Senate Bill 2529

(As Passed the Senate)

AN ACT TO AUTHORIZE THE STATE BOARD OF TRUSTEES FOR INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING TO TRANSFER AND CONVEY TO THE STATE VETERANS AFFAIRS BOARD CERTAIN REAL PROPERTY LOCATED IN NEWTON COUNTY, MISSISSIPPI, FOR USE AS AN ADDITION TO THE MISSISSIPPI VETERANS MEMORIAL CEMETERY; TO AUTHORIZE THE STATE VETERANS AFFAIRS BOARD TO ESTABLISH, OPERATE AND MAINTAIN A MISSISSIPPI PERSIAN GULF WAR MEMORIAL IN NEWTON COUNTY, MISSISSIPPI; TO AUTHORIZE THE STATE VETERANS AFFAIRS BOARD TO RECEIVE FEDERAL AID AND ANY GIFTS, CONTRIBUTIONS, BEQUESTS AND REIMBURSEMENTS TO ESTABLISH, OPERATE AND MAINTAIN SUCH MEMORIAL; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. (1) The State Board of Trustees for Institutions of Higher Learning is authorized to transfer and convey to the State Veterans Affairs Board certain state-owned real property located at the Mississippi State University Coastal Plains Experiment Station in Newton County, Mississippi, such property more specifically described as follows:

Commence at an iron pin marking the Southwest corner

of the SW 1/4 of SW 1/4 of Section 21, Township 6 North, Range 12 East, Newton County, Mississippi;

Thence run North for a distance of 95.95 feet to a 1/2"

round iron pin;

Thence run East for a distance of 184.22 feet to a 1/2"

round iron pin; Said point being the Point of Beginning

of the herein described parcel of land;

Thence run South 85 degrees 23 minutes 59 seconds East

for a distance of 302.28 feet to a 1/2" round iron pin;

Thence run South 56 degrees 40 minutes 42 seconds East

for a distance of 385.15 feet to a 1/2" round iron pin;

Thence run South 37 degrees 53 minutes 48 seconds West

for a distance of 200.11 feet to a 1/2" round iron pin;

Thence run South 13 degrees 50 minutes 47 seconds West

for a distance of 790.43 feet to a 1/2" round iron pin

on the north right-of-way line of Mississippi Highway

No. 80;

Thence run North 76 degrees 00 minutes 58 seconds West

along said north right-of-way line of Highway 80 a

distance of 472.38 feet to a 1/2" round iron pin;

Thence run North 16 degrees 31 minutes 02 seconds East

for a distance of 499.06 feet to a 1/2" round iron pin;

Thence run North 00 degrees 32 minutes 52 seconds East

for a distance of 568.60 feet to back to the Point of Beginning; Said parcel of land is part of the SW 1/4

of SW 1/4 of Section 21, Township 6 North, Range 12

East and part of the NW 1/4 of NW 1/4 of Section 28,

Township 6 North, Range 12 East, Newton County,

Mississippi and contains 12.172 acres more or less.

(2) The real property described in subsection (1) of this section shall be used by the State Board of Veterans Affairs as an addition to the Mississippi Veterans Memorial Cemetery.

SECTION 2. The State Veterans Affairs Board is authorized to establish, operate and maintain a Persian Gulf War Memorial in this state, which shall be known as the "Mississippi Persian Gulf War Memorial."

(2) The Persian Gulf War Memorial shall be located next to the Mississippi Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Newton County, Mississippi, and shall be under the control and administration of the State Veterans Affairs Board.

(3) The State Veterans Affairs Board is designated as the agency of this state to receive federal aid under Title 38 USC, as amended, and is authorized to receive funds from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs or any other agency of the United States authorized to grant or expend funds to assist a state in establishing, operating and maintaining a Persian Gulf War Memorial. The board is authorized to receive gifts, contributions, bequests and individual reimbursements from any source, the receipt of which shall not exclude any other source of revenue. All funds received by the board pursuant to this subsection shall be expended to establish, operate and maintain a Persian Gulf War Memorial in this state. The State Veterans Affairs Board is authorized to employ such personnel as it may deem necessary to carry out its duties and responsibilities under this section.

SECTION 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage.