law.

Section * * * 9 12. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2016.

SECTION 47. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage.