Bill > SB2089

This bill amends Mississippi's lobbying regulations to require greater transparency from lobbyists who have a potential financial conflict of interest. Specifically, the bill introduces two new key definitions: "material financial interest" (defined as a personal and pecuniary interest accruing to a lobbyist or their spouse) and "pecuniary benefit" (defined as an economic gain in the form of money, property, ownership interest, or commercial interest). The legislation mandates that any lobbyist who has a material financial interest in a business that could potentially benefit from legislative action must provide a written disclosure to the Lieutenant Governor, Speaker of the House, and the chairmen of the relevant legislative committees before floor action occurs in either the Senate or House. The Secretary of State is tasked with creating the necessary forms for these disclosures and maintaining them for public inspection. The bill aims to increase transparency in the lobbying process by requiring lobbyists to proactively reveal potential financial conflicts of interest that might influence their legislative advocacy. The new regulations will take effect on July 1, 2025, giving state officials and lobbyists time to prepare for the new disclosure requirements.