House Bill 1793

AN ACT TO CREATE THE "POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION COVID-19 MITIGATION RELIEF PROGRAM ACT," TO BE ADMINISTERED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION TO PROVIDE GRANTS AND REIMBURSEMENTS TO ELIGIBLE TWO-YEAR AND FOUR-YEAR, PUBLIC AND PRIVATE POSTSECONDARY EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS LOCATED WITHIN THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI FOR COVID-19-RELATED ELIGIBLE EXPENSES; TO DEFINE TERMS; TO PRESCRIBE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR A POSTSECONDARY EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION'S PARTICIPATION IN THE GRANT PROGRAM; TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION TO DEVELOP REGULATIONS, PROCEDURES AND APPLICATION FORMS TO GOVERN THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE PROGRAM, AND ESTABLISH THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS TO BE INCLUDED IN THE APPLICATION FOR CONSIDERATION FOR GRANT FUNDS, INCLUDING DEMONSTRATION OF NEED, INTENT FOR USE OF GRANT FUNDS RECEIVED, AN ITEMIZED EXPENSE REPORT OF REIMBURSABLE ELIGIBLE EXPENSES; TO PARTICIPATING POSTSECONDARY EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS TO MAKE APPLICATION FOR A GRANT TO THE BOARD; TO PROVIDE THAT THE APPLICATION MUST BE ACCOMPANIED WITH VERIFIED DOCUMENTATION AND SIGNED UNDER PENALTY OF PERJURY; TO PROVIDE THAT THE USE OF GRANTS SHALL SUBJECT THE RECEIVING POSTSECONDARY EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION TO AUDIT BY THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY'S OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL AND THE MISSISSIPPI OFFICE OF THE STATE AUDITOR; TO REQUIRE POSTSECONDARY EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS FOUND TO BE FULLY OR PARTIALLY NONCOMPLIANT WITH GRANT REQUIREMENTS TO RETURN TO THE STATE ALL OR A PORTION OF THE GRANT MONIES RECEIVED AND USED FOR UNALLOWABLE EXPENDITURES; TO PROVIDE THAT THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT OF GRANT FUNDS AWARDED TO ANY SINGLE POSTSECONDARY EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION SHALL NOT EXCEED THE AMOUNT AUTHORIZED FOR THE INDIVIDUAL INSTITUTION UNDER THIS ACT; TO CREATE A SPECIAL FUND IN THE STATE TREASURY, TO BE KNOWN AS THE "POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION COVID-19 MITIGATION RELIEF GRANT FUND"; TO PROVIDE THAT IF ANY UNOBLIGATED MONIES REMAIN IN THE FUND, THE GOVERNOR SHALL HAVE THE DISCRETION TO TRANSFER MONIES TO ANOTHER STATE AGENCY TO BE USED FOR ELIGIBLE EXPENDITURES PURSUANT TO THE CARES ACT; TO REQUIRE THE STATE FISCAL OFFICER TO TRANSFER A SET AMOUNT OF FUNDS FROM THE BUDGET CONTINGENCY FUND TO THE "POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION COVID-19 MITIGATION RELIEF GRANT FUND,"; TO CREATE THE "INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS' COVID-19 ASSISTANCE GRANT PROGRAM ACT," TO BE ADMINISTERED BY THE MISSISSIPPI DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY TO PROVIDE GRANTS AND REIMBURSEMENT TO ELIGIBLE INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS FOR COVID-19-RELATED ELIGIBLE EXPENSES; TO DEFINE TERMS; TO PRESCRIBE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR INDEPENDENT SCHOOL PARTICIPATION IN THE GRANT PROGRAM; TO REQUIRE THE MISSISSIPPI DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY TO DEVELOP REGULATIONS AND PROCEDURES TO GOVERN THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE PROGRAM, AND ESTABLISH THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS TO BE INCLUDED IN THE APPLICATION FOR GRANT FUNDS, INCLUDING DEMONSTRATION OF NEED, INTENT FOR USE OF GRANT FUNDS RECEIVED, AN ITEMIZED EXPENSE REPORT OF REIMBURSABLE ELIGIBLE EXPENSES; TO REQUIRE AN ELIGIBLE INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DESIRING TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM TO MAKE APPLICATION FOR A GRANT TO THE MISSISSIPPI DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY; TO PROVIDE THAT THE APPLICATION MUST BE ACCOMPANIED WITH VERIFIED DOCUMENTATION AND SIGNED UNDER PENALTY OF PERJURY; TO PROVIDE THAT USE OF GRANTS SHALL SUBJECT AN INDEPENDENT SCHOOL TO AUDIT BY THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY'S OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL AND THE MISSISSIPPI OFFICE OF THE STATE AUDITOR; TO REQUIRE INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS FOUND TO BE FULLY OR PARTIALLY NONCOMPLIANT WITH GRANT REQUIREMENTS TO RETURN TO THE STATE ALL OR A PORTION OF THE GRANT MONIES RECEIVED AND USED FOR UNALLOWABLE EXPENDITURES; TO PROVIDE THAT THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT OF GRANT FUNDS AWARDED TO ANY SINGLE INDEPENDENT SCHOOL SHALL NOT EXCEED A CERTAIN SUM; TO STIPULATE THAT GRANTS FUNDS SHALL ONLY BE AWARDED IN THE AMOUNT INDICATED IN THE INDEPENDENT SCHOOL'S APPLICATION AS ITEMIZED ELIGIBLE EXPENSES, SUBJECT TO APPROVAL BY THE MISSISSIPPI DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY; TO ALLOW INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS TO APPLY FOR GRANTS ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS UNTIL SUCH TIME THAT THE INDEPENDENT SCHOOL HAS RECEIVED THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT OF FUNDS IT IS ELIGIBLE TO BE AWARDED; TO CREATE A SPECIAL FUND IN THE STATE TREASURY, TO BE KNOWN AS THE "INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS' COVID-19 ASSISTANCE GRANT FUND"; TO PROVIDE THAT IF ANY UNOBLIGATED MONIES REMAIN IN THE FUND, THE GOVERNOR SHALL HAVE THE DISCRETION TO TRANSFER MONIES TO ANOTHER STATE AGENCY TO BE USED FOR ELIGIBLE EXPENDITURES PURSUANT TO THE CARES ACT; TO REQUIRE THE STATE FISCAL OFFICER TO TRANSFER A SET AMOUNT OF FUNDS FROM THE BUDGET CONTINGENCY FUND TO THE "INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS' COVID-19 ASSISTANCE GRANT FUND"; TO PROVIDE THAT THE PROVISIONS OF THIS ACT ARE SEVERABLE; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

In the House of Representatives

• Donnie Scoggin

  Sponsor

• Senate committee amendmentAdopted

  Adopted Jun 30

l9n doesn't hold this bill's text yet.

In the House of Representatives Jun 27 – Jun 28

1. Jun 27Suspended from deadlines by House Concurrent Resolution 69
2. Referred to the House committee on Rules
3. Reported from committee in the House: title sufficient, do pass
4. Jun 28Passed the House

In the Senate Jun 28 – Jun 30

1. Jun 28Released in the House to be sent on at once
2. Sent to the Senate
3. Jun 29Referred to the Senate committee on Universities and Colleges
4. Jun 30Reported from committee in the Senate: title sufficient, do pass as amended
5. Amended in the Senate
6. Passed the Senate as amended

Back in the House of Representatives Jun 30 – Jul 2

1. Jun 30Released in the Senate to be sent on at once
2. Returned to the House to concur in the Senate's amendments
3. Concurred in the House in the Senate's amendments
4. Jul 2Enrolled bill signed in the Senate

To the Governor Jul 2 – Jul 9

1. Jul 2Enrolled bill signed in the House
2. Jul 9Became law without the Governor's signature