MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

1999 Regular Session

To: Universities and Colleges; Economic Dev, Tourism and Parks

By: Senator(s) Burton

AN ACT TO CREATE THE REGIONAL INITIATIVES PROGRAM AT THE UNIVERSITY RESEARCH CENTER TO PROVIDE GRANTS TO CERTAIN SUB-STATE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATIONS TO CARRY OUT SPECIFIC PROJECTS THAT WILL AUGMENT THE OBJECTIVES AND STRATEGIES OF THE LONG RANGE STATE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ACTION PLAN PREPARED BY THE BUREAU OF LONG RANGE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PLANNING OF THE UNIVERSITY RESEARCH CENTER PURSUANT TO THE STATEWIDE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND PLANNING ACT OF 1987; TO PROVIDE FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF SUCH PROGRAM; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. (1) There is created within the University Research Center the Regional Initiatives Program which shall provide grants to sub-state economic development organizations or an aggregate of such organization to carry out specific projects that will augment the objectives and strategies of the long range state economic development action plan prepared by the Bureau of Long Range Economic Development Planning of the University Research Center pursuant to the Statewide Economic Development and Planning Act of 1987.

(2) Applicants for grants shall make application to the Bureau for Comprehensive Long Range Economic Development Planning of University Research Center. The application shall specify the project for which a grant is sought and explain how the project will augment the objectives and strategies of the long range state economic development action plan. Any applicant for a grant under the program may request not more that seventy-five percent (75%) of the total cost of the project. The applicant shall provide the remainder of the cost of the project, one-half (1/2) of which may be in-kind funding.

(3) The Bureau for Comprehensive Long Range Economic Development Planning of University Research Center shall have the authority to approve or disapprove grant applications; however, no grant application shall be approved by the bureau unless the bureau determines that the project will have a positive economic impact on at least an entire county.

(4) The Bureau for Comprehensive Long Range Economic Development Planning of the University Research Center may adopt any rules and regulations it considers necessary to carry out the provisions of this act.

(5) No funds provided to fund the program shall be utilized to pay operating costs of the program.

(6) As used in this section "sub-state economic development organizations" shall mean economic development organizations such as local chambers of commerce, local economic development authorities, planning and development districts, multi-county organizations funded by local governing authorities and the federal government, or other organizations deemed appropriate by the Bureau for Comprehensive Long Range Economic Development Planning of University Research Center.

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