House Bill 149

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 65-37-5, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT BRIDGES CONSTRUCTED UNDER THE LOCAL SYSTEM BRIDGE PROGRAM SHALL EQUAL OR EXCEED THE DESIGN AND STANDARDS PRESCRIBED FOR BRIDGES BY THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF STATE HIGHWAY AND TRANSPORTATION OFFICIALS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. Section 65-37-5, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

65-37-5. In administering the provisions of Sections 65-37-1 through 65-37-15, the State Aid Engineer shall have the following powers and duties:

(a) To supervise the use of all funds made available under Sections 65-37-1 through 65-37-15 for local bridge replacement and rehabilitation projects on local road systems;

(b) To review and certify all projects for which funds are authorized to be made available under Sections 65-37-1 through 65-37-15 for local bridge replacement and rehabilitation projects on local road systems;

(c) To requisition monies in the Local System Bridge Replacement and Rehabilitation Fund and pay and distribute those monies on a project-by-project basis in accordance with the allocation formula established by Section 65-37-3;

(d) To insure that each four-year plan submitted by a county to the State Aid Engineer and the funds allocated to a county under Sections 65-37-1 through 65-37-15 provide for an equitable distribution of projects and funds among the county and incorporated municipalities located therein based upon the number and costs of deficient bridges in both the county and the municipalities;

(e) To establish and require specific designs and standards to be followed by the counties in replacing and rehabilitating bridges under Sections 65-37-1 through 65-37-15, which designs and standards shall equal or exceed the design and standards prescribed for bridges by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation officials;

(f) To maintain an accurate record of all local bridge replacement and rehabilitation funds allocated to counties and of the number of bridges replaced or rehabilitated, their location and the costs for each project. Such records shall be kept separate from other records of the Office of State Aid Road Construction;

(g) To periodically notify the counties of bridges eligible for replacement and rehabilitation under the provisions of Sections 65-37-1 through 65-37-15;

(h) To adopt and promulgate such rules and regulations as may be necessary or desirable for the purpose of implementing the provisions of Sections 65-37-1 through 65-37-15; and

(i) To file annually with the Legislature a report detailing how monies in the Local System Bridge Replacement and Rehabilitation Fund were spent during the preceding fiscal year in each county, including in the incorporated municipalities of each county, the number of projects approved and constructed, the length of bridges completed and the cost per foot of each bridge constructed.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2007.