2018 Legislation

Please review the Mississippi Code and Mississippi Administrative Code​ when analyzing your tax responsibilities and requirements.
 

Income Tax

Individual Income Tax

Corporate and Franchi​se Tax 

​​HB 1359​ provides an exemption from income tax for payments received by an agricultural producer or cattleman from certain agricultural disaster programs.Effective January 1, 2018.

HB 1566 
provides a new credit from income tax for contributions to qualifying charitable organizations that assist children who are either already in foster care or at high risk of going into the state’s foster care system, or serve children with a disability, or that serve low-income families.  Additionally, the legislation increases the amount of the tax credit for each child legally adopted. Effective January 1, 2018.

SB 2194​ provides that Mississippi community colleges and junior colleges may request that a debtor’s income tax refund may be intercepted or offset to apply toward the debt. Effective July 1, 2018.​

Motor Vehicle and Titles

 

​​​HB 827 provides for the registration of manufactured or mobile homes as real or personal property. The act revises the manner in which a manufactured or mobile home is taxed as real or personal property.  It provides a procedure for the severance of a manufactured or mobile home from real property, revises the procedure in which the title may be retired, provides a procedure to document the destruction or inhabitability of a manufactured or mobile home, and other related purposes.   Effective January 1, 2019.

SB 2209 
authorizes additional distinctive license plates.   Effective July 1, 2018.

SB 2277 requires that a motor vehicle with a salvage certificate of title may not receive a clear title but only a branded title.  Effective July 1, 2018.

SB 2629​ defines an autocycle as a 3-wheeled motorcycle with a steering wheel, non-straddle seating, rollover protection and seat belts. Effective July 1, 2018.

Alcohol and Beer

ABC

Beer

HB 192 allows the legal transportation of unopened containers of alcoholic beverages, light wine, or beer through a dry county when such products were legally purchased in Mississippi and when traveling on a state or federal highway.  Effective July 1, 2018.

HB 415 
provides that the clubhouse and associated 18-hole golf course located in the city limits of Brookhaven is a qualified resort area. Effective July 1, 2018.​

HB 840​ creates an ABC permit for a common carrier certified to carry at least 150 passengers or provide overnight accommodations for at least 50 passengers.  The vessel shall operate primarily in the waters south of the three Coast Counties, or on the Mississippi River, or on other navigable waters within any county bordering the Mississippi River. Effective July 1, 2018.

​ 
HB 995 creates a Distillery Retail Permit that allows legal distilleries operating in Mississippi to sell by the bottle for off-premises consumption. Effective July 1, 2018.​

SB 2588 allows any municipality that is wet for alcoholic beverages to establish a leisure recreation district (go-cup district.)  Effective July 1, 2018.

SB 2618​ establishes new qualified resort areas located in the Reservoir Community District; or on land of at least 200 contiguous acres with planned residential development adjacent to a golf course and within 1 mile of a state university/college; or a hotel/restaurant located on a campus operated by third party who receives all income from alcohol and food.   The bill also prohibits the establishment of a resort within 2 miles of a convent or monastery in Pike County.  Effective July 1, 2018.​

Sales

 

SB 2132 provides sales tax exemption for admissions to events sponsored by and held on property controlled by a municipality; however, a municipality may require the collection of the tax through adoption of an ordinance and notification to the Department of Revenue.  Effective July 1, 2018.

SB 2754 
makes it a felony to manufacture, sell, purchase, install, update, repair, service use or otherwise possess automated sales suppression devices and provides for a fine of up to $100,000 and/or up to 15 years imprisonment. Effective July 1, 2018.​

 

SB 2998 provides an exemption from sales tax for rotary wing aircraft if exported outside this state within 48 hours of sale.  Effective July 1, 2018.

Property

 

HB 1217 provides ad valorem tax exemptions for business and residential renovation districts within municipalities. Effective July 1, 2018.

SB 2097 
provides that personal property may be exempt from ad valorem tax if such property is in storage pending transit to not more than one other location in Mississippi for production or processing into a component or part that is then transported outside MS.  Effective January 1, 2018.

SB 2479 reduces the amount of a project eligible to enter a fee-in-lieu ad valorem tax agreement with local government taxing jurisdictions.  Effective July 1, 2018. 

SB 2578 provides that any increase in assessed value in a subsequent update of a homestead for owner 65 years or older or 100% disabled is exempt from taxation.  The exemption does not apply to increase in assessed value due to any renovations, expansions, additions or improvements to the property.  Effective April 12, 2018.

SB 3031​ 
exempts from ad valorem tax private entities who build on land leased by Alcorn State University when such buildings are used for student housing. Effective March 19, 2018. 

Other Taxes​​​​

HB 890 extends the repealer from July 1, 2019 until July 1, 2021 for the subscriber service charge (E-911 Fee) collected to fund training for public safety tele-communicators on emergency communication standards.   Effective July 1, 2018.

HB 1350 extends the reduced tax rate (Oil and Gas Severance Tax) for horizontally drilled wells from which production from those wells commences before July 1, 2023.  Effective March 19, 2018.  ​.


HB 1557 increases the amount of investment tax credits (Insurance Premium Tax) available for allocation to investors under the MS Small Business Company Act.  Effective July 1, 2018.

Local Governments​

HB 1471 extends the repeal date on Southaven’s restaurant tax until July 1, 2022.

HB 1472 extends the repeal date on Horn Lake’s hotel/motel tax until July 1, 2022.

HB 1520 authorizes Richland to levy a 3% tax on hotel/motels for promotion tourism, parks and recreation.

HB 1563 authorizes Grenada to impose an additional 1% tax on hotel/motels and restaurants for constructing a sports park.  Additionally, the bill extends the repeal date on the existing tourism convention tax until September 30, 2022.

HB 1628 extends the repeal date on Brandon’s tax on hotel/motels for funding the amphitheater until July 1, 2030. 

HB 1629 extends the repeal date on Brandon’s tax on restaurants until July 1, 2024.

HB 1637 extends the repeal date on Jackson’s tax on restaurants, hotels/motels for the benefit of the Jackson Convention and Visitors Bureau until July 1, 2019.

HB 1657 authorizes Clinton to impose an additional 1% tax on hotels/motels to promote tourism, parks and recreation.

HB 1664 authorizes Moss Point to impose a 2% tax on restaurants to promote tourism, parks and recreation.

HB 1667 authorizes Pearl to impose a 3% tax on hotels/motels, and a 1% tax on restaurants to promote tourism, parks and recreation.

SB 3012 extends the repeal date to June 30, 2022 on Starkville’s tax on restaurants for economic and community development.

SB 3034 extends the repeal date to July 1, 2024 for Carthage’s tax on restaurants, hotels/motels for tourism, parks and recreation in the city. 

SB 3067 authorizes Vaiden to impose a 2% tax on restaurants to promote tourism, parks and recreation in the city.

SB 3069 authorizes Hattiesburg to impose an additional 1% tax on restaurants, hotels/motels for promotion of tourism, parks and recreation and to improvements of athletic facilities at USM.

SB 3075 extends the repeal date to July 1, 2022 for Jackson County’s tax on hotels/motels to be used for promotion of tourism on the MS Gulf Coast. ​