JACKSON - The Mississippi House on Sunday sent to the governor a bond bill providing $2 million for the B.B. King museum in Indianola, but lawmakers were still negotiating a comprehensive bond package for economic development and capital improvement projects.
"As we know, B.B. King is internationally known. We have the opportunity in our state to build a world-class museum," said House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Percy Watson, D-Hattiesburg.
The bill was earlier approved by the Senate.
The 18,000-square-foot B.B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center will be built around a cotton gin where King once worked. The museum will feature four phases of King's life, from his years in the Delta to the present. It is scheduled to open in 2007. "It's something the school teachers can use to teach the arts," Watson said.
The museum project also is in another bond bill that lawmakers are still considering. However, lawmakers said last week they decided to draft a separate bill for the museum funding in case that legislation didn't survive this session.
The comprehensive bill provides funding for capital improvements to the junior colleges and universities, as well as economic development projects.
Lawmakers missed a Saturday deadline to pass appropriation and revenue bills, but on Sunday voted to give themselves more time to hammer out a compromise.
Senate Finance Chairman Tommy Robertson, R-Moss Point, said he's given Watson a proposal that doesn't provide funding for any new capital improvements for universities and junior colleges, but would give bond money to ongoing projects.
Watson said Robertson left Sunday before the two had a chance to discuss the proposal. "I think it's something we can reach some agreement on," Watson said.
Robertson said his proposal included $2 million for the School of Business at Mississippi Valley State University and a cafeteria project at Alcorn State University, among others.
Robertson also included $15 million for the Rentech Inc. project in Natchez - money that city's mayor has been lobbying for this session.
The bills are Senate Bill 3111 and House Bill 1634.
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