Committee
Appropriations
Author
John Read and Randy P. Boyd
Session
2024 Session
Latest Action
The Governor signed HB 1704 into law on April 8.
Explanation of the Bill
HB 1704 revises and clarifies appropriations to a number of state agencies, including the Mississippi Department of Education.
Early Learning Collaboratives
Early Learning Collaboratives (ELCs) are high-quality, state-funded pre-K programs for four-year-olds that must have at least two partners, one school district and one Head Start, but may also have private or parochial schools or licensed child care centers as partners. The State of Mississippi provides half of the operating budget for ELCs. The other half is provided by local matching funds.
As it stands, MDE is able to carry over unspent appropriations to the following fiscal year. HB 1704 deletes the carryover provision from the Early Learning Collaborative Act. Deleting the provision means that MDE cannot accrue funds for this program to be spent as a future need arises.
Education Enhancement Fund
The Education Enhancement Fund provides funds directly to districts and teachers to help them
- purchase, build, repair, or remodel school buildings or other related facilities,
- establish and equip school athletic fields,
- provide water, lighting, heating, air conditioning, and sewage for school buildings,
- pay all or a portion of a school’s debt,
- provide additional funds to the adequate education program,
- purchase textbooks that are loaned to nonpublic schools,
- fund transportation, and
- fund procurement cards.
The Education Enhancement Fund also provides post-secondary institutions funds to
- support the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning, and
- support the Mississippi Community College Board.
HB 1704 deletes the provision for rolling over unexpended amounts to the next year’s allocation for procurement cards. Procurement cards are issued to teachers each August to help them buy classroom supplies and instructional materials. Deleting the rollover will mean that money does not accrue in the supply fund for re-appropriation in any future year; instead, money available will be based on single-year revenue in the supply fund.
The bill also deletes the general rollover from the Education Enhancement Fund, which allows all unexpended appropriations to remain in the fund. This could mean that less money is available in the Education Enhancement Fund moving forward for use in any future year.
| Date | Details |
|---|---|
| 2/19/24 | On February 19, HB 1669 was referred to the House Education Committee. |
| 2/22/24 | On February 22, the House Education Committee passed HB 1669. |
| 2/28/24 | On February 28, the House passed HB 1669. |
| 2/29/24 | On February 29, HB 1669 was transmitted to the Senate. |
| 3/1/24 | On March 1, the Senate referred HB 1669 to the Senate Education Committee. |
| 3/27/24 | On March 27, the Senate passed HB 1704. |
| 3/28/24 | On March 28, the Senate returned HB 1704 to the House for enrollment. |
| 4/1/24 | On April 1, the House enrolled HB 1704. |
| 4/2/24 | On April 2, the Senate enrolled HB 1704. The bill is expected to be signed by the Governor on April 8. |
| 4/8/24 | The Governor signed HB 1704 into law on April 8. |