Mississippi House approves multiple local funding bills and tax measures

The Mississippi House of Representatives convened on March 24, 2025, at 4:00 PM to address a series of legislative items. The meeting began with a motion to reconsider a previous calendar item, which was tabled without opposition.

The first significant item discussed was House Bill 1954, which authorizes conviction assessments for Union County to support their law enforcement center. The bill passed unanimously with a vote of 17-0. Following this, House Bill 1961 was introduced, proposing a new 3% restaurant tax for the city of Verona, aimed at funding tourism and parks. This bill also passed with a vote of 114-1.

Subsequent bills included House Bill 1962, which allows Chickasaw County to utilize conviction assessments for their courthouse and detention facility, and House Bill 1963, which permits Panola County to build a jail outside city limits. Both bills passed without opposition.

House Bill 1965, authorizing Lee County to implement a new conviction assessment for courthouse funding, was also approved with a vote of 113-1. House Bill 1986 extended the financing period for Lee County's public safety facility from 25 to 30 years, passing with 119 votes in favor.

The House then moved to House Bill 1988, which allows Coloma County to contribute $100,000 to local ministries, and House Bill 1995, which authorizes Tunica County to contribute up to $10 million to its Economic Development Foundation. Both bills passed unanimously.

The meeting continued with a block motion for several Senate bills, all of which involved extending repeal dates for various measures by four years. These bills passed collectively with no objections.

Senate Bill 320258, which extends a tourism tax for Washington County and redistributes proceeds among local towns, was also passed after a brief discussion. Additionally, Senate Bill 3263, correcting a legal description for the Singing River Mall property, and Senate Bill 3264, a repealer bill for Olive Branch, both passed without opposition.

Finally, Senate Bill 3267, allowing Greenwood to bottle and sell its water with proceeds directed towards infrastructure improvements, was discussed. After addressing concerns about water quality and liability, the bill passed with a vote of 107-0.

The meeting concluded with announcements, including a reminder of a legislative reception and a Turkish cuisine dinner. The House adjourned until 10 AM the following day, marking the end of a productive session focused on local governance and community funding initiatives.