House Bill 918

(As Passed the House)

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 39-5-145, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO TRANSFER ADMINISTRATION OF THE MISSISSIPPI COMMUNITY HERITAGE PRESERVATION GRANT FUND FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION TO THE DEPARTMENT OF ARCHIVES AND HISTORY; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. Section 39-5-145, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

39-5-145. (1) A special fund, to be designated the "Mississippi Community Heritage Preservation Grant Fund," is created within the State Treasury. The fund shall be maintained by the State Treasurer as a separate and special fund, separate and apart from the General Fund of the state. The fund shall consist of any monies designated for deposit therein from any source, including proceeds of any state general obligation bonds designated for deposit therein. Unexpended amounts remaining in the fund at the end of a fiscal year shall not lapse into the State General Fund and any interest earned or investment earnings on amounts in the fund shall be deposited into the fund. The expenditure of monies deposited into the fund shall be under the direction of the * * * Department of Archives and History, based upon recommendations of the Board of Trustees of the Department of Archives and History, and such funds shall be paid by the State Treasurer upon warrants issued by the Department of Finance and Administration. Monies deposited into such fund shall be allocated and disbursed according to the provisions of this section. If any monies in the special fund are derived from proceeds of state general obligation bonds and are not used within four (4) years after the date such bond proceeds are deposited into the special fund, then the * * * Department of Archives and History shall provide an accounting of such unused monies to the State Bond Commission.

(2) Monies deposited into the fund shall be allocated and disbursed as follows:

(a) (i) Sixty-one Million Fifty Thousand Dollars ($61,050,000.00) shall be allocated and disbursed as grants on a reimbursable basis through the * * * Department of Archives and History, based upon the recommendations of the Board of Trustees of the Department of Archives and History, to assist county governments, municipal governments, school districts, universities, community colleges, state agencies and nonprofit organizations that have obtained Section 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status from the United States Internal Revenue Service in helping pay the costs incurred in preserving, restoring, rehabilitating, repairing or interpreting: 1. historic county courthouses * * *, ; 2. historic school buildings * * *, ; and/or 3. other historic properties identified by certified local governments or owned by the State of Mississippi. Where possible, expenditures from the fund shall be used to match federal grants or other grants that may be accessed by the Department of Archives and History, other state agencies, county governments or municipal governments, school districts or nonprofit organizations that have obtained Section 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status from the United States Internal Revenue Service. Any properties, except those described in paragraphs (b) and (d) of this subsection, receiving monies pursuant to this section must be designated as "Mississippi Landmark" properties prior to selection as projects for funding under the provisions of this section.

(ii) One Million Seven Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars ($1,750,000.00) shall be allocated and disbursed as grants through the * * * Department of Archives and History, based upon the recommendations of the Board of Trustees of the Department of Archives and History, to assist county governments in helping pay the costs of historically appropriate restoration, repair and renovation of historically significant county courthouses. Grants to individual courthouses under this paragraph (a)(ii) shall not exceed Eight Hundred Seventy-five Thousand Dollars ($875,000.00).

(b) Two Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars ($250,000.00) shall be allocated and disbursed as grant funds to the Amory Regional Museum in Amory, Mississippi, to pay the costs of capital improvements, repair, renovation, furnishing and/or equipping of the museum. The * * * Department of Archives and History is directed to transfer Two Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars ($250,000.00) from the fund to the city on or before December 31, 2004, and the city shall place the funds into an escrow account. The city may expend the funds from the account only in an amount equal to matching funds that are provided from any source other than the state for the project. As the funds are withdrawn from the escrow account, the city shall certify to the * * * Department of Archives and History the amount of the funds that have been withdrawn and that the funds withdrawn are in an amount equal to matching funds required by this paragraph.

(c) One Hundred Thousand Dollars ($100,000.00) shall be allocated and disbursed as grant funds to the Jacinto Foundation, Inc., to pay the costs of capital improvements, repairing, renovating, restoring, rehabilitating, preserving, furnishing and/or equipping the courthouse and related facilities in Jacinto, Mississippi, and to pay the costs of capital improvements, repairing, renovating, restoring, rehabilitating, preserving, furnishing and/or equipping other buildings and facilities near the courthouse.

(d) Four Hundred Twenty-five Thousand Dollars ($425,000.00) shall be allocated and disbursed as grant funds to the Oxford-Lafayette County Heritage Foundation to pay the costs of capital improvements, repairing, renovating, restoring, rehabilitating, preserving, furnishing, equipping and/or acquiring the LQC Lamar Home in Oxford, Mississippi.

(e) One Million Four Hundred Twenty-five Thousand Dollars ($1,425,000.00) shall be allocated and disbursed as grant funds to the City of Columbus, Mississippi, to assist in paying the costs associated with repair, renovation and restoration of the Columbus City Hall building and related facilities.

(f) One Million Dollars ($1,000,000.00) shall be allocated and disbursed as grant funds to the Town of Wesson, Mississippi, to pay the costs of restoration and renovation of the Old Wesson School.

(g) Two Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars ($250,000.00) shall be allocated and disbursed as grant funds to the Town of Shubuta, Mississippi, to assist in paying the costs associated with construction, reconstruction, refurbishing, repair, renovation and restoration of the Shubuta Town Hall building and related facilities.

(h) Two Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars ($250,000.00) shall be allocated and disbursed as grant funds to the City of Okolona, Mississippi, to assist in paying costs associated with the purchase, repair, renovation, furnishing and equipping of a building and related facilities on Main Street in the City of Okolona, for the purpose of establishing a welcome center in which historical information relating to the City of Okolona will be displayed, including, but not limited to * * *, : information relating to the furniture, banking, retail and farming industries; education; historical collections owned by individuals and organizations; genealogy; Okolona College; and the Battle of Okolona and the War Between the States.

(i) One Hundred Thousand Dollars ($100,000.00) shall be allocated and disbursed as grant funds to Tallahatchie County, Mississippi, to assist in paying the costs associated with repair, renovation and restoration of the Tallahatchie County Courthouse.

(j) Two Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars ($250,000.00) shall be allocated and disbursed as grant funds to Wayne County, Mississippi, to assist in paying the costs associated with repair, renovation and restoration of the Wayne County Courthouse.

(k) Three Hundred Thousand Dollars ($300,000.00) shall be allocated and disbursed as grant funds to assist in paying the cost of rehabilitation and restoration of Winterville Indian Mounds in Washington County, Mississippi.

(l) Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($500,000.00) shall be allocated and disbursed as grant funds to the City of Kosciusko, to assist the City of Kosciusko, Mississippi, in paying costs associated with: (i) repair, renovation, furnishing, equipping, additions to and expansion of the Kosciusko Natchez Trace Visitor Center in the City of Kosciusko, Mississippi * * *, ; and (ii) repair, renovation, furnishing, equipping, additions to and expansion of the historic Strand Theater in the City of Kosciusko, Mississippi.

(m) One Hundred Thousand Dollars ($100,000.00) shall be allocated and disbursed as grant funds to Jefferson County, Mississippi, to assist in paying costs associated with repair, renovation, upgrades and improvements to the confederate cemetery and related properties and facilities in the county.

(n) Four Hundred Thousand Dollars ($400,000.00) shall be allocated and disbursed as grant funds to Tate County, Mississippi, to assist in paying costs associated with painting, refurbishment and historical restoration and renovation of the Tate County Courthouse.

(o) Four Hundred Thousand Dollars ($400,000.00) shall be allocated and disbursed as grant funds to Humphreys County, Mississippi, to assist in paying costs associated with repair and renovation of and upgrades and improvements to the Humphreys County Courthouse.

(p) One Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars ($150,000.00) of any monies deposited into the fund during Fiscal Year 2023 shall be allocated and disbursed as grant funds to assist in paying the costs associated with relocation, repair, renovation and restoration of a one-room school building and related facilities including costs incurred before July 1, 2022, and such grant funds shall not be subject to any requirement for matching funds.

(q) Monies in the Mississippi Community Heritage Preservation Grant Fund which are derived from proceeds of state general obligation bonds may be used to reimburse reasonable actual and necessary costs incurred by the Mississippi Department of Archives and History in providing assistance directly related to a project described in paragraph (a) of this subsection for which funding is provided under this section. Reimbursement may be made only until such time as the project is completed. An accounting of actual costs incurred for which reimbursement is sought shall be maintained for each project by the Mississippi Department of Archives and History. Reimbursement of reasonable actual and necessary costs for a project shall not exceed three percent (3%) of the proceeds of bonds issued for such project. Monies authorized for a particular project may not be used to reimburse administrative costs for unrelated projects.

(3) (a) The Board of Trustees of the Department of Archives and History shall receive and consider proposals from county governments, municipal governments, school districts, universities, community colleges, state agencies and nonprofit organizations that have obtained Section 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status from the United States Internal Revenue Service for projects associated with the preservation, restoration, rehabilitation, repair or interpretation of: (i) historic courthouses * * *, ; (ii) historic school buildings * * *, ; and/or (iii) other historic properties identified by certified local governments. Proposals shall be submitted in accordance with the provisions of procedures, criteria and standards developed by the board. The board shall determine those projects to be funded and may require matching funds from any applicant seeking assistance under this section. This subsection shall not apply to projects described in subsection (2)(a)(ii), (2)(b), (2)(c), (2)(d), (2)(e), (2)(f), (2)(g), (2)(h) and (2)(j) of this section.

(b) The Board of Trustees of the Department of Archives and History shall receive and consider proposals from county governments for projects associated with historically appropriate restoration, repair and renovation of historically significant county courthouses. Proposals shall be submitted in accordance with the provisions of procedures, criteria and standards developed by the board. The board shall determine those projects to be funded and may require matching funds from any applicant seeking assistance under this section. This subsection shall not apply to projects described in subsection (2)(a)(i), (2)(b), (2)(c), (2)(d), (2)(e) and (2)(f) of this section.

(4) The Department of Archives and History shall publicize the Community Heritage Preservation Grant Program described in this section on a statewide basis, including the publication of the criteria and standards used by the department in selecting projects for funding. The selection of a project for funding under the provisions of this section shall be made solely upon the deliberate consideration of each proposed project on its merits. The board shall make every effort to award the grants in a manner that will fairly distribute the funds in regard to the geography and cultural diversity of the state. This subsection shall not apply to projects described in subsection (2)(b), (2)(c), (2)(d), (2)(e) and (2)(f) of this section.

(5) With regard to any project awarded funding under this section, any consultant, planner, architect, engineer, exhibit contracting firm, historic preservation specialist or other professional hired by a grant recipient to work on any such project shall be approved by the board before their employment by the grant recipient.

(6) Plans and specifications for all projects initiated under the provisions of this section shall be approved by the board before the awarding of any contracts. The plans and specifications for any work involving "Mississippi Landmark" properties shall be developed in accordance with "The Secretary of the Interior's Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties."

(7) The Department of Finance and Administration shall take those actions necessary to effectuate the transfer of monies in the fund to the Department of Archives and History.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2025.