SB2102_S_Amend

AMEND by striking lines 117 through 123 in their entirety and insert in lieu thereof the following:

(10) (a) The Mississippi Transportation Commission may enter into an agreement with the State Forestry Commission for the general supervision and management of timber on selected portions of the rights-of-way of the interstate highway system and those completed segments of four-lane highways in the state. Such an agreement may prescribe the details of, and authority and control over, the full range of forestry management practices. Seventy-five percent (75%) of any money collected from the sale of timber on rights-of-way, less any expenses associated therewith, shall be deposited into the Education Enhancement Fund created in Section 37-61-33, and the remainder shall be deposited into the State Highway Fund to be expended solely for the repair, maintenance, construction or reconstruction of highways.

(b) Subject to the provisions of paragraph (a) of this subsection, the Mississippi Transportation Commission may, after consultation with the State Forestry Commission, adopt such rules and regulations with regard to the management, sale or disposal of timber on highway rights-of-way as it considers appropriate; provided, however, such rules and regulations shall be uniform throughout the state and shall be designed to maximize the value of such timber or minimize the cost of removing such timber.

FURTHER AMEND line 1 of the title by inserting the following after the second comma:

TO PROVIDE THAT THE MISSISSIPPI TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION MAY ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT WITH THE STATE FORESTRY COMMISSION FOR THE GENERAL SUPERVISION AND MANAGEMENT OF TIMBER ON SELECTED PORTIONS OF THE RIGHTS-OF-WAY OF THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY SYSTEM AND COMPLETED SEGMENTS OF FOUR-LANE HIGHWAYS; TO PROVIDE THAT A PORTION OF THE MONEY COLLECTED FROM THE SALE OF TIMBER ON RIGHTS-OF-WAY SHALL BE DEPOSITED INTO THE EDUCATION ENHANCEMENT FUND AND THE REMAINDER SHALL BE DEPOSITED INTO THE STATE HIGHWAY FUND;

FURTHER AMEND line 2 of the title by inserting the following after the word "COMMISSION":

, AFTER CONSULTATION WITH THE STATE FORESTRY COMMISSION,