reglab/housing_qa huggingface dataset:
MS Code § 21-27-27 (2020)
2020 Mississippi Code|Title 21 - Municipalities|Chapter 27 - Public Utilities and Transportation|Municipally Owned Utilities|§ 21-27-27. Free service

 No free service shall be furnished by any such system, or combined system, to any private person, firm, corporation, or association. The municipality may, however, furnish such service, free of charge, to the municipality or any agency or department thereof, to any public school, or to any hospital or benevolent institution located within such municipality, including county, city, and community fairs.
MS Code § 21-27-29 (2020)
2020 Mississippi Code|Title 21 - Municipalities|Chapter 27 - Public Utilities and Transportation|Municipally Owned Utilities|§ 21-27-29. Rates not to be supervised by state; no franchise required

 Rates charged for services furnished by any system or combined system purchased, constructed, improved, enlarged, extended or repaired under the provisions of Sections 21-27-11 through 21-27-69 shall not be subject to supervision or regulation by any state bureau, board, commission, or other like instrumentality or agency thereof. It shall not be necessary for any municipality operating under the provisions of said sections to obtain any franchise or other permit from any state bureau, board, commission or other instrumentality thereof, in order to construct, improve, enlarge, extend or repair any system or combined system. However, billing and service disputes between the system and its customers shall be subject to review and arbitration by the Public Service Commission as provided under Section 77-3-6.
MS Code § 21-27-31 (2020)
2020 Mississippi Code|Title 21 - Municipalities|Chapter 27 - Public Utilities and Transportation|Municipally Owned Utilities|§ 21-27-31. Keeping of books and accounts by municipality

 Any municipality issuing revenue bonds pursuant to the authority granted in Section 21-27-23 shall install and maintain proper books of record and account (separate entirely from other records and accounts of such municipality), in which correct entries shall be made of all dealings or transactions of or in relation to the properties, business and affairs of the system or combined system. The governing authorities of such municipality, not later than three months after the close of any calendar, operating or fiscal year, shall cause to be prepared a balance sheet and an income and operating and surplus account showing, respectively, in reasonable detail, the financial condition of the system or combined system at the close of such preceding calendar, operating or fiscal year, and the financial operations thereof during such year. Said balance sheet and the income and operating and surplus account shall at all times during the usual business hours be open to examination and inspection by any taxpayer, user of the services furnished by the system, or any holder of bonds issued pursuant to the authority granted in Section 21-27-23, or any one acting for or on behalf of such taxpayer, user of the services of the system, or bondholder.
MS Code § 21-27-33 (2020)
2020 Mississippi Code|Title 21 - Municipalities|Chapter 27 - Public Utilities and Transportation|Municipally Owned Utilities|§ 21-27-33. Municipality may dispose of public utility systems

 All municipalities of the state are hereby empowered and authorized, if they so desire, to sell, lease, or otherwise dispose of any or all electric, water, gas or other municipally-owned public utility systems or properties on such terms and conditions, and with such safeguards as will best promote and protect the public interest. Said municipal corporations are empowered and authorized to transfer title to said public utility properties by warranty deed, bill of sale, contract, or lease, in the manner provided by law. However, notice of intention to make such sale, lease, or disposition of any such system, setting out the price and other general terms and conditions of such proposed sale, lease, or disposition shall be given by publication, once a week for three consecutive weeks in a legal newspaper published in such municipality, and if no such newspaper be published in said municipality, then in some newspaper having a general circulation in such municipality. After ten days from the last publication of such notice, the system may be disposed of, unless within ten days after the last publication of such notice a petition signed by not less than twenty per centum of the qualified voters of such municipality be filed, objecting to and protesting against such sale, lease, or disposition, in which event the same shall not be made unless submitted to a special election ordered for the purpose of determining whether a majority of those voting in such election shall vote for or against such sale, lease, or other disposition. Such election shall be ordered to be held not less than forty days after the date of the last notice of the proposed sale, lease or disposition. Notice of such election, stating the purpose of election, shall be published once each week for three consecutive weeks next preceding the time set for holding said election in such newspaper as herein provided. The laws governing special municipal elections shall govern the ordering and conduct of said election.   The ballots provided shall have plainly written or printed thereon the words "shall the waterworks, electric, or gas (as the case may be) system be sold, leased, or disposed of (as the case may be)" and below said words shall be suitably placed on separate lines, the words "yes" and "no," so that the voter may indicate the way he desires to vote on the question submitted.   If a majority of those voting in said election shall vote in favor of such sale, lease, or disposition, then the proper officer of the municipality may proceed to sell, lease or dispose of such system in accordance with the terms and conditions set out in the notice of proposed intention to sell, lease or dispose of such system, as herein provided. If such election is determined against such sale, lease or disposition of such system, then such system shall not be sold, leased or disposed of, but shall remain the property of the municipality.
MS Code § 21-27-35 (2020)
2020 Mississippi Code|Title 21 - Municipalities|Chapter 27 - Public Utilities and Transportation|Municipally Owned Utilities|§ 21-27-35. Utilization of proceeds of sale of public utility system

 The governing authorities of any municipality which have sold or which may hereafter sell any utility system owned by such municipality, may use the proceeds of the sale of such system, or any part thereof, for the purpose of retiring and paying off any of the public debt of the municipality, and they may purchase the outstanding bonds or other obligations of the said municipality at such price, whether above or below par, as they may consider fair and reasonable. The said governing authorities may, in their discretion, invest the said funds, or any part thereof, derived from the sale of the said system or systems in any of the securities now eligible for purchase by public sinking funds of municipalities, at such price, whether above or below par, as they may determine to be fair and reasonable.
MS Code § 21-27-37 (2020)
2020 Mississippi Code|Title 21 - Municipalities|Chapter 27 - Public Utilities and Transportation|Municipally Owned Utilities|§ 21-27-37. Inspection of utility authorized; penalty for violation

 The governing authorities of every municipality shall have power to inspect or cause to be inspected the machinery, appliances and premises of all persons, copartnerships or corporations owning or operating any system within their corporate limits, in order to ascertain whether or not the said machinery, appliances and premises are kept in a sanitary condition and in condition to comply with the terms and requirements of the franchise or franchises under which the said system or systems are operated.   If any person, copartnership or corporation, or any employee thereof, shall refuse to permit the municipal governing authorities to make such inspection immediately when requested so to do, they shall, for each such refusal, forfeit the sum of one thousand dollars, to be recovered in an action in the name of said municipality.
MS Code § 21-27-40 (2020)
2020 Mississippi Code|Title 21 - Municipalities|Chapter 27 - Public Utilities and Transportation|Municipally Owned Utilities|§ 21-27-40. Contract for extension of natural gas transmission lines into, and service with, natural gas district

  Any municipality having its own natural gas transmission system in any county bordering the State of Alabama in which U. S. Highway 78 and State Highway 25 intersect and in which there is a publicly supported junior college and which is authorized by Section 21-27-39, Mississippi Code of 1972, to extend its natural gas transmission lines may, in its discretion, enter into a contract for service with any natural gas district organized under the laws of this state, any part of which is located in said county. Such municipality may use such contract in determining the amount of funds available for the repayment of any bonds issued for this purpose in accordance with law.   Said natural gas district may enter into a contract with said municipality to the extent of such municipality's authorization under Section 21-27-39, Mississippi Code of 1972, for the construction of gas transmission lines within such district and for supplying the customers within such district.
MS Code § 21-27-41 (2020)
2020 Mississippi Code|Title 21 - Municipalities|Chapter 27 - Public Utilities and Transportation|Municipally Owned Utilities|§ 21-27-41. Ordinance to be enacted before bonds are issued

 Whenever the governing authorities of any municipality shall determine to issue bonds pursuant to the authority granted in Section 21-27-23 to acquire or improve a system, it shall cause an estimate to be made of the cost of such system or improvement, and the fact that such estimate has been made shall appear in the ordinance authorizing the issuance of such bonds, which ordinance shall set forth a brief description in general terms of the contemplated system or improvement, the estimated life thereof, the said estimated cost thereof, the amount, date, denominations, rate of interest, times and places of payment and other details in connection with the issuance of the bonds, and such covenants and restrictions as may be necessary or desirable to safeguard the interests of the holders of the bonds.
MS Code § 21-27-47 (2020)
2020 Mississippi Code|Title 21 - Municipalities|Chapter 27 - Public Utilities and Transportation|Municipally Owned Utilities|§ 21-27-47. Utilization of revenues of system to pay off bonds

 Any municipality having outstanding bonds issued pursuant to the authority granted in Section 21-27-23 shall maintain rates for all the services and facilities afforded by any system, the revenues of which are pledged to the payment of such bonds, which rates shall be sufficient at all times to maintain an interest and bond redemption fund sufficient to pay the interest on and principal of such bonds as and when the same become due and payable and, if so provided in the ordinance authorizing such bonds, to accumulate a reserve in such fund, and to provide for the payment of such cost of operation and maintenance as may be necessary to keep such system at all times in good repair and working order. Such rates shall be fixed by separate ordinance precedent to or at the time of the issuance of such bonds and shall be revised from time to time so as to produce the amounts necessary to provide for the foregoing. Bonds issued pursuant to the authority granted in Section 21-27-23 to acquire or improve a system shall be secured by a pledge of an amount of the gross revenues of such system sufficient to maintain such an interest and bond redemption fund. However, if there are then outstanding bonds to the payment of which the revenues of a system have been previously pledged, then, until said outstanding bonds have been retired, bonds issued to improve such system shall be secured by a pledge of the revenues of the system in such an amount only after deductions have been made for servicing the said outstanding bonds and for maintaining and operating the system. Notwithstanding the above provisions, all revenue bonds issued for a specific utility may be issued on an equivalent basis, provided that each and every ordinance authorizing each and every bond issued shall clearly state the basis on which future revenue bond issues shall be provided for in order to place them on an equivalent basis with prior issues.
MS Code § 21-27-49 (2020)
2020 Mississippi Code|Title 21 - Municipalities|Chapter 27 - Public Utilities and Transportation|Municipally Owned Utilities|§ 21-27-49. Services of system may be used by municipality

 Whenever any municipality shall issue any bonds or other evidence of indebtedness which are payable solely from revenues to be derived from any system, the governing authorities of such municipality may, by appropriate provision in the ordinance or resolution authorizing the issuance of such bonds, or by separate resolution or ordinance passed at or prior to the actual sale of such bonds, bind and obligate such municipality to take, for a period not exceeding the full term of such bonds, at least a stated minimum of the services to be afforded by such system and to pay, out of its corporate funds, a least a stated minimum price therefor. Such provision, resolution or ordinance shall constitute a contract between such municipality and all the holders of such bonds.   All such agreements heretofore entered into by any such municipality, whether such bonds have actually been delivered and paid for or not, are hereby ratified, approved and validated.
MS Code § 21-27-51 (2020)
2020 Mississippi Code|Title 21 - Municipalities|Chapter 27 - Public Utilities and Transportation|Municipally Owned Utilities|§ 21-27-51. Refunding bonds; consolidated bonds

 Any municipality which shall have issued bonds pursuant to the authority granted in Section 21-27-23, all or any portion of which shall at any time hereafter remain outstanding and unpaid, is hereby authorized, in connection with the issuance of additional bonds hereunder, to issue refunding bonds for the purpose of taking up, paying and redeeming all such outstanding and unpaid bonds. Such refunding bonds and such additional bonds may be authorized and issued separately or may be consolidated into one issue. Such outstanding and unpaid bonds may be refunded without notice and without an election thereon, and such additional bonds may be refunded without notice and without an election except as provided in Section 21-27-43. The proceeds of any such consolidated bonds shall be used to take up, pay and redeem all of such outstanding and unpaid bonds, at their redemption price, and the balance of such proceeds shall be used and expended for the purposes for which the additional bonds were authorized to be issued. In the event any such outstanding bonds, by the terms thereof, shall be redeemable prior to maturity at the option of such municipality, then such option of redemption shall be exercised in the manner provided in such bonds, and the refunding bonds shall not be issued or delivered more than two calendar months in advance of the date upon which such outstanding bonds shall have been called for redemption. In the event that such outstanding bonds, by the terms thereof, be not so redeemable prior to maturity, then the refunding bonds shall not be issued, except concurrently with the surrender and cancellation of a like amount of the bonds to be refunded thereby. All bonds issued under the provisions of this section shall have like incidents and shall be payable from the same source or sources and the payment thereof shall be secured in like manner as are bonds issued pursuant to the authority granted in Section 21-27-23. In lieu of selling such portion of such consolidated bonds, as may be required to provide for the redemption of such outstanding bonds, such consolidated bonds may be issued and delivered in exchange for and upon surrender and cancellation of a like amount of the bonds to be refunded thereby.
MS Code § 21-27-53 (2020)
2020 Mississippi Code|Title 21 - Municipalities|Chapter 27 - Public Utilities and Transportation|Municipally Owned Utilities|§ 21-27-53. Default on bonds

 The holder of any bond or any interest coupon issued pursuant to the authority granted in Sections 21-27-23 and 21-27-51 may, by suit, action, mandamus or other proceedings at law or in equity, enforce and compel performance by the appropriate official or officials of the municipality of any or all acts and duties to be performed by such municipality under the provisions of Sections 21-27-11 through 21-27-69 and the ordinance authorizing the issuance of such bond or interest coupon. If there be any default in the payment of the interest on and principal of any of said bonds, any court having jurisdiction in the proper action may, upon petition of the holder of any of such bonds, appoint a receiver to administer and operate the system with power to fix rates and collect charges sufficient to provide for the payment of all bonds outstanding to the payment of which the revenues of such system are pledged and to pay the expenses of operating and maintaining such system and to apply the revenues of such system, all in conformity with the provisions of Sections 21-27-11 through 21-27-69 and of the ordinance authorizing the issuance of such bonds.
MS Code § 21-27-55 (2020)
2020 Mississippi Code|Title 21 - Municipalities|Chapter 27 - Public Utilities and Transportation|Municipally Owned Utilities|§ 21-27-55. Bonds may be called

 The governing authorities of any municipality authorizing revenue bonds pursuant to the authority granted in Sections 21-27-23 and 21-27-51, may make provisions for any of such revenue bonds to be called for payment at any interest payment date before maturity, provided the municipality shall have on hand in its bond and interest fund sufficient moneys, not otherwise appropriated or pledged, in excess of the interest and principal requirements within the next two succeeding calendar, operating or fiscal years.
MS Code § 21-27-57 (2020)
2020 Mississippi Code|Title 21 - Municipalities|Chapter 27 - Public Utilities and Transportation|Municipally Owned Utilities|§ 21-27-57. Disposition of revenues

 In the authorizing order or ordinance, the governing authorities of the municipality shall set aside monthly and shall pledge the revenues of the system or combined system, in separate and special funds as follows: (1) operation and maintenance fund; (2) depreciation fund; (3) bond and interest fund; (4) contingent fund. A sufficient amount shall be set aside each year for the retirement of the bonds and interest. Any surplus revenue remaining shall be disposed of by the governing authorities of the municipality as they may determine from time to time for the best interest of the municipality. However, in the segregation into the several funds the governing authorities may prescribe a reasonable excess amount to be placed in the revenue bond and interest fund from time to time during the earlier years of maturity of such bonds so as to thereby provide and produce a cushion fund to meet any possible deficiencies therein in future years. In the event such excess amounts are provided in the earlier years, the same would be available for such purposes. Bonds pursuant to the authority granted in Sections 21-27-23 and 21-27-51, shall be payable solely from revenues of said project and out of the bond and interest fund.
MS Code § 21-27-59 (2020)
2020 Mississippi Code|Title 21 - Municipalities|Chapter 27 - Public Utilities and Transportation|Municipally Owned Utilities|§ 21-27-59. General revenues may be used for operation and maintenance of system

 Nothing in Sections 21-27-11 through 21-27-69 shall be construed to prohibit the municipality from appropriating and using any part of its available income or revenues derived from any source other than from the operation of such system or combined system in paying any immediate expenses of operation and/or maintenance of any such system or combined system. Nothing in Sections 21-27-11 through 21-27-69 shall be construed, however, to require the municipality to do so.
MS Code § 21-27-61 (2020)
2020 Mississippi Code|Title 21 - Municipalities|Chapter 27 - Public Utilities and Transportation|Municipally Owned Utilities|§ 21-27-61. Distribution of revenues and surplus; minutes of municipal governing authorities

 The governing authorities of any municipality shall devote all monies of the system derived from any source other than the issuance of bonds for purposes authorized by the laws of the State of Mississippi, to or for the payment of all operating expenses, including such items as are normally required of utilities for sales development; to or for the payment of all bonds and interest on outstanding revenue bonds, if any, of such system; to or for the acquisition and improvement of the system contingencies; to or for the payment of all other obligations incurred in the operation and maintenance of the system and the furnishing of service; and to or for the creation and maintenance of a cash working fund or a surplus fund to be used for replacement, extension of systems and emergencies. The balance of any monies, including but not limited to, any which have heretofore been classified as revenues or surplus of such system, if any, may be used for any lawful, municipal purpose and may be paid to the governing authorities of the municipality for distribution to the various municipal funds or may be disbursed for such purpose by the governing authorities at their direction. The purpose of any allocation or expenditure of money made pursuant to this section shall be spread upon the minutes of the municipal governing authorities.
MS Code § 21-27-63 (2020)
2020 Mississippi Code|Title 21 - Municipalities|Chapter 27 - Public Utilities and Transportation|Municipally Owned Utilities|§ 21-27-63. Contracts and liens not impaired

 Nothing in Sections 21-27-11 through 21-27-69 shall be construed as authorizing any municipality to impair or commit a breach of the obligation of any valid lien or contract created or entered into by it, the intention hereof being to authorize the pledging, setting aside and segregation of gross revenue only where consistent with outstanding obligations of such municipality.
MS Code § 21-27-65 (2020)
2020 Mississippi Code|Title 21 - Municipalities|Chapter 27 - Public Utilities and Transportation|Municipally Owned Utilities|§ 21-27-65. Penalty for failing to set aside trust funds

 If, after the governing authorities of any municipality have issued revenue bonds pursuant to the authority granted in Sections 21-27-23 and 21-27-51, said governing authorities fail or refuse to carry out their duties with reference to setting aside the trust funds, said officers shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon trial and conviction, shall be removed from office.
MS Code § 21-27-67 (2020)
2020 Mississippi Code|Title 21 - Municipalities|Chapter 27 - Public Utilities and Transportation|Municipally Owned Utilities|§ 21-27-67. Construction of sections

 Sections 21-27-11 through 21-27-69, being necessary for and to secure the public health, safety, convenience and welfare of the municipalities of the State of Mississippi, shall be liberally construed to effect the purposes hereof.   The powers conferred by Sections 21-27-11 through 21-27-69 shall be in addition to the powers conferred by any other law, general, special or local, and such sections shall, without reference to any other statute or to any charter, be deemed full authority to purchase or improve and to own and operate the authorized revenue producing systems, to fix, maintain, and to collect rates for the facilities afforded by such systems, to issue and to sell the authorized bonds, and shall be construed as an additional and alternative method therefor, any provisions of the general laws of the state or of any charter to the contrary notwithstanding.