MAS Weekly Legislative Recap Newsletter

February 14, 2025

Regular Legislative Session

The Sixth week of the 2025 Regular Legislative Session has passed. The deadline for original floor action on general bills and constitutional amendments originating in own house has passed. The deadline for making requests for appropriations and revenue bills to be drafted is Monday February 24, 2025.

Senate Chamber Passes Public Employee

Retirement Systems (PERS) Measure

Senate Bill 2439

Senate Bill 2439: This measure creates a fifth tier in the state’s retirement system for employees hired on or after July 1, 2025. This measure also terminates the Supplemental Legislative Retirement Plan (SLRP) for employees hired on or after July 1, 2025.

This measure passed the Senate by a vote of 30 to 16.

NOTE: This measure will head to the House Chamber for consideration.

Small Municipalities Limited Population Counties Grant Fund Measure Passes Senate and House Chambers

Senate Bill 2857 & House Bill 1460

Both measures seek to increase from two hundred and fifty thousand ($250k) to one million ($1m) in the maximum amount of dollars that may be awarded to the Small Municipalities and Limited Population Counties Grant Fund. NOTE: Both bills will now receive consideration from its opposite chamber.

Purchasing Measures Passes Senate and

House Chambers

Senate Bill 2830 and House Bill 184

Both measures seek to increase the purchasing threshold. The House version (House Bill 184) amends MS Code 31-7-13 to revise from $5,000.00 to $10,000.00 for public purchases that may be made without advertising or otherwise requesting competitive bids. This measure also amends MS Code 31-7-103 to increase the purchasing threshold from $2,000.00 to $5,000.00 for purchases made not requiring a purchase order, purchase requisition, or receiving report.

The Senate version (Senate Bill 2830) amends MS Code 31-7-13 and increases the purchasing threshold from $5,000.00 to $15,000.00 for purchases only requires to two (2) quotes.

NOTE: Both bills will now receive consideration from its opposite chamber.

Comprehensive E-911 Measure Passes Senate Chamber 

Mississippi Emergency Communications Act

Senate Bill 2835

On Wednesday, February 12^th, the Senate Chamber passed Senate Bill 2835 by a vote of 48 to 1. This measure seeks to increase the commercial mobile radio surcharge (CMRS) to $2.00 for all communication devices, establish a new governance structure, restructures the distribution formula regarding the surcharge revenue, creates a new authority within MS Emergency Management Agency (MEMA), Creates an NG911 Grant Fund, and repeals (ALL) the currently CMRS code section.

NOTE: This measure will now head to the House chamber for consideration.

Additional Note: Please click the blue button below for a summary breakdown of this bill. 

Measures Introduce with The Potential to Have a Negative Impact to County Government Revenue

Senate Bill 2992: This measure seeks to increase from $7,500.00 to $20,000.00 of the assessed value of the homestead property.

NOTE: From an actual value standpoint this would raise the homestead exemption from $75,000.00 to $200,000.00.

Additional Note: No action has been taken on this measure.

Senate Bill 2994: This measure seeks to exempt certain business personal property from ad valorem taxes.

NOTE: Not action has been taken on this measure.

Senate Bill 2968: This measure seeks to address ad valorem taxes as it pertains to specifying provisions for determining the true value of rural structures. It was introduced on Wednesday, February 12 in the Senate Chamber and assigned to the Senate Finance Committee.

NOTE: No action has been taken on this measure. 

*House and Senate will reconvene Monday.

*Copyrights. All rights reserved.

Authors: Steve Gray and Derrick Surrette