Bill Text: MS SB2733 | 2011 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Files and records of the Legislature; clarify privileged status of.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Failed) 2011-02-01 - Died In Committee [SB2733 Detail]
Download: Mississippi-2011-SB2733-Introduced.html
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2011 Regular Session
To: Rules
By: Senator(s) Mettetal
Senate Bill 2733
AN ACT TO MAKE CERTAIN FILES AND RECORDS OF THE LEGISLATURE PRIVILEGED AND NOT SUBJECT TO JUDICIAL OR ADMINISTRATIVE SUBPOENA OR DISCOVERY; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:
SECTION 1. The Legislature declares the following:
(a) That the Mississippi Constitution of 1890 vests the Legislature with the authority to investigate activities public and private to support the legislative process;
(b) That the process by which the Legislature conducts investigations and deliberates on public policy making is critical to the making of sound public policy;
(c) That information collected during these processes by the Legislature and its staff's not publicly reported should be protected from use in association with trials and administrative hearings as such use could place a chill on the deliberative processes of the Legislature; and
(d) That conferring the status of privileged communication upon certain records is a necessary incident to the Legislature's constitutional independence as a separate branch of state government.
SECTION 2. All records, files, correspondence, data, draft report, or any other information maintained in print, electronic, magnetic or other form of media by the Legislature, except for publicly released reports of the Legislature or its committees, shall be privileged, and not subject discovery, or subpoenas of the courts of the State of Mississippi or the administrative agencies of the state.
SECTION 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2011.
