Senate Bill 2556

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 65-18-9, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO AUTHORIZE THE AMOUNT OF STATE AID ROAD ALLOCATION OF A COUNTY FOR USE IN THE CONSTRUCTION, RECONSTRUCTION OR PAVING OF LOCAL SYSTEM ROADS TO BE UTILIZED FOR THE RETIREMENT OF ANY DEBT INCURRED BY THE COUNTY FOR USE ON LOCAL SYSTEM ROADS; TO AMEND SECTIONS 65-18-11 AND 65-9-17, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, IN CONFORMITY THERETO; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. Section 65-18-9, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

65-18-9. (1) If the county has met the requirements of this chapter, the State Aid Engineer shall allocate annually the amount of the state aid road allocation of a county that is requested by such county for (a) use in the construction, reconstruction and paving of local system roads in the county, or (b) for the retirement of any debt incurred by the county for use in the construction, reconstruction and paving of local system roads; * * * however, * * * the State Aid Engineer shall not allocate more than twenty-five percent (25%) of the annual state aid road allocation of a county for such purposes.

(2) The State Aid Engineer shall allocate annually the amount of the Local System Bridge Replacement and Rehabilitation Program allocation of a county that is requested by such county for use in the construction, reconstruction and paving of local system roads in the county if:

(a) The State Aid Engineer has certified, pursuant to Section 65-37-7, that all the local system bridges within the county have a sufficiency rating of greater than fifty (50) or that all such bridges within the county with a sufficiency rating of fifty (50) or less are currently under contract for replacement or rehabilitation; and

(b) The county has met the requirements of this chapter.

(3) The State Aid Engineer shall establish specific designs and standards to be followed by such counties in the construction, reconstruction and paving of local system roads. The specific designs and standards shall be based upon policies on geometric design of local rural roads, highways and streets adopted and published by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials.

SECTION 2. Section 65-18-11, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

65-18-11. (1) In order for a county to be eligible to utilize its Local System Bridge Replacement and Rehabilitation Program allocation or any of its state aid road funds for the Local System Road Program, a county must meet the following conditions:

(a) The county has employed a county engineer, together with such other technical assistance as is necessary to carry out the duties of this chapter, the same as provided under the provisions of Section 65-9-15, for its state aid road system and, through its official minutes, has authorized the county engineer to perform the necessary engineering services connected with the Local System Road Program. The county engineer shall prepare the necessary plans and designs for all construction projects, including state aid projects and projects provided under this chapter. He also shall provide engineering supervision for the construction of such projects and shall approve all estimate payments made on the projects. Engineering cost for any project performed under the Local System Road Program may be paid from any funds allocated to a county under the program; however, the maximum fee paid to an engineer shall not exceed twelve percent (12%) of the final construction cost. No such cost shall be reimbursed to the county before the letting of the project; and

(b) The county has presented a plan for the construction, reconstruction and paving of a local system road which plan has been made and approved by the county engineer of the county, showing the specific road or project to be improved, stating the condition of the existing roadbed, drainage and bridges and outlining the type of construction or reconstruction to be made and the designs and specifications therefor, including the paving of the road and the sources of revenue to be used and the sources and types of material to be used thereon. The plan shall be presented to the State Aid Engineer for the initial approval of the beginning of a project to receive monies.

(2) After the initial approval of the plan and plans as specified in subsection (1)(b) of this section has been made by the State Aid Engineer, the county shall be eligible to receive all funds made available to the county under the Local System Road Program to be used exclusively for (a) the construction, reconstruction or paving of the local system road, or (b) for retiring any debt incurred by the county for the construction, reconstruction or paving of local system roads. The project may be done either by contract or by using county equipment and employees. It shall be according to the original plan or any amendments thereto which have been approved by the State Aid Engineer. The board may use county equipment and employees if the construction can be accomplished at a more reasonable cost than can be achieved by contract.

SECTION 3. Section 65-9-17, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

65-9-17. (1) When any county shall have met the requirements of this chapter and shall have become eligible for state aid, the State Aid Engineer, as soon as practicable, shall notify such county in writing of such eligibility and that its proportionate part of any state funds allocated to it for state aid may be utilized for construction in the manner provided by law, and such notice shall also be given in writing to the Department of Finance and Administration and to the State Treasurer.

(2) State aid funds shall be allocated to each county for use on state aid system roads or roads on the Local System Road Program in accordance with the provisions of Section 27-65-75.

(3) State aid funds may be credited to a county in advance of the normal accrual to finance certain state aid improvements, subject to the approval of the State Aid Engineer and subject further to the following limitations:

(a) That the maximum amount of state aid funds that may be advanced to any county shall not exceed ninety percent (90%) of the state aid funds estimated to accrue to such county during the remainder of the term of office of the board of supervisors of such county.

(b) That no advance credit of funds will be made to any county when the unobligated balance in the State Aid Road Fund is less than One Million Dollars ($1,000,000.00).

(c) That such advance crediting of funds be effected by the State Aid Engineer at the time of the approval of the plans and specifications for the proposed improvements.

It is the intent of this provision to utilize to the fullest practicable extent the balance of state aid funds on hand at all times.

(4) State aid funds shall be available to such county to the following extent and in the following manner:

(a) On state aid projects, other than those on or off the federal aid secondary system to be partially financed with federal funds, state aid funds credited to such county in the State Aid Road Fund shall be available to cover the cost of such project. Upon the awarding of a contract for such state aid project, the board of supervisors of any county will, by an official order of the board, authorize the State Aid Engineer to set up the project fund for such project from that county's state aid fund in the State Treasury. The amount of the project fund will cover the estimated cost of the project, including the contractor's payments and any other costs authorized under this chapter to be paid from state aid funds. Withdrawals from the project fund will be made by requisitions prepared by the State Aid Engineer, based on estimates and other supporting statements and documents prepared or approved by the county engineer, such requisitions, accompanied by such estimates and statements, to be directed to the Department of Finance and Administration, which will issue warrants in payment thereof. Requisitions may be drawn to cover the final cost of the project accepted by the boards of supervisors of the counties affected and the State Aid Engineer, even though such cost exceeds the aforesaid estimated project fund. Whenever, in the opinion of the State Aid Engineer, it should appear that any such estimate or statement of account has been improperly allowed or that any road construction project is not proceeding in accordance with the plans, specifications and standards set up therefor, then, in such event, due notice in writing shall be given the board of supervisors of such county and the contractor on such project, if any, stating the reason why such account should not have been allowed or why such project is not progressing satisfactorily; and if, within thirty (30) days from the date of such notice in writing, such error or default is not corrected to the satisfaction of the State Aid Engineer, all state aid funds theretofore allocated to such eligible county shall be immediately withdrawn and notice given the Department of Finance and Administration and the State Treasurer that such county has become ineligible therefor. Such county shall remain ineligible until it again becomes eligible by satisfying the State Aid Engineer as to its eligibility.

(b) On state aid projects on the federal aid secondary system which are to be partially financed with federal funds, state aid funds credited to such county in the State Aid Road Fund shall be available to cover the sponsor's share of the cost of such project. At the same time, the State Treasurer, on order from the board of supervisors, shall transfer an amount up to one hundred percent (100%) of such cost from the credit of such county in the State Aid Road Fund to the credit of such county in the State Highway Fund, earmarked for such project.

(c) State aid road funds credited to a county in the State Aid Road Fund shall also be available to cover the sponsor's cost of any other project of such county which is partially financed with federal funds available through federal "safer off-system" road funds and/or other federal road funds allocated to the counties as provided for in accordance with Section 65-9-29(2). On order from the board of supervisors of such county, the State Treasurer shall transfer an amount up to one hundred percent (100%) of such cost from the credit of such county in the State Aid Road Fund to the credit of such county in the State Highway Fund, earmarked for such project.

(d) Up to one-third (1/3) of state aid road funds credited to a county in the State Aid Road Fund may be available to match federal bridge replacement monies or other federal funds, or both, to construct, replace, inspect or post bridges and to conduct pavement management surveys on county roads which are not on the state aid system. To implement such projects, the State Treasurer shall, as requested in an order from the board of supervisors of the county, make transfers out of the credit of such county in the State Aid Road Fund.

(e) Up to twenty-five percent (25%) of the state aid road funds credited to a county in the State Aid Road Fund may be available (a) for projects authorized under the Local System Road Program, or (b) for the payment of the debt service on debt incurred by a county for projects as authorized under the Local System Road Program. Withdrawals from the fund for the Local System Road Program will be made by requisitions prepared by the State Aid Engineer, based on estimates and other supporting statements and documents prepared or approved by the county engineer; such requisitions, accompanied by such estimates and statements, to be directed to the Department of Finance and Administration, which will issue warrants in payment thereof. Requisitions may be drawn (a) to cover the final cost of the local system road project accepted by the boards of supervisors of the counties affected and the State Aid Engineer even though such cost exceeds the aforesaid estimated project fund, or (b) to cover the debt service on any debt incurred by the county for local system road projects approved by the State Aid Engineer. Whenever, in the opinion of the State Aid Engineer, it should appear that any such estimate or statement of account has been improperly allowed or that any road construction project is not proceeding in accordance with the plans, specifications and standards set up therefor, then, in such event, due notice in writing shall be given the board of supervisors of such county and the contractor on such project, if any, stating the reason why such account should not have been allowed or why such project is not progressing satisfactorily; and if, within thirty (30) days from the date of such notice in writing, such error or default is not corrected to the satisfaction of the State Aid Engineer, all state aid funds theretofore allocated to such eligible county shall be immediately withdrawn and notice given the Department of Finance and Administration and the State Treasurer that such county has become ineligible therefor. Such county shall remain ineligible until it again becomes eligible by satisfying the State Aid Engineer as to its eligibility.

(5) The State Treasurer is hereby authorized to continue to receive and deposit all funds from the federal government made available by it, either by existing law or by any law which may be passed hereafter, to the credit of the State Highway Fund, and the Treasurer shall notify the commission of the amounts so received.

All accounts against the above-mentioned funds shall be certified to by the Executive Director of the Mississippi Department of Transportation, who shall request the Department of Finance and Administration to issue its warrant on the State Treasurer for the amount of the accounts; and the Treasurer shall pay same if sufficient funds are available, all in the manner prescribed herein or as may be required by law.

(6) The board of supervisors of each county is hereby authorized and empowered to pay funds into the State Treasury in the manner above set out, and to use and expend such funds for the purposes set out in this chapter. For the purpose of providing such funds, the board of supervisors is hereby authorized and empowered to use and expend any county road and bridge funds, including revenue received from any gasoline taxes paid to such county, or any funds available in the General Fund, or to issue road and bridge bonds of such county in any lawful amount in the manner and method and subject to the restrictions, limitations and conditions, and payable from the same sources of revenue, now provided by law.

SECTION 4. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2007.