Mississippi § 69-35-27 - Collection of assessment; failure to pay assessment.

§ 69-35-27. Collection of assessment; failure to pay assessment.

In the event a majority of the bulk tank units eligible for participation in such referendum and voting therein shall vote in favor of such assessment, then the said assessment shall be collected monthly for the number of years set forth in the call for such referendum, and the collection of such assessment shall be under such method, rules and regulations as may be determined by the state ADA conducting the same; and the said assessment so collected shall be paid into the treasury of the state ADA to be used together with other funds from other sources. Funds to be collected pursuant to a referendum conducted under this act shall be withheld and paid by each handler, including producer handlers, to the state ADA by the last calendar day of the month succeeding the month in which the milk was received by the handler. In the event of a failure to pay part or all of an assessment levied pursuant to this act, the Attorney General of the state shall, upon the request of the state ADA, enforce the provisions of this act and collect such monies for payment to the state ADA. In the alternative to requesting the Attorney General to enforce the provisions of this act, the state ADA may bring a civil action to collect assessment from a handler failing to pay such assessments. A handler found to have failed to pay assessments pursuant to this act shall also be liable for reasonable attorney’s fees and costs in the collection of such assessments.