MS SB2797

Reestablishes the Office of State Land Commissioner as an elected position, with the first election in November 2019 and a four-year term, beginning January 1, 2020.

State Land Commissioner must have same qualifications as Secretary of State, receives equal salary, and can employ clerks and stenographic staff with salaries fixed by the Commissioner.

Transfers all duties, responsibilities, and authority over public lands from the Secretary of State's Public Lands Division to the State Land Commissioner, including supervision of swamp lands, indemnity lands, internal improvement lands, Chickasaw school lands, sixteenth section lands, and tax-forfeited lands.

Abolishes the Public Lands Division of the Secretary of State's office effective January 1, 2020, and redirects all land record-keeping, conveyance signing, and land transaction functions to the State Land Commissioner's office.

Updates multiple Mississippi Code sections throughout the statute to replace references to "Secretary of State" with "State Land Commissioner" in all land-related matters.