Mississippi Administrative Code Title 28 - Ports and Airports
Here’s a clear, well‑sourced breakdown of Mississippi Administrative Code – Title 28: Ports and Airports, which governs oversight and operation of public ports and airports:
📌 Overview of Title 28 Structure
According to Justia and Cornell LII, Title 28 is divided into several distinct parts, each addressing specific entities or operational domains
Part 1 – Tariff No. 7: Schedule of Charges, Rules & Regulations for Port Terminal Services (Chapters 1–4)
Part 301 – Operations & Procedures Manual of the Mississippi State Port Authority (MSPA) at Gulfport (Chapters 1–35)
Part 303 – [Repealed] (Chapters 1–4)
Part 305 – Personnel Guidelines, Policies & Procedures (Chapters 1–7)
Part 307 – By‑Laws of the Mississippi State Port Authority at Gulfport (Chapter 1)
Part 309 – MSPA’s Section 3 Plan for Port Restoration
🛳️ Key Parts Explained
Part 1 – Terminal Services Tariff
Covers detailed schedules and regulations related to port terminal charges and operations.
Part 301 – Gulfport Port Authority Operations
This is the most extensive section, detailing the internal processes and organization of MSPA, including:
Chapter 1: Scope of MSPA authority, mission, geographic coordinates, and physical address .
Chapter 2: Governance structure—five-member board, appointment processes
Chapters 3–4: Code of Ethics, Conflict‑of‑Interest policies.
Chapters 5–6: Anti-harassment and whistleblower protections.
Chapters 7–10: Employment procedures, public records, rulemaking, open‑meetings.
Chapter 11: Open‑meetings compliance under state law
Chapter 12: Procurement rules, including public bidding thresholds (e.g., > $50K requires legal ads)
Chapters 13–16: Policies on bid protests, environmental spill reporting, architect selection, sign permitting.
Chapter 18: Port security responsibilities—armed security roles.
Chapter 25: Dock release/receipt issuance procedures for cargo removal.
Chapter 26: Licensing verification for ship chandlers.
Chapter 35: Hurricane preparedness procedures—declaring emergencies, departmental roles, readiness timelines (June 1–Nov 30) (sos.ms.gov, sos.ms.gov).
Part 305 – Personnel Policies
Provides comprehensive human resources guidelines, covering:
HR structure and at-will employment designations
Benefits (insurance, retirement, leave)
Drug- and alcohol-free workplace rules
Training and continuing education requirements
Part 307 – By‑Laws of MSPA
Defines board meeting protocols, officer roles, quorum requirements, election cycles (December), fiscal year (July 1–June 30), audit mandates, ethics/conflict‑of‑interest obligations
Part 309 – Section 3 Plan Restoration
Outlines MSPA’s plan to comply with Section 3 of the Housing and Urban Development Act in port restoration initiatives (e.g., workforce and contracting opportunities).
🧭 Quick Summary Table
| Part | Content Area |
|---|---|
| 1 | Tariffs and terminal service rules |
| 301 | Operational procedures, governance, ethics, HR, security, environmental, emergency practices |
| 303 | Repealed |
| 305 | Personnel management – policies, benefits, workplace standards |
| 307 | Internal bylaws: meetings, officer roles, audits, ethics |
| 309 | Port restoration & HUD Section 3 Plan |
💡 Where to Find the Regulations
Justia or Cornell LII host structured overviews
Mississippi SOS Administrative Code PDFs (e.g., for Parts 301, 305, 307)
Example: MSPA procedures manual
Personnel guidelines
By‑laws
Do write to us at lawgratis@gmail.com
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