MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

2003 Regular Session

To: Finance

By: Senator(s) Minor, Blackmon, Chamberlin, Dearing, Dickerson, Frazier, Furniss, Hamilton, Harden, Harvey, Hyde-Smith, Jackson, Johnson (19th), Mettetal, Moffatt, Posey, Thames, Walden, Walls, Williamson

Senate Bill 2988

(As Passed the Senate)

AN ACT TO AUTHORIZE THE ISSUANCE OF STATE GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS FOR THE PURPOSE OF MAKING CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS FOR INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING, STATE AGENCIES AND COMMUNITY AND JUNIOR COLLEGES; TO AUTHORIZE PREPLANNING OF CERTAIN FACILITIES; TO PROVIDE FOR THE ISSUANCE OF STATE GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS FOR THE AYERS SETTLEMENT CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS FUND; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

     SECTION 1.  As used in this act, the following words shall have the meanings ascribed herein unless the context clearly requires otherwise:

          (a)  "Accreted value" of any bond means, as of any date of computation, an amount equal to the sum of (i) the stated initial value of such bond, plus (ii) the interest accrued thereon from the issue date to the date of computation at the rate, compounded semiannually, that is necessary to produce the approximate yield to maturity shown for bonds of the same maturity.

          (b)  "State" means the State of Mississippi.

          (c)  "Commission" means the State Bond Commission.

     SECTION 2.  (1)  (a)  A special fund, to be designated as the "2003 IHL and State Agencies Capital Improvements Fund," is created within the State Treasury.  The fund shall be maintained by the State Treasurer as a separate and special fund, separate and apart from the General Fund of the state.  Unexpended amounts remaining in the fund at the end of a fiscal year shall not lapse into the State General Fund, and any interest earned or investment earnings on amounts in the fund shall be deposited into such fund.

          (b)  Monies deposited into the fund shall be disbursed, in the discretion of the Department of Finance and Administration, to pay the costs of capital improvements, renovation and/or repair of existing facilities, furnishings and/or equipping facilities for public facilities for agencies or their successors as hereinafter described:

         NAME                      PROJECT          AMOUNT

                                                     ALLOCATED

INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING................. $ 67,940,000.00

Alcorn State University......................... $  6,000,000.00

     Phase I construction of

        a new dining

        facility................... $ 5,000,000.00

     Repair and renovation of campus

        buildings and facilities and repair,

        renovation, replacement and improvement

        of campus infrastructure... $ 1,000,000.00

Delta State University.......................... $  6,980,000.00

     Additions to the Chadwick

        Dickson Building........... $ 1,980,000.00

     Repair and renovation of campus

        buildings and facilities and repair,

        renovation, replacement and improvement

        of campus infrastructure... $ 5,000,000.00

Jackson State University........................ $  6,400,000.00

     Phase II of acquiring and installing any

        equipment necessary in

        establishing and maintaining

        a digital transmission

        system for TV23............ $ 1,000,000.00

     Relocation of the

        baseball field............. $ 1,500,000.00

     Enclosure for the Lynch

        Street Canal............... $   400,000.00

     Acquisition of land........... $   500,000.00

     Phase II of the Lynch

        Street Corridor

        Project.................... $ 1,500,000.00

     Repair and renovation

        of Dansby Hall............. $ 1,500,000.00

Mississippi University for Women................ $  4,500,000.00

     Repair and renovation of

        Martin Hall................ $ 4,500,000.00

Mississippi State University.................... $ 10,960,000.00

     Phase I of repair and renovation

        of Colvard Student

        Union...................... $10,000,000.00

     Expansion of the North

        Mississippi Research

        and Extension Center....... $   960,000.00

Mississippi State University/Division of Agriculture,

  Forestry and Veterinary Medicine.............. $  4,750,000.00

     Phase I construction of

        a new building for the

        Department of

        Agricultural and

        Biological Engineering..... $ 4,750,000.00

Mississippi Valley State University............. $  4,000,000.00

     Repair and renovation of campus

        buildings and facilities and

        repair, renovation, replacement

        and improvement of campus

        infrastructure............. $ 4,000,000.00

University of Mississippi....................... $  9,500,000.00

     Renovation of Farley Hall..... $ 5,000,000.00

     Final phase of renovation

        of Bryant Hall............. $ 2,500,000.00

     Final phase of relocation

        of the Physical Plant...... $ 1,000,000.00

     Repair and renovation of campus

        buildings and facilities and

        repair, renovation, replacement

        and improvement of campus

        infrastructure............. $ 1,000,000.00

University Medical Center....................... $  3,000,000.00

     Repair and renovation of campus

        buildings and facilities and

        repair, renovation, replacement

        and improvement of campus

        infrastructure............. $ 3,000,000.00

University of Southern Mississippi.............. $  7,000,000.00

     Repair and renovation of campus

        buildings and facilities and

        repair, renovation, replacement

        and improvement of campus

        infrastructure............. $ 3,000,000.00

     Renovation of the Green

        Multipurpose Facility...... $ 2,000,000.00

     Completion of the polymer

        product processing

        laboratory................. $ 2,000,000.00

University of Southern Mississippi/

  Gulf Coast Campus............................. $  1,400,000.00

     Phase I of completion of

        planning and construction of

        a nursing facility......... $ 1,000,000.00

     Land acquisition.............. $   400,000.00

University of Southern Mississippi/

  Gulf Coast Research Laboratory................ $    750,000.00

     Repair and renovation of campus

        buildings and facilities and

        repair, renovation, replacement

        and improvement of campus

        infrastructure............. $   750,000.00

University of Southern Mississippi/

  Stennis Space Center.......................... $  1,000,000.00

     Expansion, furnishing

        and equipping of

        the High Performance

        Visualization Center....... $ 1,000,000.00

Education and Research Center................... $    700,000.00

     Re-roofing of the

        Tower Building............. $   280,000.00

     Resurfacing of the streets

        on the campus of the

        Center..................... $   170,000.00

     Retrofitting of the

        lighting at the Center..... $   250,000.00

Board of Trustees of State Institutions of

  Higher Learning............................... $  1,000,000.00

     Preparation of master plans for

        each campus................ $ 1,000,000.00

STATE AGENCIES................................. $  46,640,000.00

Department of Mental Health.................... $   7,640,000.00

     Completion of construction

        of mental health crisis

        intervention centers first

        authorized by Chapter 463,

        Laws of 1999............... $ 2,410,000.00

     Construction of a

        maintenance/warehouse

        building at the Mississippi

        State Hospital............. $ 1,430,000.00

     Completion of furnishing and

        equipping of nursing

        home facilities at

        the East Mississippi

        State Hospital............. $ 1,000,000.00

     Construction, furnishing and

        equipping of two (2)

        intermediate care facilities

        for the mentally retarded

        (community group homes).... $ 2,800,000.00

Department of Finance and Administration........ $ 16,600,000.00

     Completion of construction, equipping

        and furnishing of a justice

        facility to accommodate the

        Supreme Court, Court of Appeals

        and State Law Library...... $16,000,000.00

     Preplanning for the project described

        in subsection (5) of this

        section.................... $   600,000.00

Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks..... $    650,000.00

     Construction, furnishing and

        equipping of two (2) duplex

        cabins at Trace State Park

        and utility connections,

        road extensions and

        parking areas for

        such cabins................ $   325,000.00

     Construction, furnishing and

        equipping of two (2) duplex

        cabins at Lake Lowndes State

        Park and utility connections,

        road extensions and parking

        areas for such cabins...... $   325,000.00

Mississippi Forestry Commission................. $  1,000,000.00

     Repair, renovation of equipment

        storage facilities and

        asbestos removal........... $   500,000.00

     Construction of facilities

        to produce containerized

        seedlings.................. $   500,000.00

Mississippi Library Commission.................. $  3,500,000.00

     Furnishing and equipping

        of the new Mississippi

        Library Commission

        Building................... $ 3,500,000.00

Mississippi National Guard...................... $  1,900,000.00

     Provide matching funds to the

        National Guard for construction

        of an armory in Kosciusko,

        Mississippi................ $ 1,400,000.00

     Provide matching funds to the

        National Guard for armory

        maintenance and repair

        projects................... $   500,000.00

Department of Archives and History.............. $  4,820,000.00

     Repair and renovation of

        the Charlotte Capers

        Building................... $ 4,820,000.00

Department of Information and Technology Services$  2,230,000.00

     Installation of communications

        infrastructure at the capitol

        complex, the Education

        and Research Center Campus

        and other state buildings and

        connections between

        such locations............. $ 2,230,000.00

Mississippi Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory.... $  6,000,000.00

     Phase II of construction of the

        Mississippi Veterinary Diagnostic

        Laboratory in Jackson...... $ 6,000,000.00

State Fire Academy.............................. $  2,300,000.00

     Construction, equipping and

        furnishing a new burn building

        with gas fire simulators

   and other related

   facilities................. $ 2,300,000.00

TOTAL........................................... $114,255,000.00

     (2)  (a)  Amounts deposited into such special fund shall be disbursed to pay the costs of projects described in subsection (1) of this section.  If any monies in such special fund are not used within four (4) years after the date the proceeds of the bonds authorized under this act are deposited into the special fund, then the agency or institution of higher learning for which any unused monies are allocated under subsection (1) of this section shall provide an accounting of such unused monies to the commission.  Promptly after the commission has certified, by resolution duly adopted, that the projects described in subsection (1) of this section shall have been completed, abandoned, or cannot be completed in a timely fashion, any amounts remaining in such special fund shall be applied to pay debt service on the bonds issued under this act, in accordance with the proceedings authorizing the issuance of such bonds and as directed by the commission.

          (b)  Monies in the special fund may be used to reimburse reasonable, actual and necessary costs incurred by the Department of Finance and Administration, acting through the Bureau of Building, Grounds and Real Property Management, in administering or providing assistance directly related to a project described in subsection (1) of this section.  Reimbursement may be made only until such time as the project is completed.  An accounting of actual costs incurred for which reimbursement is sought shall be maintained for each project by the Department of Finance and Administration, Bureau of Building, Grounds and Real Property Management.  Reimbursement of reasonable, actual and necessary costs for a project shall not exceed three percent (3%) of the proceeds of bonds issued for such project.  Monies authorized for a particular project may not be used to reimburse administrative costs for unrelated projects.

     (3)  The Department of Finance and Administration, acting through the Bureau of Building, Grounds and Real Property Management, is expressly authorized and empowered to receive and expend any local or other source funds in connection with the expenditure of funds provided for in this section.  The expenditure of monies deposited into the special fund shall be under the direction of the Department of Finance and Administration, and such funds shall be paid by the State Treasurer upon warrants issued by such department, which warrants shall be issued upon requisitions signed by the Executive Director of the Department of Finance and Administration, or his designee.

     (4)  Any amounts allocated to an agency or institution of higher learning that are in excess of that needed to complete the projects at such agency or institution of higher learning that are described in subsection (1) of this section may be used for general repairs and renovations at the agency or institution of higher learning to which such amount is allocated.

     (5)  The Department of Finance and Administration, acting through the Bureau of Building, Grounds and Real Property Management, is authorized to preplan a female receiving unit at the Mississippi State Hospital.  The project authorized in this subsection shall be in addition to the projects authorized in subsection (1) of this section.

     SECTION 3.  (1)  (a)  A special fund, to be designated as the "2003 Community and Junior Colleges Capital Improvements Fund" is created within the State Treasury.  The fund shall be maintained by the State Treasurer as a separate and special fund, separate and apart from the General Fund of the state.  Unexpended amounts remaining in the fund at the end of a fiscal year shall not lapse into the State General Fund, and any interest earned or investment earnings on amounts in the fund shall be deposited to the credit of the fund.  Monies in the fund may not be used or expended for any purpose except as authorized under this act.

          (b)  Monies deposited into the fund shall be disbursed, in the discretion of the Department of Finance and Administration, to pay the costs of acquisition of real property, construction of new facilities and addition to or renovation of existing facilities for community and junior college campuses as recommended by the State Board for Community and Junior Colleges.  The amount to be expended at each community and junior college is as follows:

Coahoma..................................... $  675,264.00

Copiah-Lincoln..............................     796,970.00

East Central................................     717,168.00

East Mississippi............................     827,782.00

Hinds.......................................   1,564,648.00

Holmes......................................     861,367.00

Itawamba....................................     906,352.00

Jones.......................................   1,085,985.00

Meridian....................................     828,399.00

Mississippi Delta...........................     872,460.00

Mississippi Gulf Coast......................   1,383,012.00

Northeast Mississippi.......................     866,451.00

Northwest Mississippi.......................   1,108,324.00

Pearl River.................................     835,639.00

Southwest Mississippi.......................     670,180.00

GRAND TOTAL................................. $14,000,000.00

     (2)  Amounts deposited into such special fund shall be disbursed to pay the costs of projects described in subsection (1) of this section.  If any monies in such special fund are not used within four (4) years after the date the proceeds of the bonds authorized under this act are deposited into the special fund, then the community college or junior college for which any such monies are allocated under subsection (1) of this section shall provide an accounting of such unused monies to the commission.  Promptly after the commission has certified, by resolution duly adopted, that the projects described in subsection (1) of this section shall have been completed, abandoned, or cannot be completed in a timely fashion, any amounts remaining in such special fund shall be applied to pay debt service on the bonds issued under this act, in accordance with the proceedings authorizing the issuance of such bonds and as directed by the commission.

     (3)  The Department of Finance and Administration, acting through the Bureau of Building, Grounds and Real Property Management, is expressly authorized and empowered to receive and expend any local or other source funds in connection with the expenditure of funds provided for in this section.  The expenditure of monies deposited into the special fund shall be under the direction of the Department of Finance and Administration, and such funds shall be paid by the State Treasurer upon warrants issued by such department, which warrants shall be issued upon requisitions signed by the Executive Director of the Department of Finance and Administration, or his designee.

     SECTION 4.  (1)  (a)  A special fund, to be designated as the "2003 Ayers Settlement Agreement Capital Improvements Fund," is created within the State Treasury.  The fund shall be maintained by the State Treasurer as a separate and special fund, separate and apart from the General Fund of the state.  Unexpended amounts remaining in the fund at the end of a fiscal year shall not lapse into the State General Fund, and any interest earned or investment earnings on amounts in the fund shall be deposited to the credit of the fund.  Monies in the fund may not be used or expended for any purpose except as authorized under this section.

          (b)  Monies deposited into the fund shall constitute Ayers bond revenues to be disbursed by the Department of Finance and Administration to pay the costs of capital improvements at Alcorn State University, Jackson State University and Mississippi Valley State University as recommended by the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning in order to comply with the Settlement Agreement in the case of Ayers vs. Musgrove.

     (2)  Amounts deposited into such special fund shall be disbursed to pay the costs of projects described in subsection (1) of this section.

     (3)  The Department of Finance and Administration, acting through the Bureau of Building, Grounds and Real Property Management, is expressly authorized and empowered to receive and expend any local or other source funds in connection with the expenditure of funds provided for in this section.  The expenditure of monies deposited into the special fund shall be under the direction of the Department of Finance and Administration, and such funds shall be paid by the State Treasurer upon warrants issued by such department, which warrants shall be issued upon requisitions signed by the Executive Director of the Department of Finance and Administration, or his designee.

     (4)  It is the intent of the Legislature that not less than ten percent (10%) of the amounts authorized to be expended in this section shall be expended with small business concerns owned and controlled by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals.  The term "socially and economically disadvantaged individuals" shall have the meaning ascribed to such term under Section 8(d) of the Small Business Act (15 USCS, Section 637(d)) and relevant subcontracting regulations promulgated pursuant thereto; except that women shall be presumed to be socially and economically disadvantaged individuals for the purposes of this subsection.

     SECTION 5.  (1)  (a)  A special fund, to be designated as the "2003 Mississippi EDNET Fund," is created within the State Treasury.  The fund shall be maintained by the State Treasurer as a separate and special fund, separate and apart from the General Fund of the state.  Unexpended amounts remaining in the fund at the end of a fiscal year shall not lapse into the State General Fund, and any interest earned or investment earnings on amounts in the fund shall be deposited to the credit of the fund.  Monies in the fund may not be used or expended for any purpose except as authorized under this section.

          (b)  Monies deposited into the fund shall be disbursed by the Department of Finance and Administration to the Mississippi EDNET Institute, to pay the costs of engineering, procuring and installing equipment and facilities consisting of digital microwave interconnect and support equipment, digital video encoding and decoding equipment, digital ITFS transmission equipment, antennas and transmission lines and/or any equipment useful in establishing or maintaining a digital or analog transmission or origination system in order to complete the existing but incomplete EDNET ITFS statewide network.

     (2)  Amounts deposited into such special fund shall be disbursed to the Mississippi EDNET Institute to pay the costs of projects described in subsection (1) of this section.

     (3)  The expenditure of monies deposited into the special fund shall be under the direction of the Department of Finance and Administration, and such funds shall be paid by the State Treasurer to the Mississippi EDNET Institute upon warrants issued by such department, which warrants shall be issued upon requisitions signed by the Executive Director of the Department of Finance and Administration, or his designee.

     SECTION 6.  (1)  (a)  A special fund, to be designated as the "2003 Chalmers Institute Repair and Renovation Fund," is created within the State Treasury.  The fund shall be maintained by the State Treasurer as a separate and special fund, separate and apart from the General Fund of the state.  Unexpended amounts remaining in the fund at the end of a fiscal year shall not lapse into the State General Fund, and any interest earned or investment earnings on amounts in the fund shall be deposited to the credit of the fund.  Monies in the fund may not be used or expended for any purpose except as authorized under this section.

          (b)  Monies deposited into the fund shall be disbursed by the Department of Finance and Administration, to pay the costs of repairs and renovations of the Chalmers Institute in Holly Springs, Mississippi.

     (2)  Amounts deposited into such special fund shall be disbursed to pay the costs of projects described in subsection (1) of this section.

     (3)  The Department of Finance and Administration, acting through the Bureau of Building, Grounds and Real Property Management, is expressly authorized and empowered to receive and expend any local or other source funds in connection with the expenditure of funds provided for in this section.  The expenditure of monies deposited into the special fund shall be under the direction of the Department of Finance and Administration, and such funds shall be paid by the State Treasurer upon warrants issued by such department, which warrants shall be issued upon requisitions signed by the Executive Director of the Department of Finance and Administration, or his designee.

     SECTION 7.  (1)  (a)  A special fund, to be designated as the "2003 Hillcrest Cemetery Repair Fund," is created within the State Treasury.  The fund shall be maintained by the State Treasurer as a separate and special fund, separate and apart from the General Fund of the state.  Unexpended amounts remaining in the fund at the end of a fiscal year shall not lapse into the State General Fund, and any interest earned or investment earnings on amounts in the fund shall be deposited to the credit of the fund.  Monies in the fund may not be used or expended for any purpose except as authorized under this section.

          (b)  Monies deposited into the fund shall be disbursed by the Department of Finance and Administration to the City of Holly Springs, Mississippi, to pay the costs of repairs to the historical portion of the Hillcrest Cemetery.

     (2)  Amounts deposited into such special fund shall be disbursed by the Department of Finance and Administration to pay the costs of projects described in subsection (1) of this section.

     (3)  Such funds shall be paid by the State Treasurer to the City of Corinth, Mississippi, upon warrants issued by the Department of Finance and Administration, which warrants shall be issued upon requisitions signed by the Executive Director of the Department of Finance and Administration, or his designee.

     SECTION 8.  (1)  The commission, at one time, or from time to time, may declare by resolution the necessity for issuance of general obligation bonds of the State of Mississippi to provide funds for all costs incurred or to be incurred for the purposes described in Sections 2, 3, 5, 6 and 7 of this act.  Upon the adoption of a resolution by the Department of Finance and Administration, declaring the necessity for the issuance of any part or all of the general obligation bonds authorized by this section, the Department of Finance and Administration shall deliver a certified copy of its resolution or resolutions to the commission.  Upon receipt of such resolution, the commission, in its discretion, may act as the issuing agent, prescribe the form of the bonds, advertise for and accept bids, issue and sell the bonds so authorized to be sold and do any and all other things necessary and advisable in connection with the issuance and sale of such bonds.  Except as otherwise provided in Section 9 of this act, the total amount of bonds issued under this act shall not exceed One Hundred Twenty-nine Million Seven Hundred Thousand Dollars ($129,700,000.00).  No bonds shall be issued under this section after July 1, 2006.

     (2)  The proceeds of the bonds issued pursuant to this act shall be deposited into the following special funds in not more than the following amounts:

(a)  The 2003 IHL Capital and State Agencies Improvements Fund created pursuant to Section 2 of this

act............................................ $114,580,000.00.

          (b)  The 2003 Community and Junior College Capital Improvements Fund created pursuant to Section 3 of this

act............................................ $ 14,000,000.00.

          (c)  The 2003 Mississippi EDNET Fund created pursuant to

Section 5 of this act.......................... $  1,000,000.00.

(d)  The 2003 Chalmers Institute Repair and Renovation

Fund created pursuant to Section 6 of this act. $     90,000.00.

          (e)  The 2003 Hillcrest Cemetery Fund created pursuant

to Section 7 of this act....................... $     30,000.00.

     (3)  Any investment earnings on amounts deposited into the special funds created in Sections 2, 3, 5, 6 and 7 of this act shall be used to pay debt service on bonds issued under this act, in accordance with the proceedings authorizing issuance of such bonds.

     SECTION 9.  (1)  The United States District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi having approved the Settlement Agreement in the case of Ayers v. Musgrove and on notification that such agreement has become final and effective according to its terms, including, but not limited to, the exhaustion of all rights to appeal, the commission, at one time, or from time to time, shall declare by resolution the necessity for issuance of general obligation bonds of the State of Mississippi to provide funds for all costs incurred or to be incurred for the purposes describe in Section 4 of this act.  Upon the adoption of a resolution by the Department of Finance and Administration declaring the necessity for the issuance of any part or all of the general obligation bonds authorized by this section, the Department of Finance and Administration shall deliver a certified copy of its resolution or resolutions to the commission.  Upon receipt of such resolution, the commission, in its discretion, may act as the issuing agent, prescribe the form of the bonds so authorized to be sold and do any and all other things necessary and advisable in connection with the issuance and sale of such bonds.  The total amount of bonds issued pursuant to this section shall not exceed Fifteen Million Dollars ($15,000,000.00).

     (2)  The proceeds of the bonds issued pursuant to this section shall be deposited into the special fund created in Section 4 of this act.  Any investment earnings on amount deposited into the special fund created in Section 4 of this act shall be used to pay debt service on bonds issued under this act, in accordance with the proceedings authorizing the issuance of such bonds.

     SECTION 10.  The principal of and interest on the bonds authorized under this act shall be payable in the manner provided in this section.  Such bonds shall bear such date or dates, be in such denomination or denominations, bear interest at such rate or rates (not to exceed the limits set forth in Section 75-17-101, Mississippi Code of 1972), be payable at such place or places within or without the State of Mississippi, shall mature absolutely at such time or times not to exceed twenty-five (25) years from date of issue, be redeemable before maturity at such time or times and upon such terms, with or without premium, shall bear such registration privileges, and shall be substantially in such form, all as shall be determined by resolution of the commission.

     SECTION 11.  The bonds authorized by this act shall be signed by the chairman of the commission, or by his facsimile signature, and the official seal of the commission shall be affixed thereto, attested by the secretary of the commission.  The interest coupons, if any, to be attached to such bonds may be executed by the facsimile signatures of such officers.  Whenever any such bonds shall have been signed by the officials designated to sign the bonds who were in office at the time of such signing but who may have ceased to be such officers before the sale and delivery of such bonds, or who may not have been in office on the date such bonds may bear, the signatures of such officers upon such bonds and coupons shall nevertheless be valid and sufficient for all purposes and have the same effect as if the person so officially signing such bonds had remained in office until their delivery to the purchaser, or had been in office on the date such bonds may bear.  However, notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, such bonds may be issued as provided in the Registered Bond Act of the State of Mississippi.

     SECTION 12.  All bonds and interest coupons issued under the provisions of this act have all the qualities and incidents of negotiable instruments under the provisions of the Uniform Commercial Code, and in exercising the powers granted by this act, the commission shall not be required to and need not comply with the provisions of the Uniform Commercial Code.

     SECTION 13.  The commission shall act as the issuing agent for the bonds authorized under this act, prescribe the form of the bonds, advertise for and accept bids, issue and sell the bonds so authorized to be sold, pay all fees and costs incurred in such issuance and sale, and do any and all other things necessary and advisable in connection with the issuance and sale of such bonds.  The commission is authorized and empowered to pay the costs that are incident to the sale, issuance and delivery of the bonds authorized under this act from the proceeds derived from the sale of such bonds.  The commission shall sell such bonds on sealed bids at public sale, and for such price as it may determine to be for the best interest of the State of Mississippi, but no such sale shall be made at a price less than par plus accrued interest to the date of delivery of the bonds to the purchaser.  All interest accruing on such bonds so issued shall be payable semiannually or annually; however, the first interest payment may be for any period of not more than one (1) year.

     Notice of the sale of any such bonds shall be published at least one time, not less than ten (10) days before the date of sale, and shall be so published in one or more newspapers published or having a general circulation in the City of Jackson, Mississippi, and in one or more other newspapers or financial journals with a national circulation, to be selected by the commission.

     The commission, when issuing any bonds under the authority of this act, may provide that bonds, at the option of the State of Mississippi, may be called in for payment and redemption at the call price named therein and accrued interest on such date or dates named therein.

     SECTION 14.  The bonds issued under the provisions of this act are general obligations of the State of Mississippi, and for the payment thereof the full faith and credit of the State of Mississippi is irrevocably pledged.  If the funds appropriated by the Legislature are insufficient to pay the principal of and the interest on such bonds as they become due, then the deficiency shall be paid by the State Treasurer from any funds in the State Treasury not otherwise appropriated.  All such bonds shall contain recitals on their faces substantially covering the provisions of this section.

     SECTION 15.  Upon the issuance and sale of bonds under the provisions of this act, the commission shall transfer the proceeds of any such sale or sales to the special funds created in Sections 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 of this act in the amounts provided for in Sections 8(2) and 9 of this act.  The proceeds of such bonds shall be disbursed solely upon the order of the Department of Finance and Administration under such restrictions, if any, as may be contained in the resolution providing for the issuance of the bonds.

     SECTION 16.  The bonds authorized under this act may be issued without any other proceedings or the happening of any other conditions or things other than those proceedings, conditions and things which are specified or required by this act.  Any resolution providing for the issuance of bonds under the provisions of this act shall become effective immediately upon its adoption by the commission, and any such resolution may be adopted at any regular or special meeting of the commission by a majority of its members.

     SECTION 17.  The bonds authorized under the authority of this act may be validated in the Chancery Court of the First Judicial District of Hinds County, Mississippi, in the manner and with the force and effect provided by Chapter 13, Title 31, Mississippi Code of 1972, for the validation of county, municipal, school district and other bonds.  The notice to taxpayers required by such statutes shall be published in a newspaper published or having a general circulation in the City of Jackson, Mississippi.

     SECTION 18.  Any holder of bonds issued under the provisions of this act or of any of the interest coupons pertaining thereto may, either at law or in equity, by suit, action, mandamus or other proceeding, protect and enforce any and all rights granted under this act, or under such resolution, and may enforce and compel performance of all duties required by this act to be performed, in order to provide for the payment of bonds and interest thereon.

     SECTION 19.  All bonds issued under the provisions of this act shall be legal investments for trustees and other fiduciaries, and for savings banks, trust companies and insurance companies organized under the laws of the State of Mississippi, and such bonds shall be legal securities which may be deposited with and shall be received by all public officers and bodies of this state and all municipalities and political subdivisions for the purpose of securing the deposit of public funds.

     SECTION 20.  Bonds issued under the provisions of this act and income therefrom shall be exempt from all taxation in the State of Mississippi.

     SECTION 21.  The proceeds of the bonds issued under this act shall be used solely for the purposes herein provided, including the costs incident to the issuance and sale of such bonds.

     SECTION 22.  The State Treasurer is authorized, without further process of law, to certify to the Department of Finance and Administration the necessity for warrants, and the Department of Finance and Administration is authorized and directed to issue such warrants, in such amounts as may be necessary to pay when due the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on, or the accreted value of, all bonds issued under this act; and the State Treasurer shall forward the necessary amount to the designated place or places of payment of such bonds in ample time to discharge such bonds, or the interest thereon, on the due dates thereof.

     SECTION 23.  This act shall be deemed to be full and complete authority for the exercise of the powers herein granted, but this act shall not be deemed to repeal or to be in derogation of any existing law of this state.

     SECTION 24.  This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage.