House Bill 1120

AN ACT TO REQUIRE THE MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS TO PAY THE UNPAID BALANCE DUE TO THE TOWN OF WALNUT GROVE FOR CERTAIN UTILITY SERVICES RENDERED TO THE WALNUT GROVE CORRECTIONAL FACILITY; TO PROVIDE IF THE UNPAID BALANCE IS NOT PAID BY A CERTAIN PERIOD, THEN THE SALARY OF THE COMMISSIONER OF THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS SHALL BE WITHHELD UNTIL PAYMENT IS RECEIVED; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. (1) The Mississippi Department of Corrections shall pay the Town of Walnut Grove the unpaid balance of Five Hundred Sixty-nine Thousand Two Hundred Twelve Dollars and Two Cents ($569,212.02) for utility services received from January 2017 through February 2024 from Walnut Grove Natural Gas, which is the town's municipally owned-utility as authorized under Section 21-27-11, et. seq. Such unpaid balance accrued due to nonpayment by the department for the utility services rendered, as prescribed under this section, to the Walnut Grove Correctional Facility, which is a state-owned facility.

(2) The unpaid balance that is owed to the Town of Walnut Grove, as set out in subsection (1) of this act, shall be paid within 365 calendar days of the effective date of this act. If such payment is not received by the town, as prescribed in this subsection, then the salary of the Commissioner of the Mississippi Department of Corrections shall be withheld until such payment is made.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage.