summary
Introduced
01/24/2020
01/24/2020
In Committee
01/24/2020
01/24/2020
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
03/12/2020
03/12/2020
Introduced Session
2020 Regular Session
Bill Summary
An Act To Amend Section 25-4-19, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Provide That The Mississippi Ethics Commission Shall Intervene On Behalf Of An Unrepresented Person When A Public Official Appeals A Decision Of The Commission To The Chancery Court; To Provide That The Mississippi Ethics Commission Shall Employ An Attorney When The Commission Is Unable To Represent That Person; To Provide That The Contract Hiring Such Attorney Must Be Approved By The Attorney General; To Amend Section 25-61-12, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Revise The Mississippi Public Records Act To Provide That Once An Investigation Has Concluded Or A Trial Has Concluded, Certain Investigative Reports Shall Be Subject To The Mississippi Public Records Act; To Amend Section 25-61-15, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Revise The Penalties For A Person Who Violates The Reporting Requirements Of The Mississippi Public Records Act; And For Related Purposes.
AI Summary
This bill amends the Mississippi Public Records Act in several ways:
1) It allows the Mississippi Ethics Commission to intervene on behalf of an unrepresented person when a public official appeals the Commission's decision to the chancery court, and requires the Commission to employ an attorney in such cases, with the contract approved by the Attorney General.
2) It revises the Act to provide that once an investigation or trial has concluded, certain investigative reports shall be subject to the Act's public records provisions.
3) It increases the penalties for violating the Act's reporting requirements, starting at $200 for the first violation and going up to $1,000 for subsequent violations.
The overall aim is to strengthen public access to government records in Mississippi, while also providing procedural protections for the Ethics Commission and those it investigates.
Committee Categories
Government Affairs
Sponsors (1)
Last Action
Died On Calendar (on 03/12/2020)
Official Document
bill text
bill summary
Loading...
bill summary
Loading...
bill summary
Loading...