MS HB1697

Authorizes issuance of state general obligation bonds not to exceed $38,340 to assist the City of Natchez in constructing a monument commemorating the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s on the grounds of the Natchez City Auditorium.

Creates a special fund called the "2019 City of Natchez Civil Rights Memorial Construction Fund" within the State Treasury to receive bond proceeds and disburse funds for monument construction costs.

Grants the State Bond Commission authority to issue, sell, and manage the bonds, determine sale methods, and prescribe bond terms with maturity not exceeding 25 years and interest rates per Mississippi Code Section 75-17-101.

Requires that any remaining funds in the special fund after project completion or abandonment be applied to pay debt service on the bonds.

No bonds may be issued under this section after July 1, 2023, and bonds issued are backed by the full faith and credit of the State of Mississippi.