Bill Text: MS HB733 | 2011 | Regular Session | Introduced

Mississippi House Bill 733 (Prior Session Legislation)

Introduced

Bill Title: Public records; require public bodies to maintain certain information on websites.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Failed) 2011-02-01 - Died In Committee [HB733 Detail]

Download: Mississippi-2011-HB733-Introduced.html

MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

2011 Regular Session

To: Appropriations

By: Representative Baker (74th)

House Bill 733

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 25-61-5, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REQUIRE PUBLIC BODIES TO MAINTAIN CERTAIN PUBLIC RECORDS ON THEIR WEBSITES; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. Section 25-61-5, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

25-61-5. (1) (a) Except as otherwise provided by Sections 25-61-9 and 25-61-11, all public records are hereby declared to be public property, and any person shall have the right to inspect, copy or mechanically reproduce or obtain a reproduction of any public record of a public body in accordance with reasonable written procedures adopted by the public body concerning the cost, time, place and method of access, and public notice of the procedures shall be given by the public body, or, if a public body has not adopted written procedures, the right to inspect, copy or mechanically reproduce or obtain a reproduction of a public record of the public body shall be provided within one (1) working day after a written request for a public record is made. No public body shall adopt procedures which will authorize the public body to produce or deny production of a public record later than seven (7) working days from the date of the receipt of the request for the production of the record.

(b) If a public body is unable to produce a public record by the seventh working day after the request is made, the public body must provide a written explanation to the person making the request stating that the record requested will be produced and specifying with particularity why the records cannot be produced within the seven-day period. Unless there is mutual agreement of the parties, in no event shall the date for the public body's production of the requested records be any later than fourteen (14) working days from the receipt by the public body of the original request.

(2) If any public record contains material which is not exempted under this chapter, the public agency shall redact the exempted and make the nonexempted material available for examination. Such public agency shall be entitled to charge a reasonable fee for the redaction of any exempted material, not to exceed the agency's actual cost.

(3) Denial by a public body of a request for access to or copies of public records under this chapter shall be in writing and shall contain a statement of the specific exemption relied upon by the public body for the denial. Each public body shall maintain a file of all denials of requests for public records. Public bodies shall be required to preserve such denials on file for not less than three (3) years from the date such denials are made. This file shall be made available for inspection or copying, or both, during regular office hours to any person upon written request.

(4) A public body shall maintain the following public records on the agency's website where applicable and not exempted:

(a) The names and contact information of the public body's board members and the position they represent.

(b) The date, location, time and agenda of the public body's board meetings.

(d) The contact person and information of the public body who provides information in regards to receiving public notices on any policy change or public hearing being held by the public body.

(e) The public body's state plan.

(f) The public body's annual report to the Governor and Legislature.

(g) The public body's actual budget and expenditures for the past fiscal year.

(h) A list of any council, commission, committee, subcommittee, board or task force that is considered to be a part of the public body.

(i) The names and contact information of members of any council, commission, committee, subcommittee, board or task force that is considered to be a part of the public body and the position they represent.

(j) The date, location, time and agenda of any council, commission, committee, subcommittee, board or task force that is considered to be a part of the public body.

(k) The approved minutes any council, commission, committee, subcommittee, board or task force that is considered to be a part of the public body.

(l) The contact person and information to any council, commission, committee, subcommittee, board or task force that is considered to be a part of the public body relating to receiving public notice on any meeting, policy change or public hearing being held.

(m) Any plan submitted by any council, commission, committee, subcommittee, board or task force that is considered to be a part of the public body.

(n) The annual report of any council, commission, committee, subcommittee, board or task force that is considered to be a part of the public body to Governor and Legislature.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2011.