MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

1999 Regular Session

To: Highways and Transportation

By: Senator(s) Hall

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 65-1-165, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO AUTHORIZE KEEP MISSISSIPPI BEAUTIFUL, INCORPORATED TO PERFORM ALL AND PROVIDE SERVICES, INCLUDING THE DISBURSEMENT OF FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE, AS DIRECTED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION BY CONTRACT; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. Section 65-1-165, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

65-1-165. The State Department of Transportation may execute a contract with Keep Mississippi Beautiful, Inc., to develop and implement a comprehensive statewide program of litter prevention. The contract shall contain provisions to require that Keep Mississippi Beautiful, Inc., will:

(a) Encourage and assist local communities to become certified Keep America Beautiful systems;

(b) Serve as a state clearinghouse of information on ideas and projects to make local litter prevention programs more effective;

(c) Implement statewide communication programs to alert people to the problem of littering and how it can be corrected;

(d) Coordinate an annual statewide project which will heighten public awareness of the problem of littering;

(e) Establish an annual awards program to recognize individual and community achievement in litter prevention;

(f) Serve as the authority which approves and disburses financial assistance to any nonprofit corporation, county, * * *

municipality or other entity as directed by the Department of Transportation in that contract which, in a written application, seeks * * * assistance to implement a local litter prevention project. The financial assistance authorized in this paragraph shall not exceed forty percent (40%) of the cost of the local litter prevention project for which the assistance is sought;

(g) Encourage donation of funds from the private sector to assist in defraying the operation of the litter prevention program implemented under this section; and

(h) Perform all other acts and provide all other services, convenient or necessary, including disbursement of financial assistance, as required by the contract with the State Department of Transportation under this section.

Keep Mississippi Beautiful, Inc., shall submit to the * * * department on or before August 1 of each year a written report detailing the operation of the litter prevention program statewide and its expenditure of monies for the program during the preceding state fiscal year.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 1999.