| 1 | | - | MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE 2025 Regular Session To: Ways and Means By: Representative Eure House Bill 1341 (As Sent to Governor) AN ACT TO REENACT SECTIONS 57-117-1 THROUGH 57-117-9, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, WHICH ARE THE MISSISSIPPI HEALTH CARE INDUSTRY ZONE ACT; TO AMEND SECTION 57-117-11, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO EXTEND THE DATE OF THE REPEALER ON THE MISSISSIPPI HEALTH CARE INDUSTRY ZONE ACT; TO AMEND SECTION 27-31-101, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO EXTEND THE DATE OF THE REVERTER ON THE STATUTE AUTHORIZING COUNTIES AND MUNICIPALITIES TO GRANT AN AD VALOREM TAX EXEMPTION TO HEALTH CARE INDUSTRY FACILITIES; TO AMEND SECTION 27-31-104, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO EXTEND THE DATE OF THE REVERTER ON THE STATUTE AUTHORIZING COUNTIES AND MUNICIPALITIES TO GRANT A FEE-IN-LIEU OF AD VALOREM TAXES TO QUALIFIED BUSINESSES UNDER THE MISSISSIPPI HEALTH CARE INDUSTRY ZONE ACT WHICH MEET MINIMUM CRITERIA ESTABLISHED BY THE MISSISSIPPI DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY; TO AMEND SECTION 27-65-101, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, AS AMENDED BY HOUSE BILL NO. 1644, 2025 REGULAR SESSION, TO EXTEND THE DATE OF THE REPEALER ON THE PROVISION OF LAW THAT EXEMPTS FROM SALES TAXATION SALES OF MATERIALS USED IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF, OR ADDITION OR IMPROVEMENTS TO, A HEALTH CARE INDUSTRY FACILITY; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: SECTION 1. Section 57-117-1, Mississippi Code of 1972, is reenacted as follows: 57-117-1. This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the "Mississippi Health Care Industry Zone Act." SECTION 2. Section 57-117-3, Mississippi Code of 1972, is reenacted as follows: 57-117-3. In this chapter: (a) "Health care industry facility" means: (i) A business engaged in the research and development of pharmaceuticals, biologics, biotechnology, diagnostic imaging, medical supplies, medical equipment or medicine and related manufacturing or processing, medical service providers, medical product distribution, or laboratory testing that creates a minimum of twenty-five (25) new full-time jobs and/or Ten Million Dollars ($10,000,000.00) of capital investment after July 1, 2012; or (ii) A business that 1. is located on land owned by or leased from an academic health science center with a medical school accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education and a hospital accredited by the Joint Committee on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations and 2. creates a minimum of twenty-five (25) new jobs and/or Twenty Million Dollars ($20,000,000.00) of capital investment after July 1, 2012. The term "health care industry facility" does not include any medical cannabis establishment as defined in the Mississippi Medical Cannabis Act. (b) "MDA" means the Mississippi Development Authority. (c) "Health care industry zone" means a geographical area certified by the MDA as provided for in Section 57-117-5. (d) "Local government unit" means any county or incorporated city, town or village in the State of Mississippi. (e) "Person" means a natural person, partnership, limited liability company, association, corporation, business trust or other business entity. (f) "Qualified business" means a business or health care industry facility that meets the requirements of Section 57-117-7 and any other requirements of this chapter. The term "qualified business" does not include any medical cannabis establishment as defined in the Mississippi Medical Cannabis Act. SECTION 3. Section 57-117-5, Mississippi Code of 1972, is reenacted as follows: 57-117-5. (1) The MDA may certify an area as a health care industry zone if the following requirements are met: (a) The area is located within: (i) Three (3) contiguous counties which have certificates of need of more than three hundred seventy-five (375) acute care hospital beds; and/or (ii) A county which has a hospital with a minimum capital investment of Two Hundred Fifty Million Dollars ($250,000,000.00) and for which construction is completed before July 1, 2017; (b) The health care industry facility is located within an eight-mile radius of: (i) A facility with a certificate of need for hospital beds; and/or (ii) A university or college that is: 1. Accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and awards degrees and/or trains workers for jobs in health care or pharmaceutical fields of study and/or work, and 2. Located along or near Mississippi Highway 67 within a master planned community as defined in Section 19-5-10; and (c) The zoning of the local government unit, if applicable, allows the construction or operation in the proposed health care industry zone of the health care industry facility. (2) A health care industry facility that engages in an activity for which a certificate of need is required must comply with the provisions of Section 41-7-191 in order to be certified as a qualified business. (3) The MDA may adopt and promulgate such rules and regulations, in compliance with the Mississippi Administrative Procedures Law, as are necessary for the efficient and effective administration of this section in keeping with the purposes for which it is enacted. SECTION 4. Section 57-117-7, Mississippi Code of 1972, is reenacted as follows: 57-117-7. (1) Businesses and health care industry facilities shall apply to the MDA for certification as a qualified business. If the health care industry facility or business is located in a health care industry zone and meets the requirements of this chapter, the MDA shall certify it as a qualified business. (2) A health care industry facility or business certified by the MDA as a qualified business within a health care industry zone that constructs or renovates a health care industry facility within a health care industry zone shall qualify for the following: (a) An accelerated state income tax depreciation deduction. The accelerated depreciation deduction shall be computed by accelerating depreciation period required by Mississippi Administrative Code, to a ten-year depreciation period. (b) A sales tax exemption as authorized in Section 27-65-101(1)(pp). (c) A fee-in-lieu of taxes as authorized in Section 27-31-104. (d) An ad valorem tax exemption as authorized in Section 27-31-101. SECTION 5. Section 57-117-9, Mississippi Code of 1972, is reenacted as follows: 57-117-9. If the qualified business has not created the requisite number of jobs required by this chapter, the health care industry zone certification may be revoked by MDA after five (5) years have elapsed from the effective date of certification. A revocation under this section shall not act retroactively to remove any incentives granted by this chapter. SECTION 6. Section 57-117-11, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows: 57-117-11. Sections 57-117-1 through 57-117-11 shall be repealed from and after July 1, * * *2025 2026. SECTION 7. Section 27-31-101, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows: [Through June 30, * * *2025 2026, this section shall read as follows:] 27-31-101. (1) County boards of supervisors and municipal authorities are hereby authorized and empowered, in their discretion, to grant exemptions from ad valorem taxation, except state ad valorem taxation; however, such governing authorities shall not exempt ad valorem taxes for school district purposes on tangible property used in, or necessary to, the operation of the manufacturers and other new enterprises enumerated by classes in this section, except to the extent authorized in Sections 27-31-104 and 27-31-105(2), nor shall they exempt from ad valorem taxes the products of the manufacturers or other new enterprises or automobiles and trucks belonging to the manufacturers or other new enterprises operating on and over the highways of the State of Mississippi. The time of such exemption shall be for a period not to exceed a total of ten (10) years, which shall begin on the date of completion of the new enterprise for which the exemption is granted; however, boards of supervisors and municipal authorities, in lieu of granting the exemption for one (1) period of ten (10) years, may grant the exemption in a period of less than ten (10) years. When the initial exemption period granted is less than ten (10) years, the boards of supervisors and municipal authorities may grant a subsequent consecutive period or periods to follow the initial period of exemption, provided that the total of all periods of exemption shall not exceed ten (10) years. The date of completion of the new enterprise, from which the initial period of exemption shall begin, shall be the date on which operations of the new enterprise begin. The initial request for an exemption must be made in writing by June 1 of the year immediately following the year in which the date of completion of a new enterprise occurs. If the initial request for the exemption is not timely made, the board of supervisors or municipal authorities may grant a subsequent request for the exemption and, in such case, the exemption shall begin on the anniversary date of completion of the enterprise in the year in which the request is made and may be for a period of time extending not more than ten (10) years from the date of completion of the new enterprise. Any subsequent request for the exemption must be made in writing by June 1 of the year in which it is granted. (2) Any board of supervisors or municipal authority which has granted an exemption for a period of less than ten (10) years may grant subsequent periods of exemption to run consecutively with the initial exemption period, or a subsequently granted exemption period, but in no case shall the total of the exemption periods granted for a new enterprise exceed ten (10) years. Any consecutive period of exemption shall be granted by entry of an order by the board or the authority granting the consecutive exemption on its minutes, reflecting the granting of the consecutive exemption period and the dates upon which such consecutive exemption period begins and expires. The entry of this order granting the consecutive period of exemption shall be made before the expiration of the exemption period immediately preceding the consecutive exemption period being granted. (3) (a) The new enterprises for which any or all of the tangible property described in paragraph (b) of this subsection (3) may be exempt from ad valorem taxation, except state ad valorem taxation, ad valorem taxes for school district purposes, and ad valorem taxes on the products thereof or on automobiles and trucks belonging thereto and operating on and over the highways of the State of Mississippi, are enumerated as and limited to the following, as determined by the Department of Revenue: (i) Warehouse and/or distribution centers; (ii) Manufacturing, processors and refineries; (iii) Research facilities; (iv) Corporate regional and national headquarters meeting minimum criteria established by the Mississippi Development Authority; (v) Movie industry studios meeting minimum criteria established by the Mississippi Development Authority; (vi) Air transportation and maintenance facilities meeting minimum criteria established by the Mississippi Development Authority; (vii) Recreational facilities that impact tourism meeting minimum criteria established by the Mississippi Development Authority; (viii) Data/information processing enterprises meeting minimum criteria established by the Mississippi Development Authority; (ix) Technology intensive enterprises or facilities meeting criteria established by the Mississippi Development Authority; (x) Health care industry facilities as defined in Section 57-117-3; (xi) Data centers as defined in Section 57-113-21; (xii) Telecommunications enterprises meeting minimum criteria established by the Mississippi Development Authority. The term "telecommunications enterprises" means entities engaged in the creation, display, management, storage, processing, transmission or distribution for compensation of images, text, voice, video or data by wire or by wireless means, or entities engaged in the construction, design, development, manufacture, maintenance or distribution for compensation of devices, products, software or structures used in the above activities. Companies organized to do business as commercial broadcast radio stations, television stations or news organizations primarily serving in-state markets shall not be included within the definition of the term "telecommunications enterprises"; and (xiii) Controlled environment agriculture enterprises meeting minimum criteria established by the Mississippi Development Authority. The new enterprises enumerated in this paragraph (a) do not include medical cannabis establishments as defined in Section 41-137-3 of the Mississippi Medical Cannabis Act. (b) An exemption from ad valorem taxes granted under this section may include any or all tangible property, real or personal, including any leasehold interests therein but excluding automobiles and trucks operating on and over the highways of the State of Mississippi, used in connection with, or necessary to, the operation of an enterprise enumerated in paragraph (a) of this subsection (3), whether or not such property is owned, leased, subleased, licensed or otherwise obtained by such enterprise, irrespective of the taxpayer to which any such leased property is assessed for ad valorem tax purposes. If an exemption is granted pursuant to this section with respect to any leasehold interest under a lease, sublease or license of tangible property used in connection with, or necessary to, the operation of an enterprise enumerated in paragraph (a) of this subsection (3), the corresponding ownership interest of the owner, lessor and sublessor of such tangible property shall similarly and automatically be exempt without any action being required to be taken by such owner, lessor or sublessor. (4) Any exemption from ad valorem taxes granted under this section before March 28, 2019, and consistent herewith, is hereby ratified, approved and confirmed. [From and after July 1, * * *2025 2026, this section shall read as follows:] 27-31-101. (1) County boards of supervisors and municipal authorities are hereby authorized and empowered, in their discretion, to grant exemptions from ad valorem taxation, except state ad valorem taxation; however, such governing authorities shall not exempt ad valorem taxes for school district purposes on tangible property used in, or necessary to, the operation of the manufacturers and other new enterprises enumerated by classes in this section, except to the extent authorized in Sections 27-31-104 and 27-31-105(2), nor shall they exempt from ad valorem taxes the products of the manufacturers or other new enterprises or automobiles and trucks belonging to the manufacturers or other new enterprises operating on and over the highways of the State of Mississippi. The time of such exemption shall be for a period not to exceed a total of ten (10) years, which shall begin on the date of completion of the new enterprise for which the exemption is granted; however, boards of supervisors and municipal authorities, in lieu of granting the exemption for one (1) period of ten (10) years, may grant the exemption in a period of less than ten (10) years. When the initial exemption period granted is less than ten (10) years, the boards of supervisors and municipal authorities may grant a subsequent consecutive period or periods to follow the initial period of exemption, provided that the total of all periods of exemption shall not exceed ten (10) years. The date of completion of the new enterprise, from which the initial period of exemption shall begin, shall be the date on which operations of the new enterprise begin. The initial request for an exemption must be made in writing by June 1 of the year immediately following the year in which the date of completion of a new enterprise occurs. If the initial request for the exemption is not timely made, the board of supervisors or municipal authorities may grant a subsequent request for the exemption and, in such case, the exemption shall begin on the anniversary date of completion of the enterprise in the year in which the request is made and may be for a period of time extending not more than ten (10) years from the date of completion of the new enterprise. Any subsequent request for the exemption must be made in writing by June 1 of the year in which it is granted. (2) Any board of supervisors or municipal authority which has granted an exemption for a period of less than ten (10) years may grant subsequent periods of exemption to run consecutively with the initial exemption period, or a subsequently granted exemption period, but in no case shall the total of the exemption periods granted for a new enterprise exceed ten (10) years. Any consecutive period of exemption shall be granted by entry of an order by the board or the authority granting the consecutive exemption on its minutes, reflecting the granting of the consecutive exemption period and the dates upon which such consecutive exemption period begins and expires. The entry of this order granting the consecutive period of exemption shall be made before the expiration of the exemption period immediately preceding the consecutive exemption period being granted. (3) (a) The new enterprises for which any or all of the tangible property described in paragraph (b) of this subsection (3) may be exempt from ad valorem taxation, except state ad valorem taxation, ad valorem taxes for school district purposes, and ad valorem taxes on the products thereof or on automobiles and trucks belonging thereto and operating on and over the highways of the State of Mississippi, are enumerated as and limited to the following, as determined by the Department of Revenue: (i) Warehouse and/or distribution centers; (ii) Manufacturing, processors and refineries; (iii) Research facilities; (iv) Corporate regional and national headquarters meeting minimum criteria established by the Mississippi Development Authority; (v) Movie industry studios meeting minimum criteria established by the Mississippi Development Authority; (vi) Air transportation and maintenance facilities meeting minimum criteria established by the Mississippi Development Authority; (vii) Recreational facilities that impact tourism meeting minimum criteria established by the Mississippi Development Authority; (viii) Data/information processing enterprises meeting minimum criteria established by the Mississippi Development Authority; (ix) Technology intensive enterprises or facilities meeting criteria established by the Mississippi Development Authority; (x) Data centers as defined in Section 57-113-21; (xi) Telecommunications enterprises meeting minimum criteria established by the Mississippi Development Authority. The term "telecommunications enterprises" means entities engaged in the creation, display, management, storage, processing, transmission or distribution for compensation of images, text, voice, video or data by wire or by wireless means, or entities engaged in the construction, design, development, manufacture, maintenance or distribution for compensation of devices, products, software or structures used in the above activities. Companies organized to do business as commercial broadcast radio stations, television stations or news organizations primarily serving in-state markets shall not be included within the definition of the term "telecommunications enterprises"; and (xii) Controlled environment agriculture enterprises meeting minimum criteria established by the Mississippi Development Authority. The new enterprises enumerated in this paragraph (a) do not include medical cannabis establishments as defined in Section 41-137-3 of the Mississippi Medical Cannabis Act. (b) An exemption from ad valorem taxes granted under this section may include any or all tangible property, real or personal, including any leasehold interests therein but excluding automobiles and trucks operating on and over the highways of the State of Mississippi, used in connection with, or necessary to, the operation of an enterprise enumerated in paragraph (a) of this subsection (3), whether or not such property is owned, leased, subleased, licensed or otherwise obtained by such enterprise, irrespective of the taxpayer to which any such leased property is assessed for ad valorem tax purposes. If an exemption is granted pursuant to this section with respect to any leasehold interest under a lease, sublease or license of tangible property used in connection with, or necessary to, the operation of an enterprise enumerated in paragraph (a) of this subsection (3), the corresponding ownership interest of the owner, lessor and sublessor of such tangible property shall similarly and automatically be exempt without any action being required to be taken by such owner, lessor or sublessor. (4) Any exemption from ad valorem taxes granted under this section before March 28, 2019, and consistent herewith, is hereby ratified, approved and confirmed. SECTION 8. Section 27-31-104, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows: [Through June 30, * * *2025 2026, this section shall read as follows:] 27-31-104. (1) (a) County boards of supervisors and municipal authorities are each hereby authorized and empowered to enter into an agreement with an enterprise granting, and pursuant to such agreement grant a fee-in-lieu of ad valorem taxes, including ad valorem taxes levied for school purposes, for the following: (i) Projects totaling over Sixty Million Dollars ($60,000,000.00) by any new enterprises enumerated in Section 27-31-101; (ii) Projects by a private company (as such term is defined in Section 57-61-5) having a minimum capital investment of Sixty Million Dollars ($60,000,000.00); (iii) Projects by a qualified business (as such term is defined in Section 57-117-3) meeting minimum criteria established by the Mississippi Development Authority; (iv) Projects, in addition to those projects referenced in Section 27-31-105, totaling over Sixty Million Dollars ($60,000,000.00) by an existing enterprise that has been doing business in the county or municipality for twenty-four (24) months. For purposes of this subparagraph (iv), the term "existing enterprise" includes those enterprises enumerated in Section 27-31-101; or (v) A private company (as such term is defined in Section 57-61-5) or entity defined in Section 77-3-3(d)(i) having a minimum capital investment of One Hundred Million Dollars ($100,000,000.00) from any source or combination of sources, provided that a majority of the capital investment is from private sources, when such project is located within a geographic area for which a Presidential Disaster Declaration was issued on or after January 1, 2014. County boards of supervisors and municipal authorities may not enter into an agreement with an enterprise that is a medical cannabis establishment, as defined in Section 41-137-3 of the Mississippi Medical Cannabis Act, granting, and pursuant to such agreement grant a fee-in-lieu of ad valorem taxes. (b) A fee-in-lieu of ad valorem taxes granted in accordance with this section may include any or all tangible property, real or personal, including any leasehold interests therein but excluding automobiles and trucks operating on and over the highways of the State of Mississippi, used in connection with, or necessary to, the operation of any enterprise, private company or business described in paragraph (a) of this subsection (1), as applicable, whether or not such property is owned, leased, subleased, licensed or otherwise obtained by such enterprise, private company or business, as applicable, irrespective of the taxpayer to which any such leased property is assessed for ad valorem tax purposes. If a fee-in-lieu of ad valorem taxes is granted pursuant to this section with respect to any leasehold interest under a lease, sublease or license of tangible property used in connection with, or necessary to, the operation of an enterprise, private company or business described in paragraph (a) of this subsection (1), as applicable, the corresponding ownership interest of the owner, lessor and sublessor of such tangible property shall similarly and automatically be exempt and subject to the fee-in-lieu granted in accordance herewith without any action being required to be taken by such owner, lessor or sublessor. (2) A county board of supervisors may enter into a fee-in-lieu agreement on behalf of the county and any county school district, and a municipality may enter into such a fee-in-lieu agreement on behalf of the municipality and any municipal school district located in the municipality; however, if the project is located outside the limits of a municipality but within the boundaries of the municipal school district, then the county board of supervisors may enter into such a fee-in-lieu agreement on behalf of the school district granting a fee-in-lieu of ad valorem taxes for school district purposes. (3) Any grant of a fee-in-lieu of ad valorem taxes shall be evidenced by a written agreement negotiated by the enterprise and the county board of supervisors and/or municipal authority, as the case may be, and given final approval by the Mississippi Development Authority as satisfying the requirements of this section. (4) The minimum sum allowable as a fee-in-lieu shall not be less than one-third (1/3), or one-tenth (1/10) if the project is also a project eligible for an ad valorem tax exemption under Section 27-31-46 and a fee-in-lieu agreement is entered into before July 1, 2026, of the ad valorem levy, including ad valorem taxes for school district purposes, and except as otherwise provided, the sum allowed shall be apportioned between the county or municipality, as appropriate, and the school districts in such amounts as may be determined by the county board of supervisors or municipal governing authority, as the case may be, however, except as otherwise provided in this section, from the sum allowed the apportionment to school districts shall not be less than the school districts' pro rata share based upon the proportion that the millage imposed for the school districts by the appropriate levying authority bears to the millage imposed by such levying authority for all other county or municipal purposes. Any fee-in-lieu agreement entered into under this section shall become a binding obligation of the parties to the agreement, be effective upon its execution by the parties and approval by the Mississippi Development Authority and, except as otherwise provided in Section 17-25-23 or Section 57-75-33, or any other provision of law, continue in effect for a period not to exceed thirty (30) years commencing on the date that the fee-in-lieu granted thereunder begins in accordance with the agreement; however, no particular parcel of land, real property improvement or item of personal property shall be subject to a fee-in-lieu for a duration of more than ten (10) years. Any such agreement shall be binding, according to its terms, on future boards of supervisors of the county and/or governing authorities of a municipality, as the case may be, for the duration of the agreement. (5) The fee-in-lieu may be a stated fraction or percentage of the ad valorem taxes otherwise payable or a stated dollar amount. If the fee is a fraction or percentage of the ad valorem tax levy, it shall be annually computed on all ad valorem taxes otherwise payable, including school taxes, as the same may vary from year to year based upon changes in the millage rate or assessed value and shall not be less than one-third (1/3) of that amount or one-tenth (1/10) of that amount if the project is also a project eligible for an ad valorem tax exemption under Section 27-31-46 and a fee-in-lieu agreement is entered into before July 1, 2026. If the fee is a stated dollar amount, said amount shall be the higher of the sum provided for fixed payment or (a) one-third (1/3) of the total of all ad valorem taxes otherwise payable as annually determined during each year of the fee-in-lieu or (b) if the project is also a project eligible for an ad valorem tax exemption under Section 27-31-46 and a fee-in-lieu agreement is entered into before July 1, 2026, one-tenth (1/10) of the total of all ad valorem taxes otherwise payable as annually determined during each year of the fee-in-lieu. (6) Notwithstanding Section 27-31-111, the parties to a fee-in-lieu may agree on terms and conditions providing for the reduction, suspension, termination or reinstatement of a fee-in-lieu agreement or any fee-in-lieu period granted thereunder upon the cessation of operations by project for twelve (12) or more consecutive months or due to other conditions set forth in the agreement. (7) For a project as defined in Section 57-75-5(f)(xxi) and located in a county that is a member of a regional economic development alliance created under Section 57-64-1 et seq., the members of the regional economic development alliance may divide the sum allowed as a fee-in-lieu in a manner as determined by the alliance agreement, and the boards of supervisors of the member counties may then apportion the sum allowed between school district purposes and all other county purposes. (8) For a project as defined in Section 57-75-5(f)(xxvi), the board of supervisors of the county in which the project is located may negotiate with the school district in which the project is located and apportion to the school district an amount of the fee-in-lieu that is agreed upon in the negotiations different than the amount provided for in subsection (3) of this section. (9) For a project as defined in Section 57-75-5(f)(xxviii), the annual amount of the fee-in-lieu apportioned to the county shall not be less than the amount necessary to pay the debt service on bonds issued by the county pursuant to Section 57-75-37(3)(c). (10) For any county and/or municipality that enters into a fee-in-lieu agreement for a project as defined in Section 57-75-5(f)(xxxiii), the minimum sum allowable as a fee-in-lieu for the project shall not be less than one-third (1/3); provided that such allowed sum of each annual fee-in-lieu payment may be first apportioned between the county or municipality, as appropriate, and the school districts in any such amounts as may be determined by the county board of supervisors or municipal governing authority, as the case may be, to either: (a) first allocate and remit to the Mississippi Major Economic Impact Authority or the Mississippi Development Authority, as applicable, such portion of each annual fee-in-lieu payment to repay to the Mississippi Major Economic Impact Authority or the Mississippi Development Authority, as applicable, funds advanced thereby to such county and/or municipality or to other public agency, as defined in Section 57-75-37(7)(a)(ii), to fund public improvements and related costs for the project pursuant to an agreement entered into in accordance with Section 57-75-37(7)(c)(iii); or (b) first allocate and remit to the enterprise owning and/or operating the project such portion of each annual fee-in-lieu payment payable thereto pursuant to an agreement entered into in accordance with Section 57-75-37(7)(d)(iv). The balance of any annual fee-in-lieu amount remaining after such initial allocation and remittance to the Mississippi Major Economic Impact Authority, Mississippi Development Authority or enterprise owning and/or operating the project, as applicable, shall then be apportioned in accordance with subsection (4) of this section or as otherwise authorized by state law. (11) Any fee-in-lieu of ad valorem taxes granted under this section before March 28, 2019, and consistent herewith, is hereby ratified, approved and confirmed. [From and after July 1, * * *2025 2026, this section shall read as follows:] 27-31-104. (1) (a) County boards of supervisors and municipal authorities are each hereby authorized and empowered to enter into an agreement with an enterprise granting, and pursuant to such agreement grant a fee-in-lieu of ad valorem taxes, including ad valorem taxes levied for school purposes, for the following: (i) Projects totaling over Sixty Million Dollars ($60,000,000.00) by any new enterprises enumerated in Section 27-31-101; (ii) Projects by a private company (as such term is defined in Section 57-61-5, Mississippi Code of 1972) having a minimum capital investment of Sixty Million Dollars ($60,000,000.00); (iii) Projects, in addition to those projects referenced in Section 27-31-105, totaling over Sixty Million Dollars ($60,000,000.00) by an existing enterprise that has been doing business in the county or municipality for twenty-four (24) months. For purposes of this subparagraph (iii), the term "existing enterprise" includes those enterprises enumerated in Section 27-31-101; or (iv) A private company (as such term is defined in Section 57-61-5) or entity defined in Section 77-3-3(d)(i) having a minimum capital investment of One Hundred Million Dollars ($100,000,000.00) from any source or combination of sources, provided that a majority of the capital investment is from private sources, when such project is located within a geographic area for which a Presidential Disaster Declaration was issued on or after January 1, 2014. County boards of supervisors and municipal authorities may not enter into an agreement with an enterprise that is a medical cannabis establishment, as defined in Section 41-137-3 of the Mississippi Medical Cannabis Act, granting, and pursuant to such agreement grant a fee-in-lieu of ad valorem taxes. (b) A fee-in-lieu of ad valorem taxes granted in accordance with this section may include any or all tangible property, real or personal, including any leasehold interests therein but excluding automobiles and trucks operating on and over the highways of the State of Mississippi, used in connection with, or necessary to, the operation of any enterprise, private company or business described in paragraph (a) of this subsection (1), as applicable, whether or not such property is owned, leased, subleased, licensed or otherwise obtained by such enterprise, private company or business, as applicable, irrespective of the taxpayer to which any such leased property is assessed for ad valorem tax purposes. If a fee-in-lieu of ad valorem taxes is granted pursuant to this section with respect to any leasehold interest under a lease, sublease or license of tangible property used in connection with, or necessary to, the operation of an enterprise, private company or business described in paragraph (a) of this subsection (1), as applicable, the corresponding ownership interest of the owner, lessor and sublessor of such tangible property shall similarly and automatically be exempt and subject to the fee-in-lieu granted in accordance herewith without any action being required to be taken by such owner, lessor or sublessor. (2) A county board of supervisors may enter into a fee-in-lieu agreement on behalf of the county and any county school district, and a municipality may enter into such a fee-in-lieu agreement on behalf of the municipality and any municipal school district located in the municipality; however, if the project is located outside the limits of a municipality but within the boundaries of the municipal school district, then the county board of supervisors may enter into such a fee-in-lieu agreement on behalf of the school district granting a fee-in-lieu of ad valorem taxes for school district purposes. (3) Any grant of a fee-in-lieu of ad valorem taxes shall be evidenced by a written agreement negotiated by the enterprise and the county board of supervisors and/or municipal authority, as the case may be, and given final approval by the Mississippi Development Authority as satisfying the requirements of this section. (4) The minimum sum allowable as a fee-in-lieu shall not be less than one-third (1/3), or one-tenth (1/10) if the project is also a project eligible for an ad valorem tax exemption under Section 27-31-46 and a fee-in-lieu agreement is entered into before July 1, 2026, of the ad valorem levy, including ad valorem taxes for school district purposes, and except as otherwise provided, the sum allowed shall be apportioned between the county or municipality, as appropriate, and the school districts in such amounts as may be determined by the county board of supervisors or municipal governing authority, as the case may be, however, except as otherwise provided in this section, from the sum allowed the apportionment to school districts shall not be less than the school districts' pro rata share based upon the proportion that the millage imposed for the school districts by the appropriate levying authority bears to the millage imposed by such levying authority for all other county or municipal purposes. Any fee-in-lieu agreement entered into under this section shall become a binding obligation of the parties to the agreement, be effective upon its execution by the parties and approval by the Mississippi Development Authority and, except as otherwise provided in Section 17-25-23 or Section 57-75-33, or any other provision of law, continue in effect for a period not to exceed thirty (30) years commencing on the date that the fee-in-lieu granted thereunder begins in accordance with the agreement; however, no particular parcel of land, real property improvement or item of personal property shall be subject to a fee-in-lieu for a duration of more than ten (10) years. Any such agreement shall be binding, according to its terms, on future boards of supervisors of the county and/or governing authorities of a municipality, as the case may be, for the duration of the agreement. (5) The fee-in-lieu may be a stated fraction or percentage of the ad valorem taxes otherwise payable or a stated dollar amount. If the fee is a fraction or percentage of the ad valorem tax levy, it shall be annually computed on all ad valorem taxes otherwise payable, including school taxes, as the same may vary from year to year based upon changes in the millage rate or assessed value and shall not be less than one-third (1/3) of that amount or one-tenth (1/10) of that amount if the project is also a project eligible for an ad valorem tax exemption under Section 27-31-46 and a fee-in-lieu agreement is entered into before July 1, 2026. If the fee is a stated dollar amount, said amount shall be the higher of the sum provided for fixed payment or (a) one-third (1/3) of the total of all ad valorem taxes otherwise payable as annually determined during each year of the fee-in-lieu or (b) if the project is also a project eligible for an ad valorem tax exemption under Section 27-31-46 and a fee-in-lieu agreement is entered into before July 1, 2026, one-tenth (1/10) of the total of all ad valorem taxes otherwise payable as annually determined during each year of the fee-in-lieu. (6) Notwithstanding Section 27-31-111, the parties to a fee-in-lieu may agree on terms and conditions providing for the reduction, suspension, termination or reinstatement of a fee-in-lieu agreement or any fee-in-lieu period granted thereunder upon the cessation of operations by project for twelve (12) or more consecutive months or due to other conditions set forth in the agreement. (7) For a project as defined in Section 57-75-5(f)(xxi) and located in a county that is a member of a regional economic development alliance created under Section 57-64-1 et seq., the members of the regional economic development alliance may divide the sum allowed as a fee-in-lieu in a manner as determined by the alliance agreement, and the boards of supervisors of the member counties may then apportion the sum allowed between school district purposes and all other county purposes. (8) For a project as defined in Section 57-75-5(f)(xxvi), the board of supervisors of the county in which the project is located may negotiate with the school district in which the project is located and apportion to the school district an amount of the fee-in-lieu that is agreed upon in the negotiations different than the amount provided for in subsection (3) of this section. (9) For a project as defined in Section 57-75-5(f)(xxviii), the annual amount of the fee-in-lieu apportioned to the county shall not be less than the amount necessary to pay the annual debt service on bonds issued by the county pursuant to Section 57-75-37(3)(c). (10) For any county and/or municipality that enters into a fee-in-lieu agreement for a project as defined in Section 57-75-5(f)(xxxiii), the minimum sum allowable as a fee-in-lieu for the project shall not be less than one-third (1/3); provided that such allowed sum of each annual fee-in-lieu payment may be first apportioned between the county or municipality, as appropriate, and the school districts in any such amounts as may be determined by the county board of supervisors or municipal governing authority, as the case may be, to either: (a) first allocate and remit to the Mississippi Major Economic Impact Authority or the Mississippi Development Authority, as applicable, such portion of each annual fee-in-lieu payment to repay to the Mississippi Major Economic Impact Authority or the Mississippi Development Authority, as applicable, funds advanced thereby to such county and/or municipality or to other public agency, as defined in Section 57-75-37(7)(a)(ii), to fund public improvements and related costs for the project pursuant to an agreement entered into in accordance with Section 57-75-37(7)(c)(iii); or (b) first allocate and remit to the enterprise owning and/or operating the project such portion of each annual fee-in-lieu payment payable thereto pursuant to an agreement entered into in accordance with Section 57-75-37(7)(d)(iv). The balance of any annual fee-in-lieu amount remaining after such initial allocation and remittance to the Mississippi Major Economic Impact Authority, Mississippi Development Authority or enterprise owning and/or operating the project, as applicable, shall then be apportioned in accordance with subsection (4) of this section or as otherwise authorized by state law. (11) Any fee-in-lieu of ad valorem taxes granted under this section before March 28, 2019, and consistent herewith, is hereby ratified, approved and confirmed. SECTION 9. Section 27-65-101, Mississippi Code of 1972, as amended by House Bill No. 1644, 2025 Regular Session, is amended as follows: 27-65-101. (1) The exemptions from the provisions of this chapter which are of an industrial nature or which are more properly classified as industrial exemptions than any other exemption classification of this chapter shall be confined to those persons or property exempted by this section or by the provisions of the Constitution of the United States or the State of Mississippi. No industrial exemption as now provided by any other section except Section 57-3-33 shall be valid as against the tax herein levied. Any subsequent industrial exemption from the tax levied hereunder shall be provided by amendment to this section. No exemption provided in this section shall apply to taxes levied by Section 27-65-15 or 27-65-21. The tax levied by this chapter shall not apply to the following: (a) Sales of boxes, crates, cartons, cans, bottles and other packaging materials to manufacturers and wholesalers for use as containers or shipping materials to accompany goods sold by said manufacturers or wholesalers where possession thereof will pass to the customer at the time of sale of the goods contained therein and sales to anyone of containers or shipping materials for use in ships engaged in international commerce. (b) Sales of raw materials, catalysts, processing chemicals, welding gases or other industrial processing gases (except natural gas) to a manufacturer for use directly in manufacturing or processing a product for sale or rental or repairing or reconditioning vessels or barges of fifty (50) tons load displacement and over. For the purposes of this exemption, electricity used directly in the electrolysis process in the production of sodium chlorate shall be considered a raw material. This exemption shall not apply to any property used as fuel except to the extent that such fuel comprises by-products which have no market value. (c) The gross proceeds of sales of dry docks, offshore drilling equipment for use in oil or natural gas exploration or production, vessels or barges of fifty (50) tons load displacement and over, when the vessels or barges are sold by the manufacturer or builder thereof. In addition to other types of equipment, offshore drilling equipment for use in oil or natural gas exploration or production shall include aircraft used predominately to transport passengers or property to or from offshore oil or natural gas exploration or production platforms or vessels, and engines, accessories and spare parts for such aircraft. (d) Sales to commercial fishermen of commercial fishing boats of over five (5) tons load displacement and not more than fifty (50) tons load displacement as registered with the United States Coast Guard and licensed by the Mississippi Commission on Marine Resources. (e) The gross income from repairs to vessels and barges engaged in foreign trade or interstate transportation. (f) Sales of petroleum products to vessels or barges for consumption in marine international commerce or interstate transportation businesses. (g) Sales and rentals of rail rolling stock (and component parts thereof) for ultimate use in interstate commerce and gross income from services with respect to manufacturing, repairing, cleaning, altering, reconditioning or improving such rail rolling stock (and component parts thereof). (h) Sales of raw materials, catalysts, processing chemicals, welding gases or other industrial processing gases (except natural gas) used or consumed directly in manufacturing, repairing, cleaning, altering, reconditioning or improving such rail rolling stock (and component parts thereof). This exemption shall not apply to any property used as fuel. (i) Sales of machinery or tools or repair parts therefor or replacements thereof, fuel or supplies used directly in manufacturing, converting or repairing ships, vessels or barges of three thousand (3,000) tons load displacement and over, but not to include office and plant supplies or other equipment not directly used on the ship, vessel or barge being built, converted or repaired. For purposes of this exemption, "ships, vessels or barges" shall not include floating structures described in Section 27-65-18. (j) Sales of tangible personal property to persons operating ships in international commerce for use or consumption on board such ships. This exemption shall be limited to cases in which procedures satisfactory to the commissioner, ensuring against use in this state other than on such ships, are established. (k) Sales of materials used in the construction of a building, or any addition or improvement thereon, and sales of any machinery and equipment not later than three (3) months after the completion of construction of the building, or any addition thereon, to be used therein, to qualified businesses, as defined in Section 57-51-5, which are located in a county or portion thereof designated as an enterprise zone pursuant to Sections 57-51-1 through 57-51-15. (l) Sales of materials used in the construction of a building, or any addition or improvement thereon, and sales of any machinery and equipment not later than three (3) months after the completion of construction of the building, or any addition thereon, to be used therein, to qualified businesses, as defined in Section 57-54-5. (m) Income from storage and handling of perishable goods by a public storage warehouse. (n) The value of natural gas lawfully injected into the earth for cycling, repressuring or lifting of oil, or lawfully vented or flared in connection with the production of oil; however, if any gas so injected into the earth is sold for such purposes, then the gas so sold shall not be exempt. (o) The gross collections from self-service commercial laundering, drying, cleaning and pressing equipment. (p) Sales of materials used in the construction of a building, or any addition or improvement thereon, and sales of any machinery and equipment not later than three (3) months after the completion of construction of the building, or any addition thereon, to be used therein, to qualified companies, certified as such by the Mississippi Development Authority under Section 57-53-1. (q) Sales of component materials used in the construction of a building, or any addition or improvement thereon, sales of machinery and equipment to be used therein, and sales of manufacturing or processing machinery and equipment which is permanently attached to the ground or to a permanent foundation and which is not by its nature intended to be housed within a building structure, not later than three (3) months after the initial start-up date, to permanent business enterprises engaging in manufacturing or processing in Tier Three areas (as such term is defined in Section 57-73-21), which businesses are certified by the Department of Revenue as being eligible for the exemption granted in this paragraph (q). The exemption provided in this paragraph (q) shall not apply to sales to any business enterprise that is a medical cannabis establishment as defined in the Mississippi Medical Cannabis Act. (r) (i) Sales of component materials used in the construction of a building, or any addition or improvement thereon, and sales of any machinery and equipment not later than three (3) months after the completion of the building, addition or improvement thereon, to be used therein, for any company establishing or transferring its national or regional headquarters from within or outside the State of Mississippi and creating a minimum of twenty (20) jobs at the new headquarters in this state. The exemption provided in this subparagraph (i) shall not apply to sales for any company that is a medical cannabis establishment as defined in the Mississippi Medical Cannabis Act. The Department of Revenue shall establish criteria and prescribe procedures to determine if a company qualifies as a national or regional headquarters for the purpose of receiving the exemption provided in this subparagraph (i). (ii) Sales of component materials used in the construction of a building, or any addition or improvement thereon, and sales of any machinery and equipment not later than three (3) months after the completion of the building, addition or improvement thereon, to be used therein, for any company expanding or making additions after January 1, 2013, to its national or regional headquarters within the State of Mississippi and creating a minimum of twenty (20) new jobs at the headquarters as a result of the expansion or additions. The exemption provided in this subparagraph (ii) shall not apply to sales for any company that is a medical cannabis establishment as defined in the Mississippi Medical Cannabis Act. The Department of Revenue shall establish criteria and prescribe procedures to determine if a company qualifies as a national or regional headquarters for the purpose of receiving the exemption provided in this subparagraph (ii). (s) The gross proceeds from the sale of semitrailers, trailers, boats, travel trailers, motorcycles, all-terrain cycles and rotary-wing aircraft if exported from this state within forty-eight (48) hours and registered and first used in another state. (t) Gross income from the storage and handling of natural gas in underground salt domes and in other underground reservoirs, caverns, structures and formations suitable for such storage. (u) Sales of machinery and equipment to nonprofit organizations if the organization: (i) Is tax exempt pursuant to Section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended; (ii) Assists in the implementation of the contingency plan or area contingency plan, and which is created in response to the requirements of Title IV, Subtitle B of the Oil Pollution Act of 1990, Public Law 101-380; and (iii) Engages primarily in programs to contain, clean up and otherwise mitigate spills of oil or other substances occurring in the United States coastal and tidal waters. For purposes of this exemption, "machinery and equipment" means any ocean-going vessels, barges, booms, skimmers and other capital equipment used primarily in the operations of nonprofit organizations referred to herein. (v) Sales or leases of materials and equipment to approved business enterprises as provided under the Growth and Prosperity Act. (w) From and after July 1, 2001, sales of pollution control equipment to manufacturers or custom processors for industrial use. For the purposes of this exemption, "pollution control equipment" means equipment, devices, machinery or systems used or acquired to prevent, control, monitor or reduce air, water or groundwater pollution, or solid or hazardous waste as required by federal or state law or regulation. (x) Sales or leases to a manufacturer of motor vehicles or powertrain components operating a project that has been certified by the Mississippi Major Economic Impact Authority as a project as defined in Section 57-75-5(f)(iv)1, Section 57-75-5(f)(xxi) or Section 57-75-5(f)(xxii) of machinery and equipment; special tooling such as dies, molds, jigs and similar items treated as special tooling for federal income tax purposes; or repair parts therefor or replacements thereof; repair services thereon; fuel, supplies, electricity, coal and natural gas used directly in the manufacture of motor vehicles or motor vehicle parts or used to provide climate control for manufacturing areas. (y) Sales or leases of component materials, machinery and equipment used in the construction of a building, or any addition or improvement thereon to an enterprise operating a project that has been certified by the Mississippi Major Economic Impact Authority as a project as defined in Section 57-75-5(f)(iv)1, Section 57-75-5(f)(xxi), Section 57-75-5(f)(xxii) or Section 57-75-5(f)(xxviii) and any other sales or leases required to establish or operate such project. (z) Sales of component materials and equipment to a business enterprise as provided under Section 57-64-33. (aa) The gross income from the stripping and painting of commercial aircraft engaged in foreign or interstate transportation business. (bb) [Repealed] (cc) Sales or leases to an enterprise owning or operating a project that has been designated by the Mississippi Major Economic Impact Authority as a project as defined in Section 57-75-5(f)(xviii) of machinery and equipment; special tooling such as dies, molds, jigs and similar items treated as special tooling for federal income tax purposes; or repair parts therefor or replacements thereof; repair services thereon; fuel, supplies, electricity, coal and natural gas used directly in the manufacturing/production operations of the project or used to provide climate control for manufacturing/production areas. (dd) Sales or leases of component materials, machinery and equipment used in the construction of a building, or any addition or improvement thereon to an enterprise owning or operating a project that has been designated by the Mississippi Major Economic Impact Authority as a project as defined in Section 57-75-5(f)(xviii) and any other sales or leases required to establish or operate such project. (ee) Sales of parts used in the repair and servicing of aircraft not registered in Mississippi engaged exclusively in the business of foreign or interstate transportation to businesses engaged in aircraft repair and maintenance. (ff) Sales of component materials used in the construction of a facility, or any addition or improvement thereon, and sales or leases of machinery and equipment not later than three (3) months after the completion of construction of the facility, or any addition or improvement thereto, to be used in the building or any addition or improvement thereto, to a permanent business enterprise operating a data/information enterprise in Tier Three areas (as such areas are designated in accordance with Section 57-73-21), meeting minimum criteria established by the Mississippi Development Authority. The exemption provided in this paragraph (ff) shall not apply to sales to any business enterprise that is a medical cannabis establishment as defined in the Mississippi Medical Cannabis Act. (gg) Sales of component materials used in the construction of a facility, or any addition or improvement thereto, and sales of machinery and equipment not later than three (3) months after the completion of construction of the facility, or any addition or improvement thereto, to be used in the facility or any addition or improvement thereto, to technology intensive enterprises for industrial purposes in Tier Three areas (as such areas are designated in accordance with Section 57-73-21), as certified by the Department of Revenue. For purposes of this paragraph, an enterprise must meet the criteria provided for in Section 27-65-17(1)(f) in order to be considered a technology intensive enterprise. (hh) Sales of component materials used in the replacement, reconstruction or repair of a building or facility that has been destroyed or sustained extensive damage as a result of a disaster declared by the Governor, sales of machinery and equipment to be used therein to replace machinery or equipment damaged or destroyed as a result of such disaster, including, but not limited to, manufacturing or processing machinery and equipment which is permanently attached to the ground or to a permanent foundation and which is not by its nature intended to be housed within a building structure, to enterprises or companies that were eligible for the exemptions authorized in paragraph (q), (r), (ff) or (gg) of this subsection during initial construction of the building that was destroyed or damaged, which enterprises or companies are certified by the Department of Revenue as being eligible for the exemption granted in this paragraph. (ii) Sales of software or software services transmitted by the Internet to a destination outside the State of Mississippi where the first use of such software or software services by the purchaser occurs outside the State of Mississippi. (jj) Gross income of public storage warehouses derived from the temporary storage of raw materials that are to be used in an eligible facility as defined in Section 27-7-22.35. (kk) Sales of component building materials and equipment for initial construction of facilities or expansion of facilities as authorized under Sections 57-113-1 through 57-113-7 and Sections 57-113-21 through 57-113-27. (ll) Sales and leases of machinery and equipment acquired in the initial construction to establish facilities as authorized in Sections 57-113-1 through 57-113-7. (mm) Sales and leases of replacement hardware, software or other necessary technology to operate a data center as authorized under Sections 57-113-21 through 57-113-27. (nn) Sales of component materials used in the construction of a building, or any addition or improvement thereon, and sales or leases of machinery and equipment not later than three (3) months after the completion of the construction of the facility, to be used in the facility, to permanent business enterprises operating a facility producing renewable crude oil from biomass harvested or produced, in whole or in part, in Mississippi, which businesses meet minimum criteria established by the Mississippi Development Authority. As used in this paragraph, the term "biomass" shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 57-113-1. (oo) Sales of supplies, equipment and other personal property to an organization that is exempt from taxation under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and is the host organization coordinating a professional golf tournament played or to be played in this state and the supplies, equipment or other personal property will be used for purposes related to the golf tournament and related activities. (pp) Sales of materials used in the construction of a health care industry facility, as defined in Section 57-117-3, or any addition or improvement thereon, and sales of any machinery and equipment not later than three (3) months after the completion of construction of the facility, or any addition thereon, to be used therein, to qualified businesses, as defined in Section 57-117-3. This paragraph shall be repealed from and after July 1, * * * 2025 2026. (qq) Sales or leases to a manufacturer of automotive parts operating a project that has been certified by the Mississippi Major Economic Impact Authority as a project as defined in Section 57-75-5(f)(xxviii) of machinery and equipment; or repair parts therefor or replacements thereof; repair services thereon; fuel, supplies, electricity, coal, nitrogen and natural gas used directly in the manufacture of automotive parts or used to provide climate control for manufacturing areas. (rr) Gross collections derived from guided tours on any navigable waters of this state, which include providing accommodations, guide services and/or related equipment operated by or under the direction of the person providing the tour, for the purposes of outdoor tourism. The exemption provided in this paragraph (rr) does not apply to the sale of tangible personal property by a person providing such tours. (ss) Retail sales of truck-tractors and semitrailers used in interstate commerce and registered under the International Registration Plan (IRP) or any similar reciprocity agreement or compact relating to the proportional registration of commercial vehicles entered into as provided for in Section 27-19-143. (tt) Sales exempt under the Facilitating Business Rapid Response to State Declared Disasters Act of 2015 (Sections 27-113-1 through 27-113-9). (uu) Sales or leases to an enterprise and its affiliates operating a project that has been certified by the Mississippi Major Economic Impact Authority as a project as defined in Section 57-75-5(f)(xxix) of: (i) All personal property and fixtures, including without limitation, sales or leases to the enterprise and its affiliates of: 1. Manufacturing machinery and equipment; 2. Special tooling such as dies, molds, jigs and similar items treated as special tooling for federal income tax purposes; 3. Component building materials, machinery and equipment used in the construction of buildings, and any other additions or improvements to the project site for the project; 4. Nonmanufacturing furniture, fixtures and equipment (inclusive of all communications, computer, server, software and other hardware equipment); and 5. Fuel, supplies (other than nonmanufacturing consumable supplies and water), electricity, nitrogen gas and natural gas used directly in the manufacturing/production operations of such project or used to provide climate control for manufacturing/production areas of such project; (ii) All replacements of, repair parts for or services to repair items described in subparagraph (i)1, 2 and 3 of this paragraph; and (iii) All services taxable pursuant to Section 27-65-23 required to establish, support, operate, repair and/or maintain such project. (vv) Sales or leases to an enterprise operating a project that has been certified by the Mississippi Major Economic Impact Authority as a project as defined in Section 57-75-5(f)(xxx) of: (i) Purchases required to establish and operate the project, including, but not limited to, sales of component building materials, machinery and equipment required to establish the project facility and any additions or improvements thereon; and (ii) Machinery, special tools (such as dies, molds, and jigs) or repair parts thereof, or replacements and lease thereof, repair services thereon, fuel, supplies and electricity, coal and natural gas used in the manufacturing process and purchased by the enterprise owning or operating the project for the benefit of the project. (ww) Sales of component materials used in the construction of a building, or any expansion or improvement thereon, sales of machinery and/or equipment to be used therein, and sales of processing machinery and equipment which is permanently attached to the ground or to a permanent foundation which is not by its nature intended to be housed in a building structure, no later than three (3) months after initial startup, expansion or improvement of a permanent enterprise solely engaged in the conversion of natural sand into proppants used in oil and gas exploration and development with at least ninety-five percent (95%) of such proppants used in the production of oil and/or gas from horizontally drilled wells and/or horizontally drilled recompletion wells as defined in Sections 27-25-501 and 27-25-701. (xx) (i) Sales or leases to an enterprise operating a project that has been certified by the Mississippi Major Economic Impact Authority as a project as defined in Section 57-75-5(f)(xxxi), for a period ending no later than one (1) year following completion of the construction of the facility or facilities comprising such project of all personal property and fixtures, including without limitation, sales or leases to the enterprise and its affiliates of: 1. Manufacturing machinery and equipment; 2. Special tooling such as dies, molds, jigs and similar items treated as special tooling for federal income tax purposes; 3. Component building materials, machinery and equipment used in the construction of buildings, and any other additions or improvements to the project site for the project; 4. Nonmanufacturing furniture, fixtures and equipment (inclusive of all communications, computer, server, software and other hardware equipment); 5. Replacements of, repair parts for or services to repair items described in this subparagraph (i)1, 2 and 3; and 6. All services taxable pursuant to Section 27-65-23 required to establish, support, operate, repair and/or maintain such project; and (ii) Sales or leases to an enterprise operating a project that has been certified by the Mississippi Major Economic Impact Authority as a project as defined in Section 57-75-5(f)(xxxi) of electricity, current, power, steam, coal, natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas or other fuel, biomass, nitrogen or other atmospheric or other industrial gases used directly by the enterprise in the manufacturing/production operations of its project or used to provide climate control for manufacturing/production areas (which manufacturing/production areas shall be apportioned based on square footage). As used in this paragraph, the term "biomass" shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 57-113-1. (yy) The gross proceeds from the sale of any item of tangible personal property by the manufacturer or custom processor thereof if such item is shipped, transported or exported from this state and first used in another state, whether such shipment, transportation or exportation is made by the seller, purchaser, or any third party acting on behalf of such party. For the purposes of this paragraph (yy), any instruction to, training of or inspection by the purchaser with respect to the item prior to shipment, transportation or exportation of the item shall not constitute a first use of such item within this state. (zz) (i) Sales or leases to an enterprise operating a project that has been certified by the Mississippi Major Economic Impact Authority as a project as defined in Section 57-75-5(f)(xxxii), for a period ending no later than one (1) year following completion of the construction of the facility or facilities comprising such project of all personal property and fixtures, including, without limitation, sales or leases to the enterprise and its affiliates of: 1. Manufacturing machinery and equipment; 2. Special tooling such as dies, molds, jigs and similar items treated as special tooling for federal income tax purposes; 3. Component building materials, machinery and equipment used in the construction of buildings, and any other additions or improvements to the project site for the project; 4. Nonmanufacturing furniture, fixtures and equipment (inclusive of all communications, computer, server, software and other hardware equipment); 5. Replacements of, repair parts for or services to repair items described in this subparagraph (i)1, 2 and 3; and 6. All services taxable pursuant to Section 27-65-23 required to establish, support, operate, repair and/or maintain such project; and (ii) Sales or leases to an enterprise operating a project that has been certified by the Mississippi Major Economic Impact Authority as a project as defined in Section 57-75-5(f)(xxxii) of electricity, current, power, steam, coal, natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas or other fuel, biomass, nitrogen or other atmospheric or other industrial gases used directly by the enterprise in the manufacturing/production operations of its project or used to provide climate control for manufacturing/production areas (which manufacturing/production areas shall be apportioned based on square footage). As used in this paragraph, the term "biomass" shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 57-113-1. (aaa) Sales or leases to an enterprise and/or any affiliates thereof operating a project that has been certified by the Mississippi Major Economic Impact Authority as a project as defined in Section 57-75-5(f)(xxxiii) of: (i) Component building materials, fixtures, machinery and equipment used in the construction of a data processing facility or other buildings comprising all or part of a project, for a period ending no later than one (1) year following completion of the construction of the data processing facility or such other building; and (ii) All equipment and other personal property needed to establish and operate the project and any expansions thereof or additions thereto, including, but not limited to: 1. Communications, computer, server, software, connectivity materials and equipment, emergency power generation equipment, other hardware equipment and any other technology; 2. All replacements of, and repair parts for, such equipment or other personal property; and 3. All services taxable pursuant to Section 27-65-23 required to install, support, operate, repair and/or maintain the foregoing equipment and other personal property described in this subparagraph (ii). (bbb) Sales, leases or other retail transfers of fixed-wing aircraft to, or to be used by, certified common carriers in the transport of persons or property in interstate, intrastate or foreign commerce, and engines, accessories and spare parts for such fixed-wing aircraft. (2) Sales of component materials used in the construction of a building, or any addition or improvement thereon, sales of machinery and equipment to be used therein, and sales of manufacturing or processing machinery and equipment which is permanently attached to the ground or to a permanent foundation and which is not by its nature intended to be housed within a building structure, not later than three (3) months after the initial start-up date, to permanent business enterprises engaging in manufacturing or processing in Tier Two areas and Tier One areas (as such areas are designated in accordance with Section 57-73-21), which businesses are certified by the Department of Revenue as being eligible for the exemption granted in this subsection, shall be exempt from one-half (1/2) of the taxes imposed on such transactions under this chapter. The exemption provided in this subsection (2) shall not apply to sales to any business enterprise that is a medical cannabis establishment as defined in the Mississippi Medical Cannabis Act. (3) Sales of component materials used in the construction of a facility, or any addition or improvement thereon, and sales or leases of machinery and equipment not later than three (3) months after the completion of construction of the facility, or any addition or improvement thereto, to be used in the building or any addition or improvement thereto, to a permanent business enterprise operating a data/information enterprise in Tier Two areas and Tier One areas (as such areas are designated in accordance with Section 57-73-21), which businesses meet minimum criteria established by the Mississippi Development Authority, shall be exempt from one-half (1/2) of the taxes imposed on such transaction under this chapter. The exemption provided in this subsection (3) shall not apply to sales to any business enterprise that is a medical cannabis establishment as defined in the Mississippi Medical Cannabis Act. (4) Sales of component materials used in the construction of a facility, or any addition or improvement thereto, and sales of machinery and equipment not later than three (3) months after the completion of construction of the facility, or any addition or improvement thereto, to be used in the building or any addition or improvement thereto, to technology intensive enterprises for industrial purposes in Tier Two areas and Tier One areas (as such areas are designated in accordance with Section 57-73-21), which businesses are certified by the Department of Revenue as being eligible for the exemption granted in this subsection, shall be exempt from one-half (1/2) of the taxes imposed on such transactions under this chapter. For purposes of this subsection, an enterprise must meet the criteria provided for in Section 27-65-17(1)(f) in order to be considered a technology intensive enterprise. (5) (a) For purposes of this subsection: (i) "Telecommunications enterprises" shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 57-73-21; (ii) "Tier One areas" mean counties designated as Tier One areas pursuant to Section 57-73-21; (iii) "Tier Two areas" mean counties designated as Tier Two areas pursuant to Section 57-73-21; (iv) "Tier Three areas" mean counties designated as Tier Three areas pursuant to Section 57-73-21; and (v) "Equipment used in the deployment of broadband technologies" means any equipment capable of being used for or in connection with the transmission of information at a rate, prior to taking into account the effects of any signal degradation, that is not less than * * * three hundred eighty-four (384) kilobits per second in at least one (1) direction, including, but not limited to, asynchronous transfer mode switches, digital subscriber line access multiplexers, routers, servers, multiplexers, fiber optics and related equipment thirty-five (35) megabits per second downlink and three (3) megabits per second uplink for mobile broadband or that is capable of providing fixed broadband service as defined by Section 77-19-3. (b) Sales of equipment to telecommunications enterprises after June 30, 2003, and before July 1, * * * 2025 2030, that is installed in Tier One areas and used in the deployment of broadband technologies shall be exempt from one-half (1/2) of the taxes imposed on such transactions under this chapter. (c) Sales of equipment to telecommunications enterprises after June 30, 2003, and before July 1, * * * 2025 2030, that is installed in Tier Two and Tier Three areas and used in the deployment of broadband technologies shall be exempt from the taxes imposed on such transactions under this chapter. (6) Sales of component materials used in the replacement, reconstruction or repair of a building that has been destroyed or sustained extensive damage as a result of a disaster declared by the Governor, sales of machinery and equipment to be used therein to replace machinery or equipment damaged or destroyed as a result of such disaster, including, but not limited to, manufacturing or processing machinery and equipment which is permanently attached to the ground or to a permanent foundation and which is not by its nature intended to be housed within a building structure, to enterprises that were eligible for the partial exemptions provided for in subsections (2), (3) and (4) of this section during initial construction of the building that was destroyed or damaged, which enterprises are certified by the Department of Revenue as being eligible for the partial exemption granted in this subsection, shall be exempt from one-half (1/2) of the taxes imposed on such transactions under this chapter. SECTION 10. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2025. |
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| 1 | + | MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE 2025 Regular Session To: Ways and Means By: Representative Eure House Bill 1341 (As Passed the House) AN ACT TO REENACT SECTIONS 57-117-1 THROUGH 57-117-9, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, WHICH ARE THE MISSISSIPPI HEALTH CARE INDUSTRY ZONE ACT; TO AMEND SECTION 57-117-11, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO EXTEND THE DATE OF THE REPEALER ON THE MISSISSIPPI HEALTH CARE INDUSTRY ZONE ACT; TO AMEND SECTION 27-31-101, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO EXTEND THE DATE OF THE REVERTER ON THE STATUTE AUTHORIZING COUNTIES AND MUNICIPALITIES TO GRANT AN AD VALOREM TAX EXEMPTION TO HEALTH CARE INDUSTRY FACILITIES; TO AMEND SECTION 27-31-104, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO EXTEND THE DATE OF THE REVERTER ON THE STATUTE AUTHORIZING COUNTIES AND MUNICIPALITIES TO GRANT A FEE-IN-LIEU OF AD VALOREM TAXES TO QUALIFIED BUSINESSES UNDER THE MISSISSIPPI HEALTH CARE INDUSTRY ZONE ACT WHICH MEET MINIMUM CRITERIA ESTABLISHED BY THE MISSISSIPPI DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY; TO AMEND SECTION 27-65-101, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO EXTEND THE DATE OF THE REPEALER ON THE PROVISION OF LAW THAT EXEMPTS FROM SALES TAXATION SALES OF MATERIALS USED IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF, OR ADDITION OR IMPROVEMENTS TO, A HEALTH CARE INDUSTRY FACILITY; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: SECTION 1. Section 57-117-1, Mississippi Code of 1972, is reenacted as follows: 57-117-1. This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the "Mississippi Health Care Industry Zone Act." SECTION 2. Section 57-117-3, Mississippi Code of 1972, is reenacted as follows: 57-117-3. In this chapter: (a) "Health care industry facility" means: (i) A business engaged in the research and development of pharmaceuticals, biologics, biotechnology, diagnostic imaging, medical supplies, medical equipment or medicine and related manufacturing or processing, medical service providers, medical product distribution, or laboratory testing that creates a minimum of twenty-five (25) new full-time jobs and/or Ten Million Dollars ($10,000,000.00) of capital investment after July 1, 2012; or (ii) A business that 1. is located on land owned by or leased from an academic health science center with a medical school accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education and a hospital accredited by the Joint Committee on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations and 2. creates a minimum of twenty-five (25) new jobs and/or Twenty Million Dollars ($20,000,000.00) of capital investment after July 1, 2012. The term "health care industry facility" does not include any medical cannabis establishment as defined in the Mississippi Medical Cannabis Act. (b) "MDA" means the Mississippi Development Authority. (c) "Health care industry zone" means a geographical area certified by the MDA as provided for in Section 57-117-5. (d) "Local government unit" means any county or incorporated city, town or village in the State of Mississippi. (e) "Person" means a natural person, partnership, limited liability company, association, corporation, business trust or other business entity. (f) "Qualified business" means a business or health care industry facility that meets the requirements of Section 57-117-7 and any other requirements of this chapter. The term "qualified business" does not include any medical cannabis establishment as defined in the Mississippi Medical Cannabis Act. SECTION 3. Section 57-117-5, Mississippi Code of 1972, is reenacted as follows: 57-117-5. (1) The MDA may certify an area as a health care industry zone if the following requirements are met: (a) The area is located within: (i) Three (3) contiguous counties which have certificates of need of more than three hundred seventy-five (375) acute care hospital beds; and/or (ii) A county which has a hospital with a minimum capital investment of Two Hundred Fifty Million Dollars ($250,000,000.00) and for which construction is completed before July 1, 2017; (b) The health care industry facility is located within an eight-mile radius of: (i) A facility with a certificate of need for hospital beds; and/or (ii) A university or college that is: 1. Accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and awards degrees and/or trains workers for jobs in health care or pharmaceutical fields of study and/or work, and 2. Located along or near Mississippi Highway 67 within a master planned community as defined in Section 19-5-10; and (c) The zoning of the local government unit, if applicable, allows the construction or operation in the proposed health care industry zone of the health care industry facility. (2) A health care industry facility that engages in an activity for which a certificate of need is required must comply with the provisions of Section 41-7-191 in order to be certified as a qualified business. (3) The MDA may adopt and promulgate such rules and regulations, in compliance with the Mississippi Administrative Procedures Law, as are necessary for the efficient and effective administration of this section in keeping with the purposes for which it is enacted. SECTION 4. Section 57-117-7, Mississippi Code of 1972, is reenacted as follows: 57-117-7. (1) Businesses and health care industry facilities shall apply to the MDA for certification as a qualified business. If the health care industry facility or business is located in a health care industry zone and meets the requirements of this chapter, the MDA shall certify it as a qualified business. (2) A health care industry facility or business certified by the MDA as a qualified business within a health care industry zone that constructs or renovates a health care industry facility within a health care industry zone shall qualify for the following: (a) An accelerated state income tax depreciation deduction. The accelerated depreciation deduction shall be computed by accelerating depreciation period required by Mississippi Administrative Code, to a ten-year depreciation period. (b) A sales tax exemption as authorized in Section 27-65-101(1)(pp). (c) A fee-in-lieu of taxes as authorized in Section 27-31-104. (d) An ad valorem tax exemption as authorized in Section 27-31-101. SECTION 5. Section 57-117-9, Mississippi Code of 1972, is reenacted as follows: 57-117-9. If the qualified business has not created the requisite number of jobs required by this chapter, the health care industry zone certification may be revoked by MDA after five (5) years have elapsed from the effective date of certification. A revocation under this section shall not act retroactively to remove any incentives granted by this chapter. SECTION 6. Section 57-117-11, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows: 57-117-11. Sections 57-117-1 through 57-117-11 shall be repealed from and after July 1, * * *2025 2028. SECTION 7. Section 27-31-101, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows: [Through June 30, * * *2025 2028, this section shall read as follows:] 27-31-101. (1) County boards of supervisors and municipal authorities are hereby authorized and empowered, in their discretion, to grant exemptions from ad valorem taxation, except state ad valorem taxation; however, such governing authorities shall not exempt ad valorem taxes for school district purposes on tangible property used in, or necessary to, the operation of the manufacturers and other new enterprises enumerated by classes in this section, except to the extent authorized in Sections 27-31-104 and 27-31-105(2), nor shall they exempt from ad valorem taxes the products of the manufacturers or other new enterprises or automobiles and trucks belonging to the manufacturers or other new enterprises operating on and over the highways of the State of Mississippi. The time of such exemption shall be for a period not to exceed a total of ten (10) years, which shall begin on the date of completion of the new enterprise for which the exemption is granted; however, boards of supervisors and municipal authorities, in lieu of granting the exemption for one (1) period of ten (10) years, may grant the exemption in a period of less than ten (10) years. When the initial exemption period granted is less than ten (10) years, the boards of supervisors and municipal authorities may grant a subsequent consecutive period or periods to follow the initial period of exemption, provided that the total of all periods of exemption shall not exceed ten (10) years. The date of completion of the new enterprise, from which the initial period of exemption shall begin, shall be the date on which operations of the new enterprise begin. The initial request for an exemption must be made in writing by June 1 of the year immediately following the year in which the date of completion of a new enterprise occurs. If the initial request for the exemption is not timely made, the board of supervisors or municipal authorities may grant a subsequent request for the exemption and, in such case, the exemption shall begin on the anniversary date of completion of the enterprise in the year in which the request is made and may be for a period of time extending not more than ten (10) years from the date of completion of the new enterprise. Any subsequent request for the exemption must be made in writing by June 1 of the year in which it is granted. (2) Any board of supervisors or municipal authority which has granted an exemption for a period of less than ten (10) years may grant subsequent periods of exemption to run consecutively with the initial exemption period, or a subsequently granted exemption period, but in no case shall the total of the exemption periods granted for a new enterprise exceed ten (10) years. Any consecutive period of exemption shall be granted by entry of an order by the board or the authority granting the consecutive exemption on its minutes, reflecting the granting of the consecutive exemption period and the dates upon which such consecutive exemption period begins and expires. The entry of this order granting the consecutive period of exemption shall be made before the expiration of the exemption period immediately preceding the consecutive exemption period being granted. (3) (a) The new enterprises for which any or all of the tangible property described in paragraph (b) of this subsection (3) may be exempt from ad valorem taxation, except state ad valorem taxation, ad valorem taxes for school district purposes, and ad valorem taxes on the products thereof or on automobiles and trucks belonging thereto and operating on and over the highways of the State of Mississippi, are enumerated as and limited to the following, as determined by the Department of Revenue: (i) Warehouse and/or distribution centers; (ii) Manufacturing, processors and refineries; (iii) Research facilities; (iv) Corporate regional and national headquarters meeting minimum criteria established by the Mississippi Development Authority; (v) Movie industry studios meeting minimum criteria established by the Mississippi Development Authority; (vi) Air transportation and maintenance facilities meeting minimum criteria established by the Mississippi Development Authority; (vii) Recreational facilities that impact tourism meeting minimum criteria established by the Mississippi Development Authority; (viii) Data/information processing enterprises meeting minimum criteria established by the Mississippi Development Authority; (ix) Technology intensive enterprises or facilities meeting criteria established by the Mississippi Development Authority; (x) Health care industry facilities as defined in Section 57-117-3; (xi) Data centers as defined in Section 57-113-21; (xii) Telecommunications enterprises meeting minimum criteria established by the Mississippi Development Authority. The term "telecommunications enterprises" means entities engaged in the creation, display, management, storage, processing, transmission or distribution for compensation of images, text, voice, video or data by wire or by wireless means, or entities engaged in the construction, design, development, manufacture, maintenance or distribution for compensation of devices, products, software or structures used in the above activities. Companies organized to do business as commercial broadcast radio stations, television stations or news organizations primarily serving in-state markets shall not be included within the definition of the term "telecommunications enterprises"; and (xiii) Controlled environment agriculture enterprises meeting minimum criteria established by the Mississippi Development Authority. The new enterprises enumerated in this paragraph (a) do not include medical cannabis establishments as defined in Section 41-137-3 of the Mississippi Medical Cannabis Act. (b) An exemption from ad valorem taxes granted under this section may include any or all tangible property, real or personal, including any leasehold interests therein but excluding automobiles and trucks operating on and over the highways of the State of Mississippi, used in connection with, or necessary to, the operation of an enterprise enumerated in paragraph (a) of this subsection (3), whether or not such property is owned, leased, subleased, licensed or otherwise obtained by such enterprise, irrespective of the taxpayer to which any such leased property is assessed for ad valorem tax purposes. If an exemption is granted pursuant to this section with respect to any leasehold interest under a lease, sublease or license of tangible property used in connection with, or necessary to, the operation of an enterprise enumerated in paragraph (a) of this subsection (3), the corresponding ownership interest of the owner, lessor and sublessor of such tangible property shall similarly and automatically be exempt without any action being required to be taken by such owner, lessor or sublessor. (4) Any exemption from ad valorem taxes granted under this section before March 28, 2019, and consistent herewith, is hereby ratified, approved and confirmed. [From and after July 1, * * *2025 2028, this section shall read as follows:] 27-31-101. (1) County boards of supervisors and municipal authorities are hereby authorized and empowered, in their discretion, to grant exemptions from ad valorem taxation, except state ad valorem taxation; however, such governing authorities shall not exempt ad valorem taxes for school district purposes on tangible property used in, or necessary to, the operation of the manufacturers and other new enterprises enumerated by classes in this section, except to the extent authorized in Sections 27-31-104 and 27-31-105(2), nor shall they exempt from ad valorem taxes the products of the manufacturers or other new enterprises or automobiles and trucks belonging to the manufacturers or other new enterprises operating on and over the highways of the State of Mississippi. The time of such exemption shall be for a period not to exceed a total of ten (10) years, which shall begin on the date of completion of the new enterprise for which the exemption is granted; however, boards of supervisors and municipal authorities, in lieu of granting the exemption for one (1) period of ten (10) years, may grant the exemption in a period of less than ten (10) years. When the initial exemption period granted is less than ten (10) years, the boards of supervisors and municipal authorities may grant a subsequent consecutive period or periods to follow the initial period of exemption, provided that the total of all periods of exemption shall not exceed ten (10) years. The date of completion of the new enterprise, from which the initial period of exemption shall begin, shall be the date on which operations of the new enterprise begin. The initial request for an exemption must be made in writing by June 1 of the year immediately following the year in which the date of completion of a new enterprise occurs. If the initial request for the exemption is not timely made, the board of supervisors or municipal authorities may grant a subsequent request for the exemption and, in such case, the exemption shall begin on the anniversary date of completion of the enterprise in the year in which the request is made and may be for a period of time extending not more than ten (10) years from the date of completion of the new enterprise. Any subsequent request for the exemption must be made in writing by June 1 of the year in which it is granted. (2) Any board of supervisors or municipal authority which has granted an exemption for a period of less than ten (10) years may grant subsequent periods of exemption to run consecutively with the initial exemption period, or a subsequently granted exemption period, but in no case shall the total of the exemption periods granted for a new enterprise exceed ten (10) years. Any consecutive period of exemption shall be granted by entry of an order by the board or the authority granting the consecutive exemption on its minutes, reflecting the granting of the consecutive exemption period and the dates upon which such consecutive exemption period begins and expires. The entry of this order granting the consecutive period of exemption shall be made before the expiration of the exemption period immediately preceding the consecutive exemption period being granted. (3) (a) The new enterprises for which any or all of the tangible property described in paragraph (b) of this subsection (3) may be exempt from ad valorem taxation, except state ad valorem taxation, ad valorem taxes for school district purposes, and ad valorem taxes on the products thereof or on automobiles and trucks belonging thereto and operating on and over the highways of the State of Mississippi, are enumerated as and limited to the following, as determined by the Department of Revenue: (i) Warehouse and/or distribution centers; (ii) Manufacturing, processors and refineries; (iii) Research facilities; (iv) Corporate regional and national headquarters meeting minimum criteria established by the Mississippi Development Authority; (v) Movie industry studios meeting minimum criteria established by the Mississippi Development Authority; (vi) Air transportation and maintenance facilities meeting minimum criteria established by the Mississippi Development Authority; (vii) Recreational facilities that impact tourism meeting minimum criteria established by the Mississippi Development Authority; (viii) Data/information processing enterprises meeting minimum criteria established by the Mississippi Development Authority; (ix) Technology intensive enterprises or facilities meeting criteria established by the Mississippi Development Authority; (x) Data centers as defined in Section 57-113-21; (xi) Telecommunications enterprises meeting minimum criteria established by the Mississippi Development Authority. The term "telecommunications enterprises" means entities engaged in the creation, display, management, storage, processing, transmission or distribution for compensation of images, text, voice, video or data by wire or by wireless means, or entities engaged in the construction, design, development, manufacture, maintenance or distribution for compensation of devices, products, software or structures used in the above activities. Companies organized to do business as commercial broadcast radio stations, television stations or news organizations primarily serving in-state markets shall not be included within the definition of the term "telecommunications enterprises"; and (xii) Controlled environment agriculture enterprises meeting minimum criteria established by the Mississippi Development Authority. The new enterprises enumerated in this paragraph (a) do not include medical cannabis establishments as defined in Section 41-137-3 of the Mississippi Medical Cannabis Act. (b) An exemption from ad valorem taxes granted under this section may include any or all tangible property, real or personal, including any leasehold interests therein but excluding automobiles and trucks operating on and over the highways of the State of Mississippi, used in connection with, or necessary to, the operation of an enterprise enumerated in paragraph (a) of this subsection (3), whether or not such property is owned, leased, subleased, licensed or otherwise obtained by such enterprise, irrespective of the taxpayer to which any such leased property is assessed for ad valorem tax purposes. If an exemption is granted pursuant to this section with respect to any leasehold interest under a lease, sublease or license of tangible property used in connection with, or necessary to, the operation of an enterprise enumerated in paragraph (a) of this subsection (3), the corresponding ownership interest of the owner, lessor and sublessor of such tangible property shall similarly and automatically be exempt without any action being required to be taken by such owner, lessor or sublessor. (4) Any exemption from ad valorem taxes granted under this section before March 28, 2019, and consistent herewith, is hereby ratified, approved and confirmed. SECTION 8. Section 27-31-104, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows: [Through June 30, * * *2025 2028, this section shall read as follows:] 27-31-104. (1) (a) County boards of supervisors and municipal authorities are each hereby authorized and empowered to enter into an agreement with an enterprise granting, and pursuant to such agreement grant a fee-in-lieu of ad valorem taxes, including ad valorem taxes levied for school purposes, for the following: (i) Projects totaling over Sixty Million Dollars ($60,000,000.00) by any new enterprises enumerated in Section 27-31-101; (ii) Projects by a private company (as such term is defined in Section 57-61-5) having a minimum capital investment of Sixty Million Dollars ($60,000,000.00); (iii) Projects by a qualified business (as such term is defined in Section 57-117-3) meeting minimum criteria established by the Mississippi Development Authority; (iv) Projects, in addition to those projects referenced in Section 27-31-105, totaling over Sixty Million Dollars ($60,000,000.00) by an existing enterprise that has been doing business in the county or municipality for twenty-four (24) months. For purposes of this subparagraph (iv), the term "existing enterprise" includes those enterprises enumerated in Section 27-31-101; or (v) A private company (as such term is defined in Section 57-61-5) or entity defined in Section 77-3-3(d)(i) having a minimum capital investment of One Hundred Million Dollars ($100,000,000.00) from any source or combination of sources, provided that a majority of the capital investment is from private sources, when such project is located within a geographic area for which a Presidential Disaster Declaration was issued on or after January 1, 2014. County boards of supervisors and municipal authorities may not enter into an agreement with an enterprise that is a medical cannabis establishment, as defined in Section 41-137-3 of the Mississippi Medical Cannabis Act, granting, and pursuant to such agreement grant a fee-in-lieu of ad valorem taxes. (b) A fee-in-lieu of ad valorem taxes granted in accordance with this section may include any or all tangible property, real or personal, including any leasehold interests therein but excluding automobiles and trucks operating on and over the highways of the State of Mississippi, used in connection with, or necessary to, the operation of any enterprise, private company or business described in paragraph (a) of this subsection (1), as applicable, whether or not such property is owned, leased, subleased, licensed or otherwise obtained by such enterprise, private company or business, as applicable, irrespective of the taxpayer to which any such leased property is assessed for ad valorem tax purposes. If a fee-in-lieu of ad valorem taxes is granted pursuant to this section with respect to any leasehold interest under a lease, sublease or license of tangible property used in connection with, or necessary to, the operation of an enterprise, private company or business described in paragraph (a) of this subsection (1), as applicable, the corresponding ownership interest of the owner, lessor and sublessor of such tangible property shall similarly and automatically be exempt and subject to the fee-in-lieu granted in accordance herewith without any action being required to be taken by such owner, lessor or sublessor. (2) A county board of supervisors may enter into a fee-in-lieu agreement on behalf of the county and any county school district, and a municipality may enter into such a fee-in-lieu agreement on behalf of the municipality and any municipal school district located in the municipality; however, if the project is located outside the limits of a municipality but within the boundaries of the municipal school district, then the county board of supervisors may enter into such a fee-in-lieu agreement on behalf of the school district granting a fee-in-lieu of ad valorem taxes for school district purposes. (3) Any grant of a fee-in-lieu of ad valorem taxes shall be evidenced by a written agreement negotiated by the enterprise and the county board of supervisors and/or municipal authority, as the case may be, and given final approval by the Mississippi Development Authority as satisfying the requirements of this section. (4) The minimum sum allowable as a fee-in-lieu shall not be less than one-third (1/3), or one-tenth (1/10) if the project is also a project eligible for an ad valorem tax exemption under Section 27-31-46 and a fee-in-lieu agreement is entered into before July 1, 2026, of the ad valorem levy, including ad valorem taxes for school district purposes, and except as otherwise provided, the sum allowed shall be apportioned between the county or municipality, as appropriate, and the school districts in such amounts as may be determined by the county board of supervisors or municipal governing authority, as the case may be, however, except as otherwise provided in this section, from the sum allowed the apportionment to school districts shall not be less than the school districts' pro rata share based upon the proportion that the millage imposed for the school districts by the appropriate levying authority bears to the millage imposed by such levying authority for all other county or municipal purposes. Any fee-in-lieu agreement entered into under this section shall become a binding obligation of the parties to the agreement, be effective upon its execution by the parties and approval by the Mississippi Development Authority and, except as otherwise provided in Section 17-25-23 or Section 57-75-33, or any other provision of law, continue in effect for a period not to exceed thirty (30) years commencing on the date that the fee-in-lieu granted thereunder begins in accordance with the agreement; however, no particular parcel of land, real property improvement or item of personal property shall be subject to a fee-in-lieu for a duration of more than ten (10) years. Any such agreement shall be binding, according to its terms, on future boards of supervisors of the county and/or governing authorities of a municipality, as the case may be, for the duration of the agreement. (5) The fee-in-lieu may be a stated fraction or percentage of the ad valorem taxes otherwise payable or a stated dollar amount. If the fee is a fraction or percentage of the ad valorem tax levy, it shall be annually computed on all ad valorem taxes otherwise payable, including school taxes, as the same may vary from year to year based upon changes in the millage rate or assessed value and shall not be less than one-third (1/3) of that amount or one-tenth (1/10) of that amount if the project is also a project eligible for an ad valorem tax exemption under Section 27-31-46 and a fee-in-lieu agreement is entered into before July 1, 2026. If the fee is a stated dollar amount, said amount shall be the higher of the sum provided for fixed payment or (a) one-third (1/3) of the total of all ad valorem taxes otherwise payable as annually determined during each year of the fee-in-lieu or (b) if the project is also a project eligible for an ad valorem tax exemption under Section 27-31-46 and a fee-in-lieu agreement is entered into before July 1, 2026, one-tenth (1/10) of the total of all ad valorem taxes otherwise payable as annually determined during each year of the fee-in-lieu. (6) Notwithstanding Section 27-31-111, the parties to a fee-in-lieu may agree on terms and conditions providing for the reduction, suspension, termination or reinstatement of a fee-in-lieu agreement or any fee-in-lieu period granted thereunder upon the cessation of operations by project for twelve (12) or more consecutive months or due to other conditions set forth in the agreement. (7) For a project as defined in Section 57-75-5(f)(xxi) and located in a county that is a member of a regional economic development alliance created under Section 57-64-1 et seq., the members of the regional economic development alliance may divide the sum allowed as a fee-in-lieu in a manner as determined by the alliance agreement, and the boards of supervisors of the member counties may then apportion the sum allowed between school district purposes and all other county purposes. (8) For a project as defined in Section 57-75-5(f)(xxvi), the board of supervisors of the county in which the project is located may negotiate with the school district in which the project is located and apportion to the school district an amount of the fee-in-lieu that is agreed upon in the negotiations different than the amount provided for in subsection (3) of this section. (9) For a project as defined in Section 57-75-5(f)(xxviii), the annual amount of the fee-in-lieu apportioned to the county shall not be less than the amount necessary to pay the debt service on bonds issued by the county pursuant to Section 57-75-37(3)(c). (10) For any county and/or municipality that enters into a fee-in-lieu agreement for a project as defined in Section 57-75-5(f)(xxxiii), the minimum sum allowable as a fee-in-lieu for the project shall not be less than one-third (1/3); provided that such allowed sum of each annual fee-in-lieu payment may be first apportioned between the county or municipality, as appropriate, and the school districts in any such amounts as may be determined by the county board of supervisors or municipal governing authority, as the case may be, to either: (a) first allocate and remit to the Mississippi Major Economic Impact Authority or the Mississippi Development Authority, as applicable, such portion of each annual fee-in-lieu payment to repay to the Mississippi Major Economic Impact Authority or the Mississippi Development Authority, as applicable, funds advanced thereby to such county and/or municipality or to other public agency, as defined in Section 57-75-37(7)(a)(ii), to fund public improvements and related costs for the project pursuant to an agreement entered into in accordance with Section 57-75-37(7)(c)(iii); or (b) first allocate and remit to the enterprise owning and/or operating the project such portion of each annual fee-in-lieu payment payable thereto pursuant to an agreement entered into in accordance with Section 57-75-37(7)(d)(iv). The balance of any annual fee-in-lieu amount remaining after such initial allocation and remittance to the Mississippi Major Economic Impact Authority, Mississippi Development Authority or enterprise owning and/or operating the project, as applicable, shall then be apportioned in accordance with subsection (4) of this section or as otherwise authorized by state law. (11) Any fee-in-lieu of ad valorem taxes granted under this section before March 28, 2019, and consistent herewith, is hereby ratified, approved and confirmed. [From and after July 1, * * *2025 2028, this section shall read as follows:] 27-31-104. (1) (a) County boards of supervisors and municipal authorities are each hereby authorized and empowered to enter into an agreement with an enterprise granting, and pursuant to such agreement grant a fee-in-lieu of ad valorem taxes, including ad valorem taxes levied for school purposes, for the following: (i) Projects totaling over Sixty Million Dollars ($60,000,000.00) by any new enterprises enumerated in Section 27-31-101; (ii) Projects by a private company (as such term is defined in Section 57-61-5, Mississippi Code of 1972) having a minimum capital investment of Sixty Million Dollars ($60,000,000.00); (iii) Projects, in addition to those projects referenced in Section 27-31-105, totaling over Sixty Million Dollars ($60,000,000.00) by an existing enterprise that has been doing business in the county or municipality for twenty-four (24) months. For purposes of this subparagraph (iii), the term "existing enterprise" includes those enterprises enumerated in Section 27-31-101; or (iv) A private company (as such term is defined in Section 57-61-5) or entity defined in Section 77-3-3(d)(i) having a minimum capital investment of One Hundred Million Dollars ($100,000,000.00) from any source or combination of sources, provided that a majority of the capital investment is from private sources, when such project is located within a geographic area for which a Presidential Disaster Declaration was issued on or after January 1, 2014. County boards of supervisors and municipal authorities may not enter into an agreement with an enterprise that is a medical cannabis establishment, as defined in Section 41-137-3 of the Mississippi Medical Cannabis Act, granting, and pursuant to such agreement grant a fee-in-lieu of ad valorem taxes. (b) A fee-in-lieu of ad valorem taxes granted in accordance with this section may include any or all tangible property, real or personal, including any leasehold interests therein but excluding automobiles and trucks operating on and over the highways of the State of Mississippi, used in connection with, or necessary to, the operation of any enterprise, private company or business described in paragraph (a) of this subsection (1), as applicable, whether or not such property is owned, leased, subleased, licensed or otherwise obtained by such enterprise, private company or business, as applicable, irrespective of the taxpayer to which any such leased property is assessed for ad valorem tax purposes. If a fee-in-lieu of ad valorem taxes is granted pursuant to this section with respect to any leasehold interest under a lease, sublease or license of tangible property used in connection with, or necessary to, the operation of an enterprise, private company or business described in paragraph (a) of this subsection (1), as applicable, the corresponding ownership interest of the owner, lessor and sublessor of such tangible property shall similarly and automatically be exempt and subject to the fee-in-lieu granted in accordance herewith without any action being required to be taken by such owner, lessor or sublessor. (2) A county board of supervisors may enter into a fee-in-lieu agreement on behalf of the county and any county school district, and a municipality may enter into such a fee-in-lieu agreement on behalf of the municipality and any municipal school district located in the municipality; however, if the project is located outside the limits of a municipality but within the boundaries of the municipal school district, then the county board of supervisors may enter into such a fee-in-lieu agreement on behalf of the school district granting a fee-in-lieu of ad valorem taxes for school district purposes. (3) Any grant of a fee-in-lieu of ad valorem taxes shall be evidenced by a written agreement negotiated by the enterprise and the county board of supervisors and/or municipal authority, as the case may be, and given final approval by the Mississippi Development Authority as satisfying the requirements of this section. (4) The minimum sum allowable as a fee-in-lieu shall not be less than one-third (1/3), or one-tenth (1/10) if the project is also a project eligible for an ad valorem tax exemption under Section 27-31-46 and a fee-in-lieu agreement is entered into before July 1, 2026, of the ad valorem levy, including ad valorem taxes for school district purposes, and except as otherwise provided, the sum allowed shall be apportioned between the county or municipality, as appropriate, and the school districts in such amounts as may be determined by the county board of supervisors or municipal governing authority, as the case may be, however, except as otherwise provided in this section, from the sum allowed the apportionment to school districts shall not be less than the school districts' pro rata share based upon the proportion that the millage imposed for the school districts by the appropriate levying authority bears to the millage imposed by such levying authority for all other county or municipal purposes. Any fee-in-lieu agreement entered into under this section shall become a binding obligation of the parties to the agreement, be effective upon its execution by the parties and approval by the Mississippi Development Authority and, except as otherwise provided in Section 17-25-23 or Section 57-75-33, or any other provision of law, continue in effect for a period not to exceed thirty (30) years commencing on the date that the fee-in-lieu granted thereunder begins in accordance with the agreement; however, no particular parcel of land, real property improvement or item of personal property shall be subject to a fee-in-lieu for a duration of more than ten (10) years. Any such agreement shall be binding, according to its terms, on future boards of supervisors of the county and/or governing authorities of a municipality, as the case may be, for the duration of the agreement. (5) The fee-in-lieu may be a stated fraction or percentage of the ad valorem taxes otherwise payable or a stated dollar amount. If the fee is a fraction or percentage of the ad valorem tax levy, it shall be annually computed on all ad valorem taxes otherwise payable, including school taxes, as the same may vary from year to year based upon changes in the millage rate or assessed value and shall not be less than one-third (1/3) of that amount or one-tenth (1/10) of that amount if the project is also a project eligible for an ad valorem tax exemption under Section 27-31-46 and a fee-in-lieu agreement is entered into before July 1, 2026. If the fee is a stated dollar amount, said amount shall be the higher of the sum provided for fixed payment or (a) one-third (1/3) of the total of all ad valorem taxes otherwise payable as annually determined during each year of the fee-in-lieu or (b) if the project is also a project eligible for an ad valorem tax exemption under Section 27-31-46 and a fee-in-lieu agreement is entered into before July 1, 2026, one-tenth (1/10) of the total of all ad valorem taxes otherwise payable as annually determined during each year of the fee-in-lieu. (6) Notwithstanding Section 27-31-111, the parties to a fee-in-lieu may agree on terms and conditions providing for the reduction, suspension, termination or reinstatement of a fee-in-lieu agreement or any fee-in-lieu period granted thereunder upon the cessation of operations by project for twelve (12) or more consecutive months or due to other conditions set forth in the agreement. (7) For a project as defined in Section 57-75-5(f)(xxi) and located in a county that is a member of a regional economic development alliance created under Section 57-64-1 et seq., the members of the regional economic development alliance may divide the sum allowed as a fee-in-lieu in a manner as determined by the alliance agreement, and the boards of supervisors of the member counties may then apportion the sum allowed between school district purposes and all other county purposes. (8) For a project as defined in Section 57-75-5(f)(xxvi), the board of supervisors of the county in which the project is located may negotiate with the school district in which the project is located and apportion to the school district an amount of the fee-in-lieu that is agreed upon in the negotiations different than the amount provided for in subsection (3) of this section. (9) For a project as defined in Section 57-75-5(f)(xxviii), the annual amount of the fee-in-lieu apportioned to the county shall not be less than the amount necessary to pay the annual debt service on bonds issued by the county pursuant to Section 57-75-37(3)(c). (10) For any county and/or municipality that enters into a fee-in-lieu agreement for a project as defined in Section 57-75-5(f)(xxxiii), the minimum sum allowable as a fee-in-lieu for the project shall not be less than one-third (1/3); provided that such allowed sum of each annual fee-in-lieu payment may be first apportioned between the county or municipality, as appropriate, and the school districts in any such amounts as may be determined by the county board of supervisors or municipal governing authority, as the case may be, to either: (a) first allocate and remit to the Mississippi Major Economic Impact Authority or the Mississippi Development Authority, as applicable, such portion of each annual fee-in-lieu payment to repay to the Mississippi Major Economic Impact Authority or the Mississippi Development Authority, as applicable, funds advanced thereby to such county and/or municipality or to other public agency, as defined in Section 57-75-37(7)(a)(ii), to fund public improvements and related costs for the project pursuant to an agreement entered into in accordance with Section 57-75-37(7)(c)(iii); or (b) first allocate and remit to the enterprise owning and/or operating the project such portion of each annual fee-in-lieu payment payable thereto pursuant to an agreement entered into in accordance with Section 57-75-37(7)(d)(iv). The balance of any annual fee-in-lieu amount remaining after such initial allocation and remittance to the Mississippi Major Economic Impact Authority, Mississippi Development Authority or enterprise owning and/or operating the project, as applicable, shall then be apportioned in accordance with subsection (4) of this section or as otherwise authorized by state law. (11) Any fee-in-lieu of ad valorem taxes granted under this section before March 28, 2019, and consistent herewith, is hereby ratified, approved and confirmed. SECTION 9. Section 27-65-101, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows: 27-65-101. (1) The exemptions from the provisions of this chapter which are of an industrial nature or which are more properly classified as industrial exemptions than any other exemption classification of this chapter shall be confined to those persons or property exempted by this section or by the provisions of the Constitution of the United States or the State of Mississippi. No industrial exemption as now provided by any other section except Section 57-3-33 shall be valid as against the tax herein levied. Any subsequent industrial exemption from the tax levied hereunder shall be provided by amendment to this section. No exemption provided in this section shall apply to taxes levied by Section 27-65-15 or 27-65-21. The tax levied by this chapter shall not apply to the following: (a) Sales of boxes, crates, cartons, cans, bottles and other packaging materials to manufacturers and wholesalers for use as containers or shipping materials to accompany goods sold by said manufacturers or wholesalers where possession thereof will pass to the customer at the time of sale of the goods contained therein and sales to anyone of containers or shipping materials for use in ships engaged in international commerce. (b) Sales of raw materials, catalysts, processing chemicals, welding gases or other industrial processing gases (except natural gas) to a manufacturer for use directly in manufacturing or processing a product for sale or rental or repairing or reconditioning vessels or barges of fifty (50) tons load displacement and over. For the purposes of this exemption, electricity used directly in the electrolysis process in the production of sodium chlorate shall be considered a raw material. This exemption shall not apply to any property used as fuel except to the extent that such fuel comprises by-products which have no market value. (c) The gross proceeds of sales of dry docks, offshore drilling equipment for use in oil or natural gas exploration or production, vessels or barges of fifty (50) tons load displacement and over, when the vessels or barges are sold by the manufacturer or builder thereof. In addition to other types of equipment, offshore drilling equipment for use in oil or natural gas exploration or production shall include aircraft used predominately to transport passengers or property to or from offshore oil or natural gas exploration or production platforms or vessels, and engines, accessories and spare parts for such aircraft. (d) Sales to commercial fishermen of commercial fishing boats of over five (5) tons load displacement and not more than fifty (50) tons load displacement as registered with the United States Coast Guard and licensed by the Mississippi Commission on Marine Resources. (e) The gross income from repairs to vessels and barges engaged in foreign trade or interstate transportation. (f) Sales of petroleum products to vessels or barges for consumption in marine international commerce or interstate transportation businesses. (g) Sales and rentals of rail rolling stock (and component parts thereof) for ultimate use in interstate commerce and gross income from services with respect to manufacturing, repairing, cleaning, altering, reconditioning or improving such rail rolling stock (and component parts thereof). (h) Sales of raw materials, catalysts, processing chemicals, welding gases or other industrial processing gases (except natural gas) used or consumed directly in manufacturing, repairing, cleaning, altering, reconditioning or improving such rail rolling stock (and component parts thereof). This exemption shall not apply to any property used as fuel. (i) Sales of machinery or tools or repair parts therefor or replacements thereof, fuel or supplies used directly in manufacturing, converting or repairing ships, vessels or barges of three thousand (3,000) tons load displacement and over, but not to include office and plant supplies or other equipment not directly used on the ship, vessel or barge being built, converted or repaired. For purposes of this exemption, "ships, vessels or barges" shall not include floating structures described in Section 27-65-18. (j) Sales of tangible personal property to persons operating ships in international commerce for use or consumption on board such ships. This exemption shall be limited to cases in which procedures satisfactory to the commissioner, ensuring against use in this state other than on such ships, are established. (k) Sales of materials used in the construction of a building, or any addition or improvement thereon, and sales of any machinery and equipment not later than three (3) months after the completion of construction of the building, or any addition thereon, to be used therein, to qualified businesses, as defined in Section 57-51-5, which are located in a county or portion thereof designated as an enterprise zone pursuant to Sections 57-51-1 through 57-51-15. (l) Sales of materials used in the construction of a building, or any addition or improvement thereon, and sales of any machinery and equipment not later than three (3) months after the completion of construction of the building, or any addition thereon, to be used therein, to qualified businesses, as defined in Section 57-54-5. (m) Income from storage and handling of perishable goods by a public storage warehouse. (n) The value of natural gas lawfully injected into the earth for cycling, repressuring or lifting of oil, or lawfully vented or flared in connection with the production of oil; however, if any gas so injected into the earth is sold for such purposes, then the gas so sold shall not be exempt. (o) The gross collections from self-service commercial laundering, drying, cleaning and pressing equipment. (p) Sales of materials used in the construction of a building, or any addition or improvement thereon, and sales of any machinery and equipment not later than three (3) months after the completion of construction of the building, or any addition thereon, to be used therein, to qualified companies, certified as such by the Mississippi Development Authority under Section 57-53-1. (q) Sales of component materials used in the construction of a building, or any addition or improvement thereon, sales of machinery and equipment to be used therein, and sales of manufacturing or processing machinery and equipment which is permanently attached to the ground or to a permanent foundation and which is not by its nature intended to be housed within a building structure, not later than three (3) months after the initial start-up date, to permanent business enterprises engaging in manufacturing or processing in Tier Three areas (as such term is defined in Section 57-73-21), which businesses are certified by the Department of Revenue as being eligible for the exemption granted in this paragraph (q). The exemption provided in this paragraph (q) shall not apply to sales to any business enterprise that is a medical cannabis establishment as defined in Section 41-137-3 of the Mississippi Medical Cannabis Act. (r) (i) Sales of component materials used in the construction of a building, or any addition or improvement thereon, and sales of any machinery and equipment not later than three (3) months after the completion of the building, addition or improvement thereon, to be used therein, for any company establishing or transferring its national or regional headquarters from within or outside the State of Mississippi and creating a minimum of twenty (20) jobs at the new headquarters in this state. The exemption provided in this subparagraph (i) shall not apply to sales for any company that is a medical cannabis establishment as defined in Section 41-137-3 of the Mississippi Medical Cannabis Act. The Department of Revenue shall establish criteria and prescribe procedures to determine if a company qualifies as a national or regional headquarters for the purpose of receiving the exemption provided in this subparagraph (i). (ii) Sales of component materials used in the construction of a building, or any addition or improvement thereon, and sales of any machinery and equipment not later than three (3) months after the completion of the building, addition or improvement thereon, to be used therein, for any company expanding or making additions after January 1, 2013, to its national or regional headquarters within the State of Mississippi and creating a minimum of twenty (20) new jobs at the headquarters as a result of the expansion or additions. The exemption provided in this subparagraph (ii) shall not apply to sales for any company that is a medical cannabis establishment as defined in Section 41-137-3 of the Mississippi Medical Cannabis Act. The Department of Revenue shall establish criteria and prescribe procedures to determine if a company qualifies as a national or regional headquarters for the purpose of receiving the exemption provided in this subparagraph (ii). (s) The gross proceeds from the sale of semitrailers, trailers, boats, travel trailers, motorcycles, all-terrain cycles and rotary-wing aircraft if exported from this state within forty-eight (48) hours and registered and first used in another state. (t) Gross income from the storage and handling of natural gas in underground salt domes and in other underground reservoirs, caverns, structures and formations suitable for such storage. (u) Sales of machinery and equipment to nonprofit organizations if the organization: (i) Is tax exempt pursuant to Section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended; (ii) Assists in the implementation of the contingency plan or area contingency plan, and which is created in response to the requirements of Title IV, Subtitle B of the Oil Pollution Act of 1990, Public Law 101-380; and (iii) Engages primarily in programs to contain, clean up and otherwise mitigate spills of oil or other substances occurring in the United States coastal and tidal waters. For purposes of this exemption, "machinery and equipment" means any ocean-going vessels, barges, booms, skimmers and other capital equipment used primarily in the operations of nonprofit organizations referred to herein. (v) Sales or leases of materials and equipment to approved business enterprises as provided under the Growth and Prosperity Act. (w) From and after July 1, 2001, sales of pollution control equipment to manufacturers or custom processors for industrial use. For the purposes of this exemption, "pollution control equipment" means equipment, devices, machinery or systems used or acquired to prevent, control, monitor or reduce air, water or groundwater pollution, or solid or hazardous waste as required by federal or state law or regulation. (x) Sales or leases to a manufacturer of motor vehicles or powertrain components operating a project that has been certified by the Mississippi Major Economic Impact Authority as a project as defined in Section 57-75-5(f)(iv)1, Section 57-75-5(f)(xxi) or Section 57-75-5(f)(xxii) of machinery and equipment; special tooling such as dies, molds, jigs and similar items treated as special tooling for federal income tax purposes; or repair parts therefor or replacements thereof; repair services thereon; fuel, supplies, electricity, coal and natural gas used directly in the manufacture of motor vehicles or motor vehicle parts or used to provide climate control for manufacturing areas. (y) Sales or leases of component materials, machinery and equipment used in the construction of a building, or any addition or improvement thereon to an enterprise operating a project that has been certified by the Mississippi Major Economic Impact Authority as a project as defined in Section 57-75-5(f)(iv)1, Section 57-75-5(f)(xxi), Section 57-75-5(f)(xxii) or Section 57-75-5(f)(xxviii) and any other sales or leases required to establish or operate such project. (z) Sales of component materials and equipment to a business enterprise as provided under Section 57-64-33. (aa) The gross income from the stripping and painting of commercial aircraft engaged in foreign or interstate transportation business. (bb) [Repealed] (cc) Sales or leases to an enterprise owning or operating a project that has been designated by the Mississippi Major Economic Impact Authority as a project as defined in Section 57-75-5(f)(xviii) of machinery and equipment; special tooling such as dies, molds, jigs and similar items treated as special tooling for federal income tax purposes; or repair parts therefor or replacements thereof; repair services thereon; fuel, supplies, electricity, coal and natural gas used directly in the manufacturing/production operations of the project or used to provide climate control for manufacturing/production areas. (dd) Sales or leases of component materials, machinery and equipment used in the construction of a building, or any addition or improvement thereon to an enterprise owning or operating a project that has been designated by the Mississippi Major Economic Impact Authority as a project as defined in Section 57-75-5(f)(xviii) and any other sales or leases required to establish or operate such project. (ee) Sales of parts used in the repair and servicing of aircraft not registered in Mississippi engaged exclusively in the business of foreign or interstate transportation to businesses engaged in aircraft repair and maintenance. (ff) Sales of component materials used in the construction of a facility, or any addition or improvement thereon, and sales or leases of machinery and equipment not later than three (3) months after the completion of construction of the facility, or any addition or improvement thereto, to be used in the building or any addition or improvement thereto, to a permanent business enterprise operating a data/information enterprise in Tier Three areas (as such areas are designated in accordance with Section 57-73-21), meeting minimum criteria established by the Mississippi Development Authority. The exemption provided in this paragraph (ff) shall not apply to sales to any business enterprise that is a medical cannabis establishment as defined in Section 41-137-3 of the Mississippi Medical Cannabis Act. (gg) Sales of component materials used in the construction of a facility, or any addition or improvement thereto, and sales of machinery and equipment not later than three (3) months after the completion of construction of the facility, or any addition or improvement thereto, to be used in the facility or any addition or improvement thereto, to technology intensive enterprises for industrial purposes in Tier Three areas (as such areas are designated in accordance with Section 57-73-21), as certified by the Department of Revenue. For purposes of this paragraph, an enterprise must meet the criteria provided for in Section 27-65-17(1)(f) in order to be considered a technology intensive enterprise. (hh) Sales of component materials used in the replacement, reconstruction or repair of a building or facility that has been destroyed or sustained extensive damage as a result of a disaster declared by the Governor, sales of machinery and equipment to be used therein to replace machinery or equipment damaged or destroyed as a result of such disaster, including, but not limited to, manufacturing or processing machinery and equipment which is permanently attached to the ground or to a permanent foundation and which is not by its nature intended to be housed within a building structure, to enterprises or companies that were eligible for the exemptions authorized in paragraph (q), (r), (ff) or (gg) of this subsection during initial construction of the building that was destroyed or damaged, which enterprises or companies are certified by the Department of Revenue as being eligible for the exemption granted in this paragraph. (ii) Sales of software or software services transmitted by the Internet to a destination outside the State of Mississippi where the first use of such software or software services by the purchaser occurs outside the State of Mississippi. (jj) Gross income of public storage warehouses derived from the temporary storage of raw materials that are to be used in an eligible facility as defined in Section 27-7-22.35. (kk) Sales of component building materials and equipment for initial construction of facilities or expansion of facilities as authorized under Sections 57-113-1 through 57-113-7 and Sections 57-113-21 through 57-113-27. (ll) Sales and leases of machinery and equipment acquired in the initial construction to establish facilities as authorized in Sections 57-113-1 through 57-113-7. (mm) Sales and leases of replacement hardware, software or other necessary technology to operate a data center as authorized under Sections 57-113-21 through 57-113-27. (nn) Sales of component materials used in the construction of a building, or any addition or improvement thereon, and sales or leases of machinery and equipment not later than three (3) months after the completion of the construction of the facility, to be used in the facility, to permanent business enterprises operating a facility producing renewable crude oil from biomass harvested or produced, in whole or in part, in Mississippi, which businesses meet minimum criteria established by the Mississippi Development Authority. As used in this paragraph, the term "biomass" shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 57-113-1. (oo) Sales of supplies, equipment and other personal property to an organization that is exempt from taxation under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and is the host organization coordinating a professional golf tournament played or to be played in this state and the supplies, equipment or other personal property will be used for purposes related to the golf tournament and related activities. (pp) Sales of materials used in the construction of a health care industry facility, as defined in Section 57-117-3, or any addition or improvement thereon, and sales of any machinery and equipment not later than three (3) months after the completion of construction of the facility, or any addition thereon, to be used therein, to qualified businesses, as defined in Section 57-117-3. This paragraph shall be repealed from and after July 1, * * *2025 2028. (qq) Sales or leases to a manufacturer of automotive parts operating a project that has been certified by the Mississippi Major Economic Impact Authority as a project as defined in Section 57-75-5(f)(xxviii) of machinery and equipment; or repair parts therefor or replacements thereof; repair services thereon; fuel, supplies, electricity, coal, nitrogen and natural gas used directly in the manufacture of automotive parts or used to provide climate control for manufacturing areas. (rr) Gross collections derived from guided tours on any navigable waters of this state, which include providing accommodations, guide services and/or related equipment operated by or under the direction of the person providing the tour, for the purposes of outdoor tourism. The exemption provided in this paragraph (rr) does not apply to the sale of tangible personal property by a person providing such tours. (ss) Retail sales of truck-tractors and semitrailers used in interstate commerce and registered under the International Registration Plan (IRP) or any similar reciprocity agreement or compact relating to the proportional registration of commercial vehicles entered into as provided for in Section 27-19-143. (tt) Sales exempt under the Facilitating Business Rapid Response to State Declared Disasters Act of 2015 (Sections 27-113-1 through 27-113-9). (uu) Sales or leases to an enterprise and its affiliates operating a project that has been certified by the Mississippi Major Economic Impact Authority as a project as defined in Section 57-75-5(f)(xxix) of: (i) All personal property and fixtures, including without limitation, sales or leases to the enterprise and its affiliates of: 1. Manufacturing machinery and equipment; 2. Special tooling such as dies, molds, jigs and similar items treated as special tooling for federal income tax purposes; 3. Component building materials, machinery and equipment used in the construction of buildings, and any other additions or improvements to the project site for the project; 4. Nonmanufacturing furniture, fixtures and equipment (inclusive of all communications, computer, server, software and other hardware equipment); and 5. Fuel, supplies (other than nonmanufacturing consumable supplies and water), electricity, nitrogen gas and natural gas used directly in the manufacturing/production operations of such project or used to provide climate control for manufacturing/production areas of such project; (ii) All replacements of, repair parts for or services to repair items described in subparagraph (i)1, 2 and 3 of this paragraph; and (iii) All services taxable pursuant to Section 27-65-23 required to establish, support, operate, repair and/or maintain such project. (vv) Sales or leases to an enterprise operating a project that has been certified by the Mississippi Major Economic Impact Authority as a project as defined in Section 57-75-5(f)(xxx) of: (i) Purchases required to establish and operate the project, including, but not limited to, sales of component building materials, machinery and equipment required to establish the project facility and any additions or improvements thereon; and (ii) Machinery, special tools (such as dies, molds, and jigs) or repair parts thereof, or replacements and lease thereof, repair services thereon, fuel, supplies and electricity, coal and natural gas used in the manufacturing process and purchased by the enterprise owning or operating the project for the benefit of the project. (ww) Sales of component materials used in the construction of a building, or any expansion or improvement thereon, sales of machinery and/or equipment to be used therein, and sales of processing machinery and equipment which is permanently attached to the ground or to a permanent foundation which is not by its nature intended to be housed in a building structure, no later than three (3) months after initial startup, expansion or improvement of a permanent enterprise solely engaged in the conversion of natural sand into proppants used in oil and gas exploration and development with at least ninety-five percent (95%) of such proppants used in the production of oil and/or gas from horizontally drilled wells and/or horizontally drilled recompletion wells as defined in Sections 27-25-501 and 27-25-701. (xx) (i) Sales or leases to an enterprise operating a project that has been certified by the Mississippi Major Economic Impact Authority as a project as defined in Section 57-75-5(f)(xxxi), for a period ending no later than one (1) year following completion of the construction of the facility or facilities comprising such project of all personal property and fixtures, including without limitation, sales or leases to the enterprise and its affiliates of: 1. Manufacturing machinery and equipment; 2. Special tooling such as dies, molds, jigs and similar items treated as special tooling for federal income tax purposes; 3. Component building materials, machinery and equipment used in the construction of buildings, and any other additions or improvements to the project site for the project; 4. Nonmanufacturing furniture, fixtures and equipment (inclusive of all communications, computer, server, software and other hardware equipment); 5. Replacements of, repair parts for or services to repair items described in this subparagraph (i)1, 2 and 3; and 6. All services taxable pursuant to Section 27-65-23 required to establish, support, operate, repair and/or maintain such project; and (ii) Sales or leases to an enterprise operating a project that has been certified by the Mississippi Major Economic Impact Authority as a project as defined in Section 57-75-5(f)(xxxi) of electricity, current, power, steam, coal, natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas or other fuel, biomass, nitrogen or other atmospheric or other industrial gases used directly by the enterprise in the manufacturing/production operations of its project or used to provide climate control for manufacturing/production areas (which manufacturing/production areas shall be apportioned based on square footage). As used in this paragraph, the term "biomass" shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 57-113-1. (yy) The gross proceeds from the sale of any item of tangible personal property by the manufacturer or custom processor thereof if such item is shipped, transported or exported from this state and first used in another state, whether such shipment, transportation or exportation is made by the seller, purchaser, or any third party acting on behalf of such party. For the purposes of this paragraph (yy), any instruction to, training of or inspection by the purchaser with respect to the item prior to shipment, transportation or exportation of the item shall not constitute a first use of such item within this state. (zz) (i) Sales or leases to an enterprise operating a project that has been certified by the Mississippi Major Economic Impact Authority as a project as defined in Section 57-75-5(f)(xxxii), for a period ending no later than one (1) year following completion of the construction of the facility or facilities comprising such project of all personal property and fixtures, including, without limitation, sales or leases to the enterprise and its affiliates of: 1. Manufacturing machinery and equipment; 2. Special tooling such as dies, molds, jigs and similar items treated as special tooling for federal income tax purposes; 3. Component building materials, machinery and equipment used in the construction of buildings, and any other additions or improvements to the project site for the project; 4. Nonmanufacturing furniture, fixtures and equipment (inclusive of all communications, computer, server, software and other hardware equipment); 5. Replacements of, repair parts for or services to repair items described in this subparagraph (i)1, 2 and 3; and 6. All services taxable pursuant to Section 27-65-23 required to establish, support, operate, repair and/or maintain such project; and (ii) Sales or leases to an enterprise operating a project that has been certified by the Mississippi Major Economic Impact Authority as a project as defined in Section 57-75-5(f)(xxxii) of electricity, current, power, steam, coal, natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas or other fuel, biomass, nitrogen or other atmospheric or other industrial gases used directly by the enterprise in the manufacturing/production operations of its project or used to provide climate control for manufacturing/production areas (which manufacturing/production areas shall be apportioned based on square footage). As used in this paragraph, the term "biomass" shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 57-113-1. (aaa) Sales or leases to an enterprise and/or any affiliates thereof operating a project that has been certified by the Mississippi Major Economic Impact Authority as a project as defined in Section 57-75-5(f)(xxxiii) of: (i) Component building materials, fixtures, machinery and equipment used in the construction of a data processing facility or other buildings comprising all or part of a project, for a period ending no later than one (1) year following completion of the construction of the data processing facility or such other building; and (ii) All equipment and other personal property needed to establish and operate the project and any expansions thereof or additions thereto, including, but not limited to: 1. Communications, computer, server, software, connectivity materials and equipment, emergency power generation equipment, other hardware equipment and any other technology; 2. All replacements of, and repair parts for, such equipment or other personal property; and 3. All services taxable pursuant to Section 27-65-23 required to install, support, operate, repair and/or maintain the foregoing equipment and other personal property described in this subparagraph (ii). (bbb) Sales, leases or other retail transfers of fixed-wing aircraft to, or to be used by, certified common carriers in the transport of persons or property in interstate, intrastate or foreign commerce, and engines, accessories and spare parts for such fixed-wing aircraft. (2) Sales of component materials used in the construction of a building, or any addition or improvement thereon, sales of machinery and equipment to be used therein, and sales of manufacturing or processing machinery and equipment which is permanently attached to the ground or to a permanent foundation and which is not by its nature intended to be housed within a building structure, not later than three (3) months after the initial start-up date, to permanent business enterprises engaging in manufacturing or processing in Tier Two areas and Tier One areas (as such areas are designated in accordance with Section 57-73-21), which businesses are certified by the Department of Revenue as being eligible for the exemption granted in this subsection, shall be exempt from one-half (1/2) of the taxes imposed on such transactions under this chapter. The exemption provided in this subsection (2) shall not apply to sales to any business enterprise that is a medical cannabis establishment as defined in Section 41-137-3 of the Mississippi Medical Cannabis Act. (3) Sales of component materials used in the construction of a facility, or any addition or improvement thereon, and sales or leases of machinery and equipment not later than three (3) months after the completion of construction of the facility, or any addition or improvement thereto, to be used in the building or any addition or improvement thereto, to a permanent business enterprise operating a data/information enterprise in Tier Two areas and Tier One areas (as such areas are designated in accordance with Section 57-73-21), which businesses meet minimum criteria established by the Mississippi Development Authority, shall be exempt from one-half (1/2) of the taxes imposed on such transaction under this chapter. The exemption provided in this subsection (3) shall not apply to sales to any business enterprise that is a medical cannabis establishment as defined in Section 41-137-3 of the Mississippi Medical Cannabis Act. (4) Sales of component materials used in the construction of a facility, or any addition or improvement thereto, and sales of machinery and equipment not later than three (3) months after the completion of construction of the facility, or any addition or improvement thereto, to be used in the building or any addition or improvement thereto, to technology intensive enterprises for industrial purposes in Tier Two areas and Tier One areas (as such areas are designated in accordance with Section 57-73-21), which businesses are certified by the Department of Revenue as being eligible for the exemption granted in this subsection, shall be exempt from one-half (1/2) of the taxes imposed on such transactions under this chapter. For purposes of this subsection, an enterprise must meet the criteria provided for in Section 27-65-17(1)(f) in order to be considered a technology intensive enterprise. (5) (a) For purposes of this subsection: (i) "Telecommunications enterprises" shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 57-73-21; (ii) "Tier One areas" mean counties designated as Tier One areas pursuant to Section 57-73-21; (iii) "Tier Two areas" mean counties designated as Tier Two areas pursuant to Section 57-73-21; (iv) "Tier Three areas" mean counties designated as Tier Three areas pursuant to Section 57-73-21; and (v) "Equipment used in the deployment of broadband technologies" means any equipment capable of being used for or in connection with the transmission of information at a rate, prior to taking into account the effects of any signal degradation, that is not less than three hundred eighty-four (384) kilobits per second in at least one (1) direction, including, but not limited to, asynchronous transfer mode switches, digital subscriber line access multiplexers, routers, servers, multiplexers, fiber optics and related equipment. (b) Sales of equipment to telecommunications enterprises after June 30, 2003, and before July 1, 2025, that is installed in Tier One areas and used in the deployment of broadband technologies shall be exempt from one-half (1/2) of the taxes imposed on such transactions under this chapter. (c) Sales of equipment to telecommunications enterprises after June 30, 2003, and before July 1, 2025, that is installed in Tier Two and Tier Three areas and used in the deployment of broadband technologies shall be exempt from the taxes imposed on such transactions under this chapter. (6) Sales of component materials used in the replacement, reconstruction or repair of a building that has been destroyed or sustained extensive damage as a result of a disaster declared by the Governor, sales of machinery and equipment to be used therein to replace machinery or equipment damaged or destroyed as a result of such disaster, including, but not limited to, manufacturing or processing machinery and equipment which is permanently attached to the ground or to a permanent foundation and which is not by its nature intended to be housed within a building structure, to enterprises that were eligible for the partial exemptions provided for in subsections (2), (3) and (4) of this section during initial construction of the building that was destroyed or damaged, which enterprises are certified by the Department of Revenue as being eligible for the partial exemption granted in this subsection, shall be exempt from one-half (1/2) of the taxes imposed on such transactions under this chapter. SECTION 10. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2025. |
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