MS HB1403

Appropriates $14,058,192 from the State General Fund and $11,996,306 from special funds for the Mississippi State Forestry Commission for fiscal year 2022 (July 1, 2021 - June 30, 2022)

Allocates $250,000 to the Forest Improvement Revolving Fund for reforestation and forest improvement on public lands including sixteenth section lands, Camp Shelby, Columbia Training School, and state colleges and universities

Authorizes 352 permanent full-time positions and 7 time-limited full-time positions for the commission

Establishes performance targets including suppressing 90% of fires at 100 acres or less, average suppression time of 3 hours, 14,500 acres under prescribed burn programs, and monitoring 19.8 million acres for insects, storms, or disease

Transfers $200,000 to the Department of Agriculture and Commerce for the Beaver Control or Eradication Program

Creates the Volunteer Fire Department Equipment Conversion Revolving Fund (capped at $50,000) to assist in converting vehicles for wildland fire suppression use