Mississippi House Bill HB712

Mississippi 2023 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/16/23
• Refer: 1/16/23
• Failed: 1/31/23

Caption

State advertising; prohibit elected and appointed officers from publicly participating in.

Impact

The proposed legislation would amend the Mississippi Code to include a new section that enforces these prohibitions. This means that state officers would not be allowed to appear in any form of media promoting products or services if public funding was used. Exceptions exist for involvement in the production of advertisements where their image or voice does not appear, allowing them to contribute to advertising concepts without directly promoting through their likeness or voice.

Summary

House Bill 712 seeks to prohibit elected and appointed state officials in Mississippi from visually or audibly participating in public advertisements funded, either wholly or partially, by legislative appropriations. This legislation aims to establish clear boundaries regarding how public funds are used in advertising campaigns, particularly to ensure that taxpayer resources are not utilized for personal or political gain by state officials. By implementing these restrictions, the bill attempts to uphold public trust by limiting instances where state officers could be seen or heard in advertisements that the state funds.

Contention

One notable concern surrounding HB 712 is the potential chilling effect it could have on public outreach programs that utilize advertisements for critical state initiatives. Some critics argue that by limiting state officials' visibility in public-funded advertising, there may be an adverse impact on voter awareness and engagement on important public issues. Proponents, however, argue that the bill reinforces accountability and prevents the misuse of public funds for personal promotion by officials, thereby enhancing transparency in government spending.