Mississippi legislation · 2026 Regular Session
Mississippi SB3229: Bonds; authorize revenue bonds to be issued to pay for damage to electric utilities caused by the 2026 winter storm.
Status: Signed into law, April 8, 2026
AN ACT TO ENACT THE MISSISSIPPI 2026 SEVERE WINTER STORM ELECTRIC UTILITY CUSTOMER RELIEF AND ELECTRIC UTILITY SYSTEM RESTORATION ACT; TO ESTABLISH A MECHANISM BY WHICH THE MISSISSIPPI PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION MAY AUTHORIZE AND CERTIFY AN ELECTRIC UTILITY FINANCING ORDER AND THE STATE MAY ISSUE BONDS TO PAY THE COSTS OF REPAIRING DAMAGE TO THE SYSTEMS OF ELECTRIC UTILITIES CAUSED BY THE 2026 WINTER STORM; TO AUTHORIZE ELECTRIC UTILITIES TO PETITION THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION FOR THE ISSUANCE OF A FINANCING ORDER WHICH, WHEN TRANSMITTED TO THE STATE BOND COMMISSION BY AN ELECTRIC UTILITY, AUTHORIZES THE ISSUANCE OF BONDS TO PAY THE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH RESTORING THE SYSTEM OF THE ELECTRIC UTILITY; TO PROVIDE THE CONTENTS OF SUCH A PETITION; TO AUTHORIZE THE PUBLIC UTILITIES STAFF TO CONDUCT AN INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION OF THE PETITION; TO ESTABLISH THE DUTIES OF THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION WITH REGARD TO SUCH PETITIONS; TO PROVIDE FOR THE CONTENTS OF FINANCING ORDERS; TO PROVIDE THAT THE FINANCING ORDER SHALL REQUIRE THE ELECTRIC UTILITY TO COLLECT A SYSTEM RESTORATION CHARGE FROM ITS RETAIL CUSTOMERS SUFFICIENT TO PAY THE DEBT SERVICE ON ANY BONDS ISSUED PURSUANT TO THE FINANCING ORDER; TO PROVIDE FOR ANNUAL ADJUSTMENTS TO THE SYSTEM RESTORATION CHARGES TO ENSURE THAT THE CHARGES ARE SUFFICIENT TO PAY THE DEBT SERVICE ON ANY BONDS ISSUED PURSUANT TO THIS ACT; TO PROVIDE THE METHOD FOR APPEALING DECISIONS OF THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION WITH RESPECT TO A FINANCING ORDER; TO PROVIDE FOR THE DURATION OF A FINANCING ORDER; TO AUTHORIZE THE ISSUANCE OF BONDS IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED THE AMOUNT SPECIFIED IN THE FINANCING ORDER TO BE UTILIZED BY AN ELECTRIC UTILITY TO PAY THE COST OF REPAIRS NECESSITATED BY THE 2026 WINTER STORM; TO AUTHORIZE THE CREATION OF SINKING FUNDS INTO WHICH SYSTEM RESTORATION CHARGES COLLECTED BY THE ELECTRIC UTILITY SHALL BE DEPOSITED AND TO PROVIDE THAT MONEY IN THE SINKING FUNDS SHALL BE UTILIZED TO PAY THE DEBT SERVICE ON BONDS ISSUE
What the bill says
An act to enact the mississippi 2026 severe winter storm electric utility customer relief and electric utility system restoration act; to establish a mechanism by which the mississippi public service commission may authorize and certify an electric utility financing order and the state may issue bonds to pay the costs of repairing damage to the systems of electric utilities caused by the 2026 winter storm…
From the enrolled text, April 6, 2026:
AN ACT TO ENACT THE MISSISSIPPI 2026 SEVERE WINTER STORM ELECTRIC UTILITY CUSTOMER RELIEF AND ELECTRIC UTILITY SYSTEM RESTORATION ACT; TO ESTABLISH A MECHANISM BY WHICH THE MISSISSIPPI PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION MAY AUTHORIZE AND CERTIFY AN ELECTRIC UTILITY FINANCING ORDER AND THE STATE MAY ISSUE BONDS TO PAY THE COSTS OF REPAIRING DAMAGE TO THE SYSTEMS OF ELECTRIC UTILITIES CAUSED BY THE 2026 WINTER STORM; TO AUTHORIZE ELECTRIC UTILITIES TO PETITION THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION FOR THE ISSUANCE OF A FINANCING ORDER WHICH, WHEN TRANSMITTED TO THE STATE BOND COMMISSION BY AN ELECTRIC UTILITY, AUTHORIZES THE ISSUANCE OF BONDS TO PAY THE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH RESTORING THE SYSTEM OF THE ELECTRIC UTILITY; TO PROVIDE THE CONTENTS OF SUCH A PETITION; TO AUTHORIZE THE PUBLIC UTILITIES STAFF TO CONDUCT AN INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION OF THE PETITION; TO ESTABLISH THE DUTIES OF THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION WITH REGARD TO SUCH PETITIONS; TO PROVIDE FOR THE CONTENTS OF FINANCING ORDERS; TO PROVIDE THAT THE FINANCING ORDER SHALL REQUIRE THE ELECTRIC UTILITY TO COLLECT A SYSTEM RESTORATION CHARGE FROM ITS RETAIL CUSTOMERS SUFFICIENT TO PAY THE DEBT SERVICE ON ANY BONDS ISSUED PURSUANT TO THE FINANCING ORDER; TO PROVIDE FOR ANNUAL ADJUSTMENTS TO THE SYSTEM RESTORATION CHARGES TO ENSURE THAT THE CHARGES ARE SUFFICIENT TO PAY THE DEBT SERVICE ON ANY BONDS ISSUED PURSUANT TO …
Sponsors
- Harkins, Josh (R, 20) · primary sponsor
- Derrick Simmons (D, 12)
- Sarita Simmons (D, 13)
Latest actions
- : Approved by Governor
- : Enrolled Bill Signed
- : Conference Report Adopted
- : Conference Report Filed
- : Conferees Named Lamar,Steverson,Powell
- : Conferees Named Harkins,Sparks,Whaley
- : Decline to Concur/Invite Conf
- : Returned For Concurrence
- : Passed As Amended
- : Amended
Votes
- Conference Report Adopted (March 29, 2026): 50 yea, 0 nay, passed
- Conference Report Adopted (March 29, 2026): 121 yea, 0 nay, passed
- Passed As Amended (March 17, 2026): 116 yea, 0 nay, passed
- Passed (February 25, 2026): 50 yea, 0 nay, passed
Subjects: Bonds
Common questions
- What is SB3229?
- SB3229 is a bill in the Mississippi Legislature (2026 Regular Session): Bonds; authorize revenue bonds to be issued to pay for damage to electric utilities caused by the 2026 winter storm.
- What does SB3229 do?
- In its own words: An act to enact the mississippi 2026 severe winter storm electric utility customer relief and electric utility system restoration act; to establish a mechanism by which the mississippi public service commission may authorize and certify an electric utility financing order and the state may issue bonds to pay the costs of repairing damage to the systems of electric utilities caused by the 2026 winter storm…
- What is the status of SB3229?
- Signed into law as of April 8, 2026. Latest action: Approved by Governor (April 8, 2026).
- Who sponsored SB3229?
- Harkins, Josh (R, 20), with 2 co-sponsors.
- Where is the official record for SB3229?
- On the Mississippi Legislature website: http://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/2026/pdf/history/SB/SB3229.xml
Source: official Mississippi record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.