MS HB141

Shifts severance tax liability for oil and gas from producers to interest owners, regardless of whether the interest owner resides in Mississippi.

Requires owners of surface estates to be exempt from 25% of ad valorem taxes when nonproducing oil, gas, or mineral interests are owned separately; nonproducing interest owners must pay a prorated share of that 25%.

Establishes that nonproducing mineral interests can be sold for nonpayment of taxes; if unsold at auction, the interest reverts to the surface owner who then becomes liable for the delinquent taxes and prorated portion of the 25% ad valorem tax.

Requires tax collectors to provide separate lists to chancery court clerks documenting nonproducing mineral interests sold for nonpayment of taxes and those that reverted to surface owners.

Applies to all nonproducing oil, gas, or mineral interests regardless of when they were created or became nonproducing, effective July 1, 2017.