House Bill 1683

AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION TO THE SCENIC RIVERS DEVELOPMENT ALLIANCE FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROVIDING FUNDING FOR NECESSARY WATER, SEWER, TOURISM AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS IN PIKE, AMITE, WALTHALL, WILKINSON AND FRANKLIN COUNTIES TO FURTHER UPGRADE THE RECREATIONAL AND TOURISM RELATED ASSETS THAT PROMOTE ECONOMIC BENEFITS TO THE RESIDENTS OF SOUTHWEST MISSISSIPPI FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2023.

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

SECTION 1. The following sum, or so much of it as may be necessary, is appropriated out of any money in the Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery Fund not otherwise appropriated, to the Scenic Rivers Development Alliance for the purpose of providing funding for necessary water, sewer, tourism and economic development projects to further upgrade the recreational and tourism related assets that promote economic benefits to the residents of Southwest Mississippi, as provided in Section 2 of this act, for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2022, and ending June 30, 2023............................................... $ 11,010,000.00.

SECTION 2. The money appropriated in Section 1 of this act shall be expended by the alliance for the following projects:

(a) Pike County:

(i) $1,500,000.00 for Quail Hollow Golf Course water system, equipment and other course improvements; and

(ii) $1,900,000.00 for Bogue Chitto Water Park water/sewer system and other tourism-related improvements.

(b) Amite County:

(i) $900,000.00 for Ethel Vance Park water/sewer system and other tourism-related improvements; and

(ii) $240,000.00 for Liberty Ballfield Complex infrastructure repair and other tourism-related improvements.

(i) $60,000.00 for Walkers Bridge Water Park infrastructure repair and other tourism-related improvements;

(ii) $165,000.00 for County Range infrastructure repair and other tourism-related improvements; and

(iii) $225,000.00 for Lake Walthall bank restoration and other tourism-related improvements.

(d) Wilkinson County:

(i) $420,000.00 for Wilkinson County Park infrastructure and other tourism-related improvements; and

(ii) $2,900,000.00 for Lake Mary Road improvements and other tourism-related improvements.

(e) Franklin County: $2,700,000.00 for the Okhissa Lake Development project and other tourism-related improvements.

SECTION 3. (1) As used in this section and Section 4 of this act, the term "alliance" means the Department of Scenic Rivers Development Alliance.

(2) The alliance shall not disburse any funds appropriated under this act to any recipient without first: (a) making an individualized determination that the reimbursement sought is, in the alliance's independent judgment, for necessary expenditures eligible under Section 602 of the federal Social Security Act as added by Section 9901 of the federal American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) and its implementing guidelines, guidance, rules, regulations and/or other criteria, as may be amended or supplemented from time to time, by the United States Department of the Treasury; and (b) determining that the recipient has not received and will not receive reimbursement for the expense in question from any source of funds, including insurance proceeds, other than those funds provided under Section 602 of the federal Social Security Act as added by Section 9901 of ARPA. In addition, the alliance shall ensure that all funds appropriated under this act are disbursed in compliance with the Single Audit Act (31 USC Sections 7501-7507) and the related provisions of the Uniform Guidance, 2 CFR Section 200.303 regarding internal controls, Sections 200.330 through 200.332 regarding sub-recipient monitoring and management, and subpart F regarding audit requirements.

SECTION 4. (1) As a condition of receiving and expending the funds appropriated to the alliance under this act, the alliance shall certify to the Department of Finance and Administration that each expenditure of the funds appropriated to the alliance under this act complies with the guidelines, guidance, rules, regulations and/or other criteria, as may be amended from time to time, of the United States Department of the Treasury regarding the use of monies from the Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery Fund established by ARPA.

(2) If the Office of Inspector General of the United States Department of the Treasury, or the Office of Inspector General of any other federal agency having oversight over the use of monies from the Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery Fund established by ARPA (a) determines that the alliance or recipient has expended or otherwise used any of the funds appropriated to the alliance under this act for any purpose that is not in compliance with the guidelines, guidance, rules, regulations and/or other criteria, as may be amended from time to time, of the United States Department of the Treasury regarding the use of monies from the Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery Fund established by ARPA, and (b) the State of Mississippi is required to repay the federal government for any of those funds that the Office of the Inspector General determined were expended or otherwise used improperly by the alliance or recipient, then the alliance or recipient that expended or otherwise used those funds improperly shall be required to pay the amount of those funds to the State of Mississippi for repayment to the federal government.

SECTION 5. The money appropriated by this act shall be paid by the State Treasurer out of any money in the Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery Fund not otherwise appropriated, upon warrants issued by the State Fiscal Officer; and the State Fiscal Officer shall issue his or her warrants upon requisitions signed by the proper person, officer or officers in the manner provided by law.

SECTION 6. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2022.