MS HB781

Changes oil and gas severance taxes to be paid by the interest owner rather than the operator, regardless of whether the interest owner resides in Mississippi.

Requires owners of surface estates to pay 10% of ad valorem taxes on land when nonproducing oil, gas, or mineral interests are owned separately; nonproducing interest owners must pay a prorated share of the remaining 10%.

Allows surface owners to claim exemption from 10% of ad valorem taxes by providing an attorney's title opinion to the tax assessor by April 1 each year showing separate mineral interest ownership.

Provides that nonproducing mineral interests not paid for taxes shall be sold for nonpayment; if unsold, they revert to the surface owner who becomes liable for delinquent taxes and prorated tax obligations.

Requires tax collectors to provide chancery court clerks with separate lists of mineral interests sold for nonpayment of taxes and those reverting to surface owners.