Mississippi Senate Bill SB2775

Mississippi 2022 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/17/22
• Refer: 1/17/22
• Failed: 2/1/22

Caption

"Mississippi Economically Disadvantaged Community (EDC) Infrastructure Grant Program Act of 2022"; establish.

Impact

One of the significant impacts of SB2775 is its provision for economically disadvantaged communities, defined as census tracts with a median household income less than 80% of the area median income. The establishment of the EDC Grant Program allows these communities to apply for reimbursable grants without local matching fund requirements. This financial relief is intended to enable these communities to undertake critical infrastructure improvements for public health and economic recovery, contributing positively to the state's overall health during a recovery phase.

Summary

Senate Bill 2775, known as the Mississippi Economically Disadvantaged Community (EDC) Infrastructure Grant Program Act of 2022, aims to establish a funding program within the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality and the Department of Health. The primary intention of this bill is to provide grants to economically disadvantaged communities to fund necessary infrastructure projects that improve public health, economic conditions, and mitigate the negative impacts resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. The program will utilize funds from federal Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery Funds and the American Rescue Plan Act blended with Community Development Block Grant funds.

Contention

Notably, potential points of contention around SB2775 may arise regarding the allocation of funds and the bureaucratic processes involved in grant application and project eligibility. There are concerns that if not managed effectively, the implementation could be slow or hindered by excessive regulations, possibly delaying projects crucial for public health and infrastructure improvement. Additionally, some may question the criteria for defining economically disadvantaged status and whether it accurately reflects the communities in need of assistance.