MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2021 Regular Session
To: Workforce Development; Appropriations
By: Representative Lamar
AN ACT TO CREATE THE MISSISSIPPI REMOTE WORKER GRANT PROGRAM; TO PROVIDE DEFINITIONS; TO PROVIDE THAT A NEW REMOTE WORKER MAY BE ELIGIBLE FOR A GRANT UNDER THE PROGRAM FOR QUALIFYING REMOTE WORKER EXPENSES IN THE AMOUNT OF NOT MORE THAN FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS PER YEAR, NOT TO EXCEED A TOTAL OF FIFTEEN THOUSAND DOLLARS PER INDIVIDUAL NEW REMOTE WORKER OVER THE LIFE OF THE PROGRAM; TO REQUIRE THE MISSISSIPPI DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY (MDA) TO IMPLEMENT CERTAIN RULES AND REGULATIONS AND SUBMIT REPORTS TO THE LEGISLATURE; TO PROVIDE THAT THE MDA SHALL COLLABORATE WITH PUBLIC OR PRIVATE SECTOR PARTNERS; TO AMEND SECTIONS 57-1-5 AND 57-1-11, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO CONFORM TO THE PROVISIONS OF THIS ACT; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:
SECTION 1. MISSISSIPPI REMOTE WORKER GRANT PROGRAM. (1) The following words and phrases shall have the meanings as defined in this section unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
(a) "New remote worker" means an individual who:
(i) Is a full-time employee of a business with its domicile or primary place of business outside Mississippi;
(ii) Becomes a full-time resident of this state on or after January 1, 2022, or graduated from a Mississippi college or university before 2022; and
(iii) Performs the majority of his or her employment duties remotely from a home office or a co-working space located in this state.
(b) "Qualifying remote worker expenses" means actual costs a new remote worker incurs for one or more of the following that are necessary to perform his or her employment duties:
(i) Relocation to this state;
(ii) Computer software and hardware;
(iii) Broadband access or upgrade; and
(iv) Membership in a co-working or similar space.
(2) (a) The Mississippi Development Authority (MDA) shall design and implement the Mississippi Remote Worker Grant Program, which shall include a simple certification process to certify new remote workers and certify qualifying expenses for a grant under this section.
(b) A new remote worker may be eligible for a grant under the program for qualifying remote worker expenses in the amount of not more than Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00) per year, not to exceed a total of Fifteen Thousand Dollars ($15,000.00) per individual new remote worker over the life of the program.
(c) The MDA shall award grants under the program on a first-come, first-served basis, subject to available funding, as follows:
(i) Not more than One Hundred Twenty-five Thousand Dollars ($125,000.00) in calendar year 2022;
(ii) Not more than Two Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars ($250,000.00) in calendar year 2023;
(iii) Not more than One Hundred Twenty-five Thousand Dollars ($125,000.00) in calendar year 2024; and
(iv) Not more than One Hundred Thousand Dollars ($100,000.00) per year in each subsequent calendar year, to the extent funding remains available.
(3) The MDA shall:
(a) Adopt procedures for implementing the program;
(b) Promote awareness of the program, including through coordination with relevant trade groups and by integration into the MDA's economic development marketing campaigns; and
(c) Adopt measurable goals, performance measures and an audit strategy to assess the use and performance of the program.
(4) On or before October 1, 2021, the MDA shall submit a report to the House Workforce Development Committee and the Senate Economic and Workforce Development Committee concerning the implementation of this section, including:
(a) A description of the procedures adopted pursuant to subsection (3)(a) of this section;
(b) The promotion and marketing of the program pursuant to subsection (3)(b) of this section; and
(c) Any additional recommendations for qualifying remote worker expenses or qualifying workers that should be eligible under the program, and any recommendations for the maximum amount of the grant.
SECTION 2. To increase the amount and effectiveness of its economic development marketing activities, the MDA shall collaborate with public or private sector partners, or both, to maximize state marketing resources and to enable Mississippi businesses to align their own brand identities with the Mississippi brand to enhance the reputations of both the businesses and the state.
SECTION 3. (1) The Executive Director of MDA, in consultation with the Executive Directors of the Department of Finance and Administration (DFA) and the Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Commissioners of the Department of Public Safety and the Public Service Commission, and any other interested stakeholders, shall identify and examine the infrastructure improvements and other support needed to:
(a) Enable workers and businesses to establish or enhance a remote presence in Mississippi;
(b) Build capacity throughout the state to increase access to maker spaces, co-working spaces, remote work hubs and innovation spaces; and
(c) Support the interconnection of current and future maker spaces, co-working spaces, remote work hubs, innovation spaces and regional technical centers.
(2) On or before January 15, 2022, the Executive Director of MDA shall submit to the House Workforce Development Committee and the Senate Economic and Workforce Development Committee a written report detailing his or her findings and recommendations.
SECTION 4. (1) The Executive Director of MDA, in consultation with the Executive Director of DFA, shall examine the potential for the state to establish remote worksites that are available for use by both state employees and remote workers in the private sector.
(2) The Executive Director of MDA shall examine the feasibility of and potential funding models for the worksites, including the opportunity to provide at low- or no cost co-working space within state buildings that are currently vacant or underused.
(3) On or before January 15, 2022, the Executive Director of MDA shall submit a written report to the House Workforce Development Committee and the Senate Economic and Workforce Development Committee detailing his or her findings and any recommendations for legislative action.
SECTION 5. On or before January 15, 2022, the Public Service Commission, in consultation with the MDA, shall submit findings and recommendations concerning:
(a) The current availability of broadband service in municipal downtown centers that do, or could at reasonable cost, support one or more co-working spaces or similar venues for remote workers and small businesses; and
(b) Strategies for expanding and enhancing broadband availability for such spaces.
SECTION 6. Section 57-1-5, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
57-1-5. (1) The Governor shall, with the advice and consent of the Senate, appoint an executive director who:
(a) Shall have at least a bachelor's degree, and
(b) Shall be an experienced administrator and have at least five (5) years' experience in at least one (1) of the following areas:
(i) Industrial development, or
(ii) Economic development.
(2) The executive director shall be the executive officer of the department in the execution of any and all provisions of this chapter, and his salary shall be fixed by the Governor.
(3) The executive director shall have the following powers and duties:
(a) To formulate the policy of the department regarding the economic and tourist development of the state.
(b) To use and expend any funds from state, federal or private sources coming into the department for the purposes herein provided. State funds appropriated for the department shall be expended in accordance with the regulations governing the expenditures of other state funds.
(c) To implement the duties assigned to the department and consistent with specific requirements of law, including but not limited to:
(i) Support services to include legal, finance, data processing, personnel, communications and advertising, purchasing and accounting;
(ii) Research and planning;
(iii) Outreach, agency liaison and community development;
(iv) Tourism, business travel, and film;
(v) Programs and assistance for existing state business and industry;
(vi) Recruiting new business and industry into the state;
(vii) Fostering and promoting of entrepreneurship and the creation of new business in the state;
(viii) Programs aimed at competing effectively in the international economy by increasing exports of state products and services and by promoting, developing and creating the conditions and programs that will bring about significant increases in investment in the state from other countries;
(ix) Programs relating to the development of ports;
(x) Such other areas as are within the jurisdiction and authority of the department and will foster and promote the economic development of this state;
(xi) Salaries of
the associate directors, deputy directors and bureau directors may be set by
the executive director of the department. The positions of associate
directors, deputy directors and bureau directors shall not be state service
positions * * *;
(xii) Implementing the Mississippi Remote Worker Grant Program as provided in Sections 1 through 5 of this act.
SECTION 7. Section 57-1-11, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
57-1-11. The executive director is hereby authorized and empowered to promulgate and put into effect all reasonable rules and regulations that he may deem necessary to carry out the provisions of Sections 57-1-1 through 57-1-51, not inconsistent herewith, and Sections 1 through 5 of this act.
SECTION 8. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2021.