Bill
SB 3032
SB 3032 would have funded MEMA operations and disaster cost sharing with strict payroll controls, but died in conference.
Status: Died in Conference (introduced March 26, 2025)
Purpose
- Provide FY2026 appropriations and related policy directions for the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) to support agency operations, administrative costs, and the state/federal shares of disaster assistance and mitigation programs.
Key fiscal provisions (as shown in the House-amended text)
- The amendment text lists the following appropriations or fund totals for FY2026 purposes (fiscal year July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2026):
- $21,580,587.00 (appears associated with general agency operating/personal services)
- $5,601,056.00 (special funds credited to MEMA)
- $585,056.00 (funds from specified MEMA fund numbers in State Treasury)
- $442,674,787.00 (funds to defray administrative expenses and the state and federal shares of disaster assistance and mitigation programs for a long list of declared events)
- The bill lists specific MEMA fund account numbers to which appropriations apply (e.g., Fund Nos. 33703, 3725, 3728, 372U, 3729, 37AH, 53730, 6820174300, 58202).
Authorized positions and personnel controls
- Authorized headcount: 113 permanent positions (time-limited positions not specified in the excerpt).
- Personnel and payroll constraints:
- MEMA must ensure personal services funding for FY2027 does not exceed FY2026 personal services appropriations unless the Legislature adds programs/positions.
- Restrictions on using vacancy funding — can be used to fill prior-year vacancies but not for promotions, title changes, in-range salary increases, or other salary-increasing mechanisms for current employees.
- The State Personnel Board will publish personal services appropriation data and projected annualized payroll costs; no salary actions that increase annualized costs are to be processed absent available funds.
- Prohibition on using state general funds to replace withdrawn federal or other special funds previously used for salaries.
- Compliance requirement with IRS Publication 15-A reporting for contract employees as interpreted by the State Auditor.
Programmatic and operational provisions
- Appropriations cover administrative expenses and state/federal shares of disaster assistance programs, including public assistance, individual and family grants, mitigation, temporary housing, hazard mitigation, and pre-disaster response.
- The large disaster appropriation references many specific disasters and declarations (e.g., Hurricane Katrina, COVID-19, Hurricane Zeta, 2019–2023 flooding/tornado events, 2021 Winter Storm, water crisis emergencies).
- Legislative intent authorizes the MEMA Director, upon request from a local public emergency management organization, to supply equipment to rural water associations where those private entities provide essential community services following a disaster.
- Prohibits creation of a special reserve disaster relief fund except as allowed by Mississippi Code §33-15-307.
Who is affected
- MEMA (primary recipient/administrator of funds)
- State employees and personnel headcount at MEMA (payroll and hiring constraints)
- Local emergency management organizations and disaster-affected communities (program funding and equipment support)
- Rural water associations (potential temporary equipment support)
- State budgeting and oversight entities (State Personnel Board, Dept. of Finance & Administration, Legislative Budget Office)
Legislative timeline / procedural notes
- Introduced: March 26, 2025; passed through several committee and floor actions (Senate passage and House amendments reported).
- Conferees were named; the bill ultimately "Died In Conference" (March 29, 2025), so the appropriations and provisions did not become law in this session.
- Companion bill: HB 5669.
Implication
- If enacted as amended, SB 3032 would have broadly funded MEMA operations and provided a large pool of state/federal matching funds to cover costs tied to many prior and ongoing disaster declarations while imposing specific personnel and fiscal controls. Because the bill died in conference, these appropriations and policy directives were not finalized.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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