MS HB77

Establishes a state-assisted local road construction and maintenance program administered by the Office of State Aid Road Construction to provide financial assistance to eligible counties and municipalities for roads and streets not in the state highway or state aid road systems.

Creates the "State-assisted County and Municipality Road Construction and Maintenance Fund" with $15,000,000 transferred annually from the State General Fund for fiscal years 2016-2019 in four equal quarterly payments beginning July 1.

Restricts eligibility to counties with population not exceeding 30,000 and municipalities with population not exceeding 5,000 according to the 2010 census, with no administrative deductions from distributed funds.

Limits each county or municipality to one distribution per three-year period, requires matching funds of at least 25% of project costs, and caps individual distributions at $150,000.

Amends Section 65-9-11 to assign the State Aid Engineer discretionary authority to distribute funds from the new special fund upon legislative appropriation.