MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2007 Regular Session
To: Environment Prot, Cons and Water Res; Appropriations
By: Senator(s) Dawkins
AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 65-1-165, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO AUTHORIZE A STATEWIDE TOLL-FREE HOTLINE FOR REPORTING LITTERING VIOLATIONS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:
SECTION 1. Section 65-1-165, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
65-1-165. The State Highway Department is hereby authorized to execute a contract with Keep Mississippi Beautiful, Inc., to develop and implement a comprehensive statewide program of litter prevention. The contract shall contain provisions to require that Keep Mississippi Beautiful, Inc., will:
(a) Encourage and assist local communities to become certified Keep America Beautiful systems.
(b) Serve as a state clearinghouse of information on ideas and projects to make local litter prevention programs more effective.
(c) Implement statewide communication programs to alert people to the problem of littering and how it can be corrected.
(d) Coordinate an annual statewide project which will heighten public awareness of the problem of littering.
(e) Establish an annual awards program to recognize individual and community achievement in litter prevention.
(f) Serve as the authority which approves and disburses financial assistance to any nonprofit corporation, county or municipality which, in a written application, seeks such assistance to implement a local litter prevention project. The financial assistance authorized herein shall not exceed forty percent (40%) of the cost of the local litter prevention project for which such assistance is sought.
(g) Encourage donation of funds from the private sector to assist in defraying the operation of the litter prevention program implemented pursuant to this section.
(h) to establish and maintain a statewide toll-free hotline for reporting littering violations.
The contract may include any additional provisions which the highway department deems necessary to effectuate the litter prevention program contemplated by this section.
Keep Mississippi Beautiful, Inc., shall submit to the highway department on or before August 1 of each year a written report detailing the operation of the litter prevention program statewide and its expenditure of monies for such program during the preceding state fiscal year.
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2007.