MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

1997 Regular Session

To: Appropriations

By: Senator(s) Hall

AN ACT TO ESTABLISH THE MUSEUM TRUST FUND; TO PROVIDE THAT MONIES IN THE FUND SHALL BE USED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF ARCHIVES AND HISTORY FOR THE PURPOSE OF ACQUIRING, CATALOGING, CONSERVING AND EXHIBITING ARTIFACTS; TO AUTHORIZE THE DEPARTMENT OF ARCHIVES AND HISTORY TO SOLICIT GIFTS AND ACCEPT DONATIONS FOR SUCH FUND; TO AUTHORIZE THE DEPARTMENT TO SELL DONATED PROPERTY AND DEPOSIT THE PROCEEDS IN SUCH FUND; TO AUTHORIZE THE DEPARTMENT TO DEPOSIT CERTAIN OTHER MONIES INTO THE FUND; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. The Mississippi Department of Archives and History is hereby authorized and empowered to solicit and accept donations, bequests, devises, gifts and grants of money from individuals, organizations and corporations, to be deposited in the Museum Trust Fund which is hereby created in the State Treasury. The State Treasurer shall invest all monies in the Museum Trust Fund as other state funds are authorized to be invested, and any interest earned shall be deposited into the fund. All funds deposited in the Museum Trust Fund shall be used, pursuant to appropriation by the Legislature, exclusively for the purpose of acquiring, cataloging, conserving and exhibiting artifacts.

The Mississippi Department of Archives and History is hereby authorized and empowered to solicit and accept donations, bequests, devises, gifts and grants of real and personal property. The Board of Trustees of the Department of Archives and History may, in its discretion, sell such property by public or private sale and shall deposit proceeds derived from such sale into the Museum Trust Fund.

The Board of Trustees of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History is authorized and empowered, in its discretion, to deposit into the Museum Trust Fund any monies in the Department's Museum Gift Fund and any monies received as a result of royalty or use fee payments.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage.