House Bill 46

AN ACT MAKING AN ADDITIONAL APPROPRIATION OF STATE GENERAL FUNDS, CAPITAL EXPENSE FUNDS, EDUCATION ENHANCEMENT FUNDS AND SPECIAL FUNDS FOR FISCAL YEARS 2025 AND 2026 TO DEFRAY THE EXPENSES OF THE OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL; THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS; THE MISSISSIPPI STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH; THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION; THE DEPARTMENT OF CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES; THE BOARD OF EXAMINERS FOR SOCIAL WORKERS AND MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPISTS; THE DEPARTMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH; THE PEARL RIVER WATER SUPPLY DISTRICT; 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 July 1, 2024, and ending June 30, 2025........................... $ 156,842.00.

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

(a) United States Environmental Protection Agency and the State of Mississippi; Chemfax, Inc., Superfund Site, Gulfport, Harrison County, Mississippi; Docket Number CERCLA 04 2014 3756..................

.............................................. $ 6,224.00.

(b) Marta Salvador as Next of Kin to Minor D.C. and Minor D.C. v. Mississippi School for the Deaf and Blind; Civil Action No. 3:23-cv-3100-TSL-RPM (S.D. Miss)............................ $ 25,000.00.

(c) Curtis Flowers v. State of Mississippi, Circuit Court of Montgomery County, Mississippi, Cause No. 1:20 cv 00150..........

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

(d) Eddie Lee Howard v. State of Mississippi, Circuit Court of Lowndes County, Mississippi, Cause No. 2021 0026 CV1C............

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

(e) Anthony Fox v. State of Mississippi, Circuit Court of Hinds County, Mississippi, Cause No. 24-188........... $ 25,618.00.

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 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, 2026............... $ 1,185,000.00.

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)............................ $ 120,000.00.

(b) United States Department of Justice CRIPA Investigation of MDOC.............................................. $ 350,000.00.

(c) Alexander, et al. v. Hall, et al., Cause No. 4:30 CV 21 SA JMV.............................................. $ 300,000.00.

(d) IRS v. State Agencies................ $ 75,000.00.

(e) White, et al.v. State Board of Election Commissioners, et al., No.4:22-CV-00062-SA-JMV (N.D. Miss)............. $ 150,000.00.

(f) Mississippi State Conference of the National Conference for the Advancement of Colored People, et al. v. State Board of Election Commissioners, et al. No. 3:22-cv-734 (S.D. Miss)................

.............................................. $ 190,000.00.

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 State General 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 July 1, 2024, and ending June 30, 2025............... $ 4,314,425.00.

This additional appropriation is for the purpose of defraying expenses of the medical program.

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 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, 2026... $ 14,000,000.00.

This additional appropriation is for the purpose of defraying expenses related to the replacement of the offender tracking system.

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 Capital Expense Fund, and allocated in a manner as determined by the Treasurer's Office, to defray the expenses of the Mississippi State Department of Health for the period beginning upon passage of this act and ending June 30, 2026..... $ 4,091,381.00.

This additional appropriation is for the purpose of defraying legal expenses associated with the City of Jackson Water litigation.

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 Education Enhancement Fund, and allocated in a manner as determined by the Treasurer's Office, to defray the expenses of the Mississippi Department of Education for the period beginning July 1, 2024, and ending June 30, 2025 $ 826,333.00.

This additional appropriation is for the purpose of defraying the cost of the annual salary supplement for eligible employees who meet the National Board requirements under Section 37-19-7(2), Mississippi Code of 1972.

SECTION 7. 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 General Fund, and allocated in a manner as determined by the Treasurer's Office, to defray the expenses of the Department of Child Protection Services for the period beginning upon passage of this act, and ending June 30, 2026.... $ 27,425,298.00.

This additional appropriation is for the purpose of defraying agency operational expenditures, including but not limited to expenditures due to the increased number of children in custody and in-home cases, out-of-state therapeutic placement expenditures, temporary placement expenditures, foster board and adoption subsidy expenditures.

SECTION 8. 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 in the State Treasury to the credit of the Board of Examiners for Social Workers and Marriage and Family Therapists and allocated in a manner as determined by the Treasurer's Office, to defray the expenses of the Board of Examiners for Social Workers and Marriage and Family Therapists for the period beginning July 1, 2024, and ending June 30, 2025.................................... $ 50,000.00.

This additional appropriation is for the purpose of defraying operational expenses.

SECTION 9. 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 in the State Treasury to the credit of the Department of Mental Health and allocated in a manner as determined by the Treasurer's Office, to defray the expenses of the Department of Mental Health for the period beginning July 1, 2024, and ending June 30, 2025..........

............................................ $ 47,548,707.00.

This additional appropriation is for the purpose of defraying operational expenses.

SECTION 10. 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 in the State Treasury to the credit of the Pearl River Valley Water Supply District and allocated in a manner as determined by the Treasurer's Office, to defray the expenses of the Pearl River Valley Water Supply District for the period beginning July 1, 2024, and ending June 30, 2025................................. $ 1,048,274.00.

This additional appropriation is for the purpose of defraying operational expenses.

SECTION 11. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after passage.