Bill Text: MS SB2070 | 2013 | Regular Session | Enrolled
Bill Title: Notice of state agency meetings; shall be published on the DFA Transparency website.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2013-03-20 - Approved by Governor [SB2070 Detail]
Download: Mississippi-2013-SB2070-Enrolled.html
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2013 Regular Session
To: Accountability, Efficiency, Transparency
By: Senator(s) Blount
Senate Bill 2070
(As Sent to Governor)
AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 25-41-13, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT NOTICE OF ANY REGULAR MEETING HELD BY A STATE AGENCY, OTHER THAN A LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE, SHALL BE SUBMITTED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION AT LEAST 24 HOURS BEFORE THE MEETING IN ORDER TO BE POSTED ON THE DEPARTMENT'S SEARCHABLE WEBSITE CREATED BY THE MISSISSIPPI ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY ACT; TO CREATE NEW SECTION 27-104-163, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION TO PUBLISH SUCH NOTICES ON ITS SEARCHABLE WEBSITE; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:
SECTION 1. Section 25-41-13, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
25-41-13. (1) Any public body which holds its meetings at such times and places and by such procedures as are specifically prescribed by statute shall continue to do so and no additional notice of such meetings shall be required except that a notice of the place, date, hour and subject matter of any recess meeting, adjourned meeting, interim meeting or any called special meeting shall be posted within one (1) hour after such meeting is called in a prominent place available to examination and inspection by the general public in the building in which the public body normally meets. A copy of the notice shall be made a part of the minutes or other permanent official records of the public body.
(2) Any public body, other than a legislative committee, which does not have statutory provisions prescribing the times and places and the procedures by which its meetings are to be held shall, at its first regular or special meeting after the effective date of this chapter spread upon its minutes the times and places and the procedures by which all of its meetings are to be held.
(3) Notice of any regular meeting held by a state agency, other than a legislative committee, shall be submitted to the Department of Finance and Administration at least twenty-four (24) hours before the meeting in order to be posted on the department's searchable website created by the Mississippi Accountability and Transparency Act, Section 27-104-152 et seq. For purposes of this subsection, the term "state agency" means an agency, department, institution, board, commission, council, office, bureau, division, committee or subcommittee of the state. However, the term "state agency" does not include institutions of higher learning, community and junior colleges, counties or municipalities.
( * * *4) During a regular or special session
of the Mississippi Legislature, notice of meetings of all committees, other
than conference committees, shall be given by announcement on the loudspeaker
during sessions of the House of Representatives or Senate or by posting on a
bulletin board provided for that purpose by each body.
( * * *5) When not in session, the meeting
times and places of all committees shall be kept by the Clerk of the House of
Representatives as to House committees and by the Secretary of the Senate as to
Senate committees, and shall be available at all times during regular working
hours to the public and news media.
SECTION 2. The following shall be codified as Section 27-104-163, Mississippi Code of 1972:
27-104-163. The Department of Finance and Administration shall publish on its searchable website notice of any regular meeting held by a state agency, other than a legislative committee, in accordance with Section 25-41-13. For purposes of this section, the term "state agency" means an agency, department, institution, board, commission, council, office, bureau, division, committee or subcommittee of the state. However, the term "state agency" does not include institutions of higher learning, community and junior colleges, counties or municipalities.
SECTION 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2013.
