House Bill 1510

AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION TO THE MISSISSIPPI DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY TO PROVIDE FUNDING TO WISPR SYSTEMS IN BATESVILLE FOR RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT TO EXPAND ITS CURRENT SMALL UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS MANUFACTURING CAPABILITIES IN MISSISSIPPI, FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2024.

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

SECTION 1. The following sum, or so much of it as may be necessary, is appropriated out of any money in the State General Fund not otherwise appropriated, to the Mississippi Development Authority for the purpose of providing funding to WISPR Systems in Batesville, Mississippi, for research and development to expand its current small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) manufacturing capabilities in Mississippi to develop and provide secure and safe communication systems and protocols for sUAS that are wholly developed and made in the United States, which will allow it to enter new markets, compete for larger projects and create new jobs, for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2023, and ending June 30, 2024 $ 500,000.00.

SECTION 2. In expending the money appropriated in Section 1, WISPR Systems shall expand its partnership with the Northwest Mississippi Community College AuXX Program and other programs throughout the state to provide workforce development and training on sUAS and communication systems for commercial and military applications.

SECTION 3. The money appropriated by this act shall be paid by the State Treasurer out of any money in the State General Fund not otherwise appropriated, upon warrants issued by the State Fiscal Officer; and the State Fiscal Officer shall issue his or her warrants upon requisitions signed by the proper person, officer or officers in the manner provided by law.

SECTION 4. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2023.