Bill Text: MS SB2832 | 2025 | Regular Session | Introduced

Mississippi Senate Bill 2832

Introduced

Bill Title: County website; allow counties without local newspapers to publish certain notices on.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2025-01-20 - Referred To Accountability, Efficiency, Transparency [SB2832 Detail]

Download: Mississippi-2025-SB2832-Introduced.html

MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

2025 Regular Session

To: Accountability, Efficiency, Transparency

By: Senator(s) Rhodes

Senate Bill 2832

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTIONS 17-3-3, 17-5-1, 17-11-37, 17-11-45, 17-17-107, 17-17-109, 17-17-227, 17-17-237, 17-17-309, 17-17-311, 17-17-329, 17-17-337, 17-17-348, 17-18-17, 17-21-53, 19-3-1, 19-3-11, 19-3-19, 19-3-33, 19-3-35,19-3-67, 19-3-79, 19-5-9, 19-5-21, 19-5-23, 19-5-81, 19-5-92.1, 19-5-155, 19-5-157, 19-5-189, 19-5-199, 19-5-207, 19-5-219, 19-5-221, 19-7-3, 19-7-21, 19-9-11, 19-9-13, 19-9-27, 19-9-111, 19-9-114, 19-11-7, 19-13-53, 19-15-3, 19-23-5, 19-27-31, 19-29-7, 19-29-9, 19-29-18, 19-29-33, 19-31-7, 19-31-9, 19-31-23, 19-31-39, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO MODERNIZE AND SIMPLIFY THE NOTICE PUBLICATION PROCESS FOR COUNTIES BY ALLOWING ONLINE PUBLICATION AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO NEWSPAPER PUBLICATION IN COUNTIES WHERE THERE IS NO NEWSPAPER PUBLISHED OR LOCATED WITHIN THE COUNTY; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. Section 17-3-3, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

17-3-3. Advertising pursuant to Section 17-3-1 shall include newspaper and magazine advertising and literature, publicity, expositions, public entertainment or other form of advertising or publicity, including advertising on an official county website, which in the judgment of such board or boards will be helpful toward advancing the moral, financial and other interests of such municipality or county; however, such advertising shall not include advertisements in publications sponsored by political parties, political committees or affiliated organizations, as such terms are defined in Section 23-15-801.

SECTION 2. Section 17-5-1, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

17-5-1. (1) The board of supervisors of any county of the state and the governing authorities of any municipality within such county may enter into a contract for the joint construction, expansion, remodeling and/or maintenance and equipping of a jail in such municipality, or within one (1) mile of the corporate limits thereof, and may issue bonds of both the county and such municipality in the manner provided by general statutes for the issuance of county and municipal bonds for such purposes, provided that in no event shall the municipality bear over fifty percent (50%) of the cost of constructing, expanding, remodeling and/or maintaining and equipping such jail. Such contract or future contracts may provide for the continued joint use of equipping, repairing, reconstructing and remodeling of such jail. Before issuing any bonds for the purposes herein set forth, the board of supervisors and the governing authorities of such municipality shall adopt a joint resolution declaring their intention to issue the same, which resolution shall state the amount and purposes of the bonds to be issued, and shall fix the date upon which action will be taken to provide for the issuance of such bonds. Said resolution shall be published once a week for at least three (3) consecutive weeks in a newspaper published in the county, the first publication of such notice to be made not less than twenty-one (21) days prior to the date fixed in such resolution and the last publication to be made not more than seven (7) days prior to such date. In any county where there is no newspaper published or located within the county, the board of supervisors shall be authorized to publish such resolution on the official county website for the duration of twenty-one (21) days immediately preceding the date fixed in such resolution. The board of supervisors shall take appropriate measures to ensure that online content is secure, verifiable and accessible to the public. If twenty percent (20%) or fifteen hundred (1500), whichever is less, of the qualified electors of the county and municipality, respectively, shall file a written protest against the issuance of such bonds on or before the date specified in such resolution, then an election upon the issuance of such bonds shall be called and held, and in such case such bonds or other evidences of indebtedness shall not be issued unless same are authorized by the affirmative vote of a majority of the qualified electors of said county and municipality, respectively, who vote on the proposition at such election. Notice of such election shall be given by publication in like manner as is provided for the publication of the initial resolution, and said election shall be called, held and conducted and the returns thereof made, canvassed and declared in the same manner as provided by Section 19-9-1 et seq., and Section 21-33-301 et seq., respectively. If no such petition be filed protesting against the issuance of said bonds, then the said board of supervisors and the governing authorities of the municipality shall have the authority to issue said bonds without an election.

(2) If the board of supervisors of a county and the governing authorities of a municipality enter into an agreement under the Regional Economic Development Act or an intergovernmental agreement approved by the Attorney General for the operation of a county jail, such county jail may be located outside the corporate limits of the municipality and is not subject to location restrictions in subsection (1).

SECTION 3. Section 17-11-37, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

17-11-37. The governing body of the district, county or city shall adopt a resolution declaring its intention to issue bonds for the purposes authorized by this chapter, stating the amount of the bonds proposed to be issued, whether such bonds are revenue bonds or general obligation bonds, and the date upon which further action will be taken by the governing body looking forward to the issuance of such bonds. Such resolution shall be published once a week for at least three successive weeks in a newspaper published and of general circulation within such county or city. The first of such publications shall be made at least twenty one (21) days prior to the date set forth in said resolution as the date upon which further action will be taken by the governing body, and the last publication shall be made not more than seven (7) days prior to said date. In any county where there is no newspaper published or located within the county, the board of supervisors shall be authorized to publish all such resolutions on the official county website for the duration of at least twenty one (21) days immediately preceding the date set forth in said resolution as the date upon which further action will be taken by the governing body of the county. The board of supervisors shall take appropriate measures to ensure that online content is secure, verifiable and accessible to the public. If, prior to the date set forth as aforesaid, there shall be filed with the clerk of such governing body a petition in writing signed by ten percent (10%) of the qualified electors of such regional area, county or city thereof, or fifteen hundred (1,500) qualified electors, whichever shall be the lesser number, requesting an election on the question of the issuance of such bonds, then such bonds shall not be issued unless authorized by a majority of the qualified electors in such regional area, county or city voting thereon at an election to be ordered by the governing body for that purpose. Notice of such election shall be given and such election shall be held and conducted in like manner as provided by law with respect to elections held on the submission of county or city bond issues. If the proposition so submitted shall fail to receive approval at such election, then no further proceedings for the issuance of such bonds shall be taken for a period of six (6) months from and after the date of such election. If, however, no such petition shall be filed, or if such election or subsequent election on such proposition shall be assented to by a majority of the qualified electors voting thereon, then such governing body shall be authorized to proceed with the issuance of such bonds without further election.

SECTION 4. Section 17-11-45, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

17-11-45. The governing body or bodies issuing bonds under this chapter shall sell such bonds in such manner and for such price as it or they may determine to be for the best interest of said governing body or bodies. No such sale shall be made at a price less than par plus accrued interest to date of delivery of the bonds of the purchaser. Notice of the sale of any such bonds shall be published at least one (1) time not less than ten (10) days prior to the date of sale, and shall be published in a newspaper published in and having general circulation within such regional area, county or city. In any county where there is no newspaper published or located within the county, the board of supervisors shall be authorized to publish such notice on the official county website for the duration of at least ten (10) days prior to the sale of such bonds. The board of supervisors shall take appropriate measures to ensure that online content is secure, verifiable and accessible to the public.

SECTION 5. Section 17-17-107, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

17-17-107. Before issuing any revenue bonds hereunder, the governing body of any municipality shall adopt a resolution declaring its intention to so issue, stating the amount of bonds proposed to be issued, the purpose for which the bonds are to be issued, and the date upon which the governing body proposes to direct the issuance of such bonds. Such resolution shall be published once a week for at least three (3) consecutive weeks in at least one (1) newspaper published in the county in which such municipality is located. The first publication of such resolution shall be made not less than twenty-one (21) days prior to the date fixed in such resolution for the issuance of the bonds and the last publication shall be made not more than seven (7) days prior to such date. * * * In any county where there is no newspaper published or located within the county, the board of supervisors shall be authorized to post such resolution on the official county website for not less than twenty-one (21) days immediately preceding the date fixed in such resolution for the issuance of the bonds. The board of supervisors shall take appropriate measures to ensure that online content is secure, verifiable and accessible to the public. If twenty percent (20%) or fifteen hundred (1500), whichever is less, of the qualified electors of the municipality shall file a written protest against the issuance of such bonds on or before the date specified in such resolution, then an election on the question of the issuance of such bonds shall be called and held as herein provided. If no such protest be filed, then such bonds may be issued without an election at any time within a period of two (2) years after the date specified in the above-mentioned resolution. However, the governing body of such municipality, in its discretion, may nevertheless call an election on the question of the issuance of the bonds, in which event it shall not be necessary to publish the resolution declaring its intention to issue bonds as herein provided.

SECTION 6. Section 17-17-109, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

17-17-109. Where an election is to be called as provided in Section 17-17-107, notice of such election shall be signed by the clerk of the governing body of any municipality and shall be published once a week for at least three (3) consecutive weeks, in at least one (1) newspaper published in such county. The first publication of such notice shall be made not less than twenty-one (21) days prior to the date fixed for such election and the last publication shall be made not more than seven (7) days prior to such date. * * * In any county where there is no newspaper published or located within the county, the board of supervisors shall be authorized to publish notice of such election on the official county website for the duration of not less than twenty-one (21) days immediately preceding the date fixed for such election. The board of supervisors shall take appropriate measures to ensure that online content is secure, verifiable and accessible to the public.

SECTION 7. Section 17-17-227, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

17-17-227. (1) Each county, in cooperation with municipalities within the county, shall prepare, adopt and submit to the commission for review and approval a local nonhazardous solid waste management plan for the county. Each local nonhazardous solid waste management plan shall include, at a minimum, the following:

(a) An inventory of the sources, composition and quantities by weight or volume of municipal solid waste annually generated within the county, and the source, composition and quantity by weight or volume of municipal solid waste currently transported into the county for management;

(b) An inventory of all existing facilities where municipal solid waste is currently being managed, including the environmental suitability and operational history of each facility, and the remaining available permitted capacity for each facility;

(c) An inventory of existing solid waste collection systems and transfer stations within the county. The inventory shall identify the entities engaging in municipal solid waste collection within the county;

(d) A strategy for achieving a twenty-five percent (25%) waste reduction goal through source reduction, recycling or other waste reduction technologies;

(e) A projection, using acceptable averaging methods, of municipal solid waste generated within the boundaries of the county over the next twenty (20) years;

(f) An identification of the additional municipal solid waste management facilities, including an evaluation of alternative management technologies, and the amount of additional capacity needed to manage the quantities projected in paragraph (e);

(g) An estimation of development, construction, operational, closure and post-closure costs, including a proposed method for financing those costs;

(h) A plan for meeting any projected capacity shortfall, including a schedule and methodology for attaining the required capacity;

(i) A determination of need by the county, municipality, authority or district that is submitting the plan, for any new or expanded facilities. A determination of need shall include, at a minimum, the following:

(i) Verification that the proposed facility meets needs identified in the approved local nonhazardous solid waste management plan which shall take into account the quantities of municipal solid waste generated and the design capacities of existing facilities;

(ii) Certification that the proposed facility complies with local land use and zoning requirements, if any;

(iii) Demonstration, to the extent possible, that operation of the proposed facility will not negatively impact the waste reduction strategy of the county, municipality, authority or district that is submitting the plan;

(iv) Certification that the proposed service area of the proposed facility is consistent with the local nonhazardous solid waste management plan; and

(v) A description of the extent to which the proposed facility is needed to replace other facilities; and

(j) Any other information the commission may require.

(2) Each local nonhazardous solid waste management plan may include:

(a) The preferred site or alternative sites for the construction of any additional municipal solid waste management facilities needed to properly manage the quantities of municipal solid waste projected for the service areas covered by the plan, including the factors which provided the basis for identifying the preferred or alternative sites; and

(b) The method of implementation of the plan with regard to the person who will apply for and acquire the permit for any planned additional facilities and the person who will own or operate any of the facilities.

(3) Each municipality shall cooperate with the county in planning for the management of municipal solid waste generated within its boundaries or the area served by that municipality. The governing authority of any municipality which does not desire to be included in the local nonhazardous solid waste management plan shall adopt a resolution stating its intent not to be included in the county plan. The resolution shall be provided to the board of supervisors and the commission. Any municipality resolving not to be included in a county waste plan shall prepare a local nonhazardous solid waste management plan in accordance with this section.

(4) The board of supervisors of any county may enter into interlocal agreements with one or more counties as provided by law to form a regional solid waste management authority or other district to provide for the management of municipal solid waste for all participating counties. For purposes of Section 17-17-221 through Section 17-17-227, a local nonhazardous solid waste management plan prepared, adopted, submitted and implemented by the regional solid waste management authority or other district is sufficient to satisfy the planning requirements for the counties and municipalities within the boundaries of the authority or district.

(5) (a) Upon completion of its local nonhazardous solid waste management plan, the board of supervisors of the county shall publish in at least one (1) newspaper * * * ~~as defined in Section 13‑3‑31,~~ having general circulation within the county a public notice that describes the plan, specifies the location where it is available for review, and establishes a period of thirty (30) days for comments concerning the plan and a mechanism for submitting those comments. In any county where there is no newspaper published or located within the county, the board of supervisors shall be authorized to publish such public notice on the official county website, taking care to ensure that the content is secure, verifiable and accessible to the public. The board of supervisors shall also notify the board of supervisors of adjacent counties of the plan and shall make it available for review by the board of supervisors of each adjacent county. During the comment period, the board of supervisors of the county shall conduct at least one (1) public hearing concerning the plan. The board of supervisors of the county shall publish twice in at least one (1) newspaper * * * ~~as defined in Section 13‑3‑31,~~ having general circulation within the county, a notice conspicuously displayed containing the time and place of the hearing and the location where the plan is available for review. In any county where there is no newspaper published or located within the county, the board of supervisors shall be authorized to publish notice of such hearing for the duration of two (2) weeks prior to the hearing. The board of supervisors shall take appropriate measures to ensure that online content is secure, verifiable and accessible to the public.

(b) After the public hearing, the board of supervisors of the county may modify the plan based upon the public's comments. Within ninety (90) days after the public hearing, each board of supervisors shall approve a local nonhazardous solid waste management plan by resolution.

(c) A regional solid waste management authority or other district shall declare the plan to be approved as the authority's or district's solid waste management plan upon written notification, including a copy of the resolution, that the board of supervisors of each county forming the authority or district has approved the plan.

(6) Upon ratification of the plan, the governing body of the county, authority or district shall submit it to the commission for review and approval in accordance with Section 17-17-225. The commission shall, by order, approve or disapprove the plan within one hundred eighty (180) days after its submission. The commission shall include with an order disapproving a plan a statement outlining the deficiencies in the plan and directing the governing body of the county, authority or district to submit, within one hundred twenty (120) days after issuance of the order, a revised plan that remedies those deficiencies. If the governing body of the county, authority or district, by resolution, requests an extension of the time for submission of a revised plan, the commission may, for good cause shown, grant one (1) extension for a period of not more than sixty (60) additional days.

(7) After approval of the plan or revised plan by the commission, the governing body of the county, authority or district shall implement the plan in compliance with the implementation schedule contained in the approved plan.

(8) The governing body of the county, authority or district shall annually review implementation of the approved plan. The commission may require the governing body of each local government or authority to revise the local nonhazardous solid waste management plan as necessary, but not more than once every five (5) years.

(9) If the commission finds that the governing body of a county, authority or district has failed to submit a local nonhazardous solid waste management plan, obtain approval of its local nonhazardous solid waste management plan or materially fails to implement its local nonhazardous solid waste management plan, the commission shall issue an order in accordance with Section 17-17-29, to the governing body of the county, authority or district.

(10) The commission may, by regulation, adopt an alternative procedure to the procedure described in this section for the preparation, adoption, submission, review and approval of minor modifications of an approved local nonhazardous solid waste management plan. For purposes of this section, minor modifications may include administrative changes or the addition of any noncommercial nonhazardous solid waste management facility. (11) The executive director of the department shall maintain a copy of all local nonhazardous solid waste management plans that the commission has approved and any orders issued by the commission.

(12) If a public notice required in subsection (5) was published in a newspaper as defined in Section 13-3-31, having general circulation within the county but was not published in a daily newspaper of general circulation as required by subsection (5) before April 20, 1993, the commission shall not disapprove the plan for failure to publish the notice in a daily newspaper. Any plan disapproved for that reason by the commission shall be deemed approved after remedying any other deficiencies in the plan.

(13) Notwithstanding any provision of this chapter, no solid waste management plan shall include a proposed new municipal solid waste landfill in any county that has two (2) or more existing permitted municipal solid waste landfills and such new landfill will be located within a five (5) mile radius of an existing municipal solid waste landfill, unless a referendum election has been conducted and approved pursuant to Section 17-17-237. This subsection (13) shall not apply to the proposed expansion or replacement of any permitted landfill by the permit holder, and shall not apply to any rubbish disposal facilities, transfer stations, land application sites, composting facilities, solid waste processing facilities, chipping/mulching facilities, industrial/institutional/special waste landfills, industrial/institutional/special waste rubbish sites, waste tire processing facilities, commercial waste tire collection sites, local government waste tire collection sites or generator waste tire collection sites, and none of those facilities, stations, landfills or sites shall be counted as a landfill within a county for the purpose of determining whether a referendum election is required to be conducted in the county as provided in this section.

SECTION 8. Section 17-17-237, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

17-17-237. (1) No new municipal solid waste landfill shall be incorporated into any solid waste management plan and no reference in any existing plan to any unpermitted new municipal solid waste landfill shall be effective, applicable or operative and no permit, grant or loan shall be approved for any new municipal solid waste landfill in any county that has two (2) or more existing permitted municipal solid waste landfills and such new landfill will be located within a five~~(5)~~-mile radius of an existing municipal solid waste landfill, unless a local referendum election has been called and held in the county in which the new municipal solid waste landfill is proposed and with the results hereinafter provided. The board of supervisors may require the proponent of or applicant for the new municipal solid waste landfill to pay the costs of the election.

(2) Upon presentation and filing of a proper petition requesting same signed by at least twenty percent (20%) or fifteen hundred (1,500), whichever number is the lesser, of the qualified electors of the county, it shall be the duty of the board of supervisors to call an election at which there shall be submitted to the qualified electors of the county the question of whether or not the new municipal solid waste landfill proposed to be sited within the county shall be eligible for consideration by the board of supervisors for inclusion in the solid waste management plan of the county. Such election shall be held and conducted by the county election commissioners on a date fixed by the order of the board of supervisors, which date shall not be more than sixty (60) days from the date of the filing of said petition. Notice thereof shall be given by publishing such notice once each week for at least three (3) consecutive weeks in some newspaper published in said county * * *. In any county where there is no newspaper published or located within the county, the board of supervisors shall be authorized to publish such notice on the official county website for the duration of at least three (3) consecutive weeks. The board of supervisors shall take appropriate measures to ensure that online content is secure, verifiable and accessible to the public. The election shall be held not earlier than fifteen (15) days from the first publication of such notice.

(3) The election shall be held and conducted as far as may be possible in the same manner as is provided by law for the holding of general elections. The ballots used thereat shall contain a brief statement of the proposition submitted and, on separate lines, the words "I vote FOR new municipal solid waste landfill in ___________ County ( )", "I vote AGAINST new municipal solid waste landfill in ________ County ( )" with appropriate boxes in which the voters may express their choice. All qualified electors may vote by marking the ballot with a cross (x) or check mark(�) opposite the words of their choice.

(4) The election commissioners shall canvass and determine the results of the election, and shall certify same to the board of supervisors which shall adopt and spread upon its minutes an order declaring such results. If, in such election, sixty percent (60%) of the qualified electors participating therein shall vote in favor of the proposition, inclusion of the proposed new municipal solid waste landfill in a solid waste management plan and permitting of such landfill may be approved provided that all other requirements of law are satisfied as to the landfill. If, on the other hand, sixty percent (60%) of the qualified electors participating therein shall not vote in favor of the proposition, the new landfill may not be included in any solid waste management plan and shall not be permitted. In either case, no further election shall be held in a county under the provisions of this section for a period of two (2) years from the date of the prior election and then only upon the filing of a petition requesting same signed by at least twenty percent (20%) or fifteen hundred (1,500), whichever number is the lesser, of the qualified electors of the county as is otherwise provided herein.

SECTION 9. Section 17-17-309, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

17-17-309. (1) Within forty (40) days following the adoption of the final authorizing resolution, the designated representatives shall proceed to incorporate an authority by filing for record in the office of the chancery clerk of the participating counties and the Secretary of State an incorporation agreement approved by each member. The agreement shall comply in form and substance with the requirements of this section and shall be executed in the manner provided in Sections 17-17-301 through 17-17-349.

(2) The incorporation agreement of an authority shall state:

(a) The name of each participating unit of local government and the date on which the governing bodies thereof adopted an authorizing resolution;

(b) The name of the authority which must include the words "_________ Solid Waste Management Authority," or "The Solid Waste Management Authority of ____________," the blank spaces to be filled in with the name of one or more of the members or other geographically descriptive term. If the Secretary of State determines that the name is identical to the name of any other corporation organized under the laws of the state or so nearly similar as to lead to confusion and uncertainty, the incorporators may insert additional identifying words so as to eliminate any duplication or similarity;

(d) The location of the principal office of the authority which shall be within the boundaries of the members;

(e) That the authority is organized pursuant to Sections 17-17-301 through 17-17-349;

(f) The board setting forth the number of commissioners, terms of office and the vote of each commissioner;

(g) If the exercise by the authority of any of its powers is to be in any way prohibited, limited or conditioned, a statement of the terms of such prohibition, limitation or condition;

(h) Any provisions relating to the vesting of title to its properties upon its dissolution which shall be vested in any member; and

(i) Any other related matters relating to the authority that the incorporators may choose to insert and that are not inconsistent with Sections 17-17-301 through 17-17-349 or with the laws of the state.

(3) The incorporation agreement shall be signed and acknowledged by the incorporators before an officer authorized by the laws of the state to take acknowledgements. When the incorporation agreement is filed for record, there shall be attached to it a certified copy of the authorizing resolution adopted by the governing body of each member.

(4) The incorporators shall publish a notice of incorporation once a week for two (2) successive weeks in a daily newspaper or newspapers having general circulation throughout the region to be served. In any county where there is no newspaper published or located within the county, the board of supervisors shall be authorized to publish such notice of incorporation on the official county website for the duration of two (2) weeks. The board of supervisors shall take appropriate measures to ensure that online content is secure, verifiable and accessible to the public.

(5) Upon the filing for record of the agreement and the required documents, the authority shall come into existence and shall constitute a public corporation under the name set forth in the incorporation agreement. The Secretary of State shall thereupon issue a certificate of incorporation to the authority.

SECTION 10. Section 17-17-311, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

17-17-311. (1) The incorporation agreement of any authority may be amended in the manner provided in this section. The board of the authority shall first adopt a resolution proposing an amendment to the incorporation agreement. The amendment shall be set forth in full in the resolution and may include any matters which might have been included in the original incorporation agreement.

(2) After the adoption of the resolution by the board, the chairman of the board and the secretary of the authority shall file a certified copy of the resolution and a signed written application in the name of and on behalf of the authority, under its seal, with the governing body of each member, requesting the governing body to adopt a resolution approving the proposed amendment. As promptly as may be practicable after the filing of the application with the governing body, that governing body shall review the application and shall adopt a resolution either denying the application or authorizing the proposed amendment. Any such resolution shall be published in a newspaper or newspapers as provided in subsection (4) of Section 17-17-309. In any county where there is no newspaper published or located within the county, the board of supervisors shall be authorized to publish such resolution on the official county website. The board of supervisors shall take appropriate measures to ensure that online content is secure, verifiable and accessible to the public. The governing body shall cause a copy of the application and all accompanying documents to be spread upon or otherwise made a part of the minutes of the meeting of the governing body at which final action upon the application is taken. The incorporation agreement may be amended only after the adoption of a resolution by two-thirds (2/3) of the governing bodies of the members. Publication of such amendment shall be made as provided in subsection (4) of Section 17-17-309.

(3) Within forty (40) days following the adoption of the last adopted resolution approving the proposed amendment, the chairman of the board and the secretary of the authority shall sign, and file for record in the office of the chancery clerk with which the incorporation agreement of the authority was originally filed and the Secretary of State, a certificate in the name of and in behalf of the authority, under its seal, reciting the adoption of the respective resolutions by the board and by the governing body of each member and setting forth the amendment. The chancery clerk for such county shall record the certificate in an appropriate book in his office. When such certificate has been so filed and recorded, the amendment shall become effective. No incorporation agreement of an authority shall be amended except in the manner provided in this section.

(4) Any member of a regional solid waste management authority may withdraw from the authority by submitting a resolution to the board requesting an amendment to the incorporation agreement pursuant to subsection (1) of this section. Upon compliance with the requirements of subsections (1) through (3) of this section and the payment of its pro rata share of any indebtedness, costs, expenses or obligations of the authority outstanding at the time of withdrawal, the amendment may become effective upon adoption of the resolution by the board. The withdrawal of a member shall not operate to impair, invalidate, release or abrogate any contract, lien, bond, permit, indebtedness or obligation of the authority, except to relieve the withdrawing member from further financial obligation to the authority.

(5) After the issuance of a permit by the permit board for the construction and operation of a solid waste landfill, any withdrawal of the situs county from the authority shall not affect the ability of the authority to operate a solid waste landfill upon the site for which the permit has been issued.

SECTION 11. Section 17-17-329, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

17-17-329. (1) The board of supervisors of a county and the governing authorities of a municipality, acting jointly or severally, shall have the power and is hereby authorized, from time to time, to issue general obligation bonds of the county or municipality for the purpose of providing sufficient funds for capital expenditures, including the financing of the acquisition, construction, improvement or the closure, corrective action or postclosure maintenance of solid waste management facilities pursuant to the provisions of Sections 19-9-1 through 19-9-25, or 21-33-301 through 21-33-329. General obligation bonds issued pursuant to this section shall be included in the limitation of indebtedness as set forth in Sections 19-9-5 and 21-33-303.

(2) (a) In addition to compliance with the provisions of Sections 19-9-1 through 19-9-25, Sections 21-33-301 through 21-37-329, for the issuance of general obligations of the county or municipality, the county or municipality shall advertise its intention to issue general obligation bonds of the county or municipality and specify the proposed increased tax rate of the county or municipality in a newspaper of general circulation in the county or municipality. The advertisement shall be no less than one-fourth (1/4) page in size and the type used shall be no smaller than eighteen (18) point and surrounded by a one-fourth (1/4) inch solid black border. The advertisement may not be placed in that portion of the newspaper where legal notices and classified advertisements appear. It is legislative intent that, whenever possible, the advertisement appear in a newspaper that is published at least five (5) days a week, unless the only newspaper in the county or municipality is published less than five (5) days a week. It is further the intent of the Legislature that the newspaper selected be one of general interest and readership in the community, and not one of limited subject matter. The advertisement shall be run once each week for the two (2) weeks preceding the date specified in the resolution by the board of supervisors or the governing authorities of the municipality. In any county where there is no newspaper published or located within the county, the board of supervisors shall be authorized to publish such advertisement on the official county website for the duration of the two (2) weeks immediately preceding the date specified in the resolution by the board of supervisors. The board of supervisors shall take appropriate measures to ensure that online content is secure, verifiable and accessible to the public. The advertisement shall state that the county or municipality proposes to issue general obligation bonds of the county or municipality for a solid waste management facility, the proposed property tax revenue and the procedure that may be taken by qualified electors of the county for calling an election on the question of issuance of the general obligation bonds of the county or municipality.

(b) The form and content of the notice shall be as follows:

"NOTICE OF TAX INCREASE

(Name of the County or Municipality) has proposed to increase its property tax revenue (designate one or more classes of property provided for in Section 112, Mississippi Constitution of 1890) by (percentage of increase of each class) percent, and to increase its total budget by (percentage of increase) percent for the purpose of the issuance of general obligation bonds of the county or municipality for a solid waste management facility."

If twenty percent (20%) or fifteen hundred (1500), whichever is less, of the qualified voters of the county or municipality file a written protest against the issuance of such bonds on or before the date specified in the resolution of the board of supervisors or governing authorities of the municipality, then an election on the question of the issuance of the bonds shall be called pursuant to Sections 19-9-13 and 19-9-15, or 21-33-307 through 21-33-311. If no protest is filed, then the bonds may be issued without an election, at any time, within two (2) years after the date specified in the resolution of the board of supervisors or governing authorities of the municipality.

SECTION 12. Section 17-17-337, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

17-17-337. All bonds issued pursuant to Sections 17-17-329, 17-17-333 and 17-17-335 may be validated as now provided by law in Sections 31-13-1 through 31-13-11, Mississippi Code of 1972. Such validation proceedings shall be instituted in the chancery court of the county in which the principal office of the authority is located, but notice of such validation proceedings shall be published at least two (2) times in a newspaper of general circulation in each of the counties, the first publication of which in each case shall be made at least ten (10) days preceding the date set for validation. In any county where there is no newspaper published or located within the county, the board of supervisors shall be authorized to publish such notice of validation on the official county website for the duration of at least ten (10) days immediately preceding the date set for validation. The board of supervisors shall take appropriate measures to ensure that online content is secure, verifiable and accessible to the public.

SECTION 13. Section 17-17-348, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

17-17-348. (1) In addition to any notice requirements otherwise provided by law, the board of supervisors of each county and the governing authorities of each municipality, before the first day of the fiscal year, shall publish in a newspaper having a general circulation in the county, a detailed, itemized report of all revenues, costs and expenses incurred by the county or municipality during the immediately preceding county or municipal fiscal year in operating the garbage or rubbish collection or disposal system. In any county where there is no newspaper published or located within the county, the board of supervisors shall be authorized to publish such report on the official county website. The board of supervisors shall take appropriate measures to ensure that online content is secure, verifiable and accessible to the public. The report shall disclose:

(a) The total dollar amount of revenues received or dedicated by the county or municipality during the immediately preceding fiscal year for operation of the garbage or rubbish collection or disposal system;

(b) The identity of each source of funding and the dollar amount received from each source of funding during the immediately preceding fiscal year for operation of the garbage or rubbish collection or disposal system, including ad valorem taxes, fees and other sources; and

(c) The total dollar amount expended by the county or municipality to operate the garbage or rubbish collection or disposal system, along with the names and addresses of all businesses and persons with whom the county or municipality has contracted to perform or provide garbage or rubbish collection or disposal, the dollar amount of expenditures made under each contract and an itemized list of all other expenditures of county or municipal funds to operate and administer the garbage or rubbish collection or disposal system.

(2) The notice required under subsection (1) of this section shall be no less than one-eighth (1/8) page in size and the type used shall be no smaller than ten (10) point and surrounded by a one-fourth-inch (1/4) solid black border. The notice may not be placed in that portion of the newspaper where legal notices and classified advertisements appear. The notice must appear in a newspaper that is published at least five (5) days a week, unless the only newspaper in the county is published less than five (5) days a week. The newspaper selected must be one of general interest and readership in the community, and not one of limited subject matter. The notice must be published at least once. In any county where there is no newspaper published or located within the county, publication on the official county website must remain available for the duration of at least one (1) week.

SECTION 14. Section 17-18-17, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

17-18-17. (1) Except as provided in subsection (2) of this section, a community desiring to volunteer to host the state commercial hazardous waste management facility to be operated pursuant to this chapter may propose to do so by the adoption of a resolution by a majority vote of the governing body of the local governmental unit. The committee shall determine the adequacy of any proposal to voluntarily host the state commercial hazardous waste management facility. Once a proposal to volunteer to host the state commercial hazardous waste management facility has been accepted in writing by the committee, the resolution making such proposal may not be rescinded by the governing body of the local governmental unit, unless the management category or categories determined under Section 49-29-7 is changed after the date of the submission of such category determination to the Hazardous Waste Technical Siting Committee. The governing body of the local governmental unit shall hold a minimum of two (2) public hearings prior to submission of a resolution regarding any proposal to volunteer to host the state commercial hazardous waste management facility pursuant to this chapter. The governing body of the local governmental unit shall advertise its intent to hold the public hearings. The advertisement shall be in a newspaper of general circulation in the county. In any county where there is no newspaper published or located within the county, the board of supervisors shall be authorized to publish such advertisement on the official county website. The board of supervisors shall take appropriate measures to ensure that online content is secure, verifiable and accessible to the public. The advertisement shall be no less than one-fourth (1/4) page in size and the type used shall be no smaller than eighteen (18) point and surrounded by a one-fourth (1/4) inch solid black border. The advertisement may not be placed in that portion of the newspaper where legal notices and classified advertisements appear. It is legislative intent that, whenever possible, the advertisement appear in a newspaper that is published at least five (5) days a week, unless the only newspaper in the county is published less than five (5) days a week. It is further the intent of the Legislature that the newspaper selected be one of general interest and readership in the community, and not one of limited subject matter. The advertisement shall be run once each week for the two (2) weeks preceding the public hearings. The advertisement shall state that the governing body will meet on a certain day, time and place fixed in the advertisement, which shall be not less than seven (7) days after the day the first advertisement is published, for the purpose of hearing comments regarding the proposed resolution and to explain the reasons for the proposed resolution. If the advertisement is posted on the official county website, it must be available to the public for a duration not less than seven (7) days immediately preceding the day of the meeting established for the purpose of hearing comments.

(2) Washington County and Issaquena County are hereby designated as volunteer host communities without having to comply with the requirements of subsection (1) of this section.

(3) This section shall not be construed to give priority for the evaluation of potential sites to any one (1) volunteer host community over any other volunteer host community, regardless of whether the designation of a governmental unit as a volunteer host community is accomplished under subsection (1) or subsection (2) of this section.

SECTION 15. Section 17-21-53, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

17-21-53. (1) Before any money is borrowed under the provisions of this article, the governing authority shall adopt a resolution declaring the necessity for such borrowing and specifying the purpose for which the money borrowed is to be expended, the amount to be borrowed, the date or dates of the maturity thereof, and how such indebtedness is to be evidenced. The resolution shall be certified over the signature of the head of the governing authority.

(2) The borrowing shall be evidenced by negotiable notes or certificates of indebtedness of the governing authority which shall be signed by the head and clerk of such governing authority. All such notes or certificates of indebtedness shall be offered at public sale by the governing authority after not less than ten (10) days' advertising in a newspaper having general circulation within the governing authority. In any county where there is no newspaper published or located within the county, the board of supervisors shall be authorized to publish such advertisements on the official county website for the duration of not less than ten (10) days prior to the date set for sale. The board of supervisors shall take appropriate measures to ensure that online content is secure, verifiable and accessible to the public. Each sale shall be made to the bidder offering the lowest rate of interest or whose bid represents the lowest net cost to the governing authority; however, the rate of interest shall not exceed that now or hereafter authorized in Section 75-17-101, Mississippi Code of 1972. No such notes or certificates of indebtedness shall be issued and sold for less than par and accrued interest. All notes or certificates of indebtedness shall mature in approximately equal installments of principal and interest over a period not to exceed five (5) years from the dates of the issuance thereof. Principal shall be payable annually, and interest shall be payable annually or semiannually; provided, however, that the first payment of principal or interest may be for any period not exceeding one (1) year. Provided, however, if negotiable notes are outstanding from not more than one (1) previous issue authorized under the provisions of this article, then the schedule of payments for a new or supplementary issue may be so adjusted that the schedule of maturities of all notes or series of notes hereunder shall, when combined, mature in approximately equal installments of principal and interest over a period of five (5) years from the date of the new or supplementary issue, or if a lower interest rate will thereby be secured on notes previously issued and outstanding, a portion of the proceeds of any issue authorized hereunder may be used to refund the balance of the indebtedness previously issued under the authority of this article. Such notes or certificates of indebtedness shall be issued in such form and in such denominations as may be determined by the governing authority and may be made payable at the office of any bank or trust company selected by the governing authority. In such case, funds for the payment of principal and interest due thereon shall be provided in the same manner provided by law for the payment of the principal and interest due on bonds issued by the governing authority.

(3) For the prompt payment of notes or certificates of indebtedness at maturity, both principal and interest, the full faith, credit and resources of the issuing entity are pledged. If the issuing entity does not have available funds in an amount sufficient to provide for the payment of principal and interest according to the terms of such notes or certificates of indebtedness, then the governing authority shall annually levy a special tax upon all of its taxable property at a rate the avails of which will be sufficient to provide such payment. Funds derived from any such tax shall be paid into a sinking fund and used exclusively for the payment of principal of and interest on the notes or certificates of indebtedness. Until needed for expenditure, monies in the sinking fund may be invested in the same manner as the governing authority is elsewhere authorized by law to invest surplus funds.

SECTION 16. Section 19-3-1, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

19-3-1. Each county shall be divided into five (5) districts, with due regard to equality of population and convenience of situation for the election of members of the boards of supervisors, but the districts as now existing shall continue until changed. The qualified electors of each district shall elect, at the next general election, and every four (4) years thereafter, in their districts one (1) member of the board of supervisors. Subject to the provisions of Sections 23-15-283 and 23-15-285, the board, by a three-fifths (3/5) vote of all members elected, may change the districts, the boundaries to be entered at large in the minutes of the proceedings of the board.

If the boundaries of the districts are changed by order of the board of supervisors as provided in this section, the order shall be published in a newspaper having general circulation in the county once each week for three (3) consecutive weeks. In any county where there is no newspaper published or located within the county, the board of supervisors shall be authorized to publish such order on the official county website for the duration of three (3) consecutive weeks. The board of supervisors shall take appropriate measures to ensure that online content is secure, verifiable and accessible to the public.

SECTION 17. Section 19-3-11, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

19-3-11. In counties having only one (1) court district, the board of supervisors shall hold regular meetings at the courthouse or in the chancery clerk's office in those counties where the chancery clerk's office is in a building separate from the courthouse. However, the board of supervisors may meet in any other county-owned building if such building is located within one (1) mile of the courthouse and if, more than thirty (30) days prior to changing the meeting place, the board posts a conspicuous, permanent notice to that effect in the chancery clerk's office and in one (1) other place in the courthouse, publishes notice thereof in a newspaper published in the county, * * *~~or if there be no newspaper published in the county, then in a newspaper having general circulation in the county,~~ once each week, for at least three (3) consecutive weeks, and enters an order upon its minutes designating and describing in full the building and room to be used as the meeting room of the board of supervisors. In any county where there is no newspaper published or located within the county, the board of supervisors shall be authorized to publish such notice on the official county website for the duration of at least three (3) consecutive weeks. The board of supervisors shall take appropriate measures to ensure that online content is secure, verifiable and accessible to the public. The board of supervisors shall meet on the first Monday of each month. However, when such meeting date falls on a legal holiday, then the said meeting shall be held on the succeeding day.

SECTION 18. Section 19-3-19, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

19-3-19. (1) The board of supervisors may, at a regular meeting, by an order on its minutes, adjourn to meet at any time it may determine upon.

(2) The president, or the vice president in the absence or disability of the president, or any three (3) members of the board, may call special meetings when deemed necessary. Notice shall be given of all special meetings, for at least five (5) days, by advertisement posted at the courthouse door * * *, or published in a newspaper of the county * * *~~, and~~. In any county where there is no newspaper published or located within the county, the board of supervisors shall be authorized to publish such notice on the official county website for the duration of at least five (5) days. The board of supervisors shall take appropriate measures to ensure that online content is secure, verifiable and accessible to the public. The notice thereof, whether posted or published in a newspaper, shall be entered in full on the minutes of said meeting. The notice of a special meeting, shall specify each matter of business to be transacted thereat, and at such special meetings business shall not be transacted which is not specified in the order or notice for such meeting.

(3) The president, or the vice president in the absence or disability of the president, or any two (2) members of the board, may by written notice, call an emergency meeting of the board of supervisors in cases of an emergency arising as a result of serious damage to county property, or to roads or bridges, or emergencies arising as a result of epidemic conditions or weather conditions. The notice shall state the time of the meeting and distinctly specify the subject matters of business to be acted upon and be signed before a notary by the officer or officers calling the meeting. At least three (3) hours before the time fixed for the meeting, notice shall be personally delivered to the members of the board who have not signed it and who can be found. The notice shall also be posted at the courthouse door at least three (3) hours before the time fixed for the meeting. If a member of the board cannot be found to complete the personal delivery of the notice, the president, vice president or any one of the two (2) members of the board calling an emergency meeting shall make every attempt, within the applicable notice period, to contact the board member that was not personally found by other available means, including, but not limited to, telephone or e-mail. The method of notice used to call the meeting shall be entered on the minutes of the emergency meeting, and business not specified in the notice shall not be transacted at the meeting.

SECTION 19. Section 19-3-33, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

19-3-33. The board of supervisors may have its proceedings published in some newspaper published in the county, and cause the same to be paid for out of the county treasury, but the costs of such publication shall not exceed the sum fixed by law for publishing legal notices. If there be more than one (1) newspaper published in the county, the contract for publishing the proceedings, if made, shall be let to the lowest bidder among them. In any county where there is no newspaper published or located within the county, the board of supervisors may publish its proceedings on the official county website. The board of supervisors shall take appropriate measures to ensure that online content is secure, verifiable and accessible to the public.

SECTION 20. Section 19-3-35, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

19-3-35. The board of supervisors after each meeting shall have an itemized statement made of allowances, to whom, for what, and the amounts; a list of all contracts providing for the expenditure of money and the terms of payment thereof; a statement of all loans from sixteenth section funds, lieu land funds, and sinking, and other trust funds, setting forth to whom made, the amount, and the kind of security approved; a statement or list of all sales of timber, of all leases upon, including all leases for oil, gas and minerals upon, sixteenth section or lieu lands situated in the county or belonging to the county, showing to whom sold or made, description of land involved, the length of the term of any such lease, and the consideration therefor; and it shall also publish a recapitulation of all expenditures according to districts and also the county as a whole, and in such recapitulation the total expenses for each item shall be listed for each district, and in the total county recapitulation the total expended from each item shall be listed and same shall be published within fifteen (15) days after adjournment in some newspaper of general circulation published in the county * * *. In any county where there is no newspaper published or located within the county, the board of supervisors shall be authorized to publish such total on the official county website within fifteen (15) days after adjournment. The board of supervisors shall take appropriate measures to ensure that online content is secure, verifiable and accessible to the public. The cost of publishing the same shall be paid for out of the general fund of the county. The cost of such publication shall not exceed one-half ( 1/2) of the rate now fixed by law for publishing legal notices, and in no event shall the cost of such publication exceed One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) in any one (1) month, save, however, in counties of classes 1 and 2 the board of supervisors may expend an amount not to exceed One Hundred Seventy-five Dollars ($175.00) per month for the publication of said cumulative digest of its proceedings as provided for above. If there be more than one newspaper published in the county, the board of supervisors shall advertise, as provided by law, for contracts for publishing such proceedings, and shall award the contract to the lowest bidder for a period of two (2) years. If no bid be made for the price above mentioned, then the proceedings shall be posted at the courthouse door as hereinafter provided. If there be no newspaper published in such county, then such proceedings shall be posted at the front courthouse door or on the official county website as described above.

If any member of a board of supervisors or the chancery clerk shall fail, refuse or neglect to comply with the provisions of this section, he shall, upon conviction, be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be fined not more than Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) for such failure, refusal or neglect for each offense and, in addition thereto, shall be liable to a penalty of Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00), recoverable on his official bond by suit filed by any county or district attorney or any interested citizen, upon his official bond.

This shall not be construed to repeal Section 19-3-33, and where the verbatim proceedings are published as therein provided, this section shall not apply, it being intended hereby to provide a method of publishing the proceedings of the board of supervisors in addition to that now provided for by Section 19-3-33. Where publication is made under Section 19-3-33, this section shall not be construed so as to require any other and additional publication, or notice.

SECTION 21. Section 19-3-67, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

19-3-67. (1) When any member of any board of supervisors shall be required to travel outside of his county but within the State of Mississippi in the performance of his official duties, such member shall receive as expenses of such travel the same mileage and actual and necessary expenses for food, lodging and travel by public carrier or private motor vehicles as is allowed state officers and employees pursuant to the provisions of Section 25-3-41, Mississippi Code of 1972. Provided, however, mileage shall not be authorized when such travel is done by a motor vehicle owned by the county.

(2) When any member of any board of supervisors shall be required to travel outside the State of Mississippi in the performance of his official duties, such member shall receive as expenses of such travel the same mileage and actual and necessary expenses for food, lodging and travel by public carrier or private motor vehicles as is allowed state officers and employees pursuant to the provisions of Section 25-3-41, Mississippi Code of 1972. Provided, however, such travel must receive the prior approval of the board before it is undertaken, and such approval shall be spread upon the minutes of the board.

(3) Except as hereinafter provided with respect to mileage, no expenses shall be authorized or approved by any board of supervisors for travel by the member of such board within the county of such board. With respect to mileage, when travel within the county by a member of such board is done by a motor vehicle owned by the county, mileage shall not be authorized;

however, when any member of such board does not have a county-owned motor vehicle regularly assigned to him for his use or when a county-owned motor vehicle is not otherwise available for his use at the time when travel is necessary, and he is required to travel within the county in the performance of his official duties using his private motor vehicle, then he may be reimbursed for mileage in the same manner as provided in Section 25-3-41, Mississippi Code of 1972.

(4) Itemized expense accounts shall be submitted by the member on forms prescribed by the Auditor of Public Accounts for reimbursement of expenses for state officers and employees in such numbers as the county may require. No expenses authorized in this section shall be reimbursed unless the expenses have been authorized or approved by a vote of a majority of the members of the board duly made and spread upon the minutes of such board.

(5) Expenses authorized in this section shall be published by the board of supervisors in a newspaper of general circulation published in the county * * *. In any county where there is no newspaper published or located within the county, the board of supervisors shall be authorized to publish such expenses on the official county website. The board of supervisors shall take appropriate measures to ensure that online content is secure, verifiable and accessible to the public. The publication shall be a detailed accounting of the expenses authorized to each member of the board. The cost of publishing such expense accounts shall be paid by the county pursuant to the provisions of Section 19-3-35.

SECTION 22. Section 19-3-79, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

19-3-79. (1) Any person, corporation or other legal entity required to obtain a state gaming license to conduct legal gaming aboard a cruise vessel or vessel, as defined in Section 27-109-1, as prescribed by the Mississippi Gaming Control Act shall, before applying for such license, provide the Mississippi Gaming Commission with a written notice of intent to apply for a license. The "notice of intent to apply for a gaming license" shall be on a form prescribed by the executive director of the commission and shall state the county in which the intending licensee desires to conduct legal gaming aboard a cruise vessel or vessel, as the case may be. Within ten (10) days after receipt of a notice of intent to apply for a gaming license, the commission shall require such person, corporation or legal entity to publish the notice once each week for three (3) consecutive weeks in a newspaper having general circulation in the county in which the intending licensee desires to conduct legal gaming aboard a cruise vessel or vessel, as the case may be. In any county where there is no newspaper published or located within the county, the board of supervisors shall be authorized to publish such notice on the official county website for the duration of three (3) consecutive weeks. The board of supervisors shall take appropriate measures to ensure that online content is secure, verifiable and accessible to the public.

(2) If no petition as prescribed in subsection (3) of this section is filed with the board of supervisors of the applicable county within thirty (30) days after the date of the last publication, the board of supervisors of such county shall adopt a resolution stating that no petition was timely filed and that legal gaming may henceforth be conducted aboard cruise vessels or vessels, as the case may be, in such county.

(3) If a petition signed by twenty percent (20%) or fifteen hundred (1500), whichever is less, of the registered voters of a county in which a notice of intent to apply for a gaming license is published is filed within thirty (30) days of the date of the last publication with the circuit clerk of the applicable county, the board of supervisors of such county shall authorize the circuit clerk to hold an election on the proposition of allowing legal gaming to be conducted aboard cruise vessels or vessels, as the case may be, in the county on the date upon which such an election may be conducted under subsection (7). The referendum shall be advertised, held, conducted and the result thereof canvassed in the manner provided by law for advertising, holding and canvassing county elections.

(4) At such election, all qualified electors of such county may vote. The ballots used at such election shall have printed thereon a brief statement of the purpose of the election and the words "FOR LEGAL GAMING ABOARD CRUISE VESSELS (OR VESSELS) IN THE COUNTY AS PRESCRIBED BY LAW" and "AGAINST LEGAL GAMING ABOARD CRUISE VESSELS (OR VESSELS) IN THE COUNTY AS PRESCRIBED BY LAW." The voter shall vote by placing a cross (x) or check (√) mark opposite his choice on the proposition. If a majority of the qualified electors who vote in such election shall vote in favor of allowing legal gaming to be conducted aboard cruise vessels or vessels, as the case may be, then legal gaming may henceforth be conducted aboard cruise vessels or vessels, as the case may be, in the county. If less than a majority of the qualified electors who vote in such election shall vote in favor of allowing legal gaming to be conducted aboard cruise vessels or vessels, as the case may be, in the county, then gaming aboard cruise vessels or vessels, as the case may be, shall be prohibited in the county until such time as a subsequent election, held according to the restrictions specified in subsection (7), may authorize such legal gaming.

(5) In any county in which no petition is timely filed after a notice of intent to apply for a gaming license is published, or in which an election is held on the proposition of allowing legal gaming to be conducted aboard cruise vessels or vessels, as the case may be, in the county and a majority of the qualified electors who vote in such election vote in favor of allowing legal gaming to be conducted aboard cruise vessels or vessels, as the case may be, in the county, no election shall thereafter be held in that county pursuant to this section on the proposition of allowing legal gaming to be conducted aboard cruise vessels or vessels, as the case may be, in that county.

(6) Notwithstanding any provision of this section or Sections 97-33-1, 97-33-7, 97-33-17, 97-33-25 and 97-33-27 to the contrary, if an election is held pursuant to this section which causes the conducting of gaming aboard cruise vessels to be prohibited in any county in which one or more cruise vessels were operating out of a port in the county on August 28, 1990, the prohibition on the conducting of gaming aboard cruise vessels in that county shall not apply to the conducting of legal gaming aboard any of those cruise vessels which were still operating out of a port in that county at the time of the election.

(7) If an election has been held on the issue of allowing legal gaming to be conducted aboard cruise vessels or vessels, as the case may be, in a county, and the authority to conduct such legal gaming has been denied by the electors of such county, then a subsequent election on such issue may not be held until:

(a) The date of the next succeeding general election in which the election for President of the United States occurs; or

(b) In the case in which the authority to conduct such legal gaming has been denied by the electors of such county at elections on three (3) different occasions, whether those occasions be successive or not, the date of the next succeeding general election occurring at least eight (8) years after the last of the three (3) occasions on which the electors denied the authority to conduct such legal gaming.

SECTION 23. Section 19-5-9, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

19-5-9. (1) The construction codes published by a nationally recognized code group which sets minimum standards and has the proper provisions to maintain up-to-date amendments are adopted as minimum standard guides for building, plumbing, electrical, gas, sanitary, and other related codes in Mississippi. Any county within the State of Mississippi, in the discretion of the board of supervisors, may adopt building codes, plumbing codes, electrical codes, sanitary codes, or other related codes dealing with general public health, safety or welfare, or a combination of the same, within but not exceeding the provisions of the construction codes published by nationally recognized code groups, by order or resolution in the manner prescribed in this section, but those codes so adopted shall apply only to the unincorporated areas of the county. However, those codes shall not apply to the erection, maintenance, repair or extension of farm buildings or farm structures, except as may be required under the terms of the "Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1973," and shall apply to a master planned community as defined in Section 19-5-10 only to the extent allowed in Section 19-5-10. The provisions of this section shall not be construed to authorize the adoption of any code which applies to the installation, repair or maintenance of electric wires, pipelines, apparatus, equipment or devices by or for a utility rendering public utility services, required by it to be utilized in the rendition of its duly authorized service to the public. Before any such code shall be adopted, it shall be either printed or typewritten and shall be presented in pamphlet form to the board of supervisors at a regular meeting. The order or resolution adopting the code shall not set out the code in full, but shall merely identify the same. The vote or passage of the order or resolution shall be the same as on any other order or resolution. After its adoption, the code or codes shall be certified to by the president and clerk of the board of supervisors and shall be filed as a permanent record in the office of the clerk who shall not be required to transcribe and record the same in the minute book as other orders and resolutions.

(2) If the board of supervisors of any county adopts or has adopted construction codes which do not have proper provisions to maintain up-to-date amendments, specifications in such codes for cements used in portland cement concrete shall be superseded by nationally recognized specifications referenced in any code adopted by the Mississippi Building Code Council.

(3) All provisions of this section shall apply to amendments and revisions of the codes mentioned in this section. The provisions of this section shall be in addition and supplemental to any existing laws authorizing the adoption, amendment or revision of county orders, resolutions or codes.

(4) Any code adopted under the provisions of this section shall not be in operation or force until sixty (60) days have elapsed from the adoption of same; however, any code adopted for the immediate preservation of the public health, safety and general welfare may be effective from and after its adoption by a unanimous vote of the members of the board. Within five (5) days after the adoption or passage of an order or resolution adopting that code or codes the clerk of the board of supervisors shall publish in a legal newspaper published in the county the full text of the order or resolution adopting and approving the code, and the publication shall be inserted at least three (3) times, and shall be completed within thirty (30) days after the passage of the order or resolution. In any county where there is no legal newspaper published or located within the county, the board of supervisors shall be authorized to publish the full text of the order or resolution adopting and approving the code on the official county website for the duration of three (3) weeks, to be completed within thirty (30) days after the passage of the order or resolution. The board of supervisors shall take appropriate measures to ensure that online content is secure, verifiable and accessible to the public.

(5) Any person or persons objecting to the code or codes may object in writing to the provisions of the code or codes within sixty (60) days after the passage of the order or resolution approving same, and if the board of supervisors adjudicates that ten percent (10%) or more of the qualified electors residing in the affected unincorporated areas of the county have objected in writing to the code or codes, then in such event the code shall be inoperative and not in effect unless adopted for the immediate preservation of the public health, safety and general welfare until approved by a special election called by the board of supervisors as other special elections are called and conducted by the election commissioners of the county as other special elections are conducted, the special election to be participated in by all the qualified electors of the county residing in the unincorporated areas of the county. If the voters approve the code or codes in the special election it shall be in force and in operation thereafter until amended or modified as provided in this section. If the majority of the qualified electors voting in the special election vote against the code or codes, then, in such event, the code or codes shall be void and of no force and effect, and no other code or codes dealing with that subject shall be adopted under the provisions of this section until at least two (2) years thereafter.

(6) After any such code shall take effect the board of supervisors is authorized to employ such directors and other personnel as the board, in its discretion, deems necessary and to expend general county funds or any other funds available to the board to fulfill the purposes of this section.

(7) For the purpose of promoting health, safety, morals or the general welfare of the community, the governing authority of any municipality, and, with respect to the unincorporated part of any county, the governing authority of any county, in its discretion, is empowered to regulate the height, number of stories and size of building and other structures, the percentage of lot that may be occupied, the size of the yards, courts and other open spaces, the density or population, and the location and use of buildings, structures and land for trade, industry, residence or other purposes, but no permits shall be required except as may be required under the terms of the "Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1973" for the erection, maintenance, repair or extension of farm buildings or farm structures outside the corporate limits of municipalities.

(8) The authority granted in this section is cumulative and supplemental to any other authority granted by law.

(9) Notwithstanding any provision of this section to the contrary, any code adopted by a county before or after April 12, 2001, is subject to the provisions of Section 41-26-14(10).

(10) Notwithstanding any provision of this section to the contrary, the Boards of Supervisors of Jackson, Harrison, Hancock, Stone and Pearl River Counties shall enforce the requirements imposed under Section 17-2-1 as provided in such section.

(11) Regardless of whether a county adopts or has adopted codes, as set forth in this section, each and every county in this state shall require permitting as a condition to construction within the unincorporated areas of the county, and such permits shall contain, on their face, in conspicuous print, (a) the contractor's material purchase certificate number to the extent furnished by the Department of Revenue pursuant to Section 27-65-21(3) or the contractor's Taxpayer Identification Number as furnished by the Internal Revenue Service, and either a copy of such material purchase certificate furnished by the Department of Revenue pursuant to Section 27-65-21(3), or a copy of the contractor's W-9, as the case may be, shall be required to be provided to the county as part of the prime contractor's application for such permit, prior to the issuance of such permit, and (b) the contractor's license or certificate of responsibility number as required by either Section 31-3-14 et seq., 51-5-1 et seq. or 73-59-1 et seq.

SECTION 24. Section 19-5-21, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

19-5-21. (1) (a) Except as provided in paragraphs (b), (c), (d) and (g) of this subsection, the board of supervisors, to defray the cost of establishing and operating the system provided for in Section 19-5-17, may levy an ad valorem tax not to exceed four (4) mills on all taxable property within the area served by the county garbage or rubbish collection or disposal system. The service area may be comprised of unincorporated or incorporated areas of the county or both; however, no property shall be subject to this levy unless that property is within an area served by a county's garbage or rubbish collection or disposal system.

(b) The board of supervisors of any county wherein Mississippi Highways 35 and 16 intersect and having a land area of five hundred eighty-six (586) square miles may levy, in its discretion, for the purposes of establishing, operating and maintaining a garbage or rubbish collection or disposal system, an ad valorem tax not to exceed six (6) mills on all taxable property within the area served by the system as set out in paragraph (a) of this subsection.

(c) The board of supervisors of any county bordering on the Mississippi River and traversed by U.S. Highway 61, and which is intersected by Mississippi Highway 4, having a population of eleven thousand eight hundred fifty-four (11,854) according to the 1970 federal census, and having an assessed valuation of Fourteen Million Eight Hundred Seventy-two Thousand One Hundred Forty-four Dollars ($14,872,144.00) in 1970, may levy, in its discretion, for the purposes of establishing, operating and maintaining a garbage or rubbish collection or disposal system, an ad valorem tax not to exceed six (6) mills on all taxable property within the area served by the system as set out in paragraph (a) of this subsection.

(d) The board of supervisors of any county having a population in excess of two hundred fifty thousand (250,000), according to the latest federal decennial census, and in which Interstate Highway 55 and Interstate Highway 20 intersect, may levy, in its discretion, for the purposes of establishing, operating and maintaining a garbage or rubbish collection or disposal system, an ad valorem tax not to exceed seven (7) mills on all taxable property within the area served by the system as set out in paragraph (a) of this subsection.

(e) The proceeds derived from any additional millage levied pursuant to paragraphs (a) through (d) of this subsection in excess of two (2) mills shall be excluded from the ten percent (10%) increase limitation under Section 27-39-321 for the first year of such additional levy and shall be included within such limitation in any year thereafter. The proceeds from any millage levied pursuant to paragraph (g) shall be excluded from the ten percent (10%) increase limitation under Section 27-39-321 for the first year of the levy and shall be included within the limitation in any year thereafter.

(f) The rate of the ad valorem tax levied under this section shall be shown as a line item on the notice of ad valorem taxes on taxable property owed by the taxpayer.

(g) In lieu of the ad valorem tax authorized in paragraphs (a), (b), (c) and (d) of this subsection, the fees authorized in subsection (2) of this subsection and in Section 19-5-17 or any combination thereof, the board of supervisors may levy an ad valorem tax not to exceed six (6) mills to defray the cost of establishing and operating the system provided for in Section 19-5-17 on all taxable property within the area served by the system as provided in paragraph (a) of this subsection.

Any board of supervisors levying the ad valorem tax authorized in this paragraph (g) is prohibited from assessing or collecting fees for the services provided under the system.

(2) In addition to the ad valorem taxes authorized in paragraphs (a), (b) and (c) of subsection (1) or in lieu of any other method authorized to defray the cost of establishing and operating the system provided for in Section 19-5-17, the board of supervisors of any county with a garbage or rubbish collection or disposal system may assess and collect fees to defray the costs of the services. The board of supervisors may assess and collect the fees from each single family residential generator of garbage or rubbish. The board of supervisors also may assess and collect the fees from each industrial, commercial and multifamily residential generator of garbage or rubbish for any time period that the generator has not contracted for the collection of garbage and rubbish that is ultimately disposed of at a permitted or authorized nonhazardous solid waste management facility. The fees assessed and collected under this subsection may not exceed, when added to the proceeds derived from any ad valorem tax imposed under this section and any special funds authorized under subsection (7), the actual costs estimated to be incurred by the county in operating the county garbage and rubbish collection and disposal system. In addition to such fees, an additional amount not to exceed up to One Dollar ($1.00) or ten percent (10%) per month, whichever is greater, on the current monthly bill may be assessed and collected on the balance of any delinquent monthly fees.

(3) (a) Before the adoption of any order to increase the ad valorem tax assessment or fees authorized by this section, the board of supervisors shall publish a notice advertising their intent to adopt an order to increase the ad valorem tax assessment or fees authorized by this section. The notice shall specify the purpose of the proposed increase, the proposed percentage increase and the proposed percentage increase in total revenues for garbage or rubbish collection or disposal services or shall contain a copy of the resolution by the board stating their intent to increase the ad valorem tax assessment or fees. The notice shall be published in a newspaper published or having general circulation in the county for no less than three (3) consecutive weeks before the adoption of the order. * * * ~~The~~ A print notice shall be in print no less than the size of eighteen (18) point and shall be surrounded by a one-fourth (1/4) inch black border. The notice shall not be placed in the legal section notice of the newspaper. In any county where there is no newspaper published or located within the county, the board of supervisors shall be authorized to publish such notice on the official county website for the duration of no less than three (3) consecutive weeks prior to the adoption of the order. The board of supervisors shall take appropriate measures to ensure that content published online is secure, verifiable and accessible to the public. There shall be no language in the notice stating or implying a mandate from the Legislature.

(b) In addition to the requirement for publication of notice, the board of supervisors shall notify each person furnished garbage or rubbish collection or disposal service of any increase in the ad valorem tax assessment or fees. In the case of an increase of the ad valorem tax assessment, a notice shall be conspicuously placed on or attached to the first ad valorem tax bill on which the increased assessment is effective. In the case of an increase in fees, a notice shall be conspicuously placed on or attached to the first bill for fees on which the increased fees or charges are assessed. There shall be no language in any notice stating or implying a mandate from the Legislature.

(4) The board of supervisors of each county shall adopt an order determining whether or not to grant exemptions, either full or partial, from the fees for certain classes of generators of garbage or rubbish. If a board of supervisors grants any exemption, it shall do so in accordance with policies and procedures, duly adopted and entered on its minutes, that clearly define those classes of generators to whom the exemptions are applicable. The order granting exemptions shall be interpreted consistently by the board when determining whether to grant or withhold requested exemptions.

(5) (a) The board of supervisors in any county with a garbage or rubbish collection or disposal system only for residents in unincorporated areas may adopt an order authorizing any single family generator to elect not to use the county garbage or rubbish collection or disposal system. If the board of supervisors adopts an order, the head of any single family residential generator may elect not to use the county garbage or rubbish collection or disposal service by filing with the chancery clerk the form provided for in this subsection before December 1 of each year. The board of supervisors shall develop a form that shall be available in the office of the chancery clerk for the head of household to elect not to use the service and to accept full responsibility for the disposal of his garbage or rubbish in accordance with state and federal laws and regulations. The board of supervisors, following consultation with the Department of Environmental Quality, shall develop and the chancery clerk shall provide a form to each person electing not to use the service describing penalties under state and federal law and regulations for improper or unauthorized management of garbage. Notice that the election may be made not to use the county service by filing the form with the chancery clerk's office shall be published in a newspaper published or having general circulation in the county for no less than three (3) consecutive weeks, with the first publication being made no sooner than five (5) weeks before the first day of December. In any county where there is no newspaper published or located within the county, the board of supervisors shall be authorized to publish such notice on the official county website for the duration of no less than three (3) consecutive weeks, with the first day of publication no sooner than five (5) weeks before the first day of December. The board of supervisors shall take appropriate measures to ensure that online content is secure, verifiable and accessible to the public. The notice shall state that any single family residential generator may elect not to use the county garbage or rubbish collection or disposal service by the completion and filing of the form for that purpose with the chancery clerk's office before December 1 of that year. The notice shall also include a statement that any single family residential generator who does not timely file the form shall be assessed any fees levied to cover the cost of the county garbage or rubbish collection or disposal service. The chancery clerk shall maintain a list showing the name and address of each person who has filed a notice of intent not to use the county garbage or rubbish collection or disposal service.

(b) If the homestead property of a person lies partially within the unincorporated service area of a county and partially within the incorporated service area of a municipality and both the municipality and the county provide garbage collection and disposal service to that person, then the person may elect to use either garbage collection and disposal service. The person shall notify the clerk of the governing authority of the local government whose garbage collection and disposal service he elects not to use of his decision not to use such services by certified mail, return receipt requested. The person shall not be liable for any fees or charges from the service he elects not to use.

(6) The board may borrow money for the purposes of defraying the expenses of the system in anticipation of:

(a) The tax levy authorized under this section;

(b) Revenues resulting from the assessment of any fees for garbage or rubbish collection or disposal; or

(7) In addition to the fees or ad valorem millage authorized under this section, a board of supervisors may use monies from any special funds of the county that are not otherwise required by law to be dedicated for use for a particular purpose in order to defray the costs of the county garbage or rubbish collection or disposal system.

SECTION 25. Section 19-5-23, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

19-5-23. The tax levy authorized by Section 19-5-21 shall not be imposed until the board of supervisors shall have published notice of its intention to levy same. Said notice shall be published once each week for three (3) consecutive weeks in some newspaper having a general circulation in such county, but not less than twenty-one (21) days, nor more than sixty (60) days, intervening between the time of the first notice and the meeting at which said board proposes to levy such tax. In any county where there is no newspaper published or located within the county, the board of supervisors shall be authorized to publish such notice on the official county website for the duration of three (3) consecutive weeks, not less than twenty-one (21) days, nor more than sixty (60) days, intervening between the time of initial publication and the meeting at which said board proposes to levy such tax. The board of supervisors shall take appropriate measures to ensure that content published online is secure, verifiable and accessible to the public. If, within the time of giving notice, twenty percent (20%) or fifteen hundred (1500), whichever is less, of the qualified electors of the district affected shall protest or file a petition against the levy of such tax, then such tax shall not be levied unless authorized by a majority of the qualified electors of such district voting at an election to be called and held for that purpose. The notice provided for herein shall only be required prior to the initial levy except when the board of supervisors intends to increase the levy over the amount shown in the initial notice.

SECTION 26. Section 19-5-81, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

19-5-81. Before issuing the bonds, notes or loan warrants, authorized by Section 19-5-79 the board of supervisors shall publish notice of its intention to borrow such funds and to issue loan warrants, notes or bonds, and the clerk of said board shall publish in three (3) weekly issues of some newspaper having a general circulation in the county, a copy of such order. In any county where there is no newspaper published or located within the county, the board of supervisors shall be authorized to publish such notice on the official county website for the duration of three (3) weeks. The board of supervisors shall take appropriate measures to ensure that content published online is secure, verifiable and accessible to the public. If, within twenty-one (21) days after the first publication of a copy of such order, twenty percent (20%) of the qualified electors of the county petition the board of supervisors for an election to determine whether or not the adoption of such order should be annulled, such election shall be ordered by said board of supervisors in which the qualified electors of the county shall be eligible to participate. If at such election a majority of those voting vote in favor of the adoption of such order the same shall be valid and effective, but if a majority shall vote against such order it shall be annulled and shall be ineffective. Such election shall be held and conducted and the returns thereof made as provided by law for other county elections. If no such petition be presented within twenty-one (21) days after the first publication of a copy of such order, the order shall be valid and effective and said board may thereupon proceed to issue said loan warrants hereunder without an election on the question of the issuance thereof.

SECTION 27. Section 19-5-92.1, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

19-5-92.1. (1) The board of supervisors of any county, whenever the board determines that the health, comfort and convenience of the inhabitants of the county will be promoted, may:

(a) Alter and change the channels of streams or other water courses;

(b) Construct, reconstruct and repair bridges over streams and water courses; and

(i) Providing labor, materials and supplies to clean or clear drainage ditches, creeks or channels or conduits, both natural and man-made and to prevent erosion of such ditches, creeks or channels;

(ii) Acquiring property and obtaining easements necessary to perform work under this section; and

(iii) Reimbursing landowners for damages and injury resulting from work performed by the county under this section.

(2) The work performed and the expenses incurred under subsection (1) of this section may take place on public or private property. However, if the work is to be performed or the expenses to be incurred will take place on private property, the board of supervisors must:

(a) Make a finding, as evidenced by entry upon its minutes, that such work and/or expenses are necessary in order to promote the public health, safety and welfare of the citizens of the county;

(b) Give notice, in writing, to all owners of property that will be affected by the work for such period of time as is reasonable to allow such owners to express any objections;

(c) Not receive written objection to the work by any owners of property that will be affected by the work within the period of time allowed to express objections; and

(d) Unless otherwise agreed, in writing, by the county and the landowner, construct or install a culvert or bridge, at the county's expense, at an appropriate location or locations to provide the landowner ingress and egress to all of the property to which the landowner had access immediately before performance of the work by the county.

(3) The county shall reimburse landowners for all damages or injury resulting from work performed by the county under this

section.

(4) The provisions of this section do not impose any obligation or duty upon a county to perform any work or to incur any expenditures not otherwise required by law to be performed or incurred by a county, nor do the provisions of this section create any rights or benefits for the owner of any public or private property in addition to any rights or benefits as may be otherwise provided by law.

(5) No additional taxes may be imposed for the work authorized under subsection (1) of this section until the board of supervisors adopts a resolution declaring its intention to levy the taxes and establishing the amount of the tax levies and the date on which the taxes initially will be levied and collected. This date shall be the first day of the month, but not earlier than the first day of the second month, from the date of adoption of the resolution. Notice of the proposed tax levy must be published once each week for at least three (3) consecutive weeks in a newspaper having a general circulation in the county. The first publication of the notice shall be made not less than twenty-one (21) days before the date fixed in the resolution on which the board of supervisors proposes to levy the taxes, and the last publication of the notice shall be made not more than seven (7) days before that date. In any county where there is no newspaper published or located within the county, the board of supervisors shall be authorized to publish such proposed tax levy on the official county website for the duration of at least three (3) consecutive weeks immediately preceding the date fixed in the resolution. The board of supervisors shall take appropriate measures to ensure that content published online is secure, verifiable and accessible to the public. If, within the time of giving notice, fifteen percent (15%) or two thousand five hundred (2,500), whichever is less, of the qualified electors of the county file a written petition against the levy of the taxes, then the taxes shall not be levied unless authorized by three-fifths (3/5) of the qualified electors of the county voting at an election to be called and held for that purpose.

SECTION 28. Section 19-5-155, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

19-5-155. Upon the filing of such petition, or upon the adoption of a resolution declaring the intent of the board of supervisors to incorporate such district, it shall then be the duty of the board of supervisors of such county to fix a time and place for a public hearing upon the question of the public convenience and necessity of the incorporation of the proposed district. The date fixed for such hearing shall be not more than thirty (30) days after the filing of the petition, and the date of the hearing, the place at which it shall be held, the proposed boundaries of said district, and the purpose of the hearing, shall be set forth in a notice to be signed by the clerk of the board of supervisors of such county. Such notice shall be published in a newspaper having general circulation within such proposed district once a week for at least three (3) consecutive weeks prior to the date of such hearing. The first such publication shall be made not less than twenty-one (21) days prior to the date of such hearing and the last such publication shall be made not more than fourteen (14) days prior to the date of such hearing. In any county where there is no newspaper published or located within the county, the board of supervisors shall be authorized to publish such notice on the official county website for the duration of at least three (3) consecutive weeks. Initial online publication shall be made not less than twenty-one (21) days prior to the date of such hearing and shall remain available to the public until not more than fourteen (14) days prior to the date of such hearing. The board of supervisors shall take appropriate measures to ensure that content published online is secure, verifiable and accessible to the public.

If, at such public hearing, the board of supervisors finds (1) that the public convenience and necessity require the creation of the district, and (2) that the creation of the district is economically sound and desirable, the board of supervisors shall adopt a resolution making the aforesaid findings and declaring its intention to create the district on a date to be specified in such resolution. Such resolution shall also designate the name of the proposed district, define its territorial limits which shall be fixed by said board pursuant to such hearing, and state whether or not the board of supervisors shall levy the tax authorized in Section 19-5-189, Mississippi Code of 1972, and whether or not the board of supervisors proposes to assess benefited properties as outlined in Section 19-5-191, Mississippi Code of 1972.

SECTION 29. Section 19-5-157, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

19-5-157. A certified copy of the resolution so adopted shall be published in a newspaper having a general circulation within such proposed district once a week for at least three (3) consecutive weeks prior to the date specified in such resolution as the date upon which such board intends to create such district. The first such publication shall be made not less than twenty-one (21) days prior to the date specified, and the last such publication shall be made not more than fourteen (14) days prior to such date. In any county where there is no newspaper published or located within the county, the board of supervisors shall be authorized to publish such certified copy on the official county website for the duration of at least three (3) consecutive weeks prior to the date specified in such resolution as the date upon which such board intends to create such district. Initial publication shall be made not less than twenty-one (21) days prior to the date specified and shall remain available to the public until not more than fourteen (14) days prior to such date. The board of supervisors shall take appropriate measures to ensure that content published online is secure, verifiable and accessible to the public.

If twenty percent (20%) or one hundred fifty (150), whichever is the lesser, of the qualified electors of such proposed district file written petition with such board of supervisors on or before the date specified aforesaid, protesting against the creation of such district, the board of supervisors shall call an election on the question of the creation of such district. Such election shall be held and conducted by the election commissioners of the county as nearly as may be in accordance with the general laws governing elections, and such election commissioners shall determine which of the qualified electors of such county reside within the proposed district, and only such qualified electors as reside within such proposed district shall be entitled to vote in such election. Notice of such election setting forth the time, place or places, and purpose of such election shall be published by the clerk of the board of supervisors, and such notice shall be published for the time and the manner provided in Section 19-5-155 for the publication of the resolution of intention. The ballots to be prepared for and used at said election shall be in substantially the following form:

"FOR CREATION OF ________ DISTRICT ( )

AGAINST CREATION OF ________ DISTRICT ( )"

and voters shall vote by placing a cross mark (x) or check mark (√) opposite their choice.

SECTION 30. Section 19-5-189, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

19-5-189. (1) (a) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (2) of this section for levies for fire protection purposes and subsection (3) of this section for certain districts providing water service, the board of supervisors of the county in which any such district exists may, according to the terms of the resolution, levy a special tax, not to exceed four (4) mills annually, on all of the taxable real property in such district, the avails of which shall be paid over to the board of commissioners of the district to be used either for the operation, support and maintenance of the district or for the retirement of any bonds issued by the district, or for both.

(b) The proceeds derived from two (2) mills of the levy authorized herein shall be included in the ten percent (10%) increase limitation under Section 27-39-321, and the proceeds derived from any additional millage levied under this subsection in excess of two (2) mills shall be excluded from such limitation for the first year of such additional levy and shall be included within such limitation in any year thereafter.

(2) (a) In respect to fire protection purposes, the board of supervisors of the county in which any such district exists on July 1, 1987, may levy a special tax annually, not to exceed the tax levied for such purposes for the 1987 fiscal year on all of the taxable real property in such district, the avails of which shall be paid over to the board of commissioners of the district to be used either for the operation, support and maintenance of the fire protection district or for the retirement of any bonds issued by the district for fire protection purposes, or for both. Any such district for which no taxes have been levied for the 1987 fiscal year may be treated as having been created after July 1, 1987, for the purposes of this subsection.

(b) In respect to fire protection purposes, the board of supervisors of the county in which any such district is created after July 1, 1987, may, according to the terms of the resolution of intent to incorporate the district, levy a special tax not to exceed two (2) mills annually on all of the taxable real property in such district, the avails of which shall be paid over to the board of commissioners of the district to be used either for the operation, support and maintenance of the fire protection district or for the retirement of any bonds issued by the district for fire protection purposes, or for both; however, the board of supervisors may increase the tax levy under this subsection as provided for in paragraph (c) of this subsection.

(c) The tax levy under this subsection may be increased only when the board of supervisors has determined the need for additional revenues. Prior to levying a tax increase under this paragraph, the board of supervisors shall adopt a resolution declaring its intention to levy the tax. The resolution shall describe the amount of the increase in the tax levy and the purposes for which the proceeds of the additional tax will be used. The board of supervisors shall have a copy of the resolution published once a week for three (3) consecutive weeks in at least one (1) newspaper published in the county and having a general circulation therein. * * * In any county where there is no newspaper published or located within the county, the board of supervisors shall be authorized to publish a copy of the resolution on the official county website for the duration of three (3) consecutive weeks. The board of supervisors shall take appropriate measures to ensure that content published online is secure, verifiable and accessible to the public. A copy of the resolution shall also be posted at three (3) public places in the county for a period of at least twenty-one (21) days during the time of its publication either in a newspaper or online. If more than twenty percent (20%) of the qualified electors of the district shall file with the clerk of the board of supervisors, within twenty-one (21) days after adoption of the resolution of intent to increase the tax levy, a petition requesting an election on the question of the increase in tax levy, then and in that event such increase shall not be made unless authorized by a majority of the votes cast at an election to be called and held for that purpose within the district. Notice of such election shall be given, the election shall be held and the result thereof determined, as far as is practicable, in the same manner as other elections are held in the county. If an election results in favor of the increase in the tax levy or if no election is required, the board of supervisors may increase the tax levy. The board of supervisors, in its discretion, may call an election on such question, in which event it shall not be necessary to publish the resolution declaring its intention to have the tax imposed.

(d) Notwithstanding any provisions of this subsection to the contrary, in any county bordering on the Gulf of Mexico and the State of Louisiana, the board of supervisors may levy not to exceed four (4) mills annually on all the taxable real property within any fire protection district, the avails of which shall be paid over to the board of commissioners of the district to be used either for the operation, support and maintenance of the fire protection district or for the retirement of any bonds issued by the district for fire protection purposes, or for both. Prior to levying the tax under this paragraph, the board of supervisors shall adopt a resolution declaring its intention to levy the tax. The resolution shall describe the amount of the tax levy and the purposes for which the proceeds of the tax will be used. The board of supervisors shall have a copy of the resolution published once a week for three (3) consecutive weeks in at least one (1) newspaper published in the county and having a general circulation therein. * * * In any county where there is no newspaper published or located within the county, the board of supervisors shall be authorized to publish a copy of such resolution on the official county website for the duration of three (3) consecutive weeks. The board of supervisors shall take appropriate measures to ensure that content published online is secure, verifiable and accessible to the public. A copy of the resolution shall also be posted at three (3) public places in the county for a period of at least twenty-one (21) days during the time of its publication in either a newspaper or online. If more than twenty percent (20%) of the qualified electors of the district shall file with the clerk of the board of supervisors, within twenty-one (21) days after adoption of the resolution of intent to levy the tax, a petition requesting an election on the question of the levy of such tax, then and in that event such tax levy shall not be made unless authorized by a majority of the votes cast at an election to be called and held for that purpose within the district. Notice of such election shall be given, the election shall be held and the result thereof determined, as far as is practicable, in the same manner as other elections are held in the county. If an election results in favor of the tax levy or if no election is required, the board of supervisors may levy such tax. The board of supervisors, in its discretion, may call an election on such question, in which event it shall not be necessary to publish the resolution declaring its intention to have the tax imposed.

(e) Notwithstanding any provisions of this subsection to the contrary, in any county bordering on the Mississippi River in which legal gaming is conducted and in which U.S. Highway 61 intersects with Highway 4, the board of supervisors may levy a special tax not to exceed five (5) mills annually on all the taxable real and personal property within any fire protection district, except for utilities as defined in Section 77-3-3(d)(i) and (iii), the avails of which shall be paid over to the board of commissioners of the district to be used either for the operation, support and maintenance of the fire protection district or for the retirement of any bonds issued by the district for fire protection purposes, or for both. Before levying the tax under this paragraph, the board of supervisors shall adopt a resolution declaring its intention to levy the tax. The resolution shall describe the amount of the tax levy and the purposes for which the proceeds of the tax will be used. The board of supervisors shall have a copy of the resolution published once a week for three (3) consecutive weeks in at least one (1) newspaper published in the county and having a general circulation therein. * * * In any county where there is no newspaper published or located within the county, the board of supervisors shall be authorized to publish a copy of the resolution on the official county website for the duration of three (3) consecutive weeks. The board of supervisors shall take appropriate measures to ensure that content published online is secure, verifiable and accessible to the public. A copy of the resolution shall also be posted at three (3) public places in the county for a period of at least twenty-one (21) days during the time of its publication in either a newspaper or online. If more than twenty percent (20%) of the qualified electors of the district shall file with the clerk of the board of supervisors, within twenty-one (21) days after adoption of the resolution of intent to levy the tax, a petition requesting an election of the questions of the levy of such tax, then and in that event such tax levy shall not be made unless authorized by a majority of the votes cast at an election to be called and held for that purpose within the district. Notice of such election shall be given, the election shall be held and the result thereof determined, as far as is practicable, in the same manner as other elections are held in the county. If an election results in favor of the tax levy or if no election is required, the board of supervisors may levy such tax. The board of supervisors, in its discretion, may call an election on such question, in which event it shall not be necessary to publish the resolution declaring its intention to have the tax imposed.

(f) Any taxes levied under this subsection shall be excluded from the ten percent (10%) increase limitation under Section 27-39-321.

(3) For any district authorized under Section 19-5-151(2), the board of supervisors shall not levy the special tax authorized in this section.

SECTION 31. Section 19-5-199, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

19-5-199. All construction contracts by the district where the amount of the contract shall exceed Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000.00) shall, and construction contracts of less than Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000.00) may, be made upon at least three (3) weeks' public notice. Such notice shall be published once a week for at least three (3) consecutive weeks in at least one (1) newspaper published in such county or having general circulation therein. The first publication of such notice shall be made not less than twenty-one (21) days prior to the date fixed in such notice for the receipt of bids, and the last publication shall be made not more than seven (7) days prior to such date. In any county where there is no newspaper published or located within the county, the board of supervisors shall be authorized to publish such notice on the official county website for the duration of at least three (3) consecutive weeks. The online publication shall be made available to the public not less than twenty-one (21) days prior to the date fixed in such notice and shall remain until there are not more than seven (7) days remaining prior to such date. The board of supervisors shall take appropriate measures to ensure that content published online is secure, verifiable and accessible to the public. The notice shall state the thing to be done and invite sealed proposals, to be filed with the secretary of the district, to do the work. In all such cases, before the notice shall be published, plans and specifications for the work shall be prepared by a registered professional engineer and shall be filed with the secretary of the district and there remain. The board of commissioners of the district shall award the contract to the lowest responsible bidder who will comply with the terms imposed by such commissioners and enter into bond with sufficient sureties to be approved by the commissioners in such penalty as shall be fixed by the commissioners; however, in no case shall such bond be less than the contract price, conditioned for the prompt, proper efficient performance of the contract. Contracts of less than Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000.00) may be negotiated; however, the board of commissioners shall invite and receive written proposals for the work from at least three (3) contractors regularly engaged in the type of work involved.

SECTION 32. Section 19-5-207, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

19-5-207. Within ninety (90) days after the close of each fiscal year, the board of commissioners shall publish in a newspaper of general circulation in the county a sworn statement showing the financial condition of the district, the earnings for the fiscal year just ended, a statement of the water and sewer rates being charged, and a brief statement of the method used in arriving at such rates. In any county where there is no newspaper published or located within the county, the board of supervisors shall be authorized to publish such statement on the official county website. The board of supervisors shall take appropriate measures to ensure that content published online is secure, verifiable and accessible to the public. Such statement shall also be filed with the board of supervisors creating the district.

SECTION 33. Section 19-5-219, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

19-5-219. Upon the filing of such petition, or upon the adoption of a resolution declaring the intent of the board of supervisors to incorporate such district, it shall then be the duty of the board of supervisors of such county to fix a time and place for a public hearing upon the question of the public convenience and necessity of the incorporation of the proposed district solely for fire protection grading purposes. The date fixed for such hearing shall be not more than thirty (30) days after the filing of the petition, and the date of the hearing, the place at which it shall be held, the proposed boundaries of the district and the purpose of the hearing shall be set forth in a notice to be signed by the clerk of the board of supervisors of such county. Such notice shall be published in a newspaper having general circulation within such proposed district once a week for at least three (3) consecutive weeks before the date of such hearing. The first such publication shall be made not less than twenty-one (21) days before the date of such hearing and the last such publication shall be made not more than fourteen (14) days before the date of such hearing. In any county where there is no newspaper published or located within the county, the board of supervisors shall be authorized to publish such notice on the official county website for the duration of at least three (3) consecutive weeks before the date of such hearing. The online publication shall be made available to the public not less than twenty-one (21) days prior to the date fixed in such notice and shall remain until there are not more than seven (7) days remaining prior to such date. The board of supervisors shall take appropriate measures to ensure that content published online is secure, verifiable and accessible to the public.

If, at such public hearing, the board of supervisors finds that the public convenience and necessity require the creation of the fire protection grading district to enable the Mississippi State Rating Bureau to grade the district according to its fire insurance grading schedule, the board of supervisors shall adopt a resolution making such findings and declaring its intention to create the district on a date to be specified in such resolution. Such resolution shall also designate the name of the proposed district and define its territorial limits, which shall be fixed by the board in accordance with such hearing.

SECTION 34. Section 19-5-221, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

19-5-221. A certified copy of the resolution so adopted shall be published in a newspaper having a general circulation within such proposed district once a week for at least three (3) consecutive weeks before the date specified in the resolution as the date upon which the board intends to create such district. The first such publication shall be made not less than twenty-one (21) days before the date specified, and the last such publication shall be made not more than fourteen (14) days before such date. In any county where there is no newspaper published or located within the county, the board of supervisors shall be authorized to publish such resolution on the official county website for the duration of at least three (3) consecutive weeks before the date specified in the resolution as the date upon which the board intends to create such district. The online publication shall be made available to the public not less than twenty-one (21) days prior to the date fixed in such notice and shall remain until there are not more than fourteen (14) days remaining prior to such date. The board of supervisors shall take appropriate measures to ensure that content published online is secure, verifiable and accessible to the public. If twenty percent (20%) or one hundred fifty (150), whichever is the lesser, of the qualified electors of such proposed district file a written petition with such board of supervisors on or before the date specified as the date of creation of the district protesting against creation of such district, the board of supervisors shall call an election on the question of creation of such district. Procedure for the election should conform to the guidelines set forth in Section 19-5-157.

SECTION 35. Section 19-7-3, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

19-7-3. (1) In case any of the real estate belonging to the county shall cease to be used for county purposes, the board of supervisors may sell, convey or lease the same on such terms as the board may elect and may, in addition, exchange the same for real estate belonging to any other political subdivision located within the county. In case of a sale on a credit, the county shall have a lien on the same for the purchase money, as against all persons, until paid and may enforce the lien as in such cases provided by law. The deed of conveyance in such cases shall be executed in the name of the county by the president of the board of supervisors, pursuant to an order of the board entered on its minutes.

(2) (a) Before any lease, deed or conveyance is executed, the board shall publish at least once each week for three (3) consecutive weeks, in a public newspaper of the county in which the land is located * * *. In any county where there is no newspaper published or located within the county, the board of supervisors shall be authorized to publish such intention to sell on the official county website for the duration of three (3) consecutive weeks. The board of supervisors shall take appropriate measures to ensure that content published online is secure, verifiable and accessible to the public. The board shall thereafter accept bids for the lease or sale. The board, at its option, may reject all bids or accept the highest and best bid received in response to the advertisement, or the board may hold an auction among those who submitted bids in response to the advertisement. If the board elects to hold an auction, no bidder shall be granted any preference. The opening bid at the auction shall be the highest bid received in response to the advertisement.

(b) The board of supervisors of any county may contract for the professional services of a Mississippi-licensed real estate broker to assist in the marketing and sale or lease of the property for a reasonable commission, consistent with or lower than the market rate, for services rendered to be paid from the sale or lease proceeds.

(3) (a) During the final year of an existing lease of any real estate belonging to the county, the board shall notify the holder of the existing lease if the board intends to re-lease the property after advertising for bids or holding an auction in the same manner as provided in subsection (2) of this section. If the board receives an acceptable bid in response to the advertisement and elects not to hold an auction among those submitting bids, then the holder of the existing lease may submit a second bid in an amount not less than five percent (5%) of the highest acceptable bid received if the holder of the existing lease: (i) submitted a bid in response to the advertisement; and (ii) constructed or made improvements on the leasehold premises after receiving approval of the board during the term of the existing lease.

(b) If the holder of the existing lease elects to submit a second bid, the board shall hold an auction among those who submitted bids in response to the advertisement. The opening bid at the auction shall be the second bid of the holder of the existing lease. However, no leaseholder may submit a second bid if: (i) any rent, taxes or other payment required under the lease are past due; or (ii) the holder of the lease is otherwise in default of any term or provision of the lease and such default has not been corrected or cured to the satisfaction of the board after more than thirty (30) days' notice to the leaseholder of the default.

(c) If an auction is held, the auction may be conducted at the meeting at which bids are opened or at a subsequent regular or special meeting. The board shall announce the time and place of the auction at the meeting at which bids are opened, and no further notice of the auction is required.

(4) Whenever the board of supervisors shall find and determine, by resolution duly and lawfully adopted and spread upon its minutes (a) that any county-owned property is no longer needed for county or related purposes and is not to be used in the operation of the county, (b) that the sale of the property in the manner otherwise provided by law is not necessary or desirable for the financial welfare of the county, and (c) that the use of the county property for the purpose for which it is to be sold, conveyed or leased will promote and foster the development and improvement of the community in which it is located and the civic, social, educational, cultural, moral, economic or industrial welfare thereof, the board of supervisors of such county shall be authorized and empowered, in its discretion, to sell, convey, lease, or otherwise dispose of same for any of the purposes set forth herein.

(5) (a) In addition to such authority as is otherwise granted under this section, the board of supervisors, in its discretion, may sell, lease, or otherwise convey property to any person or legal entity without public notice, without having to advertise for and accept competitive bids and without appraisal, with or without consideration, and on such terms and conditions as the parties may agree if the board of supervisors finds and determines, by resolution duly and lawfully adopted and spread upon its official minutes:

(i) That the subject property is real property acquired by the county:

1. By reason of a tax sale;

2. Because the property was abandoned or blighted; or

3. In a proceeding to satisfy a county lien against the property;

(ii) That the subject property is blighted and is located in a blighted area;

(iii) That the subject property is not needed for governmental or related purposes and is not to be used in the operation of the county;

(iv) That the sale of the property in the manner otherwise provided by law is not necessary or desirable for the financial welfare of the county; and

(v) That the use of the property for the purpose for which it is to be conveyed will promote and foster the development and improvement of the community in which it is located or the civic, social, educational, cultural, moral, economic or industrial welfare thereof; the purpose for which the property is conveyed shall be stated.

(b) All costs associated with a conveyance under this subsection shall be paid by the person or entity to whom the conveyance is made.

(c) Any deed or instrument of conveyance executed pursuant to the authority granted under this subsection shall contain a clause of reverter providing that title to the property will revert to the county if the person or entity to whom the property is conveyed does not fulfill the purpose for which the property was conveyed and satisfy all conditions imposed on the conveyance within two (2) years of the date of the conveyance.

(d) In any such deed or instrument of conveyance, the county shall retain all mineral rights that it owns, together with the right of ingress and egress to remove same.

(6) Nothing contained in this section shall be construed to prohibit, restrict or to prescribe conditions with regard to the authority granted under Section 17-25-3 or Section 57-75-37.

SECTION 36. Section 19-7-21, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

19-7-21. Any county which has acquired and conveyed or may hereafter acquire and convey any land for state park purposes and has retained or does retain the mineral rights thereunder may lease the same for oil, gas and other minerals either jointly or severally.

Such lease or leases may be made only after legal advertisement for bids therefor have been published once a week for three (3) consecutive weeks in some newspaper having a general circulation in the county. In any county where there is no newspaper published or located within the county, the board of supervisors shall be authorized to publish such advertisement on the official county website for the duration of three (3) consecutive weeks. The board of supervisors shall take appropriate measures to ensure that content published online is secure, verifiable and accessible to the public. It shall be necessary to describe the property in the advertisement by its popular name and by giving a definite legal description by metes and bounds. Said lease, with the legal description of the property set out therein, shall be executed to the highest and best bidder therefore on all the tract involved and shall contain a provision therein that no part of the property involved in said lease shall be dropped during the lifetime of said lease, which shall not be for a longer period than ten (10) years, unless production in commercial quantities results, and that if the delay rentals are not paid on all the property then said lease in its entirety shall become null and void. No lease shall become effective after its acceptance by the board of supervisors until the same shall have the written approval of the state mineral lease commission and the Mississippi Board of Park Examiners affixed thereto.

From the proceeds arising from the execution of the original lease there shall be paid all cost of advertising herein required and other expenses necessary and incident to the execution thereof, and any balance then remaining on hand and accruing thereafter as a result of the rents, profits and income accruing from the lease shall be used, first, to build necessary bridges in the particular park property affected and, second, any balance then remaining on hand shall be used to call or pay any county-wide bonds now or hereafter outstanding and, third, if there be no outstanding county-wide bonds, then such balance shall be paid into the general funds of the county.

Whenever production in commercial quantities is made on any property involved in such lease, the lessee shall not be required to pay delay rentals thereafter so long as such production continues.

The proceeds to be paid to the county from the production of the oil, gas or other minerals shall be subject to all severance taxes imposed by law, just the same as if the county was an individual or corporation.

The lessee shall be liable for all damages to property incurred by any operation in carrying out the terms of said lease.

Nothing in this section shall in any way be construed to limit, abrogate, or otherwise restrict any right, title, or interest in the State of Mississippi.

SECTION 37. Section 19-9-11, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

19-9-11. Before issuing any bonds for any of the purposes enumerated in Sections 19-9-1, and 19-9-3, the board of supervisors shall adopt a resolution declaring its intention so to do, stating the amount of bonds proposed to be issued and the purpose for which the bonds are to be issued, and the date upon which the board proposes to direct the issuance of such bonds. Such resolution shall be published once a week for at least three (3) consecutive weeks in at least one (1) newspaper published in such county. The first publication of such resolution shall be made not less than twenty-one (21) days prior to the date fixed in such resolution for the issuance of the bonds, and the last publication shall be made not more than seven (7) days prior to such date. * * * In any county where there is no newspaper published or located within the county, the board of supervisors shall be authorized to publish such resolution on the official county website for the duration of at least three (3) consecutive weeks. The online publication shall be made available to the public not less than twenty-one (21) days prior to the date fixed in such resolution and shall remain until there are not more than seven (7) days remaining prior to such date. The board of supervisors shall take appropriate measures to ensure that content published online is secure, verifiable and accessible to the public. If twenty percent (20%), or fifteen hundred (1500), whichever is less, of the qualified electors of the county, supervisors district, or road district, as the case may be, shall file a written protest against the issuance of such bonds on or before the date specified in such resolution, then an election on the question of the issuance of such bonds shall be called and held as is provided in Sections 19-9-13, and 19-9-15. If no such protest be filed, then such bonds may be issued without an election on the question of the issuance thereof, at any time within a period of two (2) years after the date specified in the above-mentioned resolution. However, the board of supervisors, in its discretion, may nevertheless call an election on such question, in which event it shall not be necessary to publish the resolution declaring its intention to issue such bonds as herein provided.

SECTION 38. Section 19-9-13, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

19-9-13. Where an election is to be called, as provided in Section 19-9-11, notice of such election shall be signed by the clerk of the board of supervisors and shall be published once a week for at least three (3) consecutive weeks, in at least one newspaper published in such county. The first publication of such notice shall be made not less than twenty-one (21) days prior to the date fixed for such election, and the last publication shall be made not more than seven (7) days prior to such date. * * * If no newspaper is published in such county, then such notice shall be given by publishing the same for the required time in some newspaper having a general circulation in such county and, in addition, by posting a copy of such notice for at least twenty‑one (21) days next preceding such election at three (3) public places in such county. In any county where there is no newspaper published or located within the county, the board of supervisors shall be authorized to publish such notice on the official county website for the duration of at least three (3) consecutive weeks. The online publication shall be made available to the public not less than twenty-one (21) days prior to the date fixed in such notice and shall remain until there are not more than seven (7) days remaining prior to such date. The board of supervisors shall take appropriate measures to ensure that content published online is secure, verifiable and accessible to the public.

SECTION 39. Section 19-9-27, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

19-9-27. The board of supervisors of any county may borrow money in anticipation of taxes for the purpose of defraying the expenses of such county, and may issue negotiable notes of the county therefor, to mature not later than April 1 of the year succeeding the year in which they are issued. The amount of money herein authorized to be borrowed shall not be in excess of twenty-five percent (25%) of the estimated amount of taxes collected and to be collected under the last preceding annual tax levies for the particular fund for which said money is borrowed. The board of supervisors may borrow said money, as hereinbefore provided, from any available fund in the county treasury, or from any other source, and such loan shall be repaid in the manner herein provided. The notes herein authorized shall bear interest at a rate to be fixed by the board, not to exceed that allowed in Section 75-17-105, Mississippi Code of 1972, and such notes shall be payable at any place to be named by the board of supervisors. Any notes or obligations issued in excess of the amount authorized to be issued under the provisions of this section shall be void. Money may be borrowed in anticipation of ad valorem taxes under the provisions of this section, regardless of whether or not such borrowing shall create an indebtedness in excess of statutory limitations.

For the payment of such loan, the board of supervisors shall either pledge the levy of a special tax each year sufficient to pay the amount borrowed for use that year, with interest, or shall pledge that such notes shall be paid out of the first money collected from taxes for the year in which they are issued. The aforesaid special tax, if necessary, may be in excess of the rate of taxation otherwise limited by law. The notes herein authorized shall not be issued until the board of supervisors shall have published notice of its intention to issue same; said notice to be published once each week for three (3) weeks in some newspaper having a general circulation in such county, but not less than twenty-one (21) days, nor more than sixty (60) days, intervening between the time of the first notice and the meeting at which said board proposes to issue such notes. In any county where there is no newspaper published or located within the county, the board of supervisors shall be authorized to publish such resolution on the official county website for the duration of three (3) consecutive weeks. The online publication shall be made available to the public not less than twenty-one (21) days, nor more than sixty (60) days, prior to the date fixed in such notice. The board of supervisors shall take appropriate measures to ensure that content published online is secure, verifiable and accessible to the public. If, within the time of giving notice, twenty percent (20%), or fifteen hundred (1500), whichever is less, of the qualified electors of the county shall protest or file a petition against the issuance of such notes, then such notes shall not be issued unless authorized by a three-fifths (3/5) majority of the qualified electors of such county, voting at an election to be called and held for that purpose.

SECTION 40. Section 19-9-111, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

19-9-111. The board of supervisors of any county authorized to establish or cooperate in the establishment of economic development districts pursuant to Section 19-5-99 may, in its discretion, levy a tax of not more than two (2) mills against the taxable property in the county or the portion thereof comprising an economic development district, to be used to support and maintain such district. The levy so made shall be in addition to all other levies provided by law.

Before any such levy is made, the board of supervisors shall signify its intention to make such a levy and publish same in a newspaper published in said county for thirty (30) days prior to making said levy. In any county where there is no newspaper published or located within the county, the board of supervisors shall be authorized to publish its intention to make such a levy on the official county website for the duration of thirty (30) days prior to making said levy. The board of supervisors shall take appropriate measures to ensure that content published online is secure, verifiable and accessible to the public. In the event more than twenty percent (20%) or fifteen hundred (1500), whichever is less, of the qualified electors of said economic development district protest in writing to the board of supervisors against the imposition of such tax levy within thirty (30) days from the date such notice is published, then such proposed tax levy shall not be made unless same is approved by a special election called for said purpose. Said special election shall be conducted and had as provided by law.

The governing authorities of any municipality in a county, which has established an economic development district or which is included in an economic development district, may contribute to the support of such economic development district from its general fund.

SECTION 41. Section 19-9-114, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

19-9-114. The board of supervisors of any county bordering on the Gulf of Mexico having a population according to the 1970 census of one hundred thirty-four thousand five hundred eighty-two (134,582) persons, and having two cities located therein each having a population of over thirty thousand (30,000) persons according to the 1970 census, and in which is located a deep water port of entry and two (2) military establishments located therein, is hereby authorized and empowered, in its discretion, to levy an additional ad valorem tax not to exceed one (1) mill to provide funds for the construction of a facility to house a county-wide vocational and technical educational center. Such additional levy may be in excess of and in addition to the rate of taxation otherwise limited by law.

The tax herein authorized shall not be levied until the board of supervisors shall have published notice of its intention to levy same. Said notice shall be published once each week for three (3) weeks in some newspaper having a general circulation in such county, but not less than twenty-one (21) days, nor more than sixty (60) days, intervening between the time of the first notice and the meeting at which said board proposes to levy such tax. In any county where there is no newspaper published or located within the county, the board of supervisors shall be authorized to publish such notice on the official county website for the duration of three (3) weeks. The online publication shall be made available to the public not less than twenty-one (21) days, nor more than sixty (60) days, prior to the date fixed in such notice. The board of supervisors shall take appropriate measures to ensure that content published online is secure, verifiable and accessible to the public. If, within the time of giving notice, twenty percent (20%) or fifteen hundred (1500), whichever is less, of the qualified electors of the county shall protest or file a petition against the levy of such tax, then such tax shall not be levied unless authorized by a three-fifths (⅗) majority of the qualified electors of such county voting at an election to be called and held for that purpose.

SECTION 42. Section 19-11-7, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

[With regard to any county which is exempt from the provisions of Section 19-2-3, this section shall read as follows:]

19-11-7. (1) The board of supervisors of each county of the State of Mississippi shall, at its August meeting of each year, prepare a complete budget of revenues, expenses and a working cash balance estimated for the next fiscal year, which shall be based on the aggregate funds estimated to be available for the ensuing fiscal year for each fund, from which such estimated expenses will be paid, exclusive of school maintenance funds, which shall be shown separately. Such statement of revenues shall show every source of revenue along with the amount derived from each source. The budget containing such statement of revenues and expenses shall be published at least one (1) time during August or September but not later than September 30 of the year in a newspaper published in the county * * *. In any county where there is no newspaper published or located within the county, the board of supervisors shall be authorized to publish such budget on the official county website for the duration of August and September. The board of supervisors shall take appropriate measures to ensure that content published online is secure, verifiable and accessible to the public.

(2) The board of supervisors shall not prepare a budget that reduces the county budget by more than twenty percent (20%) in the last year of the members' term of office if a majority of the members of the board are not reelected.

[With regard to any county which is required to operate on a countywide system of road administration as described in Section 19-2-3, this section shall read as follows:]

19-11-7. (1) The county administrator of each county of the State of Mississippi shall prepare and submit to the board of supervisors at its August meeting of each year a complete budget of revenues, expenses and a working cash balance estimated for the .next fiscal year, which shall be based on the aggregate funds estimated to be available for the ensuing fiscal year for each fund, from which such estimated expenses will be paid, exclusive of school maintenance funds, which shall be shown separately and exclusive of the budget of the sheriff's department which shall be prepared by the sheriff. Such statement of revenues shall show every source of revenue along with the amount derived from each source. The budget, including the sheriff's budget, containing such statement of revenues and expenses shall be published at least one (1) time during August or September but not later than September 30 of the year in a newspaper published in the county * * *~~, or if no newspaper is published therein, then in a newspaper having a general circulation therein~~. In any county where there is no newspaper published or located within the county, the board of supervisors shall be authorized to publish such budget on the official county website for the duration of August and September. The board of supervisors shall take appropriate measures to ensure that content published online is secure, verifiable and accessible to the public.

(2) The county administrator shall not prepare a budget that reduces the county budget by more than twenty percent (20%) in the last year of the members' term of office if a majority of the members of the board are not reelected.

SECTION 43. Section 19-13-53, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

19-13-53. A claim under Section 19-13-51 for accidents occurring shall be made in writing, itemized and sworn to, and shall be filed within three (3) months after such accident occurs, and shall remain on file with the clerk of the board of supervisors for sixty (60) days before the first day of the term at which it comes up for hearing. Notice of its pendency shall be published in a newspaper published in the county at least one (1) time before such claim comes up for hearing * * *. In any county where there is no newspaper published or located within the county, the board of supervisors shall be authorized to publish notice on the official county website for the duration of one (1) week before such claim comes up for hearing. The board of supervisors shall take appropriate measures to ensure that online content is secure, verifiable and accessible to the public.

SECTION 44. Section 19-15-3, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

19-15-3. Whenever any county records, documents, files or papers whatsoever are required by law to be preserved and retained, or which are necessary or desirable to be preserved or retained, the board of supervisors of the county shall have the power and authority, in its discretion, to destroy or dispose of any records, documents, files or papers after having reproductions made thereof as hereinafter provided and in accordance with a records control schedule approved by the Local Government Records Committee as provided in Section 25-60-1.

Whenever the board of supervisors of any county shall desire to destroy or dispose of any records, documents, files or papers, the board shall first cause the same to be reproduced under standards established by the Department of Archives and History using microfilm, microfiche, data processing, computers, magnetic tape, optical discs or other medium. If the county where records and the like are to be destroyed or disposed of does not have or own the necessary equipment to reproduce same, the board of supervisors shall be authorized and empowered to enter into a contract for the reproduction thereof, which contract may be for a period of not more than twelve (12) months from the date thereof. The contract shall be awarded to the lowest and best bidder after the board of supervisors shall have advertised its intentions of awarding such contract by publication of a notice thereof once each week for at least three (3) consecutive weeks in some newspaper published or having a general circulation in such county. In any county where there is no newspaper published or located within the county, the board of supervisors shall be authorized to publish such notice on the official county website for the duration of at least three (3) consecutive weeks. The board of supervisors shall take appropriate measures to ensure that content published online is secure, verifiable and accessible to the public.

After reproduction of the records and the like shall have been made, the board of supervisors shall have the power and authority to destroy and dispose of the originals thereof after spreading upon its minutes certification that the reproductions are true and correct copies and disposal is in accordance with a records control schedule approved by the Local Government Records Committee as provided in Section 25-60-1; the reproductions shall thereafter be preserved, retained and stored by the board of supervisors as a record of the county, and provision shall be made for preserving, examining and using them. Any reproductions or copy of any original record or other documents shall be deemed to be the original record for all purposes and shall be admissible as evidence in all courts or administrative agencies. A facsimile, exemplification or certified copy thereof shall, for all purposes set forth herein, be deemed to be a transcript, exemplification or certified copy of the original record.

The board of supervisors of any county is hereby authorized to pay all expenses incurred in reproducing records and the like and in making provision for the preservation, retention and storage of the reproductions from the general fund of the county.

When any of the records and the like of which reproductions are made under the provisions of this section are declared by law or are by their nature confidential and privileged records, then the reproduction thereof shall likewise be deemed to be confidential and privileged to the same extent as the original records and the like.

Nothing herein shall be construed to require the keeping and preservation of any records and documents which are not required by law or a records control schedule to be kept and preserved, or which it is not desirable or necessary to keep and preserve, and in all cases where records and the like are authorized by law to be destroyed or disposed of, they may be disposed of as authorized by a records control schedule approved by the Local Government Records Committee as provided in Section 25-60-1.

SECTION 45. Section 19-23-5, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

19-23-5. The board of supervisors of any county where the county prosecuting attorney's office has been abolished may by its own motion entered upon the minutes, make an order to reestablish the said office of county prosecuting attorney in said county. Said order shall be published in a newspaper published in said county and having a general circulation therein * * * for three (3) consecutive weeks next preceding * * *~~, and~~ . In any county where there is no newspaper published or located within the county, the board of supervisors shall be authorized to publish such order on the official county website for the duration of three (3) consecutive weeks next preceding. The board of supervisors shall take appropriate measures to ensure that content published online is secure, verifiable and accessible to the public. If within that time twenty percent (20%) of the qualified electors of the county shall petition against re-creation of said office, then the said office shall not be re-created, unless an election shall have been ordered in the manner provided for in Section 19-23-3, and a majority of the qualified voters in said election vote to re-create said office. The said board shall not re-create said office unless two (2) years after the same has been abolished shall have passed. Should there be no petition against the re-creation of said office, the board of supervisors shall re-create said office of county prosecuting attorney.

SECTION 46. Section 19-27-31, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

19-27-31. If the owner of any land which shall have been laid off, mapped, or platted as a city, town or village, or addition thereto, or subdivision thereof, or other platted area, whether inside or outside a municipality, shall be desirous of altering or vacating such map or plat, or any part thereof, he may, under oath, petition the chancery court for relief in the premises, setting forth the particular circumstances of the case and giving an accurate description of the property, the map or plat of which is to be vacated, or altered, and the names of the persons to be adversely affected thereby, or directly interested therein. The parties so named shall be made defendants thereto, and publication of summons shall be made one (1) time in a newspaper published, or having a general circulation, in the county where the land is situated, and which publication shall clearly state the objects and purposes of the petition. In any county where there is no newspaper published or located within the county, the board of supervisors shall be authorized to publish such summons on the official county website for the duration of one (1) week. The board of supervisors shall take appropriate measures to ensure that content published online is secure, verifiable and accessible to the public.

At any time after the expiration of five (5) days from said publication and the service of process upon the named defendants, the cause or proceeding shall be triable, and the court in term time or the chancellor in vacation may hear the petition and all objections from any person thereto, and may decree according to the merits of the case. However, where all adversely affected or directly interested persons join in said petition, the same may be finally heard and determined by the court or chancellor at any time. If the decree vacate, in whole or in part, or alter the map or plat, it shall be recorded as a deed, and a memorandum thereof noted on the record of the map or plat.

SECTION 47. Section 19-29-7, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

19-29-7. (1) Any county in which there is located existing railroad properties and facilities or in which railroad properties and facilities previously existed, but were abandoned after February 5, 1976, may, by resolution, create a public body corporate and politic, to be known as a county railroad authority, which shall be authorized to exercise its functions upon the appointment and qualifications of the first commissioners thereof. Upon the adoption of a resolution creating a county railroad authority, the board of supervisors of the county shall, pursuant to the resolution, appoint five (5) persons as commissioners of the authority. The commissioners who are first appointed shall be designated to serve the terms of one (1), two (2), three (3), four (4) and five (5) years respectively. Thereafter, each commissioner shall be appointed for a term of five (5) years, except that vacancies occurring otherwise than by the expiration of term shall be filled for the unexpired term in the same manner as the original appointments. A county shall not adopt a resolution authorized by this section without a public hearing thereon. Notice thereof shall be given at least ten (10) days prior thereto in a newspaper published in the county * * *. In any county where there is no newspaper published or located within the county, the board of supervisors shall be authorized to publish such notice on the official county website for the duration of at least ten (10) days prior to the aforementioned public hearing. The board of supervisors shall take appropriate measures to ensure that content published online is secure, verifiable and accessible to the public.

(2) Any county and a municipality within a county may create a railroad authority under this section by resolution adopted by the respective governing authorities. The authority shall be governed by five (5) commissioners. The board of supervisors shall appoint two (2) persons as commissioners of the authority. The governing authorities of the municipality shall appoint two (2) persons as commissioners of the authority. One (1) commissioner shall be appointed by the municipality and the county on a rotating basis with the municipality making the first appointment. The terms of the commissioners shall be the same as those provided in subsection (1) with the term designation to be determined by the majority vote of the governing authorities of the municipality and of the county. The municipality and the county may dissolve the authority by a majority vote of both governing authorities.

SECTION 48. Section 19-29-9, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

19-29-9. (1) Two (2) or more counties in which there are located railroad properties and facilities of a railroad, or in which such properties and facilities previously existed, but were abandoned after February 5, 1976, may, by resolution of each, create a public body, corporate and politic, to be known as a regional railroad authority which shall be authorized to exercise its functions upon the issuance by the Secretary of State of a certificate of incorporation. The board of supervisors of each county joining in such regional authority shall, pursuant to the resolution organizing such authority, appoint five (5) residents of the county as commissioners of the authority and, as soon thereafter as practicable, the governing authorities of any municipality in such county, through which such railroads run, shall appoint a commissioner of the authority.

If the regional authority consists of an even number of commissioners, an additional commissioner shall be appointed by the Governor from within the geographic boundaries of the regional authority.

(2) A regional railroad authority may be increased from time to time to serve one or more additional counties if each additional county and each of the counties then included in the regional authority and the commissioners of the regional authority, respectively, adopt a resolution consenting thereto. If a county railroad authority for any county seeking to be included in the regional authority is then in existence, the commissioners of the county authority shall consent to the inclusion of the county in the regional authority, and if the county authority has any bonds outstanding, unless fifty-one percent (51%) or more of the holders of the bonds consent, in writing, to the inclusion of the county in the regional authority, no such inclusion shall be effected. Upon the inclusion of any county in the regional authority, all rights, contracts, obligations and property, real and personal, of the county authority shall be in the name of and vest in the regional authority.

(3) A regional railroad authority may be decreased if each of the counties then included in the regional authority and the commissioners of the regional authority consent to the decrease and make provision for the retention or disposition of its assets and liabilities; however, if the regional authority has any bonds outstanding, no decrease shall be effected unless seventy-five percent (75%) or more of the holders of the bonds consent thereto in writing.

(4) A county shall not adopt any resolution authorized by this section without a public hearing thereon. Notice thereof shall be given at least ten (10) days prior thereto in a newspaper published in the county * * *. In any county where there is no newspaper published or located within the county, the board of supervisors shall be authorized to publish such notice on the official county website for the duration of at least ten (10) days prior to the date of the aforementioned public hearing. The board of supervisors shall take appropriate measures to ensure that content published online is secure, verifiable and accessible to the public.

(5) All commissioners of a regional railroad authority appointed by municipalities shall be appointed for terms of five (5) years each. Commissioners who are initially appointed by a board of supervisors shall be designated to serve terms of one (1), two (2), three (3), four (4) and five (5) years, respectively; thereafter, each such term shall be five (5) years. A vacancy occurring otherwise than by expiration of term shall be filled for the unexpired term in the same manner as the original appointments.

(6) A regional railroad authority, in its discretion, by resolution duly adopted and entered upon its minutes, may appoint an executive committee from among its membership. The executive committee shall consist of such number and shall be appointed in such manner so as to fairly represent the counties and municipalities served by the regional authority. The members of the executive committee shall serve for such terms as designated by the regional authority and may be removed from the committee before expiration of their terms in accordance with such procedure as the regional authority may adopt. The executive committee, when so appointed, may be authorized by the regional authority to exercise such powers and perform such duties, with or without the prior approval of the regional authority, as the regional authority deems appropriate; however, the executive committee may not exercise any power or perform any duty that is inconsistent with or in excess of the powers and duties authorized to be performed under the provisions of this chapter by the commissioners of the regional authority.

(7) A regional railroad authority may accept counties, municipalities and other political subdivisions of the state outside the jurisdiction of the regional authority to become associate members.

SECTION 49. Section 19-29-18, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

19-29-18. (1) The governing body of a county railroad authority or regional railroad authority, as the case may be, may file a petition with the board of supervisors of any county included in the railroad authority, specifying for each such county, the rate of the ad valorem tax, not to exceed two (2) mills, to be levied by such county on the taxable property therein, for acquisition and maintenance of railroad properties and facilities, and to defray operating expenses of the railroad authority and any other expenses authorized to be incurred by the railroad authority. Prior to levying the tax specified by the railroad authority, the board of supervisors of each such county shall publish notice of its intention to levy same. The notice shall be published once each week for three (3) weeks in some newspaper having a general circulation in the county, but not less than twenty-one (21) days, nor more than sixty (60) days, intervening between the time of the first notice and the meeting at which said board proposes to levy the tax. In any county where there is no newspaper published or located within the county, the board of supervisors shall be authorized to publish such notice of intention to levy on the official county website for the duration of three (3) weeks. The online publication shall be made available to the public not less than twenty-one (21) days, nor more than sixty (60) days, prior to the date fixed in such notice. The board of supervisors shall take appropriate measures to ensure that content published online is secure, verifiable and accessible to the public. If, within the time of giving notice, twenty percent (20%) or one thousand five hundred (1,500) of the qualified electors of the county, whichever is less, shall file a written protest against the levy of the tax, then the tax shall not be levied unless authorized by three-fifths (3/5) of the qualified electors of such county, voting at an election to be called and held for that purpose. If the tax levy fails to be authorized at an election held in a county included in the regional authority, then such tax levy shall not be made in any of the counties included in such regional authority.

(2) The avails of the ad valorem tax levied under authority of this section shall be paid by the county board of supervisors to the governing body of the railroad authority to be used as herein authorized.

(3) For any fiscal year after the initial levy of the tax, the board of supervisors levying same shall levy such tax at a millage rate which will produce an amount of revenue which approximates, but does not exceed, the amount of revenue produced from the levy for the preceding fiscal year. The county board of supervisors shall not increase the millage rate for the purposes authorized herein unless notice thereof is published and an election held, if required, in the manner set forth in subsection (1) of this section.

(4) Each railroad authority shall be subject to examination by the State Auditor.

(5) The tax levy authorized in this section shall not be included in the ten percent (10%) limitation on increases under Sections 27-39-320 or 27-39-321.

(6) The tax levy authorized in this section shall not be reimbursable under the provisions of the Homestead Exemption Law.

(7) A railroad authority created under Section 19-29-7(2) must receive the approval of the governing authorities of the municipality and the county creating such authority before levying any tax under this section.

SECTION 50. Section 19-29-33, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

19-29-33. Bonds authorized by resolution of the authority may be issued in one or more series and shall bear such date or dates, mature at such time or times, bear interest at such rate or rates, provided that the bonds of any issue shall not bear a greater overall maximum interest rate to maturity than that allowed in Section 75-17-103, be in such denomination or denominations, be in such form, either coupon or registered, carry such conversion or registration privileges, have such rank or priority, be executed in such manner, be payable in such medium of payment, at such place or places, and be subject to such terms of redemption (with or without premium) as such resolution, its trust indenture or mortgage may provide. No bond shall bear more than one (1) rate of interest; each bond shall bear interest from its date to its stated maturity date at the interest rate specified in the bid; all bonds of the same maturity shall bear the same rate of interest from date to maturity; all interest accruing on such bonds so issued shall be payable semiannually or annually, except that the first interest coupon attached to any such bond may be for any period not exceeding one (1) year.

No interest payment shall be evidenced by more than one (1) coupon and neither cancelled nor supplemental coupons shall be permitted; the lowest interest rate specified for any bonds issued shall not be less than seventy percent (70%) of the highest interest rate specified for the same bond issue.

Each interest rate specified in any bid must be in multiples of one-eighth of one percent (1/8 of 1%) or in multiples of one-tenth of one percent (1/10 of 1%). The denomination, form and place or places of payment of such bonds shall be fixed in the resolution or ordinance of the governing authorities issuing such bonds. Such bonds shall be executed by the manual or facsimile signature of the chairman and secretary of such authority, with the seal of the authority affixed thereto. At least one (1) signature on each bond shall be a manual signature, as specified in the resolution. The coupons may bear only the facsimile signatures of such chairman and secretary. No bonds shall be issued and sold under the provisions of this chapter for less than par and accrued interest.

The bonds may be sold at not less than par at public sale held after notice published once at least five (5) days prior to such sale in a newspaper having a general circulation in the area of operation and in a financial newspaper published in the City of Jackson, Mississippi, or in the City of New York, New York. In any county where there is no newspaper published or located within the county, the board of supervisors shall be authorized to publish notice of such sale on the official county website for the duration of at least five (5) days prior to such sale. The board of supervisors shall take appropriate measures to ensure that content published online is secure, verifiable and accessible to the public. Such bonds may be sold at not less than par to the federal government at private sale without any public advertisement.

In case any of the commissioners or officers of the authority whose signatures appear on any bonds or coupons shall cease to be such commissioners or officers before the delivery of such bonds, such signatures shall, nevertheless, be valid and sufficient for all purposes, the same as if such commissioners or officers had remained in office until such delivery. Any provision of any law to the contrary notwithstanding, any bonds issued pursuant to this chapter shall be fully negotiable.

The determination of the authority, in the resolution authorizing the bonds, as to the classification of the railroad properties and facilities for which such bonds are authorized and as to the maximum period of usefulness shall be conclusive in any action or proceeding involving the validity of such bonds.

SECTION 51. Section 19-31-7, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

19-31-7. (1) The method for the establishment of a public improvement district shall be pursuant to an ordinance adopted by the governing body of each county in which the land is located granting a petition for the establishment of a public improvement district. The petition for the establishment of a public improvement district shall be filed by the petitioner with the governing body of the county or counties. The petition shall contain:

(a) A description of the boundaries of the district;

(b) The written consent to the establishment of the district by all landowners in the district;

(c) A designation of five (5) persons to be the initial members of the board of directors, who shall serve in that office until replaced by elected members as provided in Section 19-31-9;

(d) The proposed name of the district;

(e) A map of the proposed district showing existing infrastructure, if any; and

(f) Based upon available data, the proposed timetable for construction of the district services and the estimated cost of constructing the proposed services.

(2) A public hearing on the petition shall be conducted by the governing body of each county of the proposed district within sixty (60) days after the petition is filed unless an extension of time is requested by the petitioners and granted by the governing body of each county. The hearing shall be held at an accessible location in each county in which the public improvement district is to be located. The petitioner shall cause a notice of the hearing to be published in a newspaper having general circulation in each county at least once a week for the four (4) successive weeks immediately prior to the hearing. In any county where there is no newspaper published or located within the county, the board of supervisors shall be authorized to publish such notice on the official county website or the duration of four (4) successive weeks immediately prior to the hearing. The board of supervisors shall take appropriate measures to ensure that content published online is secure, verifiable and accessible to the public. Such notice shall give the time and place for the hearing, a description of the area to be included in the district, and any other relevant information which the establishing governing bodies may require. The advertisement shall be published in the official minutes of the local governing body.

(3) The governing body of each county shall consider the record of the public hearing and any other relevant factors in making its determination to grant or deny a petition for the establishment of a public improvement district.

(4) An ordinance establishing a public improvement district shall include the boundaries of the district, the names of the five (5) persons designated to be the initial members of the board of directors of the district and the name of the district.

(5) If all of the land in the area for the proposed district is within the territorial jurisdiction of a municipality, then the petition requesting establishment of a public improvement district under this chapter shall be filed by the petitioner with that particular municipality. In such event, the duties of the county with regard to the petition shall be the duties of the municipality. If any of the land area of a proposed district is within the land area of a municipality, the governing body of the county may not create the district without the approval of the municipality.

(6) The governing body of any governmental agency, county and/or municipality may enter into contribution agreements with the district.

SECTION 52. Section 19-31-9, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

19-31-9. (1) The board of the district, or if necessary, the governing authorities of the municipality in which the district is contained, shall exercise the powers granted to the district pursuant to this chapter. The board shall consist of five (5) members as otherwise provided in this section. Each member shall hold office for an initial term of six (6) years and until a successor is chosen and qualifies. The initial members of the board shall be residents of the state, and at least one (1) of the initial members shall be either a qualified voter within the district or an individual resident of the area immediately adjacent to the district. Upon appointment or election, the board members shall elect a chair who shall conduct board meetings.

(2) (a) Beginning six (6) years after the initial appointment of members, the position of each member whose term has expired shall be filled by a qualified voter of the district, elected by the qualified voters of the district. There shall be an election of members every six (6) years from the date of the ordinance establishing the district. The district manager shall determine the date and time of the election, which election must be held at least twenty (20) days before the anniversary date of the ordinance establishing the district. If a contribution agreement exists, then the governing body of the public entity that is a party to the contribution agreement may appoint one (1) of the five (5) members to the board of the district at the time of the election in lieu of electing that member.

(b) Candidates must qualify in writing by submitting a "Statement of Intent," as prescribed in this paragraph, to the district manager thirty (30) days before the election. The district manager shall prepare a ballot of all candidates qualified to run for office twenty-eight (28) days before the election.

Statement of Intent

Candidate for (insert name of district) Public Improvement District

I, (name of candidate as it will appear on the ballot),

(mailing address, street address, city, state, zip code, telephone number of the candidate), certify that I am a qualified voter, as defined in Section 19-31-5, Mississippi Code of 1972, of the (insert name of public improvement district) Public Improvement District in the State of Mississippi; and I do hereby declare my candidacy for Board of the (insert name of public improvement district) Public Improvement District at the election to be held on (insert date of election).

____________________________________

(Signature of candidate) (Date)

Received by _____________________________________________

(Signature) (Title) (Date)

(c) Notice of the election shall be announced at a public meeting of the board at least ninety (90) days before the date of the election and shall be published once a week for two (2) consecutive weeks in a newspaper which is in general circulation in the area of the district, the last day of such publication to be not fewer than fourteen (14) days nor more than twenty-eight (28) days before the election. In any county where there is no newspaper published or located within the county, the board of supervisors shall be authorized to publish such notice on the official county website for the duration of two (2) consecutive weeks. The online publication shall be made available to the public until not fewer than fourteen (14) days nor more than twenty-eight (28) days prior to the date of the election. The board of supervisors shall take appropriate measures to ensure that content published online is secure, verifiable and accessible to the public. In addition, notice of the election shall be sent by United States first-class mail, not fewer than fourteen (14) days before the election, to all qualified voters at their last-known address as shown on the tax rolls. Instructions on how all qualified voters may participate in the election, along with sample proxies, shall be provided as part of the notice required by this paragraph, and the location, date and time of the election shall be included on all instructions and notices.

(d) Each qualified voter shall be entitled to cast only one (1) ballot to elect each of the board members, regardless of the number of parcels owned by that voter within the district. Parcels may not be aggregated for determining the number of ballots allowed to be cast by a qualified voter. A list of qualified voters in the form of a voter roll must be kept current by the district manager and deemed final thirty (30) days before the election.

(e) A qualified voter may vote in person or by proxy in writing. A vote cast by proxy must be submitted at or within fourteen (14) days before the election and must be submitted in the form prescribed in this section. Each proxy must be signed

by the qualified voter for which the vote is cast and must contain the typed or printed name of the individual who signed the proxy and the street address, legal description of the property or the property's tax parcel identification number. The signature on a proxy need not be notarized. All votes cast by proxy must be reflected in the voter roll.

Proxy for Election

(Insert name of district) Public Improvement District

I,____________________________________, (name of qualified voter); _________________________________________________(street address); _____________________________________________ (legal description); ______________________________ (tax parcel identification number).

[NOTE: To be considered, this proxy must contain at least one (1) of either: the street address; legal description; or tax parcel identification number.]

1. Do constitute and appoint ______________________ _____________________ (name), attorney and agent for me, and in my name, place and stead, to vote as my proxy for the election of members of the Board of Directors of the (name of district) Public Improvement District on (insert date), at the (insert voting location/facility name with street address); OR (only choose one)

2. Do hereby cast my vote for: ______________________________________ [print or type name of person being voted for � PLEASE NOTE THAT YOUR VOTE MUST BE FOR A QUALIFIED VOTER (AS DEFINED IN MISSISSIPPI CODE SECTION 19-31-5) OF THE DISTRICT. A QUALIFIED VOTER MEANS ANY LANDOWNER OF THE DISTRICT WHO IS AT LEAST EIGHTEEN (18) YEARS OF AGE OR AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE LANDOWNER WHO IS ALSO AT LEAST EIGHTEEN (18) YEARS OF AGE.] to be elected as a member of the Board of Directors of the (name of district) Public Improvement District for a term beginning (date of term) and ending six (6) years from that date or until a successor is chosen.

I understand that I have the right to revoke this proxy at any time before the election. I understand that I have the right to be present in person at the election.

I have executed this proxy on (insert date).

__________________________________

(Printed Name of Qualified Voter)

__________________________________

(Signature of Qualified Voter)

(f) A qualified voter may cast only one (1) vote for each of the five (5) board member positions. When a qualified voter casts a vote for the same person more than once, only one (1) of the votes cast for that person will be counted. When a qualified voter casts more votes to elect board members than he or she is entitled to cast, all votes are invalid, and the qualified voter is deemed to have voted for none of them. When a qualified voter casts fewer votes to elect board members than he or she is entitled to cast, all votes cast by the qualified voter must be counted, but no votes shall be counted more than once.

(g) If a board member dies, resigns or otherwise is prevented from serving as a board member, the board of the district shall appoint a member to fill the remainder of the board member's term. If no qualified voter is willing to serve on the board of the district, the governing body that established the district shall appoint members as necessary to fill any vacancy for the remainder of the term.

(3) Members of the board shall be known as directors and, upon entering into office, shall take an oath of office. They shall hold office for the terms for which they were elected or appointed and until their successors are chosen and qualified. If during the term of office, a vacancy occurs, the remaining members of the board shall fill the vacancy by an appointment for the remainder of the unexpired term.

(4) A majority of the members of the board constitutes a quorum for the purposes of conducting its business and exercising its powers and for all other purposes. Action taken by the district shall be upon a vote of a majority of the members present unless general law or a rule of the district requires a greater number. If a quorum cannot be obtained in a board meeting, the governing body that established the district shall appoint members as necessary to replace any board member missing three (3) consecutive meetings.

(5) As soon as practicable after each election or appointment, the board shall organize by electing one (1) of its members as chair and by electing a secretary, who need not be a member of the board, and such other officers as the board may deem necessary.

(6) The board shall keep a permanent minute book in which shall be recorded minutes of all meetings, resolutions, ordinances, proceedings and all corporate acts.

(7) Members of the board may receive per diem compensation for services in an amount as provided under Section 25-3-69, and shall be entitled to expenses necessarily incurred in the discharge of their duties in accordance with Section 25-3-41. Any payments for compensation and expenses shall be paid from funds of the district.

SECTION 53. Section 19-31-23, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

19-31-23. (1) The district may issue and sell from time to time bonds, notes, negotiable notes, tax anticipation notes, bond anticipation notes, other fund anticipation notes, renewal notes, refunding bonds, interim certificates, certificates of indebtedness, certificates of participation, debentures, warrants, commercial paper or other obligations or evidences of indebtedness to provide funds for and to fulfill and achieve its public purpose or corporate purposes, as set forth in this chapter, including, but not limited to, the payment of all or a portion of the costs of a project, to provide amounts necessary for any corporate purposes, including incidental expenses in connection with the issuance of the obligations, the payment of principal and interest on the obligations of the district, the establishment of reserves to secure such obligations, and all other purposes and expenditures of the district incident to and necessary or convenient to carry out its public functions or corporate purposes, and any credit enhancement for such obligations.

(2) Before the issuance of any bonds as authorized under this chapter, the district shall hold a public hearing on the advisability of the indebtedness. Notice of the hearing must be published twice in a newspaper having general circulation in each county where the district is located. The final publication of notice must be at least ten (10) days before the public hearing. In any county where there is no newspaper published or located within the county, the board of supervisors shall be authorized to publish such notice on the official county website for the duration of at least two (2) weeks prior to the date of the public hearing. The board of supervisors shall take appropriate measures to ensure that content published online is secure, verifiable and accessible to the public. The district shall give, by United States first-class mail, written notice of the public hearing to all qualified voters in the district. The notice must be addressed to "Property Owner" and mailed by United States first-class mail to the current address of the owner, as reflected on tax rolls of property located in the district.

(3) (a) If a district proposes to enter into a contribution agreement with a public entity for any bond issue, the public entity shall hold a public hearing on the advisability of the contribution agreement for any bonds the district proposes to enter.

(b) Notice of the hearing must be published twice in a newspaper having general circulation in each county where the public entity is located. The final publication of notice must be at least ten (10) days before the public hearing.

(i) Time and place of the hearing;

(ii) General nature of the proposed improvement;

(iii) Estimated cost of the improvement;

(iv) Boundaries of the public improvement district;

(v) Proposed method of assessment;

(vi) Proposed amount and term of indebtedness;

(vii) Name of the public entity entering into the contribution agreement; and

(viii) Proposed amount of contribution by the public entity.

(d) The hearing may be adjourned from time to time until the governing body of the public entity makes findings by resolution as to the following:

(i) Advisability of the improvement;

(ii) Nature of the improvement;

(iii) Estimated cost of the improvement;

(iv) Boundaries of the public improvement district;

(v) Method of assessment;

(vi) Market value of real property within the district determined in accordance with paragraph (c) of this subsection; and

(vii) Terms of the contribution agreement.

(e) As provided in subsection (3)(d)(vi) of this section, the governing body of the public entity shall obtain an appraisal in accordance with the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice, with special consideration given to the Income Approach to Value using a discounted cash flow analysis of the entire commercial, residential or industrial subdivision. The appraisal must satisfy all parties to the contribution agreement that the value of the property in the district will be sufficient to ensure payment of any obligation to which a public entity is subject.

(4) Except as may otherwise be provided by the district, all obligations issued by the district shall be negotiable instruments and payable solely from the levy of any special assessment by the district or from any other sources whatsoever that may be available to the district but shall not be secured by the full faith and credit of the state or the county or municipality that created the district.

(5) Obligations shall be authorized, issued and sold by a resolution or resolutions of the district adopted as provided in this chapter. Such bonds or obligations may be of such series, bear such date or dates, mature at such time or times, bear interest at such rate or rates, including variable, adjustable, or zero interest rates, be payable at such time or times, be in such denominations, be sold at such price or prices, at public or private negotiated sale, after advertisement as is provided for in Section 17-21-53(2) for and in connection with any public sale, be in such form, carry such registration and exchangeability privileges, be payable at such place or places, be subject to such terms of redemption and be entitled to such priorities on the income, revenue and receipts of, or available to, the district as may be provided by the district in the resolution or resolutions providing for the issuance and sale of the bonds or obligations of the district.

(6) The obligations of the district shall be signed by such directors or officers of the district by either manual or facsimile signatures as shall be determined by resolution or resolutions of the district, and shall have impressed or imprinted thereon the seal of the district or a facsimile thereof.

(7) Any obligations of the district may be validly issued, sold and delivered notwithstanding that one or more of the directors or officers of the district signing such obligations or whose facsimile signature or signatures may be on the obligations shall have ceased to be such director or officer of the district at the time such obligations shall actually have been delivered.

(8) Obligations of the district may be sold in such manner and from time to time as may be determined by the district to be most beneficial, and the district may pay all expenses, premiums, fees or commissions that it deems necessary or advantageous in connection with the issuance and sale thereof, subject to the provisions of this chapter.

(9) The district may authorize the establishment of a fund or funds for the creation of a debt service reserve, a renewal and replacement reserve or such other funds or reserves as the district may approve with respect to the financing and operation of any project and as may be authorized by any bond resolution, trust agreement, indenture of trust or similar instrument or agreement pursuant to the provisions of which the issuance of bonds or other obligations of the district may be authorized.

(10) Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, but subject to any agreement with bondholders or noteholders, monies of the district not required for immediate use, including proceeds from the sale of any bonds, notes or other obligations, may be invested in the following:

(a) Obligations of any municipality, the State of Mississippi or the United States of America;

(b) Obligations of which the principal and interest are guaranteed by the State of Mississippi or the United States of America;

(d) Obligations of any corporation sponsored by the United States of America which are, or may become, eligible as collateral for advances to member banks as determined by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System;

(e) Obligations of insurance firms or other corporations whose investments are rated "A" or better by recognized rating companies;

(f) Certificates of deposit or time deposits of qualified depositories of the State of Mississippi as approved by the State Depository Commission, secured in such manner, if any, as the commission determines appropriate;

(g) Contracts for the purchase and sale of obligations of the type described in paragraphs (a) through (e) of this subsection;

(h) Repurchase agreements secured by obligations described in paragraphs (a) through (e) of this subsection; and

(i) Money market funds, the assets of which are required to be invested in obligations described in paragraphs (a) through (f) of this subsection.

(11) Any cost, obligation or expense incurred for any of the purposes specified in this chapter shall be a part of the project costs and may be paid or reimbursed as such out of the proceeds of bonds or other obligations issued by the district.

(12) Neither the directors of the board nor any person executing the bonds shall be personally liable for the bonds or be subject to any personal liability by reason of the issuance thereof. No earnings or assets of the district shall accrue to the benefit of any private persons. However, the limitation of liability provided for in this subsection shall not apply to any gross negligence or criminal negligence on the part of any director or person executing the bonds.

(13) The district may avail itself of the provisions of Sections 31-13-1 through 31-13-11.

(14) This chapter constitutes full and complete authority for the issuance of bonds and the exercise of the powers of the district provided herein. No procedures or proceedings, publications, notices, consents, approvals, orders, acts or things by the board or any board, officers, commission, department, agency or instrumentality of the district, other than those required by this chapter, shall be required to perform anything under this chapter, except that the issuance or sale of bonds pursuant to the provisions of this chapter shall comply with the general law requirements applicable to the issuance or sale of bonds by the district. Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to authorize the district to utilize bond proceeds to fund the ongoing operations of the district.

(15) Before incurring any debt as provided in subsection (1) of this section, the district may, but shall not be required to, secure an agreement from one or more developers obligating such developer or developers:

(a) To effect the completion of all or any portion of a project at no cost to the district;

(b) To pay all or any portion of the real property taxes due on the project in a timely manner; and

(c) To maintain and operate all or any portion of the buildings or other facilities or improvements of the project in such a manner as to preserve property values.

No breach of any such agreement shall impose any pecuniary liability upon a district or any charge upon its general credit or against its taxing powers.

Additionally, the district may enter into an agreement with the developer under which the developer may construct all or any part of the project with private funds in advance of issuance of bonds and may be reimbursed by the district for actual costs incurred by the developer upon issuance and delivery of bonds and receipt of the proceeds, conditioned upon dedication of the project by the developer to the district, a governmental agency, a county or a municipality to assure public use and access. This condition shall not apply to the privately owned portion of a project for which the Mississippi Development Authority has issued a certificate of convenience and necessity pursuant to the Regional Economic Development Act.

As used in this section, the term "developer" means any entity or natural person which enters into an agreement with a district whereby the developer agrees to construct, operate and maintain or procure the construction, operation and maintenance of a project or projects, or portions thereof, upon land within the district.

SECTION 54. Section 19-31-39, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

19-31-39. (1) The district, or if necessary, the governing authorities of the municipality in which the district is contained, may prescribe, fix, establish and collect rates, fees, rentals or other charges for the facilities and services furnished by the district, within the limits of the district, including, but not limited to, recreational facilities, water management and control facilities and water and sewer systems. The district may also recover the costs of making connection with any district facility or system and provide for reasonable penalties against any user or property for any such rates, fees, rentals or other charges that are delinquent.

(2) No such rates, fees, rentals or other charges for any of the facilities or services of the district may be fixed until after a public hearing at which all the users of the proposed facility or services shall have an opportunity to be heard concerning the proposed rates, fees, rentals or other charges. Notice of such public hearing setting forth the proposed schedule of rates, fees, rentals and other charges shall be published in a newspaper having general circulation in each county where the district is located once at least ten (10) days before such public hearing. In any county where there is no newspaper published or located within the county, the board of supervisors shall be authorized to publish such notice on the official county website for the duration at least ten (10) days before such public hearing. The board of supervisors shall take appropriate measures to ensure that content published online is secure, verifiable and accessible to the public.

SECTION 55. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2025.

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