MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

1997 Regular Session

To: Environment Prot, Cons and Water Res; County Affairs

By: Senator(s) Dearing

Senate Bill 2902

(As Passed the Senate)

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 19-5-22, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO AUTHORIZE THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO COLLECT THE COSTS OF DELINQUENT GARBAGE FEE COLLECTION FROM THE PERSON OWING THE FEES; TO REQUIRE THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO PROVIDE NOTICE AND OPPORTUNITY FOR HEARING TO ANY PERSON OWING DELINQUENT GARBAGE FEES AND COSTS OF COLLECTION BEFORE NOTIFYING THE TAX COLLECTOR TO WITHHOLD A LICENSE TAG; TO PROVIDE FOR AN APPEAL OF THE DECISION OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS; TO AMEND SECTION 19-5-27, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO CLARIFY THAT CERTAIN SECTIONS ARE SUPPLEMENTAL TO LAWS FOR HANDLING GARBAGE AND RUBBISH REMOVAL; TO AMEND SECTION 19-5-109, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, IN CONFORMITY THERETO; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 

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

SECTION 1. Section 19-5-22, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

19-5-22. (1) Fees for garbage or rubbish collection or disposal shall be assessed jointly and severally against the generator of the garbage or rubbish and against the owner of the property furnished the service. Any person who pays, as a part of a rental or lease agreement, an amount for garbage or rubbish collection or disposal services shall not be held liable upon the failure of the property owner to pay those fees.

(2) Every generator assessed the fees authorized by Section 19-5-21 and the owner of the property occupied by that generator shall be jointly and severally liable for the fees. The fees and any costs of collection of delinquent fees shall be a lien upon the real property offered garbage or rubbish collection or disposal service.

The board of supervisors may assess the fees annually. If the fees are assessed annually, the fees for each calendar year shall be a lien upon the real property beginning on January 1 of the next immediately succeeding calendar year. The person or entity owing the fees, upon signing a form provided by the board of supervisors, may pay the fees in equal installments.

If fees are assessed on a basis other than annually, the fees and any collection costs shall become a lien on the real property offered the service on the date that the fees become due and payable.

No real or personal property shall be sold to satisfy any lien imposed under this subsection (2).

The county shall mail a notice of the lien, including the amount of unpaid fees and any collection costs and a description of the property subject to the lien, to the owner of the property.

(3) Liens created under subsection (2) may be discharged by filing with the circuit clerk a receipt or acknowledgement, signed by the designated county official or billing and collection entity, that the lien has been paid or discharged.

(4)(a) The board of supervisors may notify the tax collector of any unpaid fees assessed under Section 19-5-21 and any delinquent fees collection costs within ninety (90) days after the fees are due. Before notifying the tax collector, the board of supervisors shall provide notice of the delinquency to the person who owes the delinquent fees and the collection costs, and shall afford an opportunity for a hearing, which complies with the due process protections the board deems necessary, consistent with the Constitutions of the United States and the State of Mississippi. The board of supervisors shall establish procedures for the manner in which notice shall be given and the contents of the notice; however, each notice shall include the amount of fees and costs owed and shall prescribe the procedure required for payment of the delinquent fees and costs. The board of supervisors may designate any county employee under its control to serve as hearing officer.

(b) Upon receipt of a delinquency notice, the tax collector shall not issue or renew a motor vehicle road and bridge privilege license for any motor vehicle owned by a person who is delinquent in the payment of fees unless those fees and any delinquent fee collection costs in addition to any other taxes or fees assessed against the motor vehicle, are paid. Payment of any delinquent garbage fees shall be deemed a condition of receiving a motor vehicle road and privilege license tag.

(c) The tax collector may forward the motor vehicle road and privilege license tag renewal notices to the designated county official or entity that is responsible for the billing and collection of the county garbage fees. The designated county official or the billing and collection entity shall identify those license tags that shall not be issued due to delinquent garbage fees. The designated county official or the billing and collection entity shall stamp a message on the license tag renewal notices that the tag will not be renewed until delinquent garbage fees and any costs of collection are paid. The designated county official or the billing and collection entity shall return the license tag notices to the tax collector before the first of the month.

(d) Any appeal from a decision of the board of supervisors under this section regarding payment of delinquent garbage fees may be taken as provided in Section 11-51-75.

SECTION 2. Section 19-5-27, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

19-5-27.  * * * Sections 19-5-18 through 19-5-27 * * * provide counties a supplementary method for handling garbage and rubbish removal. These sections do not amend or repeal Section 19-5-17, * * * Sections 17-5-3 through 17-5-11, or any other * * * law relating to the subject, including any special or local law which may have been enacted or which may hereafter be enacted by the Legislature regarding payment of costs for garbage or rubbish removal or collection of delinquent fees assessed for garbage or rubbish removal.

SECTION 3. Section 19-5-109, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

19-5-109. (1) Each county and municipality shall make a good faith effort to estimate the cost of garbage and rubbish collection and disposal services. These costs may be met, in amounts necessary to defray the cost of the system, by any combination of generator fees, ad valorem tax revenues as authorized under Section 19-5-21 or Section 21-19-2, or county or municipal special funds as authorized under Section 19-5-21 or 21-19-2.

(2) Nothing in Chapter 624, Laws of 1994 shall be construed to abrogate or cancel any contract that a county or a municipality has entered into for garbage or rubbish collection or disposal. If a county or municipality entered into a contract before April 1, 1994, and the term or period of performance of that contract does not exceed five (5) years, the county or municipality may continue to levy the ad valorem tax assessment in effect before April 1, 1994, to honor the contract for the term of that contract.

SECTION 4. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage.