House Bill 786

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 9-27-15, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REQUIRE AN ANNUAL APPROPRIATION TO BE MADE TO THE ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE OF COURTS FOR THE SUPPORT OF MENTAL HEALTH COURTS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. Section 9-27-15, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

9-27-15. (1) Subject to the availability of funding, the Legislature shall appropriate annually to the Administrative Office of Courts such funds as may be necessary for the support of mental health courts throughout the state and to carry out the purposes of this chapter.

(2) All monies received from any source by a mental health court shall be accumulated in a local fund to be used only for mental health court purposes. Any funds remaining in a local fund at the end of a fiscal year shall not lapse into any general fund, but shall be retained in the mental health court fund for the funding of further activities by the mental health court.

( * * *23) A mental health court may apply for and receive the following:

(a) Gifts, bequests and donations from private sources.

(b) Grant and contract monies from governmental sources.

(c) Other forms of financial assistance approved by the court to supplement the budget of the mental health diversion program.

( * * *34) The costs of participation in a mental health treatment program required by the mental health court may be paid by the participant or out of user fees or such other state, federal or private funds that may, from time to time, be made available.

( * * *45) The court may assess reasonable and appropriate fees to be paid to the local mental health court fund for participation in a mental health treatment program; however, all fees may be waived by the court if the applicant is determined to be indigent.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2021.