Mississippi HB 608: Local Governments MSWIN Infrastructure and Equipment Revolving Loan Program; create.

Bill Text

HB 608 (As Introduced) - 2019 Regular Session 

MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

2019 Regular Session

To: Ways and Means

By: Representative DeLano

House Bill 608

AN ACT TO ESTABLISH A LOCAL GOVERNMENTS MSWIN INFRASTRUCTURE 
AND EQUIPMENT REVOLVING LOAN PROGRAM FOR THE PURPOSE OF ASSISTING COUNTIES AND 
MUNICIPALITIES IN MAKING PURCHASES THAT ARE NEEDED TO BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN 
THE MISSISSIPPI WIRELESS INFORMATION NETWORK (MSWIN); TO PROVIDE THAT THE 
PROGRAM SHALL BE ADMINISTERED BY THE MISSISSIPPI DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY; TO 
DEFINE "MSWIN PARTICIPATION PURCHASES" FOR THE PURPOSES OF THE LOAN 
PROGRAM; TO CREATE A SPECIAL FUND IN THE STATE TREASURY, DESIGNATED AS THE 
"LOCAL GOVERNMENTS MSWIN INFRASTRUCTURE AND EQUIPMENT REVOLVING LOAN 
FUND"; TO PRESCRIBE THE MANNER IN WHICH FUNDS UNDER THIS ACT MAY BE MADE 
AVAILABLE TO AND EXPENDED BY COUNTIES AND MUNICIPALITIES; TO PRESCRIBE THE 
POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE MISSISSIPPI DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY UNDER THE PROVISIONS 
OF THIS ACT; TO PROVIDE FOR THE ISSUANCE OF NOT MORE THAN $20,000,000.00 IN 
STATE GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS TO FUND THE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS CAPITAL 
IMPROVEMENTS REVOLVING LOAN FUND; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

���� BE IT ENACTED BY THE 
LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

���� SECTION 1.� 
(1)� There is established a Local Governments MSWIN Infrastructure and 
Equipment Revolving Loan Program to be administered by the Mississippi 
Development Authority for the purpose of assisting counties and municipalities 
in making purchases that are needed to be able to participate in the 
Mississippi Wireless Information Network (MSWIN).

���� (2)� For purposes of 
Sections 1 through 3 of this act, "MSWIN participation purchases" 
include any combination of the following:

��������� (a)� Network 
infrastructure purchases.� Purchases that are necessary for a county or 
municipality to enhance the MSWIN coverage in a specific area of the state.� 
These types of purchases include, but are not limited to, equipment, 
installation and engineering services and costs for maintenance of the 
equipment.� Examples of this type of equipment include, but are not limited to, 
repeaters, antennas and lines, microwave backhaul, radio access network (RAN) 
and eNodeBs, and the average useful life of this equipment is fifteen (15) to 
twenty (20) years.

��������� (b)� Subscriber 
equipment.� Purchases of end user devices that are necessary for a county or 
municipality to use the MSWIN network, and may include services for 
installation and costs for maintenance of the equipment.� Examples of this type 
of equipment include, but are not limited to, P25-compatible two-way radios, 
batteries, chargers, modems, consoles, LTE handhelds and LTE tablets, and the average 
useful life of this equipment is five (5) to seven (7) years.

���� SECTION 
2.� (1)� There is created a special fund in the State Treasury to be 
designated as the "Local Governments MSWIN Infrastructure and Equipment 
Revolving Loan Fund," which fund shall consist of such monies as provided 
in Section 4 of this act.� The fund shall be maintained in perpetuity for the 
purposes established in Sections 1 through 3 of this act.� Unexpended amounts 
remaining in the fund at the end of a fiscal year shall not lapse into the 
State General Fund, and any interest earned on amounts in the fund shall be 
deposited to the credit of the fund.� Monies in the fund may not be used or 
expended for any purpose except as authorized under Sections 1 through 3 of 
this act.

���� (2)� A county or 
municipality may apply to the Mississippi Development Authority for a loan 
under the Local Governments MSWIN Infrastructure and Equipment Revolving Loan 
Program established under this act for making MSWIN participation purchases.

���� (3)� (a)� The Mississippi 
Development Authority shall establish a loan program by which loans, at the 
rate of interest provided for in paragraph (b) of this subsection, may be made 
available to counties and municipalities to assist counties and municipalities 
in making MSWIN participation purchases.� Loans from the revolving fund may be 
made to counties and municipalities as set forth in a loan agreement in amounts 
not to exceed one hundred percent (100%) of the cost of eligible MSWIN 
participation purchases as established by the Mississippi Development Authority.� 
The Mississippi Development Authority may require county or municipal 
participation or funding from other sources, or otherwise limit the percentage 
of costs covered by loans from the revolving fund.� The Mississippi Development 
Authority may establish a maximum amount for any loan and/or a maximum amount 
for all loans made to any one (1) county or municipality, in order to provide 
for broad and equitable participation in the program.

��������� (b)� The rate of 
interest on loans made from the Local Governments MSWIN Infrastructure and 
Equipment Revolving Loan Fund for MSWIN participation purchases shall be at the 
rate of