House Bill 1555

AN ACT TO AUTHORIZE THE GOVERNING AUTHORITIES OF THE CITY OF NATCHEZ, MISSISSIPPI, TO DONATE AND CONVEY THE NATCHEZ INTERMODAL TRANSPORTATION CENTER AND CERTAIN HISTORIC PROPERTIES OF THE CITY OF NATCHEZ TO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. (1) The governing authorities of the City of Natchez, Mississippi, are hereby authorized and empowered, in their discretion, to donate and/or make such agreements as are necessary to convey to the United States of America all of the right, title and interest of the City of Natchez in and to that certain land and improvements associated with the Intermodal Transportation Center in Natchez, Adams County, Mississippi, being more specifically described as a portion of Parcel 52, Tax Map 41-113B of the Adams County Tax Maps prepared by Conley, Knight and Eckford. The facility being conveyed was constructed in part with funds appropriated by United States Congress pursuant to Senate Bill 902, amending Public Law 100-479. The conveyance shall be made by warranty deed in fee simple absolute and the deed shall not be required to contain a reverter clause, notwithstanding any provision of Section 21-17-1, Mississippi Code of 1972, to the contrary.

(2) In addition to the authority granted under subsection (1) of this section, the governing authorities of the City of Natchez, Mississippi, are hereby authorized and empowered, in their discretion, to donate and convey to the United States of America all of the right, title and interest of the City of Natchez in and to that certain land and improvements associated with the site of the historic Forks of the Road Slave Market in Natchez, Adams County, Mississippi, being more specifically described as Parcels 24, 26.7, 29, 91 and 92, Tax Map 41-116A of the Adams County Tax Maps prepared by Conley, Knight and Eckford, together with all personal property and buildings located thereon. The governing authorities of the City of Natchez, Mississippi, are hereby further authorized and empowered, in their discretion, to donate and convey to the United States of America all of the right, title and interest of the City of Natchez in and to any other lands and improvements associated with the site of the historic Forks of the Road Slave Market in Natchez, Adams County, Mississippi, which the City of Natchez and the State of Mississippi acting through the Department of Archives and History determine are significant to the Forks of the Road Slave Market project and are no longer needed for municipal purposes. The governing authorities of the City of Natchez, Mississippi, are hereby authorized and empowered, in their discretion, to donate and convey to the United States of America all of the right, title and interest of the City of Natchez in and to any lands and improvements associated with the site of the historic Forks of the Road Slave Market in Natchez, Adams County, Mississippi, which are or have been donated to the City of Natchez by third parties for the use in the Forks of the Road Slave Market project. These conveyances shall be made by quitclaim deed and in accordance with that certain Memorandum of Agreement dated September 21, 2001, by and between the City of Natchez and the State of Mississippi acting through the Department of Archives and History and the Bureau of Building, Grounds and Real Property Management, Department of Finance and Administration or as such agreement shall be hereafter amended. The deed shall not be required to contain a reverter clause or contain a provision retaining the mineral rights for the City of Natchez, notwithstanding any provision of Section 21-17-1, Mississippi Code of 1972, to the contrary.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage.