Local and Private Committee approves series of local bills, including Tunica $10 million funding renewal

The Local and Private Committee approved a package of local measures during a committee meeting. Among the measures, the committee approved a renewal that would allow Tunica County to provide up to $10,000,000 annually to the Tunica County Economic Development Foundation through calendar year 2029, and authorized a $100,000 contribution in 2025 to a Clarksdale food pantry, committee members said.

The package included a range of local financing and administrative measures. A bill authorizing a $15 assessment per civil case filed in justice court for a misdemeanor conviction to fund the Union County Law Enforcement Center was approved without extended debate. House Bill 1961 was approved to allow the city of Verona to hold an election on a 3% tourism and parks-and-recreation tax; Speaker 1 said the measure would require a 60% approval threshold at the election. House Bill 1965 would authorize a $25 assessment per conviction in justice, county, or circuit court in Lee County, with DUI convictions carrying a $50 assessment; the committee approved that bill as presented.

Law-enforcement and facilities measures also moved forward. House Bill 1963 gives Panola County authority to construct or acquire a county jail anywhere in the county or to enter a lease or lease-purchase agreement for terms not to exceed 30 years; the committee approved the measure. Separately, a Lee County bill authorizing the county board of supervisors to enter into a 30-year lease for a public safety facility was approved.

The committee also approved House Bill 1988, described as an act to authorize a contribution to a Clarksdale care station (identified in committee as a food pantry) of $100,000 during calendar year 2025. One committee member raised concern about whether the recipient is a registered 501(c)(3). "If we find out that this is not a 5 0 1 c 3, then I would hope that that kind of voids the action today," Speaker 2 said. Speaker 1 responded that they would "go to the website and check the status" and that "it is my understanding ... they are a 5 0 1 c 3 from what I've been told," and committed to confirm the nonprofit status before the bill is taken to the floor.

On the Tunica funding measure, committee members expressed surprise at the dollar amount. "$10,000,000," one member said upon reviewing the bill. Speaker 1 told the committee that counsel had informed them the county had this authority in the past and that the current bill was "basically just a renewal," and offered to do further checking to address members' questions. The committee approved House Bill 1995 on the committee's voice vote.

Each bill was approved in committee after a procedural motion that the "title [is] sufficient to pass," followed by voice votes recorded in the transcript as "Aye" and the chair's statement that "That bill carries." No individual roll-call vote tallies or names were recorded in the committee transcript. The committee concluded its business and "rose and report."