Prentiss County; authorize assessments on convictions for maintenance and renovations of courthouse.

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Daniel Sparks

Prentiss County may add up to $25 per conviction ($50 for DUI) to fund repairs and renovations of the historic courthouse, with sunset July 1, 2030.

Died In Committee

#localandprivate

What the bill does (main purpose)

SB 3388 authorizes the Board of Supervisors of Prentiss County to levy a dedicated assessment on criminal convictions in the county’s courts to fund repairs, maintenance, and renovations of the historic Prentiss County Courthouse, which is designated as a Mississippi Landmark. The assessment would be in addition to existing assessments and court costs.

Key provisions and changes

Authority to impose assessment: The Prentiss County Board of Supervisors may, by resolution, impose an additional assessment on convictions from:

Justice Court
County Court
Circuit Court

Amount of assessment (per conviction):

Up to $25.00 for each conviction in Justice Court, County Court, and Circuit Court (except for DUI convictions).
Up to $50.00 for each DUI conviction (driving under the influence of alcohol or any substance impairing ability to operate a motor vehicle), as defined under Section 63-11-30, Mississippi Code.

Use of funds: All funds collected from the additional assessment are to be expended by the Prentiss County Board of Supervisors specifically to fund repairs, maintenance, and renovations of the historic Prentiss County Courthouse (designated as a Mississippi Landmark).

Sunset provision: The authority to impose this additional assessment expires and the section is repealed on July 1, 2030.

Effective date: The act takes effect upon passage.

Who/what is affected

Primary local government entity: Prentiss County Board of Supervisors.

Recipients/subjects of the assessment: Individuals convicted in Prentiss County’s Justice Court, County Court, and Circuit Court.

Project impact: Funding stream for maintenance, repairs, and renovations of the historic Prentiss County Courthouse.

Procedural and timeline details

Legislative history (summary):

Referred to the Senate Local and Private Committee (March 11, 2026).
Died in Committee (April 15, 2026) and did not advance to the full Senate or House for consideration in this session.

Effective date: If enacted, the act would become effective on passage, with the sunset provision limiting the authority to July 1, 2030.

Sunset: The authorization to levy the additional assessment terminates on July 1, 2030, unless extended or renewed by subsequent legislation.

Observations

The bill ties courthouse funding to a per-conviction surcharge, creating a dedicated revenue stream for courthouse preservation.

DUI convictions face a higher per-conviction surcharge ($50) than non-DUI convictions ($25).

The sunset ensures periodic review of the funding mechanism and its necessity or potential replacement by other funding approaches.

As of the provided record, the bill did not pass out of committee in the 2026 session.

Bill