AN ACT APPROVING THE EXPENDITURE OF SPECIAL FUNDS FOR THE PURPOSE OF DEFRAYING THE EXPENSES OF THE MISSISSIPPI STATE BOARD OF PSYCHOLOGY FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2027.
Summary
HB1918 is the annual appropriation bill for the Mississippi State Board of Psychology for Fiscal Year 2027. It authorizes $170,687 in special funds for the board’s operations for the period beginning July 1, 2026, and ending June 30, 2027, and authorizes one permanent position with no time-limited positions. The bill also sets out detailed spending controls for personal services, vacancy funding, salary administration, and limits on transfers, escalations, and use of appropriated funds.
Beyond the board’s core operating budget, the bill directs $26,000 of the appropriation to administrative support for the Mississippi Autism Board and allows funds for information technology charges related to system upgrades or migration under the Cloud Center of Excellence Act. It also includes standard appropriations language requiring compliance with state personnel rules, procurement preferences for the Mississippi Industries for the Blind, recordkeeping requirements, and restrictions on using general funds to replace lost special or federal funds.
Impact
The bill does not create new regulatory authority for psychology licensing; instead, it updates the state’s appropriations law by funding the Mississippi State Board of Psychology for FY 2027 and establishing the conditions under which those funds may be spent. It affects state budgeting and personnel administration by setting the board’s authorized headcount, limiting personal-services spending, and tying salary actions to the Mississippi State Personnel Board and the Department of Finance and Administration. It also continues a cross-agency funding arrangement by earmarking $26,000 for the Mississippi Autism Board and provides for possible ITS-related charges tied to statewide technology initiatives.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have been broadly noncontroversial and routine. It passed the House unanimously, passed the Senate unanimously as amended, and then the House concurred in the Senate amendment with another overwhelming vote. The lack of committee transcript discussion and the unanimous votes suggest general agreement on the appropriation amount and the standard budget controls included in the measure.
Contention
No major substantive opposition is evident in the available record. The only likely points of attention are the size and structure of the appropriation, the allocation of $26,000 for the Mississippi Autism Board, and the bill’s detailed restrictions on personnel actions, vacancy funding, and fund transfers. These provisions are typical in appropriations bills and appear to have been accepted without dispute by both chambers.