| 1 | 1 | | MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE 2025 Regular Session To: Accountability, Efficiency, Transparency By: Representative Ford (54th) House Bill 1477 AN ACT TO REQUIRE ANY AGENCY, BOARD, COMMISSION, PUBLIC OFFICER, OR OFFICIAL OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI TO PROVIDE PRIOR WRITTEN NOTIFICATION TO THE GOVERNOR AND THE LEGISLATURE, BEFORE ENTERING INTO ANY AGREED JUDGMENT, CONSENT DECREE, OR OTHER SETTLEMENT OF ANY LITIGATION OR CLAIM AGAINST THE STATE IF THE SETTLEMENT IS OVER A CERTAIN AMOUNT; TO BRING FORWARD SECTION 27-104-167, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, WHICH REQUIRES THE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION TO PUBLISH CERTAIN INFORMATION ON ITS WEBSITE FOR PURPOSES OF AMENDMENT; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: SECTION 1. (1) No agency, board, commission, public officer, or official of the State of Mississippi shall, without prior written notification to the Governor and the Legislature, enter into any agreed judgment, consent decree, or other settlement of any litigation or claim against the state if the settlement: (a) Would require an expenditure in an amount that exceeds One Million Dollars ($1,000,000.00) or, (b) Would impact the administration of any election. (2) For the purposes of this act, written notification to the Governor and the Legislature shall be provided on a form as prescribed by the Attorney General and delivered to the Governor and the Lieutenant Governor and Speaker of the House of Representatives on behalf of the Legislature. Any agreed judgment, consent decree, or other settlement of any litigation or claim against the state subject to the provisions of this act, shall not go into effect until thirty (30) days after written notification to the Governor and the Legislature unless said period is waived by the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and Speaker of the House of Representatives. (3) Any agreed judgment, consent decree, or other settlement of any litigation or claim entered into violation of this act shall be void. (4) Any records, documents and information communicated to the Governor and the Legislature in accordance with the provisions of this act are exempt from the Mississippi Public Records Act of 1983, Miss. Code Ann. Sections 25-61-1, et seq. SECTION 2. Section 27-104-167, Mississippi Code of 1972, is brought forward as follows: 27-104-167. The Department of Finance and Administration shall publish on its searchable website the annual report of each agency, board, commission, department and institution required to be prepared by Section 27-101-1. The Department of Finance and Administration shall have the authority to establish the forms, processes, procedures and timelines to furnish the annual report. All such agencies, boards, commissions, departments and institutions shall fully cooperate with the Department of Finance and Administration in providing the information necessary to comply with the requirements of this section. SECTION 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2025. |
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| 2 | 2 | | |
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| 3 | 3 | | MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | 2025 Regular Session |
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| 6 | 6 | | |
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| 7 | 7 | | To: Accountability, Efficiency, Transparency |
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| 8 | 8 | | |
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| 9 | 9 | | By: Representative Ford (54th) |
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| 10 | 10 | | |
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| 11 | 11 | | # House Bill 1477 |
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| 12 | 12 | | |
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| 13 | 13 | | AN ACT TO REQUIRE ANY AGENCY, BOARD, COMMISSION, PUBLIC OFFICER, OR OFFICIAL OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI TO PROVIDE PRIOR WRITTEN NOTIFICATION TO THE GOVERNOR AND THE LEGISLATURE, BEFORE ENTERING INTO ANY AGREED JUDGMENT, CONSENT DECREE, OR OTHER SETTLEMENT OF ANY LITIGATION OR CLAIM AGAINST THE STATE IF THE SETTLEMENT IS OVER A CERTAIN AMOUNT; TO BRING FORWARD SECTION 27-104-167, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, WHICH REQUIRES THE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION TO PUBLISH CERTAIN INFORMATION ON ITS WEBSITE FOR PURPOSES OF AMENDMENT; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. |
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| 14 | 14 | | |
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| 15 | 15 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: |
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| 16 | 16 | | |
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| 17 | 17 | | SECTION 1. (1) No agency, board, commission, public officer, or official of the State of Mississippi shall, without prior written notification to the Governor and the Legislature, enter into any agreed judgment, consent decree, or other settlement of any litigation or claim against the state if the settlement: |
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| 18 | 18 | | |
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| 19 | 19 | | (a) Would require an expenditure in an amount that exceeds One Million Dollars ($1,000,000.00) or, |
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| 20 | 20 | | |
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| 21 | 21 | | (b) Would impact the administration of any election. |
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| 22 | 22 | | |
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| 23 | 23 | | (2) For the purposes of this act, written notification to the Governor and the Legislature shall be provided on a form as prescribed by the Attorney General and delivered to the Governor and the Lieutenant Governor and Speaker of the House of Representatives on behalf of the Legislature. |
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| 24 | 24 | | |
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| 25 | 25 | | Any agreed judgment, consent decree, or other settlement of any litigation or claim against the state subject to the provisions of this act, shall not go into effect until thirty (30) days after written notification to the Governor and the Legislature unless said period is waived by the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and Speaker of the House of Representatives. |
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| 26 | 26 | | |
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| 27 | 27 | | (3) Any agreed judgment, consent decree, or other settlement of any litigation or claim entered into violation of this act shall be void. |
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| 28 | 28 | | |
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| 29 | 29 | | (4) Any records, documents and information communicated to the Governor and the Legislature in accordance with the provisions of this act are exempt from the Mississippi Public Records Act of 1983, Miss. Code Ann. Sections 25-61-1, et seq. |
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| 30 | 30 | | |
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| 31 | 31 | | SECTION 2. Section 27-104-167, Mississippi Code of 1972, is brought forward as follows: |
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| 32 | 32 | | |
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| 33 | 33 | | 27-104-167. The Department of Finance and Administration shall publish on its searchable website the annual report of each agency, board, commission, department and institution required to be prepared by Section 27-101-1. The Department of Finance and Administration shall have the authority to establish the forms, processes, procedures and timelines to furnish the annual report. All such agencies, boards, commissions, departments and institutions shall fully cooperate with the Department of Finance and Administration in providing the information necessary to comply with the requirements of this section. |
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| 34 | 34 | | |
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| 35 | 35 | | SECTION 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2025. |
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