AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION OF SPECIAL FUNDS IN THE STATE TREASURY TO DEFRAY THE EXPENSES OF THE STATE BOARD OF FUNERAL SERVICES FOR FISCAL YEAR 2027.
Summary
SB3079 is a fiscal year 2027 appropriation bill for the Mississippi State Board of Funeral Services. It provides $341,143 in special funds from the State Treasury to cover the board’s operating expenses for the year beginning July 1, 2026 and ending June 30, 2027. Of that amount, $144,346 is designated for personal services, including salaries, wages, and fringe benefits, for two permanent positions and no time-limited positions.
The bill is primarily an appropriations and spending-control measure rather than a policy change. It sets detailed limits on how the board may use its funds, including restrictions on transferring money out of personal services, rules for vacancy funding, requirements to comply with the state Variable Compensation Plan, and prohibitions on exceeding authorized headcount or salary levels without proper approval. It also requires the board to maintain detailed accounting and personnel records, follow state procurement preferences for the Mississippi Industries for the Blind when bids are equal, and comply with existing state law limiting obligations beyond appropriations. The bill also includes a provision allowing funds for any information technology charges related to cloud migration under the Cloud Center of Excellence Act.
The overall sentiment around the bill appears strongly favorable and routine. It passed the Senate unanimously, passed the House unanimously as amended, and then the Senate concurred in the House amendment with no recorded opposition. There is no committee transcript in the provided materials, suggesting no notable public debate or controversy was captured in the available record.
There is little apparent contention in the bill itself because it is a standard agency appropriation. Any potential points of concern are administrative rather than ideological: how the board manages vacancy funding, headcount changes, salary actions, and compliance with spending limits and personnel rules. The bill’s structure reflects legislative oversight of a small regulatory board’s budget rather than disagreement over the board’s mission or funding level.
Impact
SB3079 appropriates special funds to the State Board of Funeral Services for fiscal year 2027 and establishes the board’s spending authority, staffing limits, and budget controls for that year. It does not amend the substantive funeral services licensing laws, but it does affect how the board may spend appropriated funds, manage personnel, and report expenditures under Mississippi budget and personnel statutes, including Section 25-9-147 and Section 27-104-25 of the Mississippi Code.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have been received as a routine appropriations measure with broad bipartisan support. It passed both chambers unanimously, and the House amendment was accepted without dissent. The absence of committee testimony in the provided record suggests there was no significant public controversy or sustained debate over the appropriation.
Contention
No major policy dispute is evident in the available materials. The only likely points of contention are technical budget issues: the amount appropriated, how much is reserved for personal services, whether vacancy funding can be used, and the board’s ability to adjust headcount or salaries within the appropriation. These are administrative oversight issues rather than disagreements over the Funeral Services Board’s core functions.