Bill > HB1683

This bill requires that individuals and organizations acting as representatives of "hostile foreign principals" or that are "foreign-supported political organizations" must register with the Mississippi Secretary of State and report their activities. A "hostile foreign principal" is defined as the government or political party of specific nations like China, Russia, North Korea, or Iran, or entities organized under their laws, as well as non-resident aliens from these countries. A "foreign-supported political organization" is any group that has received money from a hostile foreign principal or its representative within the last five years and engages in "political activity," which means trying to influence state or local government policies, laws, or elections. Representatives of hostile foreign principals must register within ten days of acting as such and update their registration quarterly, while foreign-supported political organizations must register annually and disclose their officers, affiliations, expenditures made to influence state or local government, and any funds received from hostile foreign principals. The bill also amends existing law to clarify that this new reporting requirement is in addition to other existing campaign finance reporting obligations, and the Secretary of State is empowered to investigate violations and impose civil penalties ranging from $500 to $2,000 per violation.

Government Affairs

https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/2026/pdf/history/HB/HB1683.xml