Bill
HB 1653
The bill reallocates and clarifies the use of funds from the 2024 Local Improvements Fund and the 2022 IHL Capital Improvements Fund for a broad range of local infrastructure, publ
HB 1653 (Mississippi 2026 Regular Session)
Summary of Local Improvements and IHL Capital Improvements Fund Revisions
Overview
- Purpose: Amend multiple sections to revise the purposes of numerous projects funded from the 2024 Local Improvements Projects Fund and the 2022 IHL Capital Improvements Fund (as amended by prior acts). The bill also continues related housekeeping provisions and alignment with prior appropriation language.
- Scope: Broadly reallocates or clarifies the intended use of funds for a wide array of local infrastructure, public safety, parks, streets, water/sewer projects, courthouse and government building improvements, university facilities, and miscellaneous public works across Mississippi.
Key Provisions and Changes
1) 2024 Local Improvements Projects Fund (Section 1)
- The bill enumerates dozens of specific disbursement authorizations, each describing a project and the amount allocated from the 2024 Local Improvements Fund.
- Examples of project types and amounts:
- Municipal and county infrastructure: street paving/improvements, water/sewer upgrades, water/wastewater infrastructure upgrades, wastewater treatment, retaining walls, bridges, and road resurfacing (various cities and counties).
- Public safety and emergency services: patrol cars, police equipment, fire trucks/equipment, law enforcement vehicles.
- Public facilities and redevelopment: renovation of Union Station (Jackson), downtown redevelopment projects, multi-use arenas, airport improvements, maintenance and expansion of parks, and community centers.
- State and regional improvements: Port infrastructure projects (Pascagoula North Rail Connector), Interstates and corridor enhancements, waterway access, and development of industrial parks and railroad infrastructure.
- Higher political subdivisions and community projects: capital improvements for libraries, veterans’ facilities, historical societies, Mississippi State University facilities, and N/A-listed nonprofit/community initiatives.
- Notable large allocations: front-end loading for major river/port projects, airport improvements, downtown redevelopment, and a significant sum for infrastructure improvements in Senatobia’s downtown historic district ($10,000,000) among numerous other entries.
2) 2022 IHL Capital Improvements Fund (Section 2)
- The bill revises allocations and purposes for projects funded under the 2022 IHL Capital Improvements Fund, managed by the Department of Finance and Administration with Board of Trustees oversight.
- Project categories include:
- University facility renovations, constructions, and expansions (Alcorn State, Delta State, Jackson State, Mississippi State, University of Mississippi, Southern Mississippi, etc.).
- Health and education facilities: nursing school expansions, medical centers, academic research centers, and clinical/teaching facilities.
- Library and cultural/historic enhancements, museum facilities, and performing arts centers.
- Preplanning activities for future renovations and expansions, as well as the replacement/repair of equipment and infrastructure across university campuses and related public facilities.
- Notable entries include multi-million-dollar allocations for major university building programs (e.g., University of Mississippi for the School of Accountancy and Nursing School renovations; UMMC upgrades; MSU architecture/arts facilities), as well as substantial sums for Gulf Coast campuses, HPC centers, and related academic infrastructure.
3) General/Related Provisions (Section 1 alignment)
- The act references prior appropriation bills and ensures that the revised purposes are consistent with spending authority granted in earlier acts (2024, 2025 amendments) and current appropriation mechanisms.
Who is Affected
- Local governments (cities, counties, municipal districts) receive funding for infrastructure, public safety, capital improvements, and redevelopment projects.
- State institutions of higher learning (Universities and the Mississippi University for Women, Jackson State University, MSU, Ole Miss, UMMC, USM, etc.) receive funds for capital improvements, new facilities, renovations, and related infrastructure.
- Public safety entities (sheriffs’ offices, police departments, fire departments) gain equipment purchases and vehicle acquisitions.
- Public mortgaged / public works entities (Port/rail improvements, airports, water/sewer districts, utility districts) receive targeted funding for projects.
- Nonprofit/community organizations and redevelopment authorities may receive support for downtown revitalization, cultural centers, and community facilities.
Procedural and Timeline Aspects
- The bill amends existing statutory sections that govern disbursements from the 2024 Local Improvements Fund and the 2022 IHL Capital Improvements Fund.
- Disbursement remains subject to appropriation authority via separate appropriation bills and Board oversight for IHL projects.
- The detailed project list and amounts imply ongoing budgetary planning and phased spending in alignment with the 2024 and 2022 fund commitments and related amendments.
Notes for Readers
- This is a technical reallocation and clarification bill, not a new funding authorization in isolation. It reorganizes and restates the purposes of already appropriated funds, aligning them with current priorities and administrative oversight.
- The bill contains an extensive enumerated schedule of projects and amounts; the above highlights illustrate the general types of projects funded and the breadth of statewide impact.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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