AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FROM SPECIAL FUNDS IN THE STATE TREASURY FOR THE PURPOSE OF DEFRAYING THE EXPENSES OF THE MISSISSIPPI REAL ESTATE COMMISSION FOR FISCAL YEAR 2027.
Summary
HB1920 is an annual appropriations bill for the Mississippi Real Estate Commission for Fiscal Year 2027. It appropriates $1,950,524 from the Real Estate License Fund to cover the commission’s operating expenses for the year beginning July 1, 2026, and ending June 30, 2027. Of that amount, $1,229,744 is designated for personal services, including salaries, wages, and fringe benefits, supporting 16 permanent positions and no time-limited positions.
The bill also sets detailed spending and personnel controls for the agency. It restricts transfers out of the personal services category, ties compensation to the state’s Variable Compensation Plan, limits salary actions that would exceed the appropriation, and governs how vacancy funding may be used to fill authorized but unfilled positions. It further requires compliance with state budgeting and accounting rules, prohibits replacing lost special or federal funds with general funds, and directs the agency to maintain detailed records and submit future budget requests in a comparable format. The act takes effect July 1, 2026.
Impact
HB1920 does not create a new regulatory program or alter real estate licensing law; instead, it authorizes the use of special funds already credited to the Real Estate License Fund to operate the Mississippi Real Estate Commission in FY 2027. Its practical effect is to fund the commission’s staffing and administrative functions while imposing fiscal controls, reporting requirements, and procurement preferences that shape how the agency may spend appropriated money. The bill also reinforces existing state law on appropriations limits, personnel compensation, and procurement preferences, including preference for Mississippi Industries for the Blind in certain purchases.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have been noncontroversial. It passed the House 115-0 and the Senate 49-0, indicating unanimous support in both chambers. No committee transcripts were provided, and there is no indication of significant debate or opposition in the available record.
Contention
There is little visible contention in the available materials. The only potentially sensitive issues are the bill’s detailed restrictions on personnel spending, vacancy funding, and salary escalations, which limit agency flexibility and require approval from the Department of Finance and Administration and the State Personnel Board. However, the unanimous votes suggest these controls were broadly accepted as standard appropriations oversight rather than a point of dispute.