JACKSON - The House has begun work on a bond bill, but some of the projects its members are trying to get money for are not included in the governor's expanded special legislative session, Speaker Pro Tem J.P. Compretta says.
"I'm hoping we can get with the Senate and reach a compromise with the governor. The projects are those our chairman has decided are worthwhile and are very important to small communities," Compretta said Friday.
The Senate is also working on a bond bill.
Gov. Haley Barbour expanded the call on Thursday night after lawmakers approved a Momentum Mississippi bill. Barbour said he had been in talks with House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Percy Watson, D-Hattiesburg, and Senate Finance Chairman Tommy Robertson, R-Moss Point, about bond projects.
Among the bond items included in the governor's expanded call were: $2 million for the B.B. King Museum in Indianola; $8 million for the Infinity tourism destination facility in Hancock County; $56 million for Northrop Grumman's shipyard expansion on the Gulf Coast; $2 million for an interpretative center at a former slave market site in Natchez and $2 million for the Mississippi Arts and Entertainment Center in Meridian.
House Speaker Billy McCoy, D-Rienzi, sent Barbour a letter listing 28 bond projects at a cost of about $36 million. Barbour's expanded call only included nine bond projects.
Projects on McCoy's list that weren't included in the expanded call were a $2 million redevelopment project for downtown Natchez; a $1 million power production improvement project in Fulton; and a $500,000 water improvement project in Mantachie, among others.
"The House plans to put all the other projects in our bill," Compretta said.
On Thursday, lawmakers signed off on $40 million in bonds for the Momentum Mississippi package. Of that amount, $28 million is for the four-program package that Barbour had been urging lawmakers to pass.
Another $12 million is for a loan and grant program that
would keep at-risk industries from outsourcing jobs to foreign nations. The bill also includes changes to the state's incentives programs to lure high-tech industries and help existing industries to expand.
"I want to thank the House and Senate for their bipartisan support, and I also appreciate their focus on helping existing business by adding $12 million to Momentum's proposals in that area," Barbour said.
The special session began on Tuesday and temporarily stalled that day as the House only passed incentives for Momentum - half of the proposed package. The Senate passed its Momentum bill within 30 minutes on Tuesday.
The House passed a different bill Thursday that combined the incentives with the bonds, and the Senate agreed to the legislation.
The bill also would create a legislative oversight committee to advise the Mississippi Development Authority and requires MDA to make quarterly reports about project developments to the secretary of state's office.
Rep. Bobby Moak, D-Bogue Chitto, amended the bill to prevent companies who hire illegal aliens from receiving any benefits.
Watson said the bill also asks MDA to attempt to spread out economic development funds over the state's four congressional districts.
"It was brought to our attention some areas have received very few projects. It's not mandatory," Watson said.
The business community has lobbied lawmakers since January to pass Momentum Mississippi to make the state more competitive for both new and existing industries.
The chambers couldn't agree during the regular session or a special session that ended in May.
Blake Wilson, president of the Mississippi Economic Council, said the effect of the legislation approved Thursday will be seen almost immediately.
"There's pent-up demand. This is huge," Wilson said.
The compromise bill provides:
- $7 million for the ACE Grant Program.
- $7 million for the Development Infrastructure Program.
- $7 million for the R&D/High Technology Loan Program.
- $7 million for the Existing Industry Loan Program.
- $12 million for the Mississippi Job Protection Act Fund.
- $1,000 tax credit for each worker at a company that has at least 25 people working at an alternative energy plant.
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