House Bill 1728

AN ACT MAKING AN ADDITIONAL APPROPRIATION OF CAPITAL EXPENSE FUNDS, AND SPECIAL FUNDS TO DEFRAY THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE FOR FISCAL YEAR 2020; THE MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS; THE STATE VETERAN’S AFFAIRS BOARD; BOARD OF COSMETOLOGY FOR FISCAL YEAR 2020; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. In addition to all other sums herein appropriated, the following sum, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated out of any money to the credit of the Capital Expense Fund, and allocated in a manner as determined by the Treasurer's Office, to defray the expenses of paying for certain outside legal assistance, expert witness fees, court fees, judgments and settlement agreements incurred by the Office of the Attorney General for the period beginning upon passage of this act and ending June 30, 2020................ $ 880,551.00.

Of the funds appropriated in this section, the following amounts are provided:

(a) Olivia Y., et al v. Phil Bryant, as Governor of the State of Mississippi and the Department of Human Services, United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi, Jackson Division, Cause No. 3:03cv251(L)(N)............................................

................................................ $ 424,175.00.

(b) State of Mississippi v. Dale Partners Architects P.A.; Earl Walls Associates aka NTH, Inc.; Eldridge & Associates; Environmental Management Plus; in the Circuit Court of Hinds County, Mississippi, Civil Action Number 14-666...........................................

................................................ $ 85,000.00.

(c) Settlement between the United States Environmental Protection Agency and State of Mississippi; Chemfax Inc., Superfund Site, Gulfport, Harrison County, Mississippi, Site/Spill ID Number: 04JF, CERCLA ID Number: MSD008154486, Settlement Agreement for the Recovery of Response Costs, Docket No. CERCLA-04-2014-3756............... $ 2,627.00.

(d) William Scott Ashwell v. State of Mississippi, No. 18-CV-17AM; Lawrence County Circuit Court...................... $ 75,000.00.

(e) Larry Ruffin Estate v. State of Mississippi, Circuit Court of Forrest County, Mississippi, Claimant No. CI-11-0238.............

................................................. $ 50,000.00.

(f) Jimmie Bass v. State of Mississippi, Circuit Court of Bolivar County, Mississippi, Claimant No. 2011-0009.....................

................................................ $ 50,000.00.

(g) Rolland Glen Anderson v. State of Mississippi, Circuit Court of Hinds County, Mississippi, Claimant No. 251-09-640CIV............

................................................. $ 50,000.00.

(h) Tyler Edmonds v. State of Mississippi, Circuit Court of Oktibbeha County, Mississippi, Claimant No. 2009-0457-CV.........

................................................. $ 50,000.00.

(i) Tyler Edmonds attorney fees.............. $ 33,750.00.

(j) Natasha Orlantha Stewart v. State of Mississippi, Circuit Court of Hinds County, Mississippi, Civil Action No. 25C11:17-cv-00349 $ 50,000.00.

(k) Natasha Stewart attorney fees............ $ 10,000.00.

SECTION 2. In addition to all other sums herein appropriated, the following sum, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated out of any money to the credit of the Capital Expense Fund, and allocated in a manner as determined by the State Treasurer's Office, to defray the expenses of paying for certain outside legal assistance, expert witness fees, court fees, judgments and settlement agreements incurred by the Office of the Attorney General for the period beginning upon passage of this act and through June 30, 2021.............. $ 1,400,000.00.

(a) Amos et al. v. Taylor et al. 20-cv-00007-DMB-JMV (N.D. Miss) $ 870,000.00.

(b) Jackson Women’s Health Organization et al v. Dobbs et al., 3:18-cv-00171-CWR-FKB (S.D. Miss).................... $ 300,000.00.

(c) United States v. State of Mississippi, 3:16-cv-622-CWR-FKB (S.D. Miss)............................................ $ 125,000.00.

(d) United States Department of Justice Investigation into Mississippi’s Corrections System.................. $ 50,000.00

(e) Special Master as Required by Order of the Federal Court regarding United States v. State of Mississippi 3:16-cv-00622-CWR-FKS ( S.D. Miss)....................................... $ 55,000.00.

SECTION 3. In addition to all other sums herein appropriated, the following sum, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated out of any money to the credit of the Capital Expense Fund, and allocated in a manner as determined by the Treasurer's Office to defray the expenses of the Department of Corrections for the period beginning upon passage of this act and ending June 30, 2020.... $ 1,000,000.00.

This additional appropriation is for an increase in private prison costs and medical costs incurred during Fiscal Year 2020.

SECTION 4. In addition to all other sums herein appropriated, the following sum, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated out of any money to the credit of the Mississippi Department of Corrections, and allocated in a manner as determined by the Treasurer’s Office to defray the expenses of the Mississippi Department of Corrections for the period beginning upon passage of this act and ending June 30, 2020..................................................

.............................................. $ 5,588,788.00.

This additional appropriation is for an increase in the regional prisons and medical services.

SECTION 5. In addition to all other sums herein appropriated, the following sum, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated out of any money to the credit of the State Veterans Affairs and allocated in a manner as determined by the Treasurer’s Office to defray the expenses of the Board of Medical Licensure for the period beginning upon passage of this act and ending June 30, 2020 $ 2,300,000.00.

This additional appropriation is for operations of the veterans homes.

SECTION 6. In addition to all other sums herein appropriated, the following sum, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated out of any money to the credit of the Board of Cosmetology, and allocated in a manner as determined by the Treasurer’s Office to defray the expenses of the Board for the period beginning upon passage of this act and ending June 30, 2020........................................

................................................. $ 65,000.00.

This additional appropriation is for the purpose of administering cosmetology licensing exams during FY 2020.

SECTION 7. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage.