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The Mississippi Pro-Entrepreneurship & AI Workforce Act (MS-AI-Workforce)

Mississippi state companion to AI Workforce. Builds on Miss. Code Ann. Title 79 (Corporations), Miss. Code Ann. Title 27 Ch. 7 income-tax credits, and AccelerateMS workforce infrastructure.

THE MISSISSIPPI PRO-ENTREPRENEURSHIP & AI WORKFORCE ACT (MS-AI-WORKFORCE)

Vehicle: State passage. Mississippi Legislature, regular session. Primary referral to House / Senate Workforce Development / Ways and Means / Finance.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE

This Act may be cited as the “Mississippi Pro-Entrepreneurship & AI Workforce Act (MS-AI-Workforce).”

SECTION 2. LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS AND INTENT

The Legislature finds that Miss. Code Ann. Title 79 governs corporations and business entities; that Miss. Code Ann. Title 27 Ch. 7 contains income-tax credits, including the Jobs Tax Credit under Miss. Code Ann. Sec. 57-73-21; that the Mississippi Development Authority administers incentives under Miss. Code Ann. Title 57; that AccelerateMS coordinates workforce training; and that the Mississippi Community College Board’s Workforce Development Division administers Workforce Enhancement Training Funds under Miss. Code Ann. Sec. 71-5-353. This Act extends these frameworks.

TITLE I — DEFINITIONS & COORDINATION WITH MISSISSIPPI LAW

Sec. 101. Definitions

  1. (a) “Qualified Mississippi AI Workforce Training” means training toward an MSRMC or Federal FRAC in AI fields.
  2. (b) “Mississippi Innovation Sandbox” means a regulatory sandbox under Title III.
  3. (c) “Qualified small business” has the meaning given in Miss. Code Ann. Title 79.

Sec. 102. Coordination with Existing Mississippi Law

  1. (a) Consistent with:
  • Miss. Code Ann. Title 79 (corporations).
  • Miss. Code Ann. Title 27 Ch. 7 (income tax).
  • Miss. Code Ann. Sec. 57-73-21 (Jobs Tax Credit).
  • Miss. Code Ann. Sec. 71-5-353 (Workforce Enhancement Training).

TITLE II — MISSISSIPPI AI WORKFORCE TRAINING CREDIT

Sec. 201. Income-Tax Credit

  1. (a) A new credit is added to Miss. Code Ann. Title 27 Ch. 7 for qualified AI workforce training expenditures.
  2. (b) Coordinated with federal IRC Sec. 45BB; aggregate cap.
  3. (c) Credit equals 30% of eligible expenditures capped at $3,000 per employee / $150,000 per employer annually.
  4. (d) Mississippi Department of Revenue administers.

Sec. 202. Coordination with AccelerateMS

  1. (a) AccelerateMS shall publish a list of qualifying MSRMC and Federal FRAC pathways.

TITLE III — MISSISSIPPI INNOVATION SANDBOX

Sec. 301. Establishment

  1. (a) The Mississippi Development Authority, in coordination with the Mississippi Secretary of State, shall operate a Mississippi Innovation Sandbox.
  2. (b) Twenty-four-month terms; renewable.
  3. (c) Consistent with Mississippi’s Financial Technology Innovation Act under Miss. Code Ann. Sec. 75-76-1 et seq., as applicable.

Sec. 302. Scope

  1. (a) Covers state-licensed activities in occupational-licensure boards under Miss. Code Ann. Title 73 and financial-institution activities under Miss. Code Ann. Title 81, to the extent not preempted.

TITLE IV — SMALL-BUSINESS FORMATION

Sec. 401. Expedited Formation Pathway

  1. (a) The Secretary of State shall implement an expedited formation pathway for Miss. Code Ann. Title 79 entities within 24 hours.

Sec. 402. Single-Portal Licensing

  1. (a) Mississippi.gov business services shall operate a single-portal licensing system for state-level occupational licenses under Miss. Code Ann. Title 73.

TITLE V — IMPLEMENTATION & GENERAL PROVISIONS

Sec. 501. Severability

If any provision is held invalid, the invalidity shall not affect the remainder.

Sec. 502. Effective Date

This Act shall take effect July 1 of the year following enactment, except that Sec. 201 shall apply to tax years beginning on or after January 1 of that year.

Canonical federal version: AI Workforce. Other Mississippi bills: MS-ACSA, MS-MEWRA, MS-GT&P.