MS HB1439

Transfers supervisory authority over sixteenth section school lands from the Land Commissioner to the Secretary of State, including preparation of reports on lease terms, land title conditions, and income from such lands.

Requires state, county, municipal, and school district officials to submit annual sixteenth section management information to the Secretary of State in electronic format, including details on new leases, easements, rights-of-way, and sales with specifics on acreage, consideration, terms, and use.

Mandates officials report revenue sources, expenses, escrow funds, principal fund investments, investment amounts, dates, locations, forms, rates of return, and revenue earned on investments to the Secretary of State.

Removes the requirement that sixteenth section land leases be executed in triplicate and eliminates the requirement to provide copies to the State Land Commissioner, instead requiring a certified copy be provided to the Secretary of State in the requested format.

Takes effect July 1, 2020.