AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION OF SPECIAL FUNDS FOR THE PURPOSE OF DEFRAYING THE EXPENSES OF THE MISSISSIPPI STATE BOARD OF MASSAGE THERAPY, FOR FISCAL YEAR 2027.
Summary
SB3081 is an annual appropriations bill that provides special-fund spending authority for the Mississippi State Board of Massage Therapy for fiscal year 2027. It appropriates $199,100 from the State Board of Massage Therapy Fund to cover the board’s operating expenses for the year beginning July 1, 2026, and ending June 30, 2027.
The bill also includes standard budgetary instructions. It requires the board to maintain detailed accounting and personnel records for the use of appropriated funds, in a format consistent with fiscal year 2026, and directs that the board’s fiscal year 2028 budget request be submitted to the Joint Legislative Budget Committee with comparable detail. The act further states that, when purchasing commodities or equipment, the Mississippi Industries for the Blind must receive preference in tie situations and in noncompetitive purchases.
In practical terms, the bill does not create new regulatory authority over massage therapy; instead, it continues funding for the existing state licensing and oversight board. Its main legal effect is to authorize the expenditure of special funds already credited to the board and to reinforce state budget controls, procurement preferences, and reporting expectations applicable to the agency.
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 another unanimous vote. The lack of dissent suggests the measure was viewed as a standard, noncontroversial appropriations bill necessary to keep the board operating.
There is little evidence of substantive contention in the available record. The only notable policy point embedded in the bill is the procurement preference for the Mississippi Industries for the Blind, but this appears to be a standard appropriations provision rather than a disputed issue. No committee debate or opposition was provided in the record.
Impact
SB3081 authorizes $199,100 in special-fund spending for the Mississippi State Board of Massage Therapy for FY 2027 and sets administrative conditions on how those funds are tracked and reported. It affects the board’s budget operations, state treasury disbursement procedures, and procurement practices, while leaving the underlying massage therapy licensing statutes unchanged.
Sentiment
The bill’s sentiment was uniformly positive and procedural. It passed both chambers unanimously, including concurrence in a House amendment, indicating broad bipartisan support and no recorded opposition. The measure appears to have been treated as a routine agency appropriation needed for continued board operations.
Contention
No significant contention is reflected in the available materials. The bill is a standard appropriations measure, and the only potentially notable policy detail is the requirement to prefer the Mississippi Industries for the Blind in certain purchases. However, there is no indication that this provision generated disagreement, and no committee testimony or floor debate is available showing any opposition.