Senate Bill 2846 Summary

• Creates three special transportation districts corresponding to Mississippi's three Transportation Commissioner Districts, each authorized to impose local transportation taxes upon voter referendum approval for a 10-year period.

• Authorizes three types of special district transportation taxes if approved by referendum: increased excise taxes on gasoline (20¢ per gallon) and diesel fuel (20¢ per gallon), motor fuels tax registration fees for electric/hybrid/hydrogen vehicles ($150 for electric, $75 for hybrid/hydrogen), and tire fees ($2.50-$3.00 per new tire at wholesale).

• Establishes three District Transportation Planning Councils to develop 10-year strategic investment lists for highway repair, maintenance, reconstruction, bridge replacement, and railroad crossing upgrades; referendum election scheduled for November 2019.

• Requires 10% of increased gasoline and diesel tax revenues to fund a County Road Assistance Program and $150,000 annually to fund highway-railroad grade crossing safety improvements; creates Transportation District Infrastructure Repair, Renovation and Maintenance Fund to hold all revenues for approved projects.

• Includes automatic inflation adjustments to gasoline and diesel excise taxes beginning January 1, 2020, increasing by percentage equal to cumulative U.S. inflation rate every four years; taxes cease when estimated proceeds are met or 10-year period expires.