House Bill 1285

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 19-5-183, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO INCREASE THE MINIMUM NUMBER OF QUALIFIED ELECTORS WHOSE NAMES MUST APPEAR ON A PETITION CALLING FOR AN ELECTION ON THE ISSUANCE OF BONDS BY WATER, SEWER, GARBAGE DISPOSAL AND FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICTS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. Section 19-5-183, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

19-5-183. (1) The board of commissioners of any district created pursuant to Sections 19-5-151 through 19-5-207 may issue bonds of such district by resolution spread upon the minutes of such board. Bonds may be issued from time to time without an election being held upon the question of their issuance unless the board of commissioners of the district is presented with a petition for an election upon the question of issuance signed by twenty percent (20%) or fifteen hundred (1500), whichever is the lesser, of the qualified electors residing within the district. The resolution authorizing any issue of bonds other than the initial issue shall be published in a manner similar to the publication of the resolution, as outlined in Section 19-5-157. If an election is required, it shall be held in substantial accord with the election outlined in Section 19-5-157. The cost of this election shall be borne by the district.

(2) All bonds shall be lithographed or engraved and printed in two (2) or more colors to prevent counterfeiting. They shall be in denominations of not less than One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00) nor more than Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00), and may be registered as issued, and shall be numbered in a regular series from one (1) upward. Each such bond shall specify on its face the purpose for which it was issued, the total amount authorized to be issued, the interest on the bond, that it is payable to bearer and that the interest to accrue thereon is evidenced by proper coupons attached thereto.

(3) Such bonds shall contain such covenants and provisions; shall be executed; shall be in such form, format, type, denomination or denominations; shall be payable as to principal and interest, at such place or places; and shall mature at such time or times, all as shall be determined by such board of commissioners and set forth in the resolution pursuant to which such bonds shall be issued. The date of maturity of such bonds shall not exceed forty (40) years from the date of the bond, except that on special improvement pollution abatement bonds, special improvement water bonds, or special improvement water and sewer bonds the date of maturity shall not exceed twenty-five (25) years from their date.

(4) All bonds shall bear interest at such rate or rates not to exceed a greater net interest cost to maturity than that allowed in Section 75-17-103, no bond shall bear more than one (1) rate of interest; each bond shall bear interest from its date to its stated maturity date at the interest rate specified in the bid; all bonds of the same maturity shall bear the same rate of interest. All interest accruing on such bonds so issued shall be payable semiannually, or annually, except that the first interest coupon attached to any such bonds may be for any period not exceeding one (1) year. No interest payment shall be evidenced by more than one (1) coupon and supplemental coupons, cancelled coupons and zero interest coupons will not be permitted; no interest coupon shall vary more than twenty-five percent (25%) in interest rate from any other interest coupon in the same bond issue; and the interest rate on any one (1) interest coupon shall not exceed that allowed in Section 75-17-103.

(5) Such bonds shall be signed by the chairman and secretary-treasurer of the commission with the seal of the commission affixed thereto; however, the coupons may bear only the facsimile signatures of such chairman and secretary-treasurer.

(6) Any provisions of the general laws to the contrary notwithstanding, any bonds and interest coupons issued pursuant to the authority of Sections 19-5-151 through 19-5-207 shall be securities within the meaning of Article 8 of the Uniform Commercial Code, being Sections 75-8-101 et seq., Mississippi Code of 1972.

(7) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this section, bonds referred to hereinabove may be issued pursuant to the supplemental powers and authorizations conferred by the provisions of the Registered Bond Act, being Sections 31-21-1 through 31-21-7.

SECTION 2. The Attorney General of the State of Mississippi shall submit this act, immediately upon approval by the Governor, or upon approval by the Legislature subsequent to a veto, to the Attorney General of the United States or to the United States District Court for the District of Columbia in accordance with the provisions of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, as amended and extended.

SECTION 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after the date it is effectuated under Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, as amended and extended.