SB2776 grants certain public agencies the authority to take immediate possession of property easements or rights-of-way when needed for public road construction and utility projects related to specific economic-development initiatives. This legislation is supposed to expedite infrastructure improvements that are critical for attracting and supporting business investments in the state. By speeding up the property acquisition process, the bill wants to reduce delays that could slow down the progress of major development projects.
The Mississippi State House of Representatives passed SB2776 on April 10, 2024 by a vote of 87 to 28. We have assigned pluses to the nays because eminent domain for private corporations violates the U.S. Constitution, specifically the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments. Furthermore, the Fourteenth Amendment declares, “nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law.”
