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Bill > HB49
MS HB49
MS HB49State Inspector General; create office attached to Governor's Office for examination of executive agencies.
summary
Introduced
01/10/2025
01/10/2025
In Committee
01/10/2025
01/10/2025
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
02/04/2025
02/04/2025
Introduced Session
2025 Regular Session
Bill Summary
An Act To Create The Office Of Inspector General; To Define Certain Terms; To Require The Office Of Inspector General To Be Administratively Attached To The Office Of The Governor For The Purpose Of Investigating And Pursuing Charges With Respect To The Detection And Eradication Of Fraud, Waste, Misconduct, Inefficiencies, Mismanagement, Abuse And Corruption In The Executive Branch Of State Government; To Require The Governor, With The Advice And Consent Of The Senate, To Appoint A State Inspector General; To Require The Governor To Fix The Salary Of The Inspector General; To Establish Minimum Qualifications For The State Inspector General; To Prescribe The Powers And Duties Of The Office Of Inspector General; To Require Agencies Under Investigation To Cooperate With The Office Of Inspector General; To Prohibit An Agency From Taking Adverse Action Against An Employee For Disclosing Prohibited Activity To The Inspector General; To Authorize The Inspector General To Administer Oaths And Issue Subpoenas To Compel The Attendance Of Witnesses And The Production Of Items Constituting Evidence; To Authorize The Inspector General To Employ Peace Officers To Assist The Office In Carrying Out Its Duties And Conducting Criminal Investigations; To Amend Section 25-9-171, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Include The Office Of Inspector General In The Definition Of "state Investigative Body" As That Term Is Used In Statutes Granting Whistleblower Protection To Public Employees; To Rescind Executive Order No. 728, Dated April 5, 1993, Which Created The Position Of State Inspector General In The Office Of The Governor; And For Related Purposes.
AI Summary
This bill creates the Office of Inspector General (OIG) within the Governor's Office to investigate and address potential misconduct in Mississippi's executive branch government agencies. The bill establishes that the State Inspector General, appointed by the Governor with Senate consent, will lead the office and be responsible for detecting and eradicating fraud, waste, misconduct, inefficiencies, mismanagement, abuse, and corruption. The Inspector General must be designated as a Certified Inspector General and will have broad investigative powers, including the ability to administer oaths, issue subpoenas, enter agency premises, and access agency records. The office can receive and investigate complaints from any source, report findings to the Governor and other appropriate agencies, and recommend disciplinary actions. The bill also protects whistleblowers from retaliation and requires agencies to cooperate with OIG investigations. Additionally, the bill amends existing state law to include the Office of Inspector General as a "state investigative body" and rescinds a previous executive order related to the Inspector General position. The new office will have jurisdiction over all executive branch agencies and will aim to promote accountability, integrity, and efficiency in state government operations.
Committee Categories
Government Affairs
Sponsors (1)
Last Action
Died In Committee (on 02/04/2025)
Official Document
bill text
bill summary
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bill summary
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bill summary
| Document Type | Source Location |
|---|---|
| State Bill Page | https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/2025/pdf/history/HB/HB0049.xml |
| BillText | https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2025/html/HB/0001-0099/HB0049IN.htm |
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