House Bill 1292

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 41-3-16.1, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO CLARIFY THAT CERTAIN ENTITIES ARE ELIGIBLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE ARPA RURAL WATER ASSOCIATIONS INFRASTRUCTURE GRANT PROGRAM; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. Section 41-3-16.1, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

41-3-16.1. (1) The State Department of Health (department) shall establish a grant program to be known as the ARPA Rural Water Associations Infrastructure Grant Program (program) to assist rural water associations and any entity operating as a rural water association, regardless of whether the entity was user created or organized not for profit or has been granted tax exempt status under state or federal law or is known as a district, in the construction of eligible drinking water infrastructure projects as provided in the Final Rule for the Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds as established by the federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).

(2) The program shall be funded from appropriations by the Legislature to the department from the Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery Fund, and the department shall expend all such funds for the purposes provided in subsection (1) of this section. It is the intent of the Legislature that, in the first fiscal year after April 25, 2022, twenty percent (20%) of the funds appropriated to the department for the program be obligated to projects that have completed plans and specifications, acquired all necessary land and/or easements, and are ready to proceed to construction.

(3) The department shall obligate the funds by the deadline set by the rules and guidelines of the United States Department of the Treasury and will adhere to the Treasury's rules and guidelines for reporting and monitoring projects funded through ARPA.

(4) The department shall develop a system for use in ranking the grant applications received. The ranking system shall include the following factors, at a minimum: (a) the environmental impact of the proposed project; (b) the proposed project's ability to address noncompliance with state/federal requirements; (c) the extent to which the project promotes economic development; (d) the number of people served by the project (both new and existing users); (e) impacts of the proposed project on disadvantaged/ overburdened communities; (f) the grant applicant's prior efforts to secure funding to address the proposed project's objectives; (g) the grant applicant's proposed contribution of other funds or in-kind cost-sharing to the proposed project; (h) the grant applicant's long-term plans for the financial and physical operation and maintenance of the project; and (i) the grant applicant's capacity to initiate construction in a timely manner and complete the proposed project by the deadline specified by rules and guidelines of the United States Department of the Treasury for ARPA funds.

(5) An application for a grant under this section shall be submitted at such time, be in such form, and contain such information as the department prescribes.

(6) Upon the approval of an application for a grant under this section, the department shall enter into a project grant agreement with each grantee to establish the terms of the grant for the project, including the amount of the grant. The maximum amount of funds that may be provided to any rural water association or other eligible entity from all grants under the program is Two Million Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($2,500,000.00).

(7) The department shall have all powers necessary to implement and administer the program. Of the funds appropriated to the department for the program, not more than five percent (5%) may be used by the department to cover the department's costs of administering the program.

(8) In carrying out its responsibilities under the program, for any contract under the purview of the Public Procurement Review Board (PPRB), the department shall be exempt from any requirement that the PPRB approve any personal or professional services contracts or pre-approve any solicitation of such contracts. This subsection shall stand repealed on July 1, 2026.

(9) The department shall submit an annual report regarding the program no later than December 31 of each year to the Lieutenant Governor, the Speaker of the House, and the Chairmen of the Senate and House Appropriations Committees.

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