Mississippi 2025 Regular Session

Mississippi House Bill HB1729 Compare Versions

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1		-	MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE 2025 Regular Session To: Appropriations B; Appropriations A By: Representatives Bounds, Read, Anderson (122nd), Clark, Eure, Hale, Jackson (11th), Paden, Pigott House Bill 1729 ~~(As Passed the House)~~ AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR THE SUPPORT AND MAINTENANCE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF MARINE RESOURCES FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2026. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: SECTION 1. The following sum, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated out of any money in the State General Fund not otherwise appropriated, for the support and maintenance of the Department of Marine Resources for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2025, and ending June 30, 2026........................................... ............................................ $ 3,555,266.00. SECTION 2. The following sum, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated out of any money in any special fund in the State Treasury to the credit of the Department of Marine Resources for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2025, and ending June 30, 2026 $ 256,844,716.00. Of the funds appropriated in this section, Three Million Fifty Thousand Dollars ($3,050,000.00) is derived from the state excise taxes upon gasoline, oil and other petroleum products. SECTION 3. Of the funds appropriated under the provisions of this act, the following positions are authorized: AUTHORIZED HEADCOUNT: Permanent: 108 Time-Limited: 65 With the funds herein appropriated, it shall be the agencys responsibility to make certain that funds required for Personal Services for Fiscal Year 2027 do not exceed Fiscal Year 2026 funds appropriated for that purpose unless programs or positions are added to the agencys Fiscal Year 2026 budget by the Mississippi Legislature. The Legislature shall determine the agencys personal services appropriation, which the State Personnel Board shall publish. The agencys personal services appropriation may consist of restricted funds for approved vacancies for Fiscal Year 2026 that may be utilized to fill vacant Fiscal Year 2025 headcount. It shall be the agency's responsibility to ensure that the funds provided for vacancies are used to increase headcount and not for promotions, title changes, in-range salary adjustments or any other mechanism for increasing salaries for current employees. It is the Legislatures intention that no employee salary falls below the minimum salary established by the Mississippi State Personnel Board. Additionally, the State Personnel Board shall determine and publish the projected annualized payroll costs based on current employees. It shall be the responsibility of the agency head to ensure that actual personnel expenditures for Fiscal Year 2026 do not exceed the data provided by the Legislative Budget Office. If the agencys Fiscal Year 2026 projected cost exceeds the annualized costs, no salary actions shall be processed by the State Personnel Board except for new hires determined to be essential for the agency. Any transfers or escalations shall be made in accordance with the terms, conditions, and procedures established by law or allowable under the terms set forth within this act. The State Personnel Board shall not escalate positions without written approval from the Department of Finance and Administration. The Department of Finance and Administration shall not provide written approval to escalate any funds for salaries and/or positions without proof of availability of new or additional funds above the appropriated level. No general funds authorized to be expended herein shall be used to replace federal funds and/or other special funds used for salaries authorized under the provisions of this act and which are withdrawn and no longer available. None of the funds herein appropriated shall be used in violation of the Internal Revenue Services Publication 15-A relating to the reporting of income paid to contract employees, as interpreted by the Office of the State Auditor. SECTION 4. It is the intention of the Legislature that the Department of Marine Resources shall maintain complete accounting and personnel records related to the expenditure of all funds appropriated under this act and that such records shall be in the same format and level of detail as maintained for Fiscal Year 2025. It is further the intention of the Legislature that the agency's budget request for Fiscal Year 2027 shall be submitted to the Joint Legislative Budget Committee in a format and level of detail comparable to the format and level of detail provided during the Fiscal Year 2026 budget request process. SECTION 5. Each Marine Conservation Officer and Supervisor shall be furnished an allowance for uniforms not to exceed Six Hundred Dollars ($600.00) per annum. SECTION 6. In addition to all other sums heretofore appropriated, the following sum, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is hereby appropriated out of any money in the State Treasury to the credit of the Tidelands Fund No. 3345200000 to the Department of Marine Resources for the purpose of defraying the expenses of the tidelands projects for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2025, and ending June 30, 2026 ... $ 11,700,000.00. This amount is allocated as follows: Total Public Access Projects...................... $ 4,576,165.00 Total Management Projects......................... $ 4,576,164.00 Bond Repayment ................................... $ 1,547,671.00 Prior Year Projects............................... $ 1,000,000.00 Total Tidelands Funds............................. $11,700,000.00 Each political subdivision receiving funds authorized in this section shall be held responsible for complying with Section 29-15-9, Mississippi Code of 1972, and shall be subject to an audit by the State Auditor and shall submit detailed reports beginning June 30, and every six (6) months thereafter for the duration of the project to the Department of Marine Resources on how funds authorized in this section were expended. It is the intention of the Legislature that any political subdivision seeking to qualify for tidelands funds for the subsequent fiscal year shall submit a proposal to the Department of Marine Resources no later than July 1, 2025. All proposals submitted will be reviewed and evaluated by the Department of Marine Resources in accordance to department plans and procedures. Multiphased projects, multiyear projects, proposed projects with high dollar value and projects that have a record of stacking funds shall be considered as low priority projects when evaluated. It is the intention of the Legislature that if the amount of the Tidelands funds appropriated in this act exceed the actual amount of tidelands funds available, the available funds shall be allocated on a pro rata basis between projects listed in this section. SECTION 7. It is the intention of the Legislature that the department shall place any special trust funds appropriated to the department in a special trust fund and the interest earned on the principal shall be credited to the special trust fund. Monies in the fund at the end of the fiscal year shall be retained in the special trust fund for use in the next succeeding fiscal year. The department may use the interest earned on the fund to pay reasonable costs for administering the fund and related projects. SECTION 8. It is the intention of the Legislature that the Department of Marine Resources has the authorization to move tidelands funds between approved projects upon request from entity and proper completion of Form TTF-6 documentation. SECTION 9. It is the intention of the Legislature for the Department of Marine Resources and the Department of Environmental Quality to continue with any agency partnerships, including grant agreements, that provide environmental projects to restore Mississippis natural resources in the wake of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill. SECTION 10. It is the intention of the Legislature that whenever two (2) or more bids are received by this agency for the purchase of commodities or equipment, and whenever all things stated in such received bids are equal with respect to price, quality and service, the Mississippi Industries for the Blind shall be given preference. A similar preference shall be given to the Mississippi Industries for the Blind whenever purchases are made without competitive bids. SECTION 11. Of the funds appropriated in Section 2, Ninety-two Million Seven Hundred Twenty-five Thousand Two Hundred Twenty-four Dollars ($92,725,224.00) is provided for the funding of the following Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act (GOMESA) projects for FY 2026: (a) To assist the City of Waveland with Center City Infrastructure Improvements Sewer............................................ $ 4,000,000.00 (b) To assist the City of DIberville with Working Waterfront Marina Expansion Project Phase II......................................... $ 2,500,000.00 (c) To assist the City of Ocean Springs with Washington Avenue and Front Beach Utility Improvement....................................... $ 1,200,000.00 (d) To assist the City of Gautier with Marin Bluff and Hickory Hills Sewer Improvements... $ 2,701,150.00 (e) To assist the City of Moss Point with Riverfront Coastal River Protection................ $ 3,750,000.00 (f) To assist the City of Moss Point with Storm Water Park.................................. $ 118,500.00 (g) To assist the Jackson County Utility Authority with Poticaw Road Sewer Extension........ $ 1,200,000.00 (h) To assist Mississippi State University with Fixed Lab Equipment.......................... $ 865,000.00 (i) To assist the Diamondhead Water and Sewer District Sewer Improvements Phase III.............. $ 1,000,000.00 (j) To assist the Hancock County Water and Sewer District with Asbestos Water Pipe Replacement And Port Bienville Water Improvements.............. $ 1,000,000.00 (k) To assist the Kiln Utility and Fire District with Hwy 603 Sewer Expansion from Hwy 43 To Cuevas Town Road........................ $ 2,452,575.00 (l) To assist The Nature Conservancy with Using Brood Stock Reefs to Enhance Oyster Production on Commercial Leases................... $ 1,000,000.00 (m) To assist the City of Ocean Springs with Front Beach Bulkhead......................... $ 1,600,000.00 (n) To assist the City of Pascagoula with the Live Oak Corridor Drainage to Remedy Flooding......................................... $ 2,000,000.00 (o) To assist the City of Gulfport with the North Gulfport Wastewater Treatment Plant UV Disinfection...................................... $ 376,650.00 (p) To assist the Department of Marine Resources with GOMESA project management, development and mitigation........................ $ 699,022.00 (q) To assist the Hancock County Utility Authority with the Stennis Space Center Wastewater Conveyance Project..................... $ 7,934,956.00 (r) To assist the City of Long Beach with the Small Craft Harbor Eastern Bulkhead Improvements...................................... $ 583,835.00 (s) To assist the City of Pass Christian with the West Breakwater Wall Hurricane Mitigation Improvements........................... $ 2,518,900.00 (t) To assist the Department of Marine Resources with Oyster Spat........................ $ 1,756,128.00 (u) To assist the Institute for Marine Mammal Studies with Monitoring and Evaluation of Sea Turtle Nesting in Mississippi................. $ 856,364.00 (v) To assist the University of Southern Mississippi with the Mississippi Coastal Fishery Resource Assessment............................... $ 55,110.00 (w) To assist the Hancock County Port and Harbor Commission with Sewer Construction and Improvements to Site 1 at Port Bienville Industrial Park................................... $ 1,749,220.00 (x) To assist the University of Southern Mississippi with Oak Island Oyster Company in the Development and Testing of an Off Bottom Oyster Structure......................................... $ 1,195,571.00 (y) To assist Jackson County with Coastal Roadway Hurricane Protection...................... $ 750,000.00 (z) To assist the Institute for Marine Mammal Studies with Monitoring/Gauging Habitat Suitability for Dolphins and Turtles............... $ 1,298,793.00 (aa) To assist the Kiln Utility District with Jourdan River Shores Sewer Improvements Phase II......................................... $ 2,163,216.00 (bb) To assist Harrison County with Sand Beach Outfall Coordination........................ $ 1,568,001.00 (cc) To assist the City of Ocean Springs with Sewer Rehabilitation......................... $ 1,960,000.00 (dd) To assist the Department of Marine Resources with Oyster Cultch...................... $ 1,000,000.00 (ee) To assist the City of Pass Christian with Highway 90 Hurricane Mitigation Improvements...................................... $ 1,092,205.00 (ff) To assist Coastal Mississippi with the promotion of the Seafood Industry and its Economic Contributions to the State................ $ 444,941.00 (gg) To assist the City of Diamondhead with Drainage, Flood Prevention and Water Quality Improvements Phase II..................... $ 1,908,664.00 (hh) To assist Jackson County with East Beach Outfalls/Shoreline Protection................ $ 1,710,000.00 (ii) To assist the City of Gautier with Hickory Hills/Lagrange Water Quality and Stormwater Improvements........................... $ 2,790,271.00 (jj) To assist the City of Biloxi with Keegan Bayou Restoration.......................... $ 2,520,000.00 (kk) To assist the Department of Marine Resources with the Coffee Creek Outfall Pavilion......................................... $ 419,256.00 (ll) To assist the City of Long Beach with Small Craft Harbor Southern Quay Bulkhead Improvements...................................... $ 2,554,000.00 (mm) To assist the Department of Marine Resources with Bonnet Carre Spillway Mitigation........................................ $ 926,879.00 (nn) To assist the City of DIberville with the Working Waterfront and Seafood Harbor Project.......................................... $ 500,000.00 (oo) To assist the University of Southern Mississippi with the Ocean Enterprise Project.......................................... $ 24,788.00 (pp) To assist the Department of Marine Resources with the Coffee Creek Outfall............ $ 21,906.00 (qq) To assist the Department of Marine Resources with the Coffee Creek water quality...... $ 28,073.00 (rr) To assist Jackson County Board of Supervisors with the Front Beach Erosion Control.......................................... $ 640,243.00 (ss) To assist the Department of Marine Resources with GOMESA project management, development and mitigation........................ $ 472,003.00 (tt) To assist the Department of Marine Resources with artificial reef construction........ $ 31,397.00 (uu) To assist the Department of Environmental Quality with water quality........... $ 837,804.00 (vv) To assist the Department of Marine Resources with Bonnet Carre Response............... $ 4,636.00 (ww) To assist the City of Pass Christian with Sanitary Sewer Pump Station Repairs........... $ 901,375.00 (xx) To assist Hancock County with Atlantic Street Sewer Improvements......................... $ 102,929.00 (yy) To assist the City of Long Beach with Small Craft Harbor SE Bulkhead Improvements........ $ 280,214.00 (zz) To assist the Kiln Utility District with the Jordan Shores Sewer Force Main Relocation........................................ $ 99,852.00 (aaa) To assist the City of Biloxi with the Point Cadet Living Shoreline.................. $ 756,537.00 (bbb) To assist the Department of Marine Resources with MS Reef Fish Monitoring and Assessment........................................ $ 43,074.00 (ccc) To assist Hancock County Utility Authority with Oak Harbor Sewer Improvements....... $ 2,719,247.00 (ddd) To assist Hancock County Port and Harbor Commission with Port Bienville Conservation Management........................... $ 235,327.00 (eee) To assist the City of Pascagoula with Buena Vista Area Drainage.................... $ 482,340.00 (fff) To assist the City of Pass Christian with Gravity Sewer System Improvements Phase I..... $ 784,782.00 (ggg) To assist the City of Pascagoula with Point Park Pier Repair/Improvements................ $ 31,971.00 (hhh) To assist Mississippi State University with the Evaluation and Monitoring of Marine Mammal and Sea Turtles after Bonnet Carre Spillway Opening.......................................... $ 691,428.00 (iii) To assist the American Shrimp Processors Association with the Shrimp Processors Feasibility Study...................... $ 586,126.00 (jjj) To assist the Jackson County Utility Authority with Septic System Abatements............ $ 1,258,817.00 (kkk) To assist the University of Southern Mississippi with the Mississippi Coastal Fishery Resource Assessment............................... $ 650.00 (lll) To assist the Department of Marine Resources with the Katrina Key Expansion........... $ 183,425.00 (mmm) To assist the Secretary of State with the Broadwater Marina Restoration................. $ 3,578,590.00 (nnn) To assist the City of Pass Christian with Sewer Pump Station Repairs................... $ 342,585.00 (ooo) To assist the City of Diamondhead with Drainage, Flood Prevention and Water Quality Improvements.............................. $ 1,080,108.00 (ppp) To assist the Department of Marine Resources with the Bonnet Carre and Mid Breton Response......................................... $ 477,407.00 (qqq) To assist the City of Ocean Springs with the Front Beach Pub Access and Storm Water Mitigation Improvements........................... $ 1,569,365.00 (rrr) To assist the City of Pass Christian with Phase II of the Gravity Sewer System Improvements...................................... $ 4,387,486.00 (sss) To assist the Department of Marine Resources with the Off Bottom Oyster Aquaculture....................................... $ 1,219,050.00 (ttt) To assist the Department of Marine Resources with the Pelican Key Beneficial Use Site......................................... $ 348,220.00 (uuu) To assist the Department of Marine Resources with Phase II of the Katrina Key Expansion......................................... $ 400,000.00 (vvv) To assist the Jackson County Board of Supervisors with the Pascagoula Beach Open Channel Outfalls.................................. $ 1,339,000.00 (www) To assist the Department of Marine Resources with water testing for Seafood Consumption Safety................................ $ 45,262.00 SECTION 12. It is the intent of the Legislature that the Department of Marine Resources shall have the authority to expend funds in an amount not to exceed Ten Million Dollars ($10,000,000.00) from funds for the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act (GOMESA) that may become available to the agency in fiscal year 2026 in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Department of Finance and Administration in a manner consistent with the escalation of federal funds. SECTION 13. It is the intention of the Legislature that none of the funds provided herein shall be used to pay certain utilities for state furnished housing for any employees. Such utilities shall include electricity, natural gas, butane, propane, cable and phone services. Where actual cost cannot be determined, the agency shall be required to provide meters to be in compliance with legislative intent. Such state furnished housing shall include single-family and multi-family residences but shall not include any dormitory residences. Allowances for such utilities shall be prohibited. SECTION 14. It is the intention of the Legislature that the funds herein appropriated shall be expended in compliance with Section 27-104-25, Mississippi Code of 1972, that no state agency shall incur obligations or indebtedness in excess of their appropriation and that the responsible officers, either personally or upon their official bonds, shall be held responsible for actions contrary to this provision. SECTION 15. With the funds appropriated herein, the Department of Marine Resources is authorized to make payments for expenses incurred during prior fiscal years for an amount not to exceed Four Hundred Eight Thousand Six Hundred Fifty-seven Dollars and Forty Cents ($408,657.40). SECTION 16. The money herein appropriated shall be paid by the State Treasurer out of any money in the State Treasury to the credit of the proper fund or funds as set forth in this act, upon warrants issued by the State Fiscal Officer; and the State Fiscal Officer shall issue his warrants upon requisitions signed by the proper person, officer or officers, in the manner provided by law. SECTION 17. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2025.
	1	+	MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE 2025 Regular Session To: Appropriations B; Appropriations A By: Representatives Bounds, Read, Anderson (122nd), Clark, Eure, Hale, Jackson (11th), Paden, Pigott House Bill 1729 AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR THE SUPPORT AND MAINTENANCE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF MARINE RESOURCES FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2026. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: SECTION 1. The following sum, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated out of any money in the State General Fund not otherwise appropriated, for the support and maintenance of the Department of Marine Resources for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2025, and ending June 30, 2026........................................... ............................................ $ 3,555,266.00. SECTION 2. The following sum, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated out of any money in any special fund in the State Treasury to the credit of the Department of Marine Resources for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2025, and ending June 30, 2026 $ 256,844,716.00. Of the funds appropriated in this section, Three Million Fifty Thousand Dollars ($3,050,000.00) is derived from the state excise taxes upon gasoline, oil and other petroleum products. SECTION 3. Of the funds appropriated under the provisions of this act, the following positions are authorized: AUTHORIZED HEADCOUNT: Permanent: 108 Time-Limited: 65 With the funds herein appropriated, it shall be the agencys responsibility to make certain that funds required for Personal Services for Fiscal Year 2027 do not exceed Fiscal Year 2026 funds appropriated for that purpose unless programs or positions are added to the agencys Fiscal Year 2026 budget by the Mississippi Legislature. The Legislature shall determine the agencys personal services appropriation, which the State Personnel Board shall publish. The agencys personal services appropriation may consist of restricted funds for approved vacancies for Fiscal Year 2026 that may be utilized to fill vacant Fiscal Year 2025 headcount. It shall be the agency's responsibility to ensure that the funds provided for vacancies are used to increase headcount and not for promotions, title changes, in-range salary adjustments or any other mechanism for increasing salaries for current employees. It is the Legislatures intention that no employee salary falls below the minimum salary established by the Mississippi State Personnel Board. Additionally, the State Personnel Board shall determine and publish the projected annualized payroll costs based on current employees. It shall be the responsibility of the agency head to ensure that actual personnel expenditures for Fiscal Year 2026 do not exceed the data provided by the Legislative Budget Office. If the agencys Fiscal Year 2026 projected cost exceeds the annualized costs, no salary actions shall be processed by the State Personnel Board except for new hires determined to be essential for the agency. Any transfers or escalations shall be made in accordance with the terms, conditions, and procedures established by law or allowable under the terms set forth within this act. The State Personnel Board shall not escalate positions without written approval from the Department of Finance and Administration. The Department of Finance and Administration shall not provide written approval to escalate any funds for salaries and/or positions without proof of availability of new or additional funds above the appropriated level. No general funds authorized to be expended herein shall be used to replace federal funds and/or other special funds used for salaries authorized under the provisions of this act and which are withdrawn and no longer available. None of the funds herein appropriated shall be used in violation of the Internal Revenue Services Publication 15-A relating to the reporting of income paid to contract employees, as interpreted by the Office of the State Auditor. SECTION 4. It is the intention of the Legislature that the Department of Marine Resources shall maintain complete accounting and personnel records related to the expenditure of all funds appropriated under this act and that such records shall be in the same format and level of detail as maintained for Fiscal Year 2025. It is further the intention of the Legislature that the agency's budget request for Fiscal Year 2027 shall be submitted to the Joint Legislative Budget Committee in a format and level of detail comparable to the format and level of detail provided during the Fiscal Year 2026 budget request process. SECTION 5. Each Marine Conservation Officer and Supervisor shall be furnished an allowance for uniforms not to exceed Six Hundred Dollars ($600.00) per annum. SECTION 6. In addition to all other sums heretofore appropriated, the following sum, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is hereby appropriated out of any money in the State Treasury to the credit of the Tidelands Fund No. 3345200000 to the Department of Marine Resources for the purpose of defraying the expenses of the tidelands projects for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2025, and ending June 30, 2026 ... $ 11,700,000.00. This amount is allocated as follows: Total Public Access Projects...................... $ 4,576,165.00 Total Management Projects......................... $ 4,576,164.00 Bond Repayment ................................... $ 1,547,671.00 Prior Year Projects............................... $ 1,000,000.00 Total Tidelands Funds............................. $11,700,000.00 Each political subdivision receiving funds authorized in this section shall be held responsible for complying with Section 29-15-9, Mississippi Code of 1972, and shall be subject to an audit by the State Auditor and shall submit detailed reports beginning June 30, and every six (6) months thereafter for the duration of the project to the Department of Marine Resources on how funds authorized in this section were expended. It is the intention of the Legislature that any political subdivision seeking to qualify for tidelands funds for the subsequent fiscal year shall submit a proposal to the Department of Marine Resources no later than July 1, 2025. All proposals submitted will be reviewed and evaluated by the Department of Marine Resources in accordance to department plans and procedures. Multiphased projects, multiyear projects, proposed projects with high dollar value and projects that have a record of stacking funds shall be considered as low priority projects when evaluated. It is the intention of the Legislature that if the amount of the Tidelands funds appropriated in this act exceed the actual amount of tidelands funds available, the available funds shall be allocated on a pro rata basis between projects listed in this section. SECTION 7. It is the intention of the Legislature that the department shall place any special trust funds appropriated to the department in a special trust fund and the interest earned on the principal shall be credited to the special trust fund. Monies in the fund at the end of the fiscal year shall be retained in the special trust fund for use in the next succeeding fiscal year. The department may use the interest earned on the fund to pay reasonable costs for administering the fund and related projects. SECTION 8. It is the intention of the Legislature that the Department of Marine Resources has the authorization to move tidelands funds between approved projects upon request from entity and proper completion of Form TTF-6 documentation. SECTION 9. It is the intention of the Legislature for the Department of Marine Resources and the Department of Environmental Quality to continue with any agency partnerships, including grant agreements, that provide environmental projects to restore Mississippis natural resources in the wake of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill. SECTION 10. It is the intention of the Legislature that whenever two (2) or more bids are received by this agency for the purchase of commodities or equipment, and whenever all things stated in such received bids are equal with respect to price, quality and service, the Mississippi Industries for the Blind shall be given preference. A similar preference shall be given to the Mississippi Industries for the Blind whenever purchases are made without competitive bids. SECTION 11. Of the funds appropriated in Section 2, Ninety-two Million Seven Hundred Twenty-five Thousand Two Hundred Twenty-four Dollars ($92,725,224.00) is provided for the funding of the following Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act (GOMESA) projects for FY 2026: (a) To assist the City of Waveland with Center City Infrastructure Improvements Sewer............................................ $ 4,000,000.00 (b) To assist the City of DIberville with Working Waterfront Marina Expansion Project Phase II......................................... $ 2,500,000.00 (c) To assist the City of Ocean Springs with Washington Avenue and Front Beach Utility Improvement....................................... $ 1,200,000.00 (d) To assist the City of Gautier with Marin Bluff and Hickory Hills Sewer Improvements... $ 2,701,150.00 (e) To assist the City of Moss Point with Riverfront Coastal River Protection................ $ 3,750,000.00 (f) To assist the City of Moss Point with Storm Water Park.................................. $ 118,500.00 (g) To assist the Jackson County Utility Authority with Poticaw Road Sewer Extension........ $ 1,200,000.00 (h) To assist Mississippi State University with Fixed Lab Equipment.......................... $ 865,000.00 (i) To assist the Diamondhead Water and Sewer District Sewer Improvements Phase III.............. $ 1,000,000.00 (j) To assist the Hancock County Water and Sewer District with Asbestos Water Pipe Replacement And Port Bienville Water Improvements.............. $ 1,000,000.00 (k) To assist the Kiln Utility and Fire District with Hwy 603 Sewer Expansion from Hwy 43 To Cuevas Town Road........................ $ 2,452,575.00 (l) To assist The Nature Conservancy with Using Brood Stock Reefs to Enhance Oyster Production on Commercial Leases................... $ 1,000,000.00 (m) To assist the City of Ocean Springs with Front Beach Bulkhead......................... $ 1,600,000.00 (n) To assist the City of Pascagoula with the Live Oak Corridor Drainage to Remedy Flooding......................................... $ 2,000,000.00 (o) To assist the City of Gulfport with the North Gulfport Wastewater Treatment Plant UV Disinfection...................................... $ 376,650.00 (p) To assist the Department of Marine Resources with GOMESA project management, development and mitigation........................ $ 699,022.00 (q) To assist the Hancock County Utility Authority with the Stennis Space Center Wastewater Conveyance Project..................... $ 7,934,956.00 (r) To assist the City of Long Beach with the Small Craft Harbor Eastern Bulkhead Improvements...................................... $ 583,835.00 (s) To assist the City of Pass Christian with the West Breakwater Wall Hurricane Mitigation Improvements........................... $ 2,518,900.00 (t) To assist the Department of Marine Resources with Oyster Spat........................ $ 1,756,128.00 (u) To assist the Institute for Marine Mammal Studies with Monitoring and Evaluation of Sea Turtle Nesting in Mississippi................. $ 856,364.00 (v) To assist the University of Southern Mississippi with the Mississippi Coastal Fishery Resource Assessment............................... $ 55,110.00 (w) To assist the Hancock County Port and Harbor Commission with Sewer Construction and Improvements to Site 1 at Port Bienville Industrial Park................................... $ 1,749,220.00 (x) To assist the University of Southern Mississippi with Oak Island Oyster Company in the Development and Testing of an Off Bottom Oyster Structure......................................... $ 1,195,571.00 (y) To assist Jackson County with Coastal Roadway Hurricane Protection...................... $ 750,000.00 (z) To assist the Institute for Marine Mammal Studies with Monitoring/Gauging Habitat Suitability for Dolphins and Turtles............... $ 1,298,793.00 (aa) To assist the Kiln Utility District with Jourdan River Shores Sewer Improvements Phase II......................................... $ 2,163,216.00 (bb) To assist Harrison County with Sand Beach Outfall Coordination........................ $ 1,568,001.00 (cc) To assist the City of Ocean Springs with Sewer Rehabilitation......................... $ 1,960,000.00 (dd) To assist the Department of Marine Resources with Oyster Cultch...................... $ 1,000,000.00 (ee) To assist the City of Pass Christian with Highway 90 Hurricane Mitigation Improvements...................................... $ 1,092,205.00 (ff) To assist Coastal Mississippi with the promotion of the Seafood Industry and its Economic Contributions to the State................ $ 444,941.00 (gg) To assist the City of Diamondhead with Drainage, Flood Prevention and Water Quality Improvements Phase II..................... $ 1,908,664.00 (hh) To assist Jackson County with East Beach Outfalls/Shoreline Protection................ $ 1,710,000.00 (ii) To assist the City of Gautier with Hickory Hills/Lagrange Water Quality and Stormwater Improvements........................... $ 2,790,271.00 (jj) To assist the City of Biloxi with Keegan Bayou Restoration.......................... $ 2,520,000.00 (kk) To assist the Department of Marine Resources with the Coffee Creek Outfall Pavilion......................................... $ 419,256.00 (ll) To assist the City of Long Beach with Small Craft Harbor Southern Quay Bulkhead Improvements...................................... $ 2,554,000.00 (mm) To assist the Department of Marine Resources with Bonnet Carre Spillway Mitigation........................................ $ 926,879.00 (nn) To assist the City of DIberville with the Working Waterfront and Seafood Harbor Project.......................................... $ 500,000.00 (oo) To assist the University of Southern Mississippi with the Ocean Enterprise Project.......................................... $ 24,788.00 (pp) To assist the Department of Marine Resources with the Coffee Creek Outfall............ $ 21,906.00 (qq) To assist the Department of Marine Resources with the Coffee Creek water quality...... $ 28,073.00 (rr) To assist Jackson County Board of Supervisors with the Front Beach Erosion Control.......................................... $ 640,243.00 (ss) To assist the Department of Marine Resources with GOMESA project management, development and mitigation........................ $ 472,003.00 (tt) To assist the Department of Marine Resources with artificial reef construction........ $ 31,397.00 (uu) To assist the Department of Environmental Quality with water quality........... $ 837,804.00 (vv) To assist the Department of Marine Resources with Bonnet Carre Response............... $ 4,636.00 (ww) To assist the City of Pass Christian with Sanitary Sewer Pump Station Repairs........... $ 901,375.00 (xx) To assist Hancock County with Atlantic Street Sewer Improvements......................... $ 102,929.00 (yy) To assist the City of Long Beach with Small Craft Harbor SE Bulkhead Improvements........ $ 280,214.00 (zz) To assist the Kiln Utility District with the Jordan Shores Sewer Force Main Relocation........................................ $ 99,852.00 (aaa) To assist the City of Biloxi with the Point Cadet Living Shoreline.................. $ 756,537.00 (bbb) To assist the Department of Marine Resources with MS Reef Fish Monitoring and Assessment........................................ $ 43,074.00 (ccc) To assist Hancock County Utility Authority with Oak Harbor Sewer Improvements....... $ 2,719,247.00 (ddd) To assist Hancock County Port and Harbor Commission with Port Bienville Conservation Management........................... $ 235,327.00 (eee) To assist the City of Pascagoula with Buena Vista Area Drainage.................... $ 482,340.00 (fff) To assist the City of Pass Christian with Gravity Sewer System Improvements Phase I..... $ 784,782.00 (ggg) To assist the City of Pascagoula with Point Park Pier Repair/Improvements................ $ 31,971.00 (hhh) To assist Mississippi State University with the Evaluation and Monitoring of Marine Mammal and Sea Turtles after Bonnet Carre Spillway Opening.......................................... $ 691,428.00 (iii) To assist the American Shrimp Processors Association with the Shrimp Processors Feasibility Study...................... $ 586,126.00 (jjj) To assist the Jackson County Utility Authority with Septic System Abatements............ $ 1,258,817.00 (kkk) To assist the University of Southern Mississippi with the Mississippi Coastal Fishery Resource Assessment............................... $ 650.00 (lll) To assist the Department of Marine Resources with the Katrina Key Expansion........... $ 183,425.00 (mmm) To assist the Secretary of State with the Broadwater Marina Restoration................. $ 3,578,590.00 (nnn) To assist the City of Pass Christian with Sewer Pump Station Repairs................... $ 342,585.00 (ooo) To assist the City of Diamondhead with Drainage, Flood Prevention and Water Quality Improvements.............................. $ 1,080,108.00 (ppp) To assist the Department of Marine Resources with the Bonnet Carre and Mid Breton Response......................................... $ 477,407.00 (qqq) To assist the City of Ocean Springs with the Front Beach Pub Access and Storm Water Mitigation Improvements........................... $ 1,569,365.00 (rrr) To assist the City of Pass Christian with Phase II of the Gravity Sewer System Improvements...................................... $ 4,387,486.00 (sss) To assist the Department of Marine Resources with the Off Bottom Oyster Aquaculture....................................... $ 1,219,050.00 (ttt) To assist the Department of Marine Resources with the Pelican Key Beneficial Use Site......................................... $ 348,220.00 (uuu) To assist the Department of Marine Resources with Phase II of the Katrina Key Expansion......................................... $ 400,000.00 (vvv) To assist the Jackson County Board of Supervisors with the Pascagoula Beach Open Channel Outfalls.................................. $ 1,339,000.00 (www) To assist the Department of Marine Resources with water testing for Seafood Consumption Safety................................ $ 45,262.00 SECTION 12. It is the intent of the Legislature that the Department of Marine Resources shall have the authority to expend funds in an amount not to exceed Ten Million Dollars ($10,000,000.00) from funds for the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act (GOMESA) that may become available to the agency in fiscal year 2026 in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Department of Finance and Administration in a manner consistent with the escalation of federal funds. SECTION 13. It is the intention of the Legislature that none of the funds provided herein shall be used to pay certain utilities for state furnished housing for any employees. Such utilities shall include electricity, natural gas, butane, propane, cable and phone services. Where actual cost cannot be determined, the agency shall be required to provide meters to be in compliance with legislative intent. Such state furnished housing shall include single-family and multi-family residences but shall not include any dormitory residences. Allowances for such utilities shall be prohibited. SECTION 14. It is the intention of the Legislature that the funds herein appropriated shall be expended in compliance with Section 27-104-25, Mississippi Code of 1972, that no state agency shall incur obligations or indebtedness in excess of their appropriation and that the responsible officers, either personally or upon their official bonds, shall be held responsible for actions contrary to this provision. SECTION 15. With the funds appropriated herein, the Department of Marine Resources is authorized to make payments for expenses incurred during prior fiscal years for an amount not to exceed Four Hundred Eight Thousand Six Hundred Fifty-seven Dollars and Forty Cents ($408,657.40). SECTION 16. The money herein appropriated shall be paid by the State Treasurer out of any money in the State Treasury to the credit of the proper fund or funds as set forth in this act, upon warrants issued by the State Fiscal Officer; and the State Fiscal Officer shall issue his warrants upon requisitions signed by the proper person, officer or officers, in the manner provided by law. SECTION 17. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2025.
2	2
3	3		MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
4	4
5	5		2025 Regular Session
6	6
7	7		To: Appropriations B; Appropriations A
8	8
9	9		By: Representatives Bounds, Read, Anderson (122nd), Clark, Eure, Hale, Jackson (11th), Paden, Pigott
10	10
11	11		# House Bill 1729
12		-
13		-	## (As Passed the House)
14	12
15	13		AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR THE SUPPORT AND MAINTENANCE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF MARINE RESOURCES FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2026.
16	14
17	15		BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:
18	16
19	17		SECTION 1. The following sum, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated out of any money in the State General Fund not otherwise appropriated, for the support and maintenance of the Department of Marine Resources for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2025, and ending June 30, 2026...........................................
20	18
21	19		............................................ $ 3,555,266.00.
22	20
23	21		SECTION 2. The following sum, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated out of any money in any special fund in the State Treasury to the credit of the Department of Marine Resources for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2025, and ending June 30, 2026 $ 256,844,716.00.
24	22
25	23		Of the funds appropriated in this section, Three Million Fifty Thousand Dollars ($3,050,000.00) is derived from the state excise taxes upon gasoline, oil and other petroleum products.
26	24
27	25		SECTION 3. Of the funds appropriated under the provisions of this act, the following positions are authorized:
28	26
29	27		AUTHORIZED HEADCOUNT:
30	28
31	29		Permanent: 108
32	30
33	31		Time-Limited: 65
34	32
35	33		With the funds herein appropriated, it shall be the agencys responsibility to make certain that funds required for Personal Services for Fiscal Year 2027 do not exceed Fiscal Year 2026 funds appropriated for that purpose unless programs or positions are added to the agencys Fiscal Year 2026 budget by the Mississippi Legislature. The Legislature shall determine the agencys personal services appropriation, which the State Personnel Board shall publish. The agencys personal services appropriation may consist of restricted funds for approved vacancies for Fiscal Year 2026 that may be utilized to fill vacant Fiscal Year 2025 headcount. It shall be the agency's responsibility to ensure that the funds provided for vacancies are used to increase headcount and not for promotions, title changes, in-range salary adjustments or any other mechanism for increasing salaries for current employees. It is the Legislatures intention that no employee salary falls below the minimum salary established by the Mississippi State Personnel Board.
36	34
37	35		Additionally, the State Personnel Board shall determine and publish the projected annualized payroll costs based on current employees. It shall be the responsibility of the agency head to ensure that actual personnel expenditures for Fiscal Year 2026 do not exceed the data provided by the Legislative Budget Office. If the agencys Fiscal Year 2026 projected cost exceeds the annualized costs, no salary actions shall be processed by the State Personnel Board except for new hires determined to be essential for the agency.
38	36
39	37		Any transfers or escalations shall be made in accordance with the terms, conditions, and procedures established by law or allowable under the terms set forth within this act. The State Personnel Board shall not escalate positions without written approval from the Department of Finance and Administration. The Department of Finance and Administration shall not provide written approval to escalate any funds for salaries and/or positions without proof of availability of new or additional funds above the appropriated level.
40	38
41	39		No general funds authorized to be expended herein shall be used to replace federal funds and/or other special funds used for salaries authorized under the provisions of this act and which are withdrawn and no longer available.
42	40
43	41		None of the funds herein appropriated shall be used in violation of the Internal Revenue Services Publication 15-A relating to the reporting of income paid to contract employees, as interpreted by the Office of the State Auditor.
44	42
45	43		SECTION 4. It is the intention of the Legislature that the Department of Marine Resources shall maintain complete accounting and personnel records related to the expenditure of all funds appropriated under this act and that such records shall be in the same format and level of detail as maintained for Fiscal Year 2025. It is further the intention of the Legislature that the agency's budget request for Fiscal Year 2027 shall be submitted to the Joint Legislative Budget Committee in a format and level of detail comparable to the format and level of detail provided during the Fiscal Year 2026 budget request process.
46	44
47	45		SECTION 5. Each Marine Conservation Officer and Supervisor shall be furnished an allowance for uniforms not to exceed Six Hundred Dollars ($600.00) per annum.
48	46
49	47		SECTION 6. In addition to all other sums heretofore appropriated, the following sum, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is hereby appropriated out of any money in the State Treasury to the credit of the Tidelands Fund No. 3345200000 to the Department of Marine Resources for the purpose of defraying the expenses of the tidelands projects for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2025, and ending June 30, 2026 ... $ 11,700,000.00.
50	48
51	49		This amount is allocated as follows:
52	50
53	51		Total Public Access Projects...................... $ 4,576,165.00
54	52
55	53		Total Management Projects......................... $ 4,576,164.00
56	54
57	55		Bond Repayment ................................... $ 1,547,671.00
58	56
59	57		Prior Year Projects............................... $ 1,000,000.00
60	58
61	59		Total Tidelands Funds............................. $11,700,000.00
62	60
63	61		Each political subdivision receiving funds authorized in this section shall be held responsible for complying with Section 29-15-9, Mississippi Code of 1972, and shall be subject to an audit by the State Auditor and shall submit detailed reports beginning June 30, and every six (6) months thereafter for the duration of the project to the Department of Marine Resources on how funds authorized in this section were expended.
64	62
65	63		It is the intention of the Legislature that any political subdivision seeking to qualify for tidelands funds for the subsequent fiscal year shall submit a proposal to the Department of Marine Resources no later than July 1, 2025. All proposals submitted will be reviewed and evaluated by the Department of Marine Resources in accordance to department plans and procedures. Multiphased projects, multiyear projects, proposed projects with high dollar value and projects that have a record of stacking funds shall be considered as low priority projects when evaluated.
66	64
67	65		It is the intention of the Legislature that if the amount of the Tidelands funds appropriated in this act exceed the actual amount of tidelands funds available, the available funds shall be allocated on a pro rata basis between projects listed in this section.
68	66
69	67		SECTION 7. It is the intention of the Legislature that the department shall place any special trust funds appropriated to the department in a special trust fund and the interest earned on the principal shall be credited to the special trust fund. Monies in the fund at the end of the fiscal year shall be retained in the special trust fund for use in the next succeeding fiscal year. The department may use the interest earned on the fund to pay reasonable costs for administering the fund and related projects.
70	68
71	69		SECTION 8. It is the intention of the Legislature that the Department of Marine Resources has the authorization to move tidelands funds between approved projects upon request from entity and proper completion of Form TTF-6 documentation.
72	70
73	71		SECTION 9. It is the intention of the Legislature for the Department of Marine Resources and the Department of Environmental Quality to continue with any agency partnerships, including grant agreements, that provide environmental projects to restore Mississippis natural resources in the wake of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill.
74	72
75	73		SECTION 10. It is the intention of the Legislature that whenever two (2) or more bids are received by this agency for the purchase of commodities or equipment, and whenever all things stated in such received bids are equal with respect to price, quality and service, the Mississippi Industries for the Blind shall be given preference. A similar preference shall be given to the Mississippi Industries for the Blind whenever purchases are made without competitive bids.
76	74
77	75		SECTION 11. Of the funds appropriated in Section 2, Ninety-two Million Seven Hundred Twenty-five Thousand Two Hundred Twenty-four Dollars ($92,725,224.00) is provided for the funding of the following Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act (GOMESA) projects for FY 2026:
78	76
79	77		(a) To assist the City of Waveland with
80	78
81	79		Center City Infrastructure Improvements
82	80
83	81		Sewer............................................ $ 4,000,000.00
84	82
85	83		(b) To assist the City of DIberville with
86	84
87	85		Working Waterfront Marina Expansion Project
88	86
89	87		Phase II......................................... $ 2,500,000.00
90	88
91	89		(c) To assist the City of Ocean Springs
92	90
93	91		with Washington Avenue and Front Beach Utility
94	92
95	93		Improvement....................................... $ 1,200,000.00
96	94
97	95		(d) To assist the City of Gautier with
98	96
99	97		Marin Bluff and Hickory Hills Sewer Improvements... $ 2,701,150.00
100	98
101	99		(e) To assist the City of Moss Point with
102	100
103	101		Riverfront Coastal River Protection................ $ 3,750,000.00
104	102
105	103		(f) To assist the City of Moss Point with
106	104
107	105		Storm Water Park.................................. $ 118,500.00
108	106
109	107		(g) To assist the Jackson County Utility
110	108
111	109		Authority with Poticaw Road Sewer Extension........ $ 1,200,000.00
112	110
113	111		(h) To assist Mississippi State University
114	112
115	113		with Fixed Lab Equipment.......................... $ 865,000.00
116	114
117	115		(i) To assist the Diamondhead Water and Sewer
118	116
119	117		District Sewer Improvements Phase III.............. $ 1,000,000.00
120	118
121	119		(j) To assist the Hancock County Water and
122	120
123	121		Sewer District with Asbestos Water Pipe Replacement
124	122
125	123		And Port Bienville Water Improvements.............. $ 1,000,000.00
126	124
127	125		(k) To assist the Kiln Utility and Fire
128	126
129	127		District with Hwy 603 Sewer Expansion from
130	128
131	129		Hwy 43 To Cuevas Town Road........................ $ 2,452,575.00
132	130
133	131		(l) To assist The Nature Conservancy with
134	132
135	133		Using Brood Stock Reefs to Enhance Oyster
136	134
137	135		Production on Commercial Leases................... $ 1,000,000.00
138	136
139	137		(m) To assist the City of Ocean Springs
140	138
141	139		with Front Beach Bulkhead......................... $ 1,600,000.00
142	140
143	141		(n) To assist the City of Pascagoula with
144	142
145	143		the Live Oak Corridor Drainage to Remedy
146	144
147	145		Flooding......................................... $ 2,000,000.00
148	146
149	147		(o) To assist the City of Gulfport with the
150	148
151	149		North Gulfport Wastewater Treatment Plant UV
152	150
153	151		Disinfection...................................... $ 376,650.00
154	152
155	153		(p) To assist the Department of Marine
156	154
157	155		Resources with GOMESA project management,
158	156
159	157		development and mitigation........................ $ 699,022.00
160	158
161	159		(q) To assist the Hancock County Utility
162	160
163	161		Authority with the Stennis Space Center
164	162
165	163		Wastewater Conveyance Project..................... $ 7,934,956.00
166	164
167	165		(r) To assist the City of Long Beach with
168	166
169	167		the Small Craft Harbor Eastern Bulkhead
170	168
171	169		Improvements...................................... $ 583,835.00
172	170
173	171		(s) To assist the City of Pass Christian
174	172
175	173		with the West Breakwater Wall Hurricane
176	174
177	175		Mitigation Improvements........................... $ 2,518,900.00
178	176
179	177		(t) To assist the Department of Marine
180	178
181	179		Resources with Oyster Spat........................ $ 1,756,128.00
182	180
183	181		(u) To assist the Institute for Marine
184	182
185	183		Mammal Studies with Monitoring and Evaluation of
186	184
187	185		Sea Turtle Nesting in Mississippi................. $ 856,364.00
188	186
189	187		(v) To assist the University of Southern
190	188
191	189		Mississippi with the Mississippi Coastal Fishery
192	190
193	191		Resource Assessment............................... $ 55,110.00
194	192
195	193		(w) To assist the Hancock County Port and
196	194
197	195		Harbor Commission with Sewer Construction and
198	196
199	197		Improvements to Site 1 at Port Bienville
200	198
201	199		Industrial Park................................... $ 1,749,220.00
202	200
203	201		(x) To assist the University of Southern
204	202
205	203		Mississippi with Oak Island Oyster Company in the
206	204
207	205		Development and Testing of an Off Bottom Oyster
208	206
209	207		Structure......................................... $ 1,195,571.00
210	208
211	209		(y) To assist Jackson County with Coastal
212	210
213	211		Roadway Hurricane Protection...................... $ 750,000.00
214	212
215	213		(z) To assist the Institute for Marine
216	214
217	215		Mammal Studies with Monitoring/Gauging Habitat
218	216
219	217		Suitability for Dolphins and Turtles............... $ 1,298,793.00
220	218
221	219		(aa) To assist the Kiln Utility District
222	220
223	221		with Jourdan River Shores Sewer Improvements
224	222
225	223		Phase II......................................... $ 2,163,216.00
226	224
227	225		(bb) To assist Harrison County with Sand
228	226
229	227		Beach Outfall Coordination........................ $ 1,568,001.00
230	228
231	229		(cc) To assist the City of Ocean Springs
232	230
233	231		with Sewer Rehabilitation......................... $ 1,960,000.00
234	232
235	233		(dd) To assist the Department of Marine
236	234
237	235		Resources with Oyster Cultch...................... $ 1,000,000.00
238	236
239	237		(ee) To assist the City of Pass Christian
240	238
241	239		with Highway 90 Hurricane Mitigation
242	240
243	241		Improvements...................................... $ 1,092,205.00
244	242
245	243		(ff) To assist Coastal Mississippi with
246	244
247	245		the promotion of the Seafood Industry and its
248	246
249	247		Economic Contributions to the State................ $ 444,941.00
250	248
251	249		(gg) To assist the City of Diamondhead
252	250
253	251		with Drainage, Flood Prevention and Water
254	252
255	253		Quality Improvements Phase II..................... $ 1,908,664.00
256	254
257	255		(hh) To assist Jackson County with East
258	256
259	257		Beach Outfalls/Shoreline Protection................ $ 1,710,000.00
260	258
261	259		(ii) To assist the City of Gautier with
262	260
263	261		Hickory Hills/Lagrange Water Quality and
264	262
265	263		Stormwater Improvements........................... $ 2,790,271.00
266	264
267	265		(jj) To assist the City of Biloxi with
268	266
269	267		Keegan Bayou Restoration.......................... $ 2,520,000.00
270	268
271	269		(kk) To assist the Department of Marine
272	270
273	271		Resources with the Coffee Creek Outfall
274	272
275	273		Pavilion......................................... $ 419,256.00
276	274
277	275		(ll) To assist the City of Long Beach with
278	276
279	277		Small Craft Harbor Southern Quay Bulkhead
280	278
281	279		Improvements...................................... $ 2,554,000.00
282	280
283	281		(mm) To assist the Department of Marine
284	282
285	283		Resources with Bonnet Carre Spillway
286	284
287	285		Mitigation........................................ $ 926,879.00
288	286
289	287		(nn) To assist the City of DIberville with
290	288
291	289		the Working Waterfront and Seafood Harbor
292	290
293	291		Project.......................................... $ 500,000.00
294	292
295	293		(oo) To assist the University of Southern
296	294
297	295		Mississippi with the Ocean Enterprise
298	296
299	297		Project.......................................... $ 24,788.00
300	298
301	299		(pp) To assist the Department of Marine
302	300
303	301		Resources with the Coffee Creek Outfall............ $ 21,906.00
304	302
305	303		(qq) To assist the Department of Marine
306	304
307	305		Resources with the Coffee Creek water quality...... $ 28,073.00
308	306
309	307		(rr) To assist Jackson County Board of
310	308
311	309		Supervisors with the Front Beach Erosion
312	310
313	311		Control.......................................... $ 640,243.00
314	312
315	313		(ss) To assist the Department of Marine
316	314
317	315		Resources with GOMESA project management,
318	316
319	317		development and mitigation........................ $ 472,003.00
320	318
321	319		(tt) To assist the Department of Marine
322	320
323	321		Resources with artificial reef construction........ $ 31,397.00
324	322
325	323		(uu) To assist the Department of
326	324
327	325		Environmental Quality with water quality........... $ 837,804.00
328	326
329	327		(vv) To assist the Department of Marine
330	328
331	329		Resources with Bonnet Carre Response............... $ 4,636.00
332	330
333	331		(ww) To assist the City of Pass Christian
334	332
335	333		with Sanitary Sewer Pump Station Repairs........... $ 901,375.00
336	334
337	335		(xx) To assist Hancock County with Atlantic
338	336
339	337		Street Sewer Improvements......................... $ 102,929.00
340	338
341	339		(yy) To assist the City of Long Beach with
342	340
343	341		Small Craft Harbor SE Bulkhead Improvements........ $ 280,214.00
344	342
345	343		(zz) To assist the Kiln Utility District
346	344
347	345		with the Jordan Shores Sewer Force Main
348	346
349	347		Relocation........................................ $ 99,852.00
350	348
351	349		(aaa) To assist the City of Biloxi with
352	350
353	351		the Point Cadet Living Shoreline.................. $ 756,537.00
354	352
355	353		(bbb) To assist the Department of Marine
356	354
357	355		Resources with MS Reef Fish Monitoring and
358	356
359	357		Assessment........................................ $ 43,074.00
360	358
361	359		(ccc) To assist Hancock County Utility
362	360
363	361		Authority with Oak Harbor Sewer Improvements....... $ 2,719,247.00
364	362
365	363		(ddd) To assist Hancock County Port and
366	364
367	365		Harbor Commission with Port Bienville
368	366
369	367		Conservation Management........................... $ 235,327.00
370	368
371	369		(eee) To assist the City of Pascagoula
372	370
373	371		with Buena Vista Area Drainage.................... $ 482,340.00
374	372
375	373		(fff) To assist the City of Pass Christian
376	374
377	375		with Gravity Sewer System Improvements Phase I..... $ 784,782.00
378	376
379	377		(ggg) To assist the City of Pascagoula with
380	378
381	379		Point Park Pier Repair/Improvements................ $ 31,971.00
382	380
383	381		(hhh) To assist Mississippi State University
384	382
385	383		with the Evaluation and Monitoring of Marine Mammal
386	384
387	385		and Sea Turtles after Bonnet Carre Spillway
388	386
389	387		Opening.......................................... $ 691,428.00
390	388
391	389		(iii) To assist the American Shrimp
392	390
393	391		Processors Association with the Shrimp
394	392
395	393		Processors Feasibility Study...................... $ 586,126.00
396	394
397	395		(jjj) To assist the Jackson County Utility
398	396
399	397		Authority with Septic System Abatements............ $ 1,258,817.00
400	398
401	399		(kkk) To assist the University of Southern
402	400
403	401		Mississippi with the Mississippi Coastal Fishery
404	402
405	403		Resource Assessment............................... $ 650.00
406	404
407	405		(lll) To assist the Department of Marine
408	406
409	407		Resources with the Katrina Key Expansion........... $ 183,425.00
410	408
411	409		(mmm) To assist the Secretary of State with
412	410
413	411		the Broadwater Marina Restoration................. $ 3,578,590.00
414	412
415	413		(nnn) To assist the City of Pass Christian
416	414
417	415		with Sewer Pump Station Repairs................... $ 342,585.00
418	416
419	417		(ooo) To assist the City of Diamondhead
420	418
421	419		with Drainage, Flood Prevention and Water
422	420
423	421		Quality Improvements.............................. $ 1,080,108.00
424	422
425	423		(ppp) To assist the Department of Marine
426	424
427	425		Resources with the Bonnet Carre and Mid Breton
428	426
429	427		Response......................................... $ 477,407.00
430	428
431	429		(qqq) To assist the City of Ocean Springs
432	430
433	431		with the Front Beach Pub Access and Storm Water
434	432
435	433		Mitigation Improvements........................... $ 1,569,365.00
436	434
437	435		(rrr) To assist the City of Pass Christian
438	436
439	437		with Phase II of the Gravity Sewer System
440	438
441	439		Improvements...................................... $ 4,387,486.00
442	440
443	441		(sss) To assist the Department of Marine
444	442
445	443		Resources with the Off Bottom Oyster
446	444
447	445		Aquaculture....................................... $ 1,219,050.00
448	446
449	447		(ttt) To assist the Department of Marine
450	448
451	449		Resources with the Pelican Key Beneficial
452	450
453	451		Use Site......................................... $ 348,220.00
454	452
455	453		(uuu) To assist the Department of Marine
456	454
457	455		Resources with Phase II of the Katrina Key
458	456
459	457		Expansion......................................... $ 400,000.00
460	458
461	459		(vvv) To assist the Jackson County Board
462	460
463	461		of Supervisors with the Pascagoula Beach Open
464	462
465	463		Channel Outfalls.................................. $ 1,339,000.00
466	464
467	465		(www) To assist the Department of Marine
468	466
469	467		Resources with water testing for Seafood
470	468
471	469		Consumption Safety................................ $ 45,262.00
472	470
473	471		SECTION 12. It is the intent of the Legislature that the Department of Marine Resources shall have the authority to expend funds in an amount not to exceed Ten Million Dollars ($10,000,000.00) from funds for the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act (GOMESA) that may become available to the agency in fiscal year 2026 in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Department of Finance and Administration in a manner consistent with the escalation of federal funds.
474	472
475	473		SECTION 13. It is the intention of the Legislature that none of the funds provided herein shall be used to pay certain utilities for state furnished housing for any employees. Such utilities shall include electricity, natural gas, butane, propane, cable and phone services. Where actual cost cannot be determined, the agency shall be required to provide meters to be in compliance with legislative intent. Such state furnished housing shall include single-family and multi-family residences but shall not include any dormitory residences. Allowances for such utilities shall be prohibited.
476	474
477	475		SECTION 14. It is the intention of the Legislature that the funds herein appropriated shall be expended in compliance with Section 27-104-25, Mississippi Code of 1972, that no state agency shall incur obligations or indebtedness in excess of their appropriation and that the responsible officers, either personally or upon their official bonds, shall be held responsible for actions contrary to this provision.
478	476
479	477		SECTION 15. With the funds appropriated herein, the Department of Marine Resources is authorized to make payments for expenses incurred during prior fiscal years for an amount not to exceed Four Hundred Eight Thousand Six Hundred Fifty-seven Dollars and Forty Cents ($408,657.40).
480	478
481	479		SECTION 16. The money herein appropriated shall be paid by the State Treasurer out of any money in the State Treasury to the credit of the proper fund or funds as set forth in this act, upon warrants issued by the State Fiscal Officer; and the State Fiscal Officer shall issue his warrants upon requisitions signed by the proper person, officer or officers, in the manner provided by law.
482	480
483	481		SECTION 17. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2025.