# Mississippi SB 3229: Bonds; authorize revenue bonds to be issued to pay for damage to electric utilities caused by the 2026 winter storm.

Mississippi SB 3229, Bonds; authorize revenue bonds to be issued to pay for damage to electric utilities caused by the 2026 winter storm., is a 2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Josh Harkins (Republican); status signed, last action 2026-04-08 (Approved by Governor); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-27).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MS-SB3229-2026
- As of: 2026-10-27
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Mississippi SB 3229
- State: Mississippi
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: Bonds; authorize revenue bonds to be issued to pay for damage to electric utilities caused by the 2026 winter storm.
- Status: signed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2026-02-24
- Last action: 2026-04-08, Approved by Governor
- Sponsor: Josh Harkins (Republican)
- Cosponsors: 2
- Subjects: Ways and Means, Finance
- Touches household money: yes
- Roll calls: 4 (337 yes, 0 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 4

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Storm bonds fund utility repairs: benefit, medium. The law lets an affected electric utility seek bonds to pay approved costs from the winter storm that began January 23, 2026. FEMA declared a major disaster on February 6, 2026. Approved restoration costs are capped at $275 million, with certain issuance, debt-refinancing, and related costs exclude…
- Mississippi bond income is tax-free: benefit, low. Bonds issued under this law and income from those bonds are exempt from Mississippi taxes. The law does not state how much tax a bondholder saves.
- Utilities pay less tax on charges: benefit, low. Utilities do not count storm-restoration charges when calculating certain state sales taxes or franchise fees. This lowers the tax or fee base for affected utilities. The law does not say whether this changes household electric bills.
- Electric customers pay a storm charge: cost, medium. A utility with an approved financing order must add a separate, nonbypassable storm-restoration charge to covered electric bills. It applies to current and future customers connected to the utility’s facilities, including customers who buy power from another supplier. The charge starts when bonds a…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Josh Harkins (Republican), Senate
- Cosponsor: Derrick T. Simmons (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Sarita Simmons (Democratic), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-03-29 | House | Conference Report Adopted | pass | 121 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-29 | Senate | Conference Report Adopted | pass | 50 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-17 | House | Passed As Amended | pass | 116 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-25 | Senate | Passed | pass | 50 | 0 |   |

## Actions (19)

- 2026-04-08: Approved by Governor (legislature)
- 2026-04-06: Enrolled Bill Signed (House)
- 2026-04-06: Enrolled Bill Signed (Senate)
- 2026-03-29: Conference Report Adopted (Senate)
- 2026-03-29: Conference Report Adopted (House)
- 2026-03-27: Conference Report Filed (House)
- 2026-03-27: Conference Report Filed (Senate)
- 2026-03-25: Conferees Named Lamar,Steverson,Powell (House)
- 2026-03-24: Conferees Named Harkins,Sparks,Whaley (Senate)
- 2026-03-19: Decline to Concur/Invite Conf (Senate)
- 2026-03-18: Returned For Concurrence (House)
- 2026-03-17: Passed As Amended (House)
- 2026-03-17: Amended (House)
- 2026-03-03: Title Suff Do Pass As Amended (House)
- 2026-02-26: Referred To Ways and Means (House)
- 2026-02-26: Transmitted To House (Senate)
- 2026-02-25: Passed (Senate)
- 2026-02-24: Title Suff Do Pass (Senate)
- 2026-02-24: Referred To Finance (Senate)

## Bill text

- As Introduced: [HTML](https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2026/html/SB/3200-3299/SB3229IN.htm), [PDF](https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2026/pdf/SB/3200-3299/SB3229IN.pdf)
- As Passed: [HTML](https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2026/html/SB/3200-3299/SB3229PS.htm), [PDF](https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2026/pdf/SB/3200-3299/SB3229PS.pdf)
- Committee Amendment No 1 (Adopted): [HTML](https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2026/html/ham/SB3229_H_Cmte_Amend_01.htm), [PDF](https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2026/pdf/ham/SB3229_H_Cmte_Amend_01.pdf)
- Enrolled: [HTML](https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2026/html/SB/3200-3299/SB3229SG.htm), [PDF](https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2026/pdf/SB/3200-3299/SB3229SG.pdf)

## Related bills

- HB 1653: Local Improvements Project Fund and IHL Capital Improvements Fund; revise certain projects funded with monies from. (signed)
- HB 1924: Appropriation; Attorney General. (signed)
- SB 3110: Tax credits; authorize for contributions by certain taxpayers to certain hospitals. (signed)
- SB 3051: Appropriation; Finance and Administration, Department of. (signed)
- SB 2917: Budget; provide for various transfers of funds, and create various special funds. (signed)
- SB 3071: Appropriation; Gulf Coast Restoration Funds to the Mississippi Development Authority. (signed)

## Sources
- [As Introduced (HTML)](https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2026/html/SB/3200-3299/SB3229IN.htm)
- [As Introduced (PDF)](https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2026/pdf/SB/3200-3299/SB3229IN.pdf)
- [As Passed (HTML)](https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2026/html/SB/3200-3299/SB3229PS.htm)
- [As Passed (PDF)](https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2026/pdf/SB/3200-3299/SB3229PS.pdf)
- [Committee Amendment No 1 (Adopted) (HTML)](https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2026/html/ham/SB3229_H_Cmte_Amend_01.htm)
- [Committee Amendment No 1 (Adopted) (PDF)](https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2026/pdf/ham/SB3229_H_Cmte_Amend_01.pdf)
- [Enrolled (HTML)](https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2026/html/SB/3200-3299/SB3229SG.htm)
- [Enrolled (PDF)](https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2026/pdf/SB/3200-3299/SB3229SG.pdf)

## Related
- [HB 1653: Local Improvements Project Fund and IHL Capital Improvements Fund; revise certa…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MS-HB1653-2026)
- [HB 1924: Appropriation; Attorney General.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MS-HB1924-2026)
- [SB 3110: Tax credits; authorize for contributions by certain taxpayers to certain hospit…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MS-SB3110-2026)
- [SB 3051: Appropriation; Finance and Administration, Department of.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MS-SB3051-2026)
- [SB 2917: Budget; provide for various transfers of funds, and create various special fund…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MS-SB2917-2026)
- [SB 3071: Appropriation; Gulf Coast Restoration Funds to the Mississippi Development Auth…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MS-SB3071-2026)
- [Mississippi bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/mississippi/bills)
- [Mississippi state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/mississippi)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MS-SB3229-2026 (as of 2026-10-27).