MS SB2542

Appropriates $4,696,500 from the Gulf Coast Restoration Fund for the Gulf Coast Rail Project for fiscal year 2020 (July 1, 2019 - June 30, 2020)

Allocates $4,539,333 to the Mississippi Department of Transportation, $110,667 to the Southern Rail Commission for project management, and up to $46,500 to the Mississippi Development Authority for administrative expenses

Funds will restore passenger rail service along the Mississippi Gulf Coast and improve freight rail service infrastructure

Appropriation serves as non-federal matching funds for a federal Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvement (CRISI) Program grant, with total state investment expected to reach $13,950,000

Designates the Mississippi Department of Transportation and Southern Rail Commission as responsible organizations for overseeing and executing the project