Appropriation; City of Carthage for programs and projects for police department.
Summary
House Bill 1709 is a fiscal-year 2026 appropriation bill that allocates $430,000 from the Mississippi State General Fund to the governing authorities of the City of Carthage for use by the Carthage Police Department. The bill is narrowly targeted to local public safety needs and specifies how the money must be spent.
Of the total appropriation, $325,000 is designated for crime prevention programs, including the purchase, installation, and operation of license plate readers and live cameras in and around the city, with emphasis on high-crime areas, high-traffic areas, public parks, and schools. That portion also covers acquisition and use of the Evidence IQ device to analyze spent cartridges from crime scenes. The remaining $105,000 is earmarked for two Dodge Durango SUVs outfitted with light bars, cages, and radios for police use.
Impact
If enacted, the bill would create a one-time state appropriation for the City of Carthage and direct the State Treasurer and State Fiscal Officer to disburse funds for the specified police department projects during FY 2026. It does not broadly amend Mississippi criminal law or local government law, but it does authorize state funding for local law-enforcement equipment and surveillance-related technology, with spending restricted to the listed purposes.
Sentiment
The available record suggests generally favorable or routine support for a local public-safety appropriation, but there are no committee transcripts or recorded votes to show debate or opposition. The bill’s structure and caption indicate a straightforward appropriations measure aimed at helping a municipality fund police department needs.
Contention
No specific contention is documented in the provided materials. Potential areas of debate, based on the bill text, could include the use of state funds for surveillance tools such as license plate readers and live cameras, as well as the purchase of police vehicles and forensic equipment, but no legislator, committee member, or stakeholder is identified as raising those concerns in the record provided.