Senate Bill 2656

(As Passed the Senate)

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 21-27-27, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO ALLOW A MUNICIPALITY TO EXEMPT FROM PAYMENT FOR TRASH DISPOSAL CERTAIN INDIGENT ELDERLY OR DISABLED PERSONS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. Section 21-27-27, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

21-27-27. (1) No free service shall be furnished by any such system, or combined system, to any private person, firm, corporation or association. The municipality may, however, furnish such service, free of charge, to the municipality or any agency or department thereof, to any public school, or to any hospital or benevolent institution located within such municipality, including county, city and community fairs.

(2) The municipality may exempt from an amount not to exceed twenty-five percent (25%) of the annual collection charges for the services of a garbage disposal system or rubbish disposal system any person suffering from total disability as determined by the federal Social Security Administration or who is sixty-five (65) years of age or older if the disabled or elderly person is the principal provider of income for the household and is indigent. For purposes of this section, "indigent" means that the annual household income of all persons living at the address, in the aggregate, does not exceed sixty percent (60%) of the most recently available poverty guidelines as issued by the Department of Health and Human Services and published in the Federal Register.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2003.