A bill offered by Senator Hopson would create the Mississippi Historic Site Preservation Fund and would ensure Mississippi’s historic locations remain that way for generations to come. The program will be established through the Department of Archives and History.
HB 2834, says the fund will be created with general funds received as grants, endowments or gifts from the federal government, or other available sources whether they be public or private. The fund would be housed in the State Treasury.
The bill reads:
There is hereby created in the State Treasury a special fund to be known as the “Mississippi Historic Site Preservation Fund,” hereafter referred to as “the Fund.” The Fund shall be included in the budget of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History and implemented by the Office of Historic Preservation of the department. The Fund shall consist of general funds appropriated by the Legislature and funds received as grants, endowments or gifts from the federal government, its agencies and instrumentalities and funds from any other available sources, public or private. All such funds shall be paid into the State Treasury and credited to the Fund. Interest earned on monies in the Fund shall remain in the Fund and be credited to it.Any monies remaining in the Fund, including interest thereon, at the end of each fiscal year shall not lapse to the State General Fund but shall remain in the Fund.
The bill was referred to Appropriations as well as the Accountability, Efficiency, Transparency committee. It passed both before deadline day and made its way to the Senate floor.
Sarah Ulmer
