Summary — HB 1701
Title: Bonds; authorize issuance to assist Bolivar County with improvements at Richard M. Coleman, Sr. Recreational Park
Bill Number: HB 1701
Subject: Ways and Means
Introduced: December 20, 2024
Status: Died in Committee
Important note about source material
- The document you provided appears to conflate several different bills from multiple states (texts labeled HB 1701 from Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, etc.) and includes amendments and procedural entries not related to the bonds/park title shown at the top. The actual legislative text authorizing bonds for Bolivar County and Richard M. Coleman, Sr. Recreational Park is not present in the materials supplied.
- Because the core text for the bonds/park measure is missing, the summary below (A) states the bill’s stated purpose from the title and status metadata and (B) outlines the typical provisions and likely impacts such a bill would contain, noting where information is unknown or speculative.
1) Main purpose and intent
- According to the bill title, HB 1701 was intended to authorize the issuance of bonds to assist Bolivar County with capital improvements at the Richard M. Coleman, Sr. Recreational Park. The intent would be to provide financing to plan, construct, renovate, or equip park facilities.
2) Key provisions (text not provided — below are typical elements for a bonds-for-park bill)
- Bond authorization: specific limit (dollar amount) to be authorized for issuance.
- Purpose clause: enumerating allowable uses (e.g., playgrounds, athletic fields, restrooms, parking, ADA upgrades, lighting, drainage, trail construction, infrastructure).
- Issuance and terms: maximum maturity, interest rate limits, and whether bonds are general obligation, revenue, or special obligation.
- Repayment source: how debt service will be paid (county general fund, dedicated park revenues, special tax or millage, state/local matching funds).
- Approvals and conditions: requirement of county governing body resolution, public hearings, or voter approval if required by state law.
- Oversight and reporting: requirements for project budgeting, procurement, audits, and reporting back to the legislature or an oversight agency.
- Matching funds/use of proceeds restrictions: limits on administrative expenses or requirement to prioritize capital vs. maintenance.
3) Who would be affected
- Bolivar County government (debt capacity and budgeting).
- Local taxpayers if the county uses general revenues or levies taxes to repay bonds.
- Park users and local community benefiting from improved recreation amenities.
- Contractors and local businesses during construction (economic activity/job impacts).
4) Fiscal and timeline aspects
- Absent the bill text, no specific dollar amounts, repayment schedules, or sunset dates are available.
- Typical fiscal considerations: increased county debt service obligations for the term of the bonds; potential one-time capital injection for improvements and short-term construction jobs; long-term maintenance obligations for improved facilities.
- Procedurally: HB 1701 was introduced Dec 20, 2024 and ultimately “Died In Committee,” meaning it did not advance to a floor vote or become law in the session noted.
5) Sponsors and related legislation
- The mixed document lists multiple sponsors across different versions (Gonzales; L. Johnson; G. Stubblefield; Nabeela Syed; Camille Y. Lilly). These appear to belong to different bills in different states and should not be treated as sponsors of a single, unified measure. No authoritative sponsor list for the Bolivar County bond bill is available in the provided material.
- A related bill noted: SB 628 (companion) — relevance unclear given the mixed-source document.
Next steps / Recommendations
- To produce an authoritative, detailed summary (exact bond amount, repayment source, statutory text), obtain the specific bill text or bill packet from the relevant state legislature (Bolivar County is in Mississippi — check the Mississippi Legislature or county clerk records) and confirm the correct HB 1701 sponsor and provisions.
- If you want, I can search for the specific HB 1701 bond bill text (state and session confirmation) and produce a detailed, provision-by-provision summary once the correct source is identified.
