House Bill 756

AN ACT TO PROVIDE THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION, BUREAU OF BUILDINGS, GROUNDS AND REAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT SHALL DETERMINE THE ESTIMATED COSTS TO REPAIR THE WALNUT GROVE CORRECTIONAL FACILITY; TO PROVIDE THAT AFTER THE DETERMINATION OF COSTS IS MADE, THE BUREAU OF BUILDINGS, GROUNDS AND REAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT SHALL MAKE A CERTAIN REPORT DETAILING THE NEEDED REPAIRS AND THE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH SUCH REPAIRS; TO CREATE A SPECIAL FUND IN THE STATE TREASURY DESIGNATED AS THE "CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION FUND"; TO PROVIDE CERTAIN FUNDING OF THE FUND; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. (1) The Department of Finance and Administration, Bureau of Buildings, Grounds and Real Property Management shall determine the estimated costs for the repair, renovation and improvement of the Walnut Grove Correctional Facility. Any determinations of needed repair, renovation and improvement of the facility shall meet American Correctional Association safety standards and shall accommodate all custody levels of inmates except those inmates housed pursuant to a sentence of death.

(2) After an estimation of the costs are determined, pursuant to subsection (1), the Bureau of Buildings, Grounds and Real Property Management shall submit to the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Chairmen of the Corrections Committees of the House of Representatives and Senate a report detailing the estimated costs for the repair, renovation and improvement of the correctional facility. The report shall be submitted within fifteen (15) days after the effective date of this act.

(3) (a) There is created in the State Treasury a special fund to be designated as the "Correctional Facilities Assessment and Evaluation Fund," which shall consist of funds appropriated or otherwise made available by the Legislature in any manner and funds from any other source designated for deposit into such fund. Unexpended amounts remaining in the fund at the end of a fiscal year shall not lapse into the State General Fund, and any investment earnings or interest earned on amounts in the fund shall be deposited to the credit of the fund. Monies in the fund shall be used by the Department of Finance and Administration, Bureau of Buildings, Grounds and Real Property Management for the purposes described in this section.

(b) During the 2020 Regular Legislative Session, the Legislature shall appropriate Fifty Thousand Dollars ($50,000.00) to the Correctional Facilities Assessment and Evaluation Fund to be utilized by the Department of Finance and Administration, Bureau of Buildings, Grounds and Real Property Management as prescribed under this section.

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