MAAHP Legislative Newsletter

Legislative Newsletter

Week of February 3-7, 2014

February 4th Deadline Trims Legislation

Tuesday's deadline to report bills trimmed the number of bills that are being considered by legislators. In the House of Representatives, there were 1,438 bills introduced and 425 (29.5%) passed out of committee. 856 bills were introduced in the Senate and 271 (31.66%) passed out of committee MAAHP lobbyist reviewed every bill to consider its impact on the affordable housing industry.

Revenue bills can still be introduced and acted on.

For a full listing of bills being tracker click here.....

Harmful Legislation Opposed by MAAHP Dies in Committee

Lobbyists for MAAHP have been working to stop legislation that would be detrimental to affordable housing in Mississippi. There were threebills introduced in the House of Representatives that would have removed language in the current law that provides the assessment procedures for affordable housing. In short, HB 1077, HB 1080, and HB 1364 would remove the language that became law in 2005 giving affordable housing rental properties their current assessment structure. Representative Gene Alday, former Mayor of Walls, introduced HB 1080 and Representative Randy Rushing, former Mayor of Decatur, introduced HB 1077. Representative Bobby Shows of Ellisville introduced HB 1364. The bills were referred to the House Ways and Means Committee Chaired by Jeff Smith of Columbus, but died on the February 4th deadline when they were not passed out of committee.

Affordable Housing Trust Fund Bills Die in Committee

Senate Housing Chairman, Hillman Frazier, introduced SB 2610 in efforts to create an affordable housing trust fund. The bill passed out of the Senate Housing Committee but died when it was not approved by the Senate Finance Committee prior to the February 4th deadline.

If created, the Fund would be administered by the Mississippi Home Corporation. Funding for the program calls for 2.5% of all taxes collected by the Department of Revenue on lumber and building material go into a housing account at the Home Corporation.

The purpose of the Fund is to assist extremely low-income to moderate-income persons in accessing affordable rental and home ownership housing, to provide for the development, rehabilitation and preservation of decent, safe and affordable housing for extremely low-income to moderate-income persons, and revitalize distressed neighborhoods and build healthy, vibrant communities.

There are some other affordable housing bills still alive under the revenue deadline, but we do not expect for them to be taken up.

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