Miss. Code Ann. § 25-43-1.107 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 13 / Section 43-1.107
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-43-1.107
Status: in_force

Every agency as defined in this chapter shall, no later than October 1, 2003, file with the Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of the House a report which outlines any conflicts between this chapter and any other laws affecting the agency. This report shall include proposed legislation to bring the other laws into conformity with the requirements of this chapter. The Secretary of State shall, no later than December 1, 2003, file with the Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of the House a list of sections which the Secretary of State believes conflict with this chapter. The Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of the House shall maintain a list of agencies which have complied with this section.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-15-201 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 14 / Section 15-201
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-15-201
Status: in_force

The military department is authorized and empowered to procure and pay for group death and dismemberment insurance coverage to protect members of the National Guard and their estates, or their named beneficiaries, to the extent of twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000.00) per person, if death or dismemberment occurs while performing authorized state military duty. The premiums on such insurance shall be calculated on a man-day basis and coverage shall be in effect only during such duty.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-61-9 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 13 / Section 61-9
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-61-9
Status: in_force

(1)(a) Records furnished to public bodies by third parties which contain trade secrets or confidential commercial or financial information shall not be subject to inspection, examination, copying or reproduction under this chapter until notice to third parties has been given, but the records shall be released no later than twenty-one (21) days from the date the third parties are given notice by the public body unless the third parties have filed in chancery court a petition seeking a protective order on or before the expiration of the twenty-one-day time period. Any party seeking the protective order shall give notice to the party requesting the information in accordance with the Mississippi Rules of Civil Procedure.

(b) If a court determines that a person or entity has made duplicative requests for public records that are the subject of a protective order under paragraph (a) of this subsection, the court shall order the requesting person or entity to reimburse the third party's costs and attorney's fees for seeking additional protective orders for the same or substantially similar requests for public records.

(2) If any public record which is held to be exempt from disclosure pursuant to this chapter contains material which is not exempt pursuant to this chapter, the public body shall separate the exempt material and make the nonexempt material available for examination or copying, or both, as provided for in this chapter.

(3) Trade secrets and confidential commercial and financial information of a proprietary nature developed by a college, university or public hospital under contract with a firm, business, partnership, association, corporation, individual or other like entity shall not be subject to inspection, examination, copying or reproduction under this chapter.

(4) Misappropriation of a trade secret shall be governed by the provisions of the Mississippi Uniform Trade Secrets Act, Sections 75 - 26 -1 through 75-26-19.

(5) A waste minimization plan and any updates developed by generators and facility operators under the Mississippi Comprehensive Multimedia Waste Minimization Act of 1990 shall be retained at the facility and shall not be subject to inspection, examination, copying or reproduction under this chapter.

(6) Data processing software obtained by an agency under a licensing agreement that prohibits its disclosure and which software is a trade secret, as defined in Section 75-26-3 , and data processing software produced by a public body which is sensitive must not be subject to inspection, copying or reproduction under this chapter.

As used in this subsection, “ sensitive ” means only those portions of data processing software, including the specifications and documentation, used to:

(a) Collect, process, store, and retrieve information which is exempt under this chapter.

(b) Control and direct access authorizations and security measures for automated systems.

(c) Collect, process, store, and retrieve information, disclosure of which would require a significant intrusion into the business of the public body.

(7) For all procurement contracts awarded by state agencies, the provisions of the contract which contain the commodities purchased or the personal or professional services provided, the unit prices contained within the procurement contracts, the overall price to be paid, and the term of the contract shall not be deemed to be a trade secret or confidential commercial or financial information under this section, and shall be available for examination, copying or reproduction as provided for in this chapter. Any party seeking a protective order for a procurement contract awarded by state agencies shall give notice to and provide the reasons for the protective order to the party requesting the information in accordance with the Mississippi Rules of Civil Procedure. The notice and reasons for the protective order must be posted on the Mississippi procurement portal for a minimum of seven (7) days before filing the petition seeking the protective order in chancery court. Any party seeking a protective order in violation of this subsection may be barred by a state agency from submitting bids, proposals or qualifications for procurement for a period not to exceed five (5) years.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-53-19 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 14 / Section 53-19
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-53-19
Status: in_force

The authority shall select an executive director, with the advice and consent of the Senate, who shall be the administrative officer of the authority and shall perform such duties as are required of him by law and such other duties as may be assigned him by the authority, and who shall receive such compensation as may be fixed by the authority, subject to the approval of the state personnel board. In addition, he shall be entitled to remuneration for his necessary traveling expenses consistent with general law.

The executive director shall be a graduate of an accredited university with a degree in engineering, business administration, electronic communications, information technology or a related field, with at least ten (10) years' experience in information technology, electronic communications, or a related field, of which at least five (5) years shall be in a responsible high level management position with a demonstrated record of management expertise demonstrated through knowledge in the application of information technology and electronic communications. The qualifications for the executive director prescribed herein shall not apply to the executive director serving on June 30, 1984.

The executive director shall have no vote in the decisions of said authority, but shall offer such professional or technical advice and assistance to the authority as may be required of him. Said executive director, in order to qualify for his position, shall be required to make a good and sufficient bond in some surety company qualified and doing business in the State of Mississippi, in the minimum penal sum of Fifty Thousand Dollars ($50,000.00) conditioned upon the faithful performance of his duties as required by law and the directives of the authority. The premium on said bond shall be paid from any funds available to the authority for such purpose. Said executive director may be removed at any time upon a majority vote of the membership of said authority.

The executive director, with the approval of the authority, shall employ such technical, professional, and clerical help as may be authorized by the authority; and the authority, upon the recommendation of the executive director, shall define the duties and fix the compensation of such employees.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-31-39 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 17 / Section 31-39
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-31-39
Status: in_force

To the extent the district attorney's office receives funds from any source, the district attorney may employ one or more part-time legal assistants who shall serve at the will and pleasure of the district attorney to assist in the performance of the duties of the district attorney. A part-time legal assistant must not engage in the private practice of law, and must possess the qualifications and be subject to removal as provided in Section 25-31-6 . The term “any source” has the meaning ascribed in Section 25-31-5 .
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-62-7 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 51 / Section 62-7
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-62-7
Status: in_force

A person who knowingly violates this chapter is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment of not more than ninety (90) days or a fine of not more than One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00) or both.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-43-1.101 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 19 / Section 43-1.101
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-43-1.101
Status: in_force

(1) This chapter may be cited as the “Mississippi Administrative Procedures Law.”

(2) This chapter is intended to provide a minimum procedural code for the operation of all state agencies when they take action affecting the rights and duties of the public. Nothing in this chapter shall be construed as invalidating any rule or regulation adopted before July 1, 2005, if such rule or regulation was properly adopted in accordance with the law as it existed at the time of adoption. Nothing in this chapter is meant to discourage agencies from adopting procedures providing greater protections to the public or conferring additional rights upon the public; and save for express provisions of this chapter to the contrary, nothing in this chapter is meant to abrogate in whole or in part any statute prescribing procedural duties for an agency which are greater than or in addition to those provided here. This chapter is meant to apply to all rule-making that is not specifically excluded from this chapter or some portion thereof by its express terms or by the express terms of another chapter.

The purposes of the Mississippi Administrative Procedures Law are: to provide legislative oversight of powers and duties delegated to administrative agencies; to increase public accountability of administrative agencies; to simplify government by assuring a uniform minimum procedure to which all agencies will be held in the conduct of their most important functions; to increase public access to governmental information; and to increase public participation in the formulation of administrative rules. In accomplishing its objectives, the intention of this chapter is to strike a fair balance between these purposes and the need for efficient, economical and effective government administration. This chapter is not meant to alter the substantive rights of any person or agency. Its impact is limited to procedural rights with the expectation that better substantive results will be achieved in the everyday conduct of state government by improving the process by which those results are attained.

(3) From and after July 1, 2005, any reference to the Mississippi Administrative Procedure Act, the Mississippi Administrative Procedures Act, the Mississippi Administrative Procedure Law, or the Mississippi Administrative Procedures Law, being Section 25-43-1 et seq., Mississippi Code of 1972 , shall be deemed to mean and refer to this chapter.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-41-15 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 34 / Section 41-15
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-41-15
Status: in_force

The Mississippi Ethics Commission shall have the authority to enforce the provisions of this chapter upon a complaint filed by any person. Upon receiving a complaint, the commission shall forward a copy of the complaint to the head of the public body involved. The public body shall have fourteen (14) days from receipt of the complaint to file a response with the commission. After receiving the response to the complaint or, if no response is received after fourteen (14) days, the commission, in its discretion, may dismiss the complaint or proceed by setting a hearing in accordance with rules and regulations promulgated by the Ethics Commission.

After a hearing, the Ethics Commission may order the public body to take whatever reasonable measures necessary, if any, to comply with this chapter. If the Ethics Commission finds that a member or members of a public body has willfully and knowingly violated the provisions of this chapter, the Ethics Commission may impose a civil penalty upon the individual members of the public body found to be in violation of the provision of this chapter in a sum not to exceed Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) for a first offense and One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00) for a second or subsequent offense, plus all reasonable expenses incurred by the person or persons in bringing the complaint to enforce this chapter.

Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to prohibit the Ethics Commission from mediating or otherwise resolving disputes arising under this chapter or from entering orders agreed to by the parties. In carrying out its responsibilities under this section, the Ethics Commission shall have all the powers and authority granted to it in Title 25, Chapter 4, Mississippi Code of 1972 .

Any party may petition the chancery court of the county in which the public body is located to enforce or appeal any order of the Ethics Commission issued pursuant to this chapter. In any such appeal the chancery court shall conduct a de novo review.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-53-21 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 14 / Section 53-21
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-53-21
Status: in_force

The executive director shall have the following duties, responsibilities and authority:

(a) He shall conduct continuing studies of all information technology activities carried out by all agencies of the state and shall develop a long-range plan for the efficient and economical performance of such activities in state government. Such plan shall be submitted to the authority for its approval and, having been approved by the authority, shall be implemented by the executive director and all state agencies. Such plan shall be continuously reviewed and modifications thereof shall be proposed to the authority by the executive director as developments in information technology techniques and changes in the structure, activities, and functions of state government may require.

(b) He shall review the purchasing practices of all state agencies in the area of the purchasing of supplies for information technology and make recommendations to the authority and to the Public Procurement Review Board for the institution of purchasing procedures which will ensure the most economical procurement of such supplies commensurate with the efficient operation of all departments and agencies of state government.

(c) He shall see that all reports required of all agencies are promptly and accurately made in accordance with the rules and regulations adopted by the authority. Either in person or through his authorized agents, he shall make such inspections of information technology operations being conducted by any of the agencies of the state as may be necessary for the performance of his duties.

(d) He shall suggest and cause to be brought about cooperation between the several state agencies in order to provide efficiency in information technology operation. He shall, together with the heads of the agencies involved, reduce to writing and execute cooperative plans for the acquisition and operation of information technology equipment, and any such plan so adopted shall be carried out in accordance with the provisions of such plan unless the same shall be amended by the joint action of the executive director and the heads of agencies involved. The executive director shall report to the authority the details of any plan so adopted and all amendments or modifications thereof, and shall otherwise report to the authority and to the Public Procurement Review Board any failure on the part of any agency to carry out the provisions of such plan. In the event the head of any agency involved or the executive director shall propose amendments to a plan so adopted and such amendment is disapproved by the head of another agency involved or the executive director, an appeal may be taken to the authority which may, after full consideration thereof, order the adoption of the proposed amendment or any modification thereof. The executive director shall make decisions on all questions of the division of the cost of information technology operations among the several agencies, but his findings shall be subject to the approval or modification by the authority on appeal to it.

(e) He shall review all contracts for acquisition of computer and/or telecommunications equipment or services now or hereafter in force and may require the renegotiation, termination, amendment or execution of any such contracts in proper form and in accordance with the policies and rules and regulations and subject to the direction of the authority. In the negotiation and execution of such contracts, the executive director may negotiate a limitation on the liability to the state of prospective contractors provided such limitation affords the state reasonable protection and the limitation is approved by the state entity for whom the acquisition is being made.

(f) He shall act as the purchasing and contracting agent for the State of Mississippi in the negotiation and execution of all contracts for the acquisition of computer equipment or services. He shall receive, review, and promptly approve or disapprove all requests of agencies of the state for the acquisition of computer equipment or services, which are submitted in accordance with rules and regulations of the authority. In the event that any such request is disapproved, he shall immediately notify the requesting agency and the members of the authority in writing of such disapproval, stating his reasons therefor. The disapproval of any request by the executive director of the authority may be appealed to the authority or to the Public Procurement Review Board, respectively, in such manner as may be authorized by such reasonable rules and regulations hereby authorized to be adopted by the authority and by the Public Procurement Review Board to govern the same. The executive director shall report the approval of all such requests to the authority in such manner as may be directed by the authority, and shall execute any such contracts only after complying with rules and regulations which may be adopted by the authority in relation thereto. Any contracts for personal or professional services entered into by the executive director shall be exempted from the requirements of Section 25-9-120(3) relating to submission of such contract to the State Personal Service Contract Review Board.

(g) He shall suggest and cause to be brought about cooperation between the several state agencies, departments and institutions in order that work may be done by one agency for another agency, and equipment in one agency may be made available to another agency, and suggest and cause to be brought about such improvements as may be necessary in joint or cooperative information technology operations.

(h) He shall be designated as the “Chief Information Confidentiality Officer” after being duly sworn to the oath of this office by the chairman of the authority and shall be responsible for administering the oath to other qualified officers he may designate.

(i) He shall appoint employees of the Mississippi Department of Information Technology Services, or at his discretion, employees of other state agencies and institutions that are responsible for handling or processing data for any agency or institution other than that for which they are employed, to a position of information custodial care that shall be known as “Information Confidentiality Officer.” The selection and swearing of all officers shall be reported to the authority at the next regular meeting and names, affirmation dates and employment dates shall be recorded in the permanent minutes of the authority.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-43-3.102 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 15 / Section 43-3.102
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-43-3.102
Status: in_force

(1) Each agency shall maintain a current, public rule-making docket.

(2) The rule-making docket may, but need not, contain a listing of the subject matter of possible rules currently under active consideration within the agency for proposal under Section 25-43-3.103 and the name and address of agency personnel with whom persons may communicate with respect to the matter.

(3) The rule-making docket must list each pending rule-making proceeding. A rule-making proceeding is pending from the time it is commenced, by proper filing with the Secretary of State of a notice of proposed rule adoption, to the time it is terminated by the filing with the Secretary of State of a notice of termination or the rule becoming effective. For each pending rule-making proceeding, the docket must indicate:

(a) The subject matter of the proposed rule;

(b) A citation to all published notices relating to the proceeding;

(c) Where written submissions or written requests for an opportunity to make oral presentations on the proposed rule may be inspected;

(d) The time during which written submissions may be made;

(e) If applicable, where and when oral presentations may be made;

(f) Where any economic impact statement and written requests for the issuance of and other information concerning an economic impact statement of the proposed rule may be inspected;

(g) The current status of the proposed rule;

(h) The date of the rule's adoption; and

(i) When the rule will become effective.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-55-1 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 55 / Section 55-1
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-55-1
Status: in_force

The provisions of this chapter shall apply as well to records heretofore as hereafter lost, stolen, or destroyed.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-34-57 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 15 / Section 34-57
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-34-57
Status: in_force

This chapter modifies, limits and supersedes the Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, 15 USC Section 7001 et seq., but does not modify, limit or supersede Section 101(c) of that act, 15 USC Section 7001(c) , or authorize electronic delivery of any of the notices described in Section 103(b) of that act, 15 USC Section 7003(b) .
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-31-43 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 13 / Section 31-43
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-31-43
Status: in_force

Any district attorney, legal assistant to a district attorney or criminal investigator employed by a district attorney who retires under the Public Employees' Retirement System for superannuation or for reason of disability shall be allowed to retain, as his personal property, one (1) sidearm which was issued under authority of Section 97-37-7 . The replacement cost of the sidearm shall come from funds appropriated to the district attorney other than those funds appropriated from State General Funds.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-58-1 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 15 / Section 58-1
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-58-1
Status: in_force

(1) For the purposes of this section, the following words shall have the meanings ascribed herein unless the context clearly requires otherwise:

(a) “ Geographic information system ” means a computerized, spatial coordinate mapping and relational data base technology which (i) captures, assembles, stores, converts, manages, analyzes, amalgamates and records, in the digital mode, all kinds and types of information and data; (ii) transforms such information and data into intelligence; and subsequently (iii) retrieves, presents and distributes that intelligence to a user for use in making the intelligent decisions necessary for sound management of private or political affairs.

(b) “ Data base ” means a collection of available information and data assembled into electronic files for efficient and timely management of county and municipal affairs and functions and the exercise of the powers, duties and responsibilities placed upon the governing authorities of a county or municipality by Mississippi law and the Mississippi Constitution.

(c) “ Multipurpose cadastre ” means a uniformly accepted base map registered to the Mississippi State Plane Coordinate System and depicting boundaries of all public properties.

(d) “ Mississippi State Plane Coordinate System ” means the system of plane rectangular coordinates established by the National Geodetic Survey which system is further identified as North American Datum (NAD) 1983.

(2) The board of supervisors of any county and the governing authorities of any municipality are hereby authorized and empowered, in their discretion, to do all things necessary and desirable to create a geographic information system for the county or municipality, as appropriate. Data bases for such a system shall be created under the direct supervision of persons who are experienced in and possess a demonstrated knowledge of the preparation of geographic information systems and of the data bases and the other requirements and activities related thereto.

(3) The board of supervisors of any county and the governing authorities of any municipality are further authorized and empowered, in their discretion, to prepare, or have prepared, a multipurpose cadastre registered to the accuracy standards promulgated by the Federal Geodetic Control Committee established under the provisions of the United States Office of Management and Budget Memoranda A-16.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-55-25 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 13 / Section 55-25
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-55-25
Status: in_force

(1) A duplicate for a lost or destroyed bond shall not issue until there shall have been filed with the officer an affidavit and a bond. The affidavit must be that of some credible person knowing the facts, and it must set forth the ownership of such bond, the number of unpaid coupons, if any, thereto attached, and the description thereof, embracing, if can be, its number, to whom and for what issued, its date, and when mature. The bond must be that of a person to whom the duplicate is to be issued, with at least two (2) sufficient sureties, in a sum equal to double the amount of the lost, destroyed or stolen bond, payable to the state, conditioned to pay all damages which the state, county, city, town, or levee board, as the case may be, may sustain if compelled to pay such bond or coupons, together with all costs and expenses and lawyers' fees, if any, incurred in enforcing the bond.

(2) A duplicate for a lost or destroyed warrant shall not issue until there shall have been filed with the officer an affidavit. The affidavit must be that of some credible person knowing the facts, and it must set forth the ownership of such warrant and the description thereof, embracing, if can be, its number, to whom and for what issued, and its date.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-5-35 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 5 / Section 5-35
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-5-35
Status: in_force

A person desiring to contest the proclaimed results of a special removal election may, within twenty (20) days after said proclamation, file a petition in the office of the clerk of the chancery court of the county, setting forth the grounds upon which the election is contested. The chancellor shall forthwith be notified in writing of the filing of such petition and shall forthwith fix a day, not less than ten (10) nor more than twenty (20) days distant, for hearing the contest. If the contest shall be filed by a citizen who voted in the removal election, process according to law for hearings in vacation shall be served on the officer sought to be removed. If the petition be filed by the officer sought to be removed, process in like manner and form shall be had on any one of the citizens shown to have circulated the removal petition or any section thereof. On the day fixed, at the county courthouse, beginning at 9:00 A. M. central standard time, some chancellor of a district other than that of the county of the contest, to be designated in writing by the chief justice of the Supreme Court, shall proceed to hear and determine the contest under the laws applicable to general elections. No question shall be considered or adjudicated by the chancellor on such appeal except that of whether the election was lawfully held in compliance with the general election laws of the State of Mississippi, and mere irregularities not affecting the final result shall not serve to invalidate the election. In those cases where the chancellor adjudicates that the election was not lawfully held within the requirements of the general election laws of the state, then, subject to the right of appeal herein prescribed, he shall fix the date of another election on the same question and shall direct the county election commissioners to proceed accordingly. Appeals from the decree of the chancery court may be taken to the Supreme Court, but such appeal shall be perfected within fifteen (15) days from the date of the decree sought to be appealed. The Supreme Court shall treat the same as a preference case to be determined with all reasonable expedition. Upon order of the chief justice, such appeals may be heard and determined at a time when the court otherwise would be in recess. Pending final determination of the contest, no appeal to the chancery court or to the Supreme Court shall supersede the proclaimed results of a special removal election.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-65-7 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 62 / Section 65-7
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-65-7
Status: in_force

The provisions of this chapter shall only apply (a) to the following universities: (i) Alcorn State University, (ii) Delta State University, (iii) Jackson State University, (iv) Mississippi State University, (v) Mississippi State University Agriculture and Forestry Experiment Station, (vi) Mississippi State University Cooperative Extension Service, (vii) Mississippi State University Forest and Wildlife Research Center, (viii) Mississippi State University State Chemical Laboratory, (ix) Mississippi University for Women, (x) Mississippi Valley State University, (xi) The University of Mississippi, (xii) University of Mississippi Medical Center and the (xiii) University of Southern Mississippi; (b) to the following community/junior colleges: (i) Coahoma Community College, (ii) Copiah-Lincoln Community College, (iii) East Central Community College, (iv) East Mississippi Community College, (v) Hinds Community College, (vi) Holmes Community College, (vii) Itawamba Community College, (viii) Jones County Junior College, (ix) Meridian Community College, (x) Mississippi Delta Community College, (xi) Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, (xii) Northeast Mississippi Community College, (xiii) Northwest Mississippi Community College, (xiv) Pearl River Community College and (xv) Southwest Mississippi Community College; and (c) to the following agencies: (i) the Department of Finance and Administration, (ii) the State Tax Commission, (iii) the Department of Education, (iv) the State Department of Health, (v) the Department of Mental Health, (vi) the Department of Agriculture and Commerce, (vii) the Mississippi Development Authority, (viii) the Department of Environmental Quality, (ix) the Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks, (x) the Department of Corrections, (xi) the Division of Medicaid, (xii) the Department of Rehabilitation Services, (xiii) the Department of Public Safety, (xiv) the Mississippi Employment Security Commission, (xv) the Mississippi Department of Information Technology Services, (xvi) the Public Employees Retirement System, (xvii) the Mississippi Department of Transportation, (xviii) the Mississippi Gaming Commission and (xix) the Mississippi Department of Human Services.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-53-57 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 53 / Section 53-57
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-53-57
Status: in_force

An information confidentiality officer shall be considered a legal agent of the agency or institution and for the purposes of Sections 25-53-51 through 25-53-59 shall be considered to be an employee of the agency or institution for which he may be processing data at that particular time.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-7-14 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 4 / Section 7-14
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-7-14
Status: in_force

Neither the state, nor any county, city, town, or village, nor any state board, nor any state, county, city, town, or village officer, in his official character, may be required to prepay the cost of filing a document or an instrument with, or obtaining a copy of any filed document or instrument obtained from, the office of the chancery or circuit clerk. If the cost for filing a document or an instrument or obtaining a copy of a document or instrument is not paid at the time of filing or obtaining a copy of the document or instrument, then the clerk shall furnish an itemized statement and payment shall be paid in the same manner as other claims are paid by the governing body or official having authority to pay claims against the governing body.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-60-1 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 60 / Section 60-1
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-60-1
Status: in_force

There is hereby created the Local Government Records Committee. The committee shall be composed of the following members: the Attorney General, or his designee; the Secretary of State, or his designee; the State Auditor of Public Accounts, or his designee; the Chairman of the State Tax Commission, or his designee; the Director of the State Department of Archives and History, or his designee; a representative from each of the following organizations, to be designated by the head of each organization for a term of two (2) years with a limit of not more than two (2) terms: the Family Research Association of Mississippi, Inc., the Mississippi Association of Supervisors, The Mississippi Bar, the Mississippi Chancery Clerks' Association, the Mississippi Circuit Clerks' Association, the Mississippi City Clerks' Association, the Mississippi Historical Society, the Mississippi Municipal Association, the Mississippi Sheriffs' Association, the Mississippi Superintendents of Education Association, the Mississippi Tax Assessors' Association and the Mississippi Tax Collectors' Association; and one (1) resident of this state appointed by the Governor for a term of two (2) years with a limit of not more than two (2) terms. The Director of the Department of Archives and History shall be chairman of the committee. Members of the committee shall receive per diem as provided in Section 25-3-69 , and shall be reimbursed for necessary expenses and travel as provided in Section 25-3-41 .

It is the duty of the committee to review, approve, disapprove, amend or modify records control schedules submitted by the Local Government Records Office, municipalities, municipal courts and counties for the disposition of records based on administrative, legal, fiscal or historical value. When the Mississippi Supreme Court designates the Department of Archives and History as the records management agency for courts, it is the duty of the committee to review, approve, disapprove, amend or modify records control schedules submitted by justice, county, circuit and chancery courts. Such records control schedules, once approved, shall be authoritative and directive, and shall have the force and effect of law.

It is the duty of municipalities and counties to cooperate with the committee in complying with the provisions of this section.

The committee is authorized to promulgate any rules and regulations necessary to implement the authority granted to it in this section.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-53-19 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 41 / Section 53-19
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-53-19
Status: in_force

The authority shall select an executive director, with the advice and consent of the Senate, who shall be the administrative officer of the authority and shall perform such duties as are required of him by law and such other duties as may be assigned him by the authority, and who shall receive such compensation as may be fixed by the authority, subject to the approval of the state personnel board. In addition, he shall be entitled to remuneration for his necessary traveling expenses consistent with general law.

The executive director shall be a graduate of an accredited university with a degree in engineering, business administration, electronic communications, information technology or a related field, with at least ten (10) years' experience in information technology, electronic communications, or a related field, of which at least five (5) years shall be in a responsible high level management position with a demonstrated record of management expertise demonstrated through knowledge in the application of information technology and electronic communications. The qualifications for the executive director prescribed herein shall not apply to the executive director serving on June 30, 1984.

The executive director shall have no vote in the decisions of said authority, but shall offer such professional or technical advice and assistance to the authority as may be required of him. Said executive director, in order to qualify for his position, shall be required to make a good and sufficient bond in some surety company qualified and doing business in the State of Mississippi, in the minimum penal sum of Fifty Thousand Dollars ($50,000.00) conditioned upon the faithful performance of his duties as required by law and the directives of the authority. The premium on said bond shall be paid from any funds available to the authority for such purpose. Said executive director may be removed at any time upon a majority vote of the membership of said authority.

The executive director, with the approval of the authority, shall employ such technical, professional, and clerical help as may be authorized by the authority; and the authority, upon the recommendation of the executive director, shall define the duties and fix the compensation of such employees.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-43-3.104 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 31 / Section 43-3.104
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-43-3.104
Status: in_force

(1) For at least twenty-five (25) days after proper filing with the Secretary of State of the notice of proposed rule adoption, an agency shall afford persons the opportunity to submit, in writing, argument, data and views on the proposed rule.

(2)(a) An agency, in its discretion, may schedule an oral proceeding on any proposed rule. However, an agency shall schedule an oral proceeding on a proposed rule if, within twenty (20) days after the proper filing of the notice of proposed rule adoption, a written request for an oral proceeding is submitted by a political subdivision, an agency or ten (10) persons. At that proceeding, persons may present oral or written argument, data and views on the proposed rule.

(b) An oral proceeding on a proposed rule, if required, may not be held earlier than twenty (20) days after notice of its location and time is properly filed with the Secretary of State for publication in the administrative bulletin. Within three (3) days after its proper filing with the Secretary of State for publication in the administrative bulletin, the agency shall cause a copy of the notice of the location and time of the oral proceeding to be mailed to each person who has made a timely request to the agency to be placed on the mailing list maintained by the agency of persons who have requested notices of proposed rule adoptions.

(c) The agency, a member of the agency, or another presiding officer designated by the agency shall preside at a required oral proceeding on a proposed rule. Oral proceedings must be open to the public and may be recorded by stenographic or other means.

(d) An agency may issue rules for the conduct of oral rule-making proceedings or prepare reasonable guidelines or procedures for the conduct of any such proceedings. Those rules may include, but not be limited to, provisions calculated to prevent undue repetition in the oral proceedings.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-53-17 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 11 / Section 53-17
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-53-17
Status: in_force

The authority shall keep full, complete, and permanent minutes and records of all its proceedings, including the rules and regulations adopted by it, and said minutes shall be signed by the chairman, or vice-chairman, and attested by the secretary.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-51-5 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 34 / Section 51-5
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-51-5
Status: in_force

Each agency of state government shall furnish annually to the director of the commission a list of all its publications made available for public distribution.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-41-11 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 34 / Section 41-11
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-41-11
Status: in_force

(1) Minutes shall be kept of all meetings of a public body, whether in open or executive session, showing the members present and absent; the date, time and place of the meeting; an accurate recording of any final actions taken at such meeting; and a record, by individual member, of any votes taken; and any other information that the public body requests be included or reflected in the minutes. The minutes shall be recorded within a reasonable time not to exceed thirty (30) days after recess or adjournment and shall be open to public inspection during regular business hours.

(2) Minutes of a meeting conducted by teleconference or video means shall comply with the requirements of Section 25-41-5 .

(3) Minutes of legislative committee meetings shall consist of a written record of attendance and final actions taken at such meetings.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-59-31 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 32 / Section 59-31
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-59-31
Status: in_force

In order to provide for an orderly implementation of this chapter, the department shall not disrupt the current microfilming and destruction of public records pursuant to law. Provided, however, that such agencies shall make no further disposition of public records without the approval of the director of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History pursuant to rules and regulations promulgated to implement this chapter.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-53-25 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 17 / Section 53-25
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-53-25
Status: repealed

(1) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to imply exemption from the public purchases law, being Section 31-7-1 et seq.

(2) The authority may establish policies and procedures for the purpose of delegating the bidding and contracting responsibilities related to the procurement of computer equipment or services to the purchasing agency. Such policies and procedures must address the following issues:

(a) Establish categories of equipment or services affected;

(b) Establish maximum unit and/or ceiling prices of such procurements;

(c) Establish reporting, monitoring and control of such procurements; and

(d) Establish other such rules and regulations as necessary to fully implement the purposes of this section. Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to imply exemption from the public purchases law, being Section 31-7-1 et seq.

(3) Acquisitions of computer equipment and services by institutions of higher learning or junior colleges wholly with federal funds and not with state general funds shall be exempt from the provisions of this chapter; however, nothing in this subsection shall be construed to imply an exemption of such acquisitions from the public purchases law, being Section 31-7-1 et seq.

(4) [Repealed]
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-61-15 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 17 / Section 61-15
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-61-15
Status: in_force

Any person who shall deny to any person access to any public record which is not exempt from the provisions of this chapter or who charges an unreasonable fee for providing a public record may be liable civilly in his personal capacity in a sum not to exceed One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) per violation, plus all reasonable expenses incurred by such person bringing the proceeding.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-17-9 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 17 / Section 17-9
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-17-9
Status: in_force

(1) For the purpose of this section, “provider” means any insurance company, corporation, person or other entity which provides benefits included in, or administrative services related to, cafeteria plans.

(2) The State Auditor shall compile a list of providers of cafeteria plans which shall contain those providers he deems acceptable to provide benefits or services related to a cafeteria plan of a state agency or local governmental entity. To be deemed acceptable, a provider shall:

(a) Be authorized to do business in this state or be a corporation organized or existing under the laws of this state;

(b) Maintain an office in this state with sufficient staff and equipment to render the contracted services for plans which are subject to this chapter as required by the State Auditor;

(c) Obtain and maintain a comprehensive dishonesty, destruction and disappearance bond in the amount designated by the State Auditor (a copy of which shall be maintained on file at all times in the office of the State Auditor, who shall be promptly notified by the surety on such bond of any change in or cancellation of such bond) unless the provider uses the type of administration which does not require the accumulation or escrow of employees' or employers' monies for reimbursement purposes; and

(d) Comply with the guidelines established by the State Auditor pertaining to state agencies' or local governmental entities' cafeteria plans.

The State Auditor shall revise the list annually unless an earlier revision is necessary to remove a provider who does not satisfy the requirements set forth in paragraphs (a) through (d) of this subsection.

(3) Only providers who appear on the most recent list compiled by the State Auditor shall, directly or indirectly, provide benefits included in or administrative services related to cafeteria plans of a state agency or local governmental entity; provided, however, that the State Tax Commission may, and is hereby authorized to, administer all or any part of the cafeteria plan which it has adopted, including providing benefits and performing administrative services relating thereto, without the use of a provider, and the State Tax Commission shall be exempt from paragraphs (a), (b) and (c) of subsection (2) of this section in administering the cafeteria plan. If the State Tax Commission administers only part of the cafeteria plan internally, that part of the plan administered outside of the State Tax Commission shall be administered by a provider who appears on the most recent list of providers compiled by the State Auditor, and such provider shall meet all of the requirements of subsection (2) of this section.

(4) A state agency or local governmental entity shall promptly notify the State Auditor of any complaint against a provider.

(5) All cafeteria plans authorized in Section 25-17-3, Mississippi Code of 1972 , shall be in compliance with current Internal Revenue Service requirements promulgated in Sections 89 and 125 of the Internal Revenue Code . Documentation of such compliance shall be on file in the office of the State Auditor.

(6) The State Auditor may promulgate rules and regulations necessary to implement this section.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-43-3.101 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 11 / Section 43-3.101
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-43-3.101
Status: in_force

(1) In addition to seeking information by other methods, an agency, before filing of a notice of proposed rule adoption under Section 25-43-3.103 , may solicit comments from the public on a subject matter of possible rule-making under active consideration within the agency by causing notice to be filed with the Secretary of State for publication in the administrative bulletin of the subject matter and indicating where, when and how persons may comment.

(2) Each agency may also appoint committees of nonagency personnel or other members of the public to comment, before filing of a notice of proposed rule adoption under Section 25-43-3.103 , on the subject matter of a possible rule-making under active consideration within the agency. The membership of those committees must be filed with the Secretary of State for publication in the administrative bulletin.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-61-7 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 11 / Section 61-7
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-61-7
Status: in_force

(1) Except as provided in subsection (2) of this section, each public body may establish and collect fees reasonably calculated to reimburse it for, and in no case to exceed, the actual cost of searching, reviewing and/or duplicating and, if applicable, mailing copies of public records. Any staff time or contractual services included in actual cost shall be at the pay scale of the lowest level employee or contractor competent to respond to the request. Such fees shall be collected by the public body in advance of complying with the request.

(2) A public body may establish a standard fee scale to reimburse it for the costs of creating, acquiring and maintaining a geographic information system or multipurpose cadastre as authorized and defined under Section 25-61-1 et seq. , or any other electronically accessible data. Such fees must be reasonably related to the costs of creating, acquiring and maintaining the geographic information system, multipurpose cadastre or other electronically accessible data, for the data or information contained therein or taken therefrom and for any records, papers, accounts, maps, photographs, films, cards, tapes, recordings or other materials, data or information relating thereto, whether in printed, digital or other format. In determining the fees or charges under this subsection, the public body may consider the type of information requested, the purpose or purposes for which the information has been requested and the commercial value of the information.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-61-9 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 41 / Section 61-9
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-61-9
Status: in_force

(1)(a) Records furnished to public bodies by third parties which contain trade secrets or confidential commercial or financial information shall not be subject to inspection, examination, copying or reproduction under this chapter until notice to third parties has been given, but the records shall be released no later than twenty-one (21) days from the date the third parties are given notice by the public body unless the third parties have filed in chancery court a petition seeking a protective order on or before the expiration of the twenty-one-day time period. Any party seeking the protective order shall give notice to the party requesting the information in accordance with the Mississippi Rules of Civil Procedure.

(b) If a court determines that a person or entity has made duplicative requests for public records that are the subject of a protective order under paragraph (a) of this subsection, the court shall order the requesting person or entity to reimburse the third party's costs and attorney's fees for seeking additional protective orders for the same or substantially similar requests for public records.

(2) If any public record which is held to be exempt from disclosure pursuant to this chapter contains material which is not exempt pursuant to this chapter, the public body shall separate the exempt material and make the nonexempt material available for examination or copying, or both, as provided for in this chapter.

(3) Trade secrets and confidential commercial and financial information of a proprietary nature developed by a college, university or public hospital under contract with a firm, business, partnership, association, corporation, individual or other like entity shall not be subject to inspection, examination, copying or reproduction under this chapter.

(4) Misappropriation of a trade secret shall be governed by the provisions of the Mississippi Uniform Trade Secrets Act, Sections 75 - 26 -1 through 75-26-19.

(5) A waste minimization plan and any updates developed by generators and facility operators under the Mississippi Comprehensive Multimedia Waste Minimization Act of 1990 shall be retained at the facility and shall not be subject to inspection, examination, copying or reproduction under this chapter.

(6) Data processing software obtained by an agency under a licensing agreement that prohibits its disclosure and which software is a trade secret, as defined in Section 75-26-3 , and data processing software produced by a public body which is sensitive must not be subject to inspection, copying or reproduction under this chapter.

As used in this subsection, “ sensitive ” means only those portions of data processing software, including the specifications and documentation, used to:

(a) Collect, process, store, and retrieve information which is exempt under this chapter.

(b) Control and direct access authorizations and security measures for automated systems.

(c) Collect, process, store, and retrieve information, disclosure of which would require a significant intrusion into the business of the public body.

(7) For all procurement contracts awarded by state agencies, the provisions of the contract which contain the commodities purchased or the personal or professional services provided, the unit prices contained within the procurement contracts, the overall price to be paid, and the term of the contract shall not be deemed to be a trade secret or confidential commercial or financial information under this section, and shall be available for examination, copying or reproduction as provided for in this chapter. Any party seeking a protective order for a procurement contract awarded by state agencies shall give notice to and provide the reasons for the protective order to the party requesting the information in accordance with the Mississippi Rules of Civil Procedure. The notice and reasons for the protective order must be posted on the Mississippi procurement portal for a minimum of seven (7) days before filing the petition seeking the protective order in chancery court. Any party seeking a protective order in violation of this subsection may be barred by a state agency from submitting bids, proposals or qualifications for procurement for a period not to exceed five (5) years.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-51-5 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 13 / Section 51-5
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-51-5
Status: in_force

Each agency of state government shall furnish annually to the director of the commission a list of all its publications made available for public distribution.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-55-25 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 14 / Section 55-25
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-55-25
Status: in_force

(1) A duplicate for a lost or destroyed bond shall not issue until there shall have been filed with the officer an affidavit and a bond. The affidavit must be that of some credible person knowing the facts, and it must set forth the ownership of such bond, the number of unpaid coupons, if any, thereto attached, and the description thereof, embracing, if can be, its number, to whom and for what issued, its date, and when mature. The bond must be that of a person to whom the duplicate is to be issued, with at least two (2) sufficient sureties, in a sum equal to double the amount of the lost, destroyed or stolen bond, payable to the state, conditioned to pay all damages which the state, county, city, town, or levee board, as the case may be, may sustain if compelled to pay such bond or coupons, together with all costs and expenses and lawyers' fees, if any, incurred in enforcing the bond.

(2) A duplicate for a lost or destroyed warrant shall not issue until there shall have been filed with the officer an affidavit. The affidavit must be that of some credible person knowing the facts, and it must set forth the ownership of such warrant and the description thereof, embracing, if can be, its number, to whom and for what issued, and its date.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-34-11 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 15 / Section 34-11
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-34-11
Status: in_force

(1) A notarial officer who takes an acknowledgment of a record, takes a verification of a statement on oath or affirmation (jurat), or witnesses or attests to a signature, must determine, from personal knowledge or satisfactory evidence of the identity of the individual, that the individual appearing in person before the officer has the identity claimed and that the signature on the record is the signature of the individual.

(2) A notarial officer who makes or notes a protest of a negotiable instrument must determine the matters set forth in Section 75-3-505(b) .
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-34-39 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 31 / Section 34-39
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-34-39
Status: in_force

(1) A notary public may perform a notarial act with respect to electronic records pursuant to this chapter.

(2) The Secretary of State has the sole power to determine the methods by which notarial acts with respect to electronic records may be implemented in this state. Those methods must be set forth in rules promulgated by the Secretary of State.

(3) A notary public seeking to perform notarial acts with respect to electronic records must file an additional registration with the Secretary of State subsequent to being granted a notary commission.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-4-101 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 1 / Section 4-101
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-4-101
Status: in_force

The Legislature declares that elective and public office and employment is a public trust and any effort to realize personal gain through official conduct, other than as provided by law, or as a natural consequence of the employment or position, is a violation of that trust. Therefore, public servants shall endeavor to pursue a course of conduct which will not raise suspicion among the public that they are likely to be engaged in acts that are in violation of this trust and which will not reflect unfavorably upon the state and local governments.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-62-7 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 14 / Section 62-7
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-62-7
Status: in_force

A person who knowingly violates this chapter is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment of not more than ninety (90) days or a fine of not more than One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00) or both.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-55-5 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 34 / Section 55-5
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-55-5
Status: in_force

In any county in which the record of deeds, or any material part thereof, may be destroyed, the chancellor may examine into the matter; and if he find any abstracts, copies, minutes, or extracts from said records existing after such destruction, he shall appoint two (2) persons learned in such matters to act with him, and the three (3) shall investigate the same. If they find that the abstracts, copies, minutes, or extracts were fairly made before such destruction of the records, and that they contain material and substantial parts of the destroyed records, they shall so certify to the board of supervisors; and thereupon the board of supervisors shall have power to purchase such abstracts, minutes, copies, or extracts, or any part thereof, or to procure copies thereof and to pay therefor, out of the county treasury, a reasonable compensation.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-41-1 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 19 / Section 41-1
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-41-1
Status: in_force

It being essential to the fundamental philosophy of the American constitutional form of representative government and to the maintenance of a democratic society that public business be performed in an open and public manner, and that citizens be advised of and be aware of the performance of public officials and the deliberations and decisions that go into the making of public policy, it is hereby declared to be the policy of the State of Mississippi that the formation and determination of public policy is public business and shall be conducted at open meetings except as otherwise provided herein.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-55-5 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 17 / Section 55-5
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-55-5
Status: in_force

In any county in which the record of deeds, or any material part thereof, may be destroyed, the chancellor may examine into the matter; and if he find any abstracts, copies, minutes, or extracts from said records existing after such destruction, he shall appoint two (2) persons learned in such matters to act with him, and the three (3) shall investigate the same. If they find that the abstracts, copies, minutes, or extracts were fairly made before such destruction of the records, and that they contain material and substantial parts of the destroyed records, they shall so certify to the board of supervisors; and thereupon the board of supervisors shall have power to purchase such abstracts, minutes, copies, or extracts, or any part thereof, or to procure copies thereof and to pay therefor, out of the county treasury, a reasonable compensation.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-59-31 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 55 / Section 59-31
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-59-31
Status: in_force

In order to provide for an orderly implementation of this chapter, the department shall not disrupt the current microfilming and destruction of public records pursuant to law. Provided, however, that such agencies shall make no further disposition of public records without the approval of the director of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History pursuant to rules and regulations promulgated to implement this chapter.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-43-3.102 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 19 / Section 43-3.102
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-43-3.102
Status: in_force

(1) Each agency shall maintain a current, public rule-making docket.

(2) The rule-making docket may, but need not, contain a listing of the subject matter of possible rules currently under active consideration within the agency for proposal under Section 25-43-3.103 and the name and address of agency personnel with whom persons may communicate with respect to the matter.

(3) The rule-making docket must list each pending rule-making proceeding. A rule-making proceeding is pending from the time it is commenced, by proper filing with the Secretary of State of a notice of proposed rule adoption, to the time it is terminated by the filing with the Secretary of State of a notice of termination or the rule becoming effective. For each pending rule-making proceeding, the docket must indicate:

(a) The subject matter of the proposed rule;

(b) A citation to all published notices relating to the proceeding;

(c) Where written submissions or written requests for an opportunity to make oral presentations on the proposed rule may be inspected;

(d) The time during which written submissions may be made;

(e) If applicable, where and when oral presentations may be made;

(f) Where any economic impact statement and written requests for the issuance of and other information concerning an economic impact statement of the proposed rule may be inspected;

(g) The current status of the proposed rule;

(h) The date of the rule's adoption; and

(i) When the rule will become effective.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-59-5 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 34 / Section 59-5
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-59-5
Status: in_force

The archival and records management agency of the state of Mississippi shall be the Mississippi Department of Archives and History.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-31-19 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 11 / Section 31-19
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-31-19
Status: in_force

The several district attorneys, with the Attorney General, are hereby authorized to institute or defend any suits arising out of any act or order of the tax commission or the public service commission affecting the laws and revenues of the state, and are also clothed with such other authority as is conferred upon them at common law.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-65-29 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 32 / Section 65-29
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-65-29
Status: in_force

A State Interagency Internal Audit Forum may be established and composed of agency internal audit directors. The annual report may include a comparison of the annual audit plan for the year with the actual audit report issued and an explanation for any differences. The purpose of the forum will be to promote the exchange of communication, to identify professional development needs and/or conduct or coordinate training programs, to share audit techniques and approaches, and to address ways to improve agency operations and systems of internal control. The forum will elect officers from its membership and may meet periodically throughout the year.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-61-11.2 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 11 / Section 61-11.2
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-61-11.2
Status: in_force

The following information technology (IT) records shall be exempt from the Mississippi Public Records Act of 1983:

(a) IT infrastructure details, including network architecture, schematics, and IT system designs;

(b) Source code;

(c) Detailed hardware and software inventories;

(d) Security plans;

(e) Vulnerability reports;

(f) Security risk assessment details;

(g) Security compliance reports;

(h) Authentication credentials;

(i) Security policies and processes;

(j) Security incident reports; and

(k) Any audit, assessment, compliance report, work papers or any combination of these that if disclosed could allow unauthorized access to the state's IT assets.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-55-31 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 55 / Section 55-31
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-55-31
Status: in_force

A lost, stolen, or destroyed record shall not constitute constructive notice longer than three (3) years from the loss, theft, or destruction thereof, unless within that time the instrument shall be again placed on the record, or proceedings be begun to perfect the record. In all cases where the record of any instrument affecting the title, lien, or interest in real estate is lost or destroyed by tornado, fire, or otherwise, any person claiming to be the owner of or having a legal interest in or title to any real estate described in or affected by said lost or destroyed record may file his petition to the chancery court of the county in which the record has been lost or destroyed, setting forth a description of the land involved, with a statement of petitioner's claim and the nature thereof, the names, places of residence, and post-office addresses of all persons known to the petitioner to have or claim any interest in land by virtue of such lost or destroyed record or having a recordable instrument affecting the title to such land described in or affected by the lost or destroyed instrument or instruments, and giving in clear and succinct language petitioner's claim to or ownership of the land involved, with a prayer that summons be issued and served on all persons named as defendants, whether resident or nonresident. Upon the filing of such petition, the clerk of the chancery court shall issue summons for the defendants as in other cases in equity, returnable at a day not less than four (4) weeks nor more than eight (8) weeks from such filing, and requiring all defendants to appear and plead, answer, or demur to the petition. When the summons has been personally served upon the resident defendants not less than five (5) days before the return-day and proof of publication has been made for any nonresident defendants, as now required by law, and no one of the named defendants appears and contests the petition, then the chancery court or presiding chancellor, either in term time or vacation, may forthwith hear said petition, adjudicate the sufficiency of process, render any and all necessary decrees pro confesso and enter a final decree or decrees disposing of said petition. If any defendant appears and contests the petition, the chancery clerk shall promptly notify the chancellor of the district in writing of the pendency of said petition and the contest thereon, and the chancellor shall then notify the chancery clerk to set the matter for hearing at some future date not less than ten (10) days thereafter. The clerk shall give the parties or their solicitors of record not less than five (5) days' notice by letter addressed to the parties or their solicitors, advising that the matter will be heard on the day named, and on the day set for the hearing the chancellor shall hear and determine the controversy as other suits in chancery and enter a decree in accordance with his finding. The chancellor may by his final decree adjudicate the execution of any lost or destroyed or stolen instruments involved in the proceeding, and may order the final decree recorded as provided by law in other cases affecting land titles.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-43-3.101 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 41 / Section 43-3.101
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-43-3.101
Status: in_force

(1) In addition to seeking information by other methods, an agency, before filing of a notice of proposed rule adoption under Section 25-43-3.103 , may solicit comments from the public on a subject matter of possible rule-making under active consideration within the agency by causing notice to be filed with the Secretary of State for publication in the administrative bulletin of the subject matter and indicating where, when and how persons may comment.

(2) Each agency may also appoint committees of nonagency personnel or other members of the public to comment, before filing of a notice of proposed rule adoption under Section 25-43-3.103 , on the subject matter of a possible rule-making under active consideration within the agency. The membership of those committees must be filed with the Secretary of State for publication in the administrative bulletin.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-61-9 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 53 / Section 61-9
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-61-9
Status: in_force

(1)(a) Records furnished to public bodies by third parties which contain trade secrets or confidential commercial or financial information shall not be subject to inspection, examination, copying or reproduction under this chapter until notice to third parties has been given, but the records shall be released no later than twenty-one (21) days from the date the third parties are given notice by the public body unless the third parties have filed in chancery court a petition seeking a protective order on or before the expiration of the twenty-one-day time period. Any party seeking the protective order shall give notice to the party requesting the information in accordance with the Mississippi Rules of Civil Procedure.

(b) If a court determines that a person or entity has made duplicative requests for public records that are the subject of a protective order under paragraph (a) of this subsection, the court shall order the requesting person or entity to reimburse the third party's costs and attorney's fees for seeking additional protective orders for the same or substantially similar requests for public records.

(2) If any public record which is held to be exempt from disclosure pursuant to this chapter contains material which is not exempt pursuant to this chapter, the public body shall separate the exempt material and make the nonexempt material available for examination or copying, or both, as provided for in this chapter.

(3) Trade secrets and confidential commercial and financial information of a proprietary nature developed by a college, university or public hospital under contract with a firm, business, partnership, association, corporation, individual or other like entity shall not be subject to inspection, examination, copying or reproduction under this chapter.

(4) Misappropriation of a trade secret shall be governed by the provisions of the Mississippi Uniform Trade Secrets Act, Sections 75 - 26 -1 through 75-26-19.

(5) A waste minimization plan and any updates developed by generators and facility operators under the Mississippi Comprehensive Multimedia Waste Minimization Act of 1990 shall be retained at the facility and shall not be subject to inspection, examination, copying or reproduction under this chapter.

(6) Data processing software obtained by an agency under a licensing agreement that prohibits its disclosure and which software is a trade secret, as defined in Section 75-26-3 , and data processing software produced by a public body which is sensitive must not be subject to inspection, copying or reproduction under this chapter.

As used in this subsection, “ sensitive ” means only those portions of data processing software, including the specifications and documentation, used to:

(a) Collect, process, store, and retrieve information which is exempt under this chapter.

(b) Control and direct access authorizations and security measures for automated systems.

(c) Collect, process, store, and retrieve information, disclosure of which would require a significant intrusion into the business of the public body.

(7) For all procurement contracts awarded by state agencies, the provisions of the contract which contain the commodities purchased or the personal or professional services provided, the unit prices contained within the procurement contracts, the overall price to be paid, and the term of the contract shall not be deemed to be a trade secret or confidential commercial or financial information under this section, and shall be available for examination, copying or reproduction as provided for in this chapter. Any party seeking a protective order for a procurement contract awarded by state agencies shall give notice to and provide the reasons for the protective order to the party requesting the information in accordance with the Mississippi Rules of Civil Procedure. The notice and reasons for the protective order must be posted on the Mississippi procurement portal for a minimum of seven (7) days before filing the petition seeking the protective order in chancery court. Any party seeking a protective order in violation of this subsection may be barred by a state agency from submitting bids, proposals or qualifications for procurement for a period not to exceed five (5) years.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-65-7 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 32 / Section 65-7
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-65-7
Status: in_force

The provisions of this chapter shall only apply (a) to the following universities: (i) Alcorn State University, (ii) Delta State University, (iii) Jackson State University, (iv) Mississippi State University, (v) Mississippi State University Agriculture and Forestry Experiment Station, (vi) Mississippi State University Cooperative Extension Service, (vii) Mississippi State University Forest and Wildlife Research Center, (viii) Mississippi State University State Chemical Laboratory, (ix) Mississippi University for Women, (x) Mississippi Valley State University, (xi) The University of Mississippi, (xii) University of Mississippi Medical Center and the (xiii) University of Southern Mississippi; (b) to the following community/junior colleges: (i) Coahoma Community College, (ii) Copiah-Lincoln Community College, (iii) East Central Community College, (iv) East Mississippi Community College, (v) Hinds Community College, (vi) Holmes Community College, (vii) Itawamba Community College, (viii) Jones County Junior College, (ix) Meridian Community College, (x) Mississippi Delta Community College, (xi) Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, (xii) Northeast Mississippi Community College, (xiii) Northwest Mississippi Community College, (xiv) Pearl River Community College and (xv) Southwest Mississippi Community College; and (c) to the following agencies: (i) the Department of Finance and Administration, (ii) the State Tax Commission, (iii) the Department of Education, (iv) the State Department of Health, (v) the Department of Mental Health, (vi) the Department of Agriculture and Commerce, (vii) the Mississippi Development Authority, (viii) the Department of Environmental Quality, (ix) the Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks, (x) the Department of Corrections, (xi) the Division of Medicaid, (xii) the Department of Rehabilitation Services, (xiii) the Department of Public Safety, (xiv) the Mississippi Employment Security Commission, (xv) the Mississippi Department of Information Technology Services, (xvi) the Public Employees Retirement System, (xvii) the Mississippi Department of Transportation, (xviii) the Mississippi Gaming Commission and (xix) the Mississippi Department of Human Services.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-55-21 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 41 / Section 55-21
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-55-21
Status: in_force

Such duplicate shall correspond in number, date, amount, and unpaid coupons, if any, with the original bond or warrant, and shall in all respects be a copy thereof, and shall have indorsed on its face the word “duplicate,” together with the date of its issuance.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-59-31 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 13 / Section 59-31
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-59-31
Status: in_force

In order to provide for an orderly implementation of this chapter, the department shall not disrupt the current microfilming and destruction of public records pursuant to law. Provided, however, that such agencies shall make no further disposition of public records without the approval of the director of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History pursuant to rules and regulations promulgated to implement this chapter.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-65-1 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 17 / Section 65-1
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-65-1
Status: in_force

This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the “Mississippi Internal Audit Act.”
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-65-31 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 59 / Section 65-31
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-65-31
Status: in_force

Within one hundred twenty (120) days after the end of each fiscal year, the university, community/junior college or agency internal audit director shall issue an annual report which separately lists audit reports issued, and other activities completed or in progress as of the end of the fiscal year. The annual report shall describe accomplishments of the internal audit activities. Copies of the report shall be provided to the governing board or commission and the university president or chancellor, the community/junior college president or the agency head and the audit committee. The annual report shall be provided upon request to the State Auditor or other external auditor.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-41-7 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 13 / Section 41-7
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-41-7
Status: in_force

(1) Any public body may enter into executive session for the transaction of public business; however, all meetings of any public body shall commence as an open meeting, and an affirmative vote of three-fifths ( 3 / 5 ) of all members present shall be required to declare an executive session.

(2) The procedure to be followed by any public body in declaring an executive session shall be as follows: Any member shall have the right to request by motion a closed determination upon the issue of whether or not to declare an executive session. The motion, by majority vote, shall require the meeting to be closed for a preliminary determination of the necessity for executive session. No other business shall be transacted until the discussion of the nature of the matter requiring executive session has been completed and a vote, as required in subsection (1) hereof, has been taken on the issue.

(3) An executive session shall be limited to matters allowed to be exempted from open meetings by subsection (4) of this section. The reason for holding an executive session shall be stated in an open meeting, and the reason so stated shall be recorded in the minutes of the meeting. Nothing in this section shall be construed to require that any meeting be closed to the public, nor shall any executive session be used to circumvent or to defeat the purposes of this chapter.

(4) A public body may hold an executive session pursuant to this section for one or more of the following reasons:

(a) Transaction of business and discussion of personnel matters relating to the job performance, character, professional competence, or physical or mental health of a person holding a specific position, or matters relating to the terms of any potential or current employment or services agreement with any physicians or other employees of public hospitals, including any discussion of any person applying for medical staff privileges or membership with a public hospital.

(b) Strategy sessions or negotiations with respect to prospective litigation, litigation or issuance of an appealable order when an open meeting would have a detrimental effect on the litigating position of the public body.

(c) Transaction of business and discussion regarding the report, development or course of action regarding security personnel, plans or devices.

(d) Investigative proceedings by any public body regarding allegations of misconduct or violation of law.

(e) Any body of the Legislature which is meeting on matters within the jurisdiction of that body.

(f) Cases of extraordinary emergency which would pose immediate or irrevocable harm or damage to persons or property, or both, within the jurisdiction of the public body.

(g) Transaction of business and discussion regarding the prospective purchase, sale or leasing of lands.

(h) Discussions between a school board and individual students who attend a school within the jurisdiction of the school board or the parents or teachers of the students regarding problems of the students or their parents or teachers.

(i) Transaction of business and discussion concerning the preparation of tests for admission to practice in recognized professions.

(j) Transaction of business and discussions or negotiations regarding the location, relocation or expansion of a business, medical service or an industry.

(k) Transaction of business and discussions regarding employment or job performance of a person in a specific position or termination of an employee holding a specific position. The exemption provided by this paragraph includes transaction of business and discussion in executive session by the board of trustees of a public hospital regarding any employee or medical staff member or applicant for medical staff privileges and any such individual's credentialing, health, performance, salary, raises or disciplinary action. The exemption provided by this paragraph includes the right to enter into executive session concerning a line item in a budget which might affect the termination of an employee or employees. All other budget items shall be considered in open meetings and final budgetary adoption shall not be taken in executive session.

(l) Discussions regarding material or data exempt from the Mississippi Public Records Act of 1983 pursuant to Section 25-11-121 .

(m) Transaction of business and discussion regarding prospective strategic business decisions of public hospitals, including without limitation, decisions to open a new service line, implement capital improvements, or file applications for certificates of need or determinations of nonreviewability with the State Department of Health.

(n) Transaction of business of the boards of trustees of public hospitals that would require discussion of any identifiable patient information, including without limitation, patient complaints, patients' accounts, patients receiving charity care, or treatment that could be identified to a patient.

(o) Investigative discussions, investigative strategies, probative strategies related to identifiable instances of human trafficking or commercial sexual exploitation, and discussions involving locations of shelters or safe-houses for victims of human trafficking or commercial sexual exploitation.

(p) Transaction of business of committees, subcommittees or boards that would require discussion of any identifiable information of victims of human trafficking or children under eighteen years old who are victims of commercial sexual exploitation.

(5) The total vote on the question of entering into an executive session shall be recorded and spread upon the minutes of the public body.

(6) Any vote whereby an executive session is declared shall be applicable only to that particular meeting on that particular day.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-43-4.105 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 11 / Section 43-4.105
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-43-4.105
Status: in_force

(1) For promulgated regulations, the committee may file a written petition with the agency that has promulgated the regulations opposing all or part of a regulation that has an impact on small business. In addition to distinctly setting forth how the regulation has had an impact on small business, the committee's petition shall address the following factors:

(a) The continued need for the rule;

(b) The nature of complaints or comments received concerning the rule from the public;

(c) The complexity of the rule;

(d) The extent to which the rule overlaps, duplicates or conflicts with other federal, state and local governmental laws or rules; and

(e) The length of time since the rule has been evaluated or the degree to which technology, economic conditions or other factors have changed in the area affected by the rule.

The petition may also renew any earlier comments made by the committee when the regulation was first promulgated, as provided by Section 25-43-4.104(3) . Furthermore, the committee's petition shall make a specific recommendation concerning the regulation, including, but not limited to, whether the regulation should be amended, revised or revoked.

(2) The agency shall submit a written response of its determination to the committee within sixty (60) days after receipt of the petition. If the agency determines that the petition merits the amendment, revision, or revocation of a regulation, the agency may initiate proceedings in accordance with the applicable requirements of the Mississippi Administrative Procedures Law. If the agency determines that the petition is without merit, the committee may submit within thirty (30) days additional data in support of its petition.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-41-13 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 31 / Section 41-13
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-41-13
Status: in_force

(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) 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; and

(b) Except as otherwise provided by law, a notice of a called special meeting shall be posted to the public body's website, if the public body has a website and has the capability to update the website, not less than one (1) hour before the meeting. A copy of this notice shall be transmitted via email or facsimile not less than one (1) hour before the meeting to any citizen and any publication, broadcast and digital media with a general circulation or coverage within the public body's jurisdiction, that has submitted in writing its interest to receive these notices. Any public body may, at its discretion, purge any list of publications, broadcasts or digital media that have requested to receive the notices once every twenty-four (24) months. After the purge, any publication, broadcast or digital media may resubmit in writing its interest to receive the notices. Nothing in this paragraph (b) shall add additional notice requirements for meetings of public bodies held in cases of emergencies. The provision of this paragraph (b) requiring notice to be posted on the public body's website shall not apply to municipalities with a population as determined by the latest federal decennial census of less than twenty-five thousand (25,000) inhabitants, and any county with less than fifty thousand (50,000) according to the latest federal decennial census.

(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 January 1, 1976, 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.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-34-43 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 31 / Section 34-43
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-34-43
Status: in_force

(1) The Secretary of State may deny, refuse to renew, revoke, suspend or impose a condition on a commission as notary public for any act or omission that demonstrates the individual lacks the honesty, integrity, competence or reliability to act as a notary public, including:

(a) Failure to comply with this chapter;

(b) A fraudulent, dishonest or deceitful misstatement or omission in the application for a commission as a notary public submitted to the Secretary of State;

(c) A conviction of any felony, including a plea of nolo contendere, of the applicant or notary public, unless released from incarceration more than ten (10) years before the commission is to take effect or, if no incarceration is ordered, more than ten (10) years from the conviction date have passed;

(d) A conviction, including a plea of nolo contendere, of the applicant or notary public for any crime determined by the Secretary of State to be of a nature incompatible with the duties of a notary public;

(e) Failure by the notary public to discharge any duty required of a notary public, whether required by this chapter, rules of the Secretary of State or any federal or state law;

(f) Use of false or misleading advertising or representation by the notary public representing that the notary has a duty, right or privilege that the notary does not have;

(g) Violation by the notary public of a rule of the Secretary of State regarding a notary public;

(h) Denial, refusal to renew, revocation, suspension or conditioning of a notary public commission in another state;

(i) Failure of the notary public to maintain an assurance as provided in Section 25-34-41(4) ; or

(j) Failure to maintain and protect the notary's journal as required by this chapter and any rules promulgated by the Secretary of State under this chapter.

(2) If the Secretary of State denies, refuses to renew, revokes, suspends or imposes conditions on a commission as a notary public, the applicant or notary public is entitled to file an appeal in proper form with the Secretary of State within forty-five (45) days after the Secretary of State's action, except that an applicant may not appeal when the Secretary of State, within five (5) years preceding the application, has:

(a) Denied or revoked for disciplinary reasons any previous application, commission or license of the applicant; or

(b) Made a finding under this chapter that the grounds for revocation of the applicant's commission existed.

(3) The authority of the Secretary of State to deny, refuse to renew, suspend, revoke or impose conditions on a commission as a notary public does not prevent a person from seeking and obtaining other criminal or civil remedies provided by law.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-65-9 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 62 / Section 65-9
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-65-9
Status: in_force

(1) Except as otherwise provided by subsection (2) of this section, each university, community/junior college and state agency shall, subject to specific appropriation of available funding, employ an agency internal audit director who shall be appointed by the university president or chancellor, the community/junior college president, elected official or executive director or his counterpart of a state agency without a governing board or commission. The university president or chancellor, the community/junior college president of the agency head shall ensure that the university, community/junior college or agency shall employ, subject to specific funding being appropriated, a sufficient number of professional and support staff to implement an effective program of internal auditing. Compensation, training, job tenure and advancement of internal auditing staff shall be based upon the rules of the State Personnel Board for other business employees in the system. The internal audit organization shall have organizational status outside the agency's staff or line management functions or units subject to audit, and shall be free of operational and management responsibilities that would impair the ability to make independent audits of any aspects of the agency's operations. An agency, university or community/junior college internal audit director may be terminated by the appointing authority in accordance with State Personnel Board rules and regulations for any state employee after a seven (7) day notification period to the State Auditor.

(2) The university president or chancellor, the community/junior college president or agency head of a university, community/junior college or state agency, respectively, may outsource the internal audit function if he determines that it is more cost efficient than establishing the audit personnel and procedures provided in subsection (1) of this section. Internal audit services may not be outsourced to the same firm or individual who performs independent audit or other consulting services to the university, community/junior college or agency.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-7-55 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 5 / Section 7-55
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-7-55
Status: in_force

A witness shall not be allowed compensation for his attendance in more than one case or on more than one side of the same case at the same time, but he may elect in which of several cases and on which side of a case in which he is summoned for both sides, to claim his attendance. The party who pays a witness shall be entitled to recover of the parties in other cases who were liable to such witness a just proportion of the amount to which the witness was entitled for his attendance as the witness of such parties during the same time; and a person who is compelled to attend court on other business shall not be paid as a witness.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-53-13 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 17 / Section 53-13
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-53-13
Status: in_force

In order to have a quorum for a meeting of the authority, at least three (3) members of the authority must be present.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-13-11.1 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 11 / Section 13-11.1
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-13-11.1
Status: in_force

The Public Employees' Retirement System shall make payments of retirement benefits under this chapter to members and to the beneficiaries of those members, by whatever means the board prescribes by regulation to be the most appropriate for the proper and efficient payment of benefits, including, but not limited to, direct deposit to an account with a financial institution that is a participant of the Automated Clearing House designated by the member or beneficiary. The board may provide for alternative means of payment if the member or beneficiary can demonstrate that payment by the prescribed means will cause the member or beneficiary undue hardship.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-45-17 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 14 / Section 45-17
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-45-17
Status: in_force

Each agency within the state shall cooperate to the greatest extent possible with other state agencies and the Department of Economic Development in carrying out the terms, provisions and intent of Sections 25-45-13 through 25-45-17 .
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-61-12 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 15 / Section 61-12
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-61-12
Status: in_force

(1) The home address, any telephone number of a privately paid account or other private information of any law enforcement officer, criminal investigator, judge or district attorney or the spouse or child of the law enforcement officer, criminal investigator, judge or district attorney shall be exempt from the Mississippi Public Records Act of 1983. This exemption does not apply to any court transcript or recording if given under oath and not otherwise excluded by law.

(2)(a) When in the possession of a law enforcement agency, investigative reports shall be exempt from the provisions of this chapter; however, a law enforcement agency, in its discretion, may choose to make public all or any part of any investigative report.

(b) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to prevent any and all public bodies from having among themselves a free flow of information for the purpose of achieving a coordinated and effective detection and investigation of unlawful activity. Where the confidentiality of records covered by this section is being determined in a private hearing before a judge under Section 25-61-13 , the public body may redact or separate from the records the identity of confidential informants or the identity of the person or persons under investigation or other information other than the nature of the incident, time, date and location.

(c) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to exempt from public disclosure a law enforcement incident report. An incident report shall be a public record. A law enforcement agency may release information in addition to the information contained in the incident report.

(d) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to require the disclosure of information that would reveal the identity of the victim.

(3) Personal information of victims, including victim impact statements and letters of support on behalf of victims that are contained in records on file with the Mississippi Department of Corrections and State Parole Board, shall be exempt from the provisions of this chapter.

(4) Records of a public hospital board relating to the purchase or sale of medical or other practices or other business operations, and the recruitment of physicians and other health care professionals, shall be exempt from the provisions of this chapter.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-43-3.110 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 13 / Section 43-3.110
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-43-3.110
Status: in_force

(1) An agency shall maintain an official rule-making record for each rule it (a) proposes or (b) adopts. The agency has the exclusive authority to prepare and exclusive authority to certify the record or any part thereof, including, but not limited to, any transcript of the proceedings, and the agency's certificate shall be accepted by the court and by any other agency. The record must be available for public inspection.

(2) The agency rule-making record must contain:

(a) Copies of all notices of proposed rule-making or oral proceedings or other publications in the administrative bulletin with respect to the rule or the proceeding upon which the rule is based;

(b) Copies of any portions of the agency's public rule-making docket containing entries relating to the rule or the proceeding upon which the rule is based;

(c) All written requests, submissions and comments received by the agency and all other written materials considered by the agency in connection with the formulation, proposal or adoption of the rule or the proceeding upon which the rule is based;

(d) Any official transcript of oral presentations made in the proceeding upon which the rule is based or, if not transcribed, any tape recording or stenographic record of those presentations, and any memorandum prepared by a presiding official summarizing the contents of those presentations. The word “ transcript ” includes a written transcript, a printed transcript, an audible audiotape or videotape that is indexed and annotated so that it is readily accessible and any other means that the agency may have by rule provided for the reliable and accessible preservation of the proceeding;

(e) A copy of any economic impact statement prepared for the proceeding upon which the rule is based; and

(f) A copy of the rule and related information set out in Section 25-43-3.109 as filed in the Office of the Secretary of State.

(3) The agency shall have authority to engage such persons and acquire such equipment as may be reasonably necessary to record and preserve in any technically and practicably feasible manner all matters and all proceedings had at any rule-making proceeding.

(4) Upon judicial review, the record required by this section constitutes the official agency rule-making record with respect to a rule. Except as otherwise required by a provision of law, the agency rule-making record need not constitute the exclusive basis for agency action on that rule or for judicial review thereof.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-55-7 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 15 / Section 55-7
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-55-7
Status: in_force

Such abstracts, copies, minutes, or extracts, or the copy thereof if so procured, shall be filed in the office of the clerk of the chancery court and copies recorded and arranged in such form as the board of supervisors may direct. In case the originals have been lost or destroyed, or are not in the power of the party asking to use the same on any trial or other proceedings, copies of such abstracts, copies, minutes, or extracts, or any part thereof, duly certified by the chancery clerk, shall be admissible in evidence, and shall establish prima facie that all deeds or other instruments appearing thereby to have been executed by any person, were executed and acknowledged at the date given, according to law.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-4-117 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 1 / Section 4-117
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-4-117
Status: in_force

The provisions of this article shall be in addition to any criminal laws. Actions taken under the provisions of this article shall not bar prosecution for violations of the criminal law.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-59-21 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 41 / Section 59-21
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-59-21
Status: in_force

No person may destroy, sell, loan or otherwise dispose of any public record without the consent of the director. The department shall adopt reasonable rules and regulations, not inconsistent with this chapter, which shall be binding on all state agencies and appointed and elected state officials, relating to the destruction and disposal of records. Such rules and regulations shall include, but not be limited to: procedures for complying and submitting to the department lists and schedules of records proposed for disposal; procedures for the physical destruction or other disposal of records; and standards for the reproduction of records for security and with a view to the disposal of the original record.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-61-19 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 61 / Section 61-19
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-61-19
Status: in_force

Within sixty (60) days after the end of each regular session of the Legislature, each agency or department of the State of Mississippi shall include on the Internet website of the agency or department a separate section that provides a legislative update on any legislation enacted at the legislative session that revises the powers and duties of the agency or department. The agency or department shall include a link to the legislative update section on the home page of the website. The legislative update section shall contain a summary of the revisions made to the powers and duties of the agency or department by the legislation, and a contact section or link so that members of the public may comment on or ask questions about the revisions or the effect of the revisions in the legislation. The legislative update section shall remain on the website of the agency or department until January 1st of the following year.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-61-11 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 31 / Section 61-11
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-61-11
Status: in_force

The provisions of this chapter shall not be construed to conflict with, amend, repeal or supersede any constitutional law, state or federal statutory law, or decision of a court of this state or the United States which at the time this chapter is effective or thereafter specifically declares a public record to be confidential or privileged, or provides that a public record shall be exempt from the provisions of this chapter.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-7-37 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 7 / Section 7-37
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-7-37
Status: in_force

The fees charged by a county surveyor shall be those fees agreed to between the county surveyor and the party engaging his or her services.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-34-31 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 14 / Section 34-31
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-34-31
Status: in_force

(1) A notarial act must be evidenced by a certificate. The certificate must:

(a) Be executed contemporaneously with the performance of the notarial act;

(b) Be signed and dated by the notarial officer and, if the notarial officer is a notary public, be signed in the same manner as on file with the Secretary of State;

(c) Identify the jurisdiction in which the notarial act is performed;

(d) Contain the title of office of the notarial officer; and

(e) If the notarial officer is a notary public, indicate the date of expiration of the notary public's commission.

(2) If a notarial act regarding a tangible record is performed by a notary public, the notary public's official seal must be affixed to the certificate. If a notarial act is performed regarding a tangible record by a notarial officer other than a notary public and the certificate contains the information specified in subsection (1)(b), (c) and (d), the notarial officer's official seal may be affixed to the certificate. If a notarial act regarding an electronic record is performed by a notarial officer and the certificate contains the information specified in subsection (1)(b), (c) and (d), the notarial officer's official seal may be attached to or logically associated with the certificate.

(3) The party drafting a record that is the subject of a notarial act is responsible for the form of the certificate, its wording and legal sufficiency. A notary public is not required to draft, edit or amend a certificate where the record presented does not contain an acceptable certificate; instead, the notary must refuse to perform the notarial act with respect to the record.

(4) A certificate of a notarial act is sufficient if it meets the requirements of subsections (1) and (2) and:

(a) Is in a form otherwise permitted by the law of this state;

(b) Is in a form permitted by the law applicable in the jurisdiction in which the notarial act was performed; or

(c) Sets forth the actions of the notarial officer and the actions are sufficient to meet the requirements of the notarial act as provided in Sections 25-34-7 , 25-34-9 , 25-34-11 and 25-34-15 or any law of this state other than this chapter.

(5) By executing a certificate of a notarial act, a notarial officer certifies that the officer has complied with the requirements and made the determinations specified in Sections 25-34-7 , 25-34-9 , 25-34-11 and 25-34-15 .

(6) A notarial officer may not affix the officer's signature to, or logically associate it with, a certificate until the notarial act has been performed.

(7) If a notarial act is performed regarding a tangible record, a certificate must be part of, or securely attached to, the record. If a notarial act is performed regarding an electronic record, the certificate must be affixed to, or logically associated with, the electronic record. If the Secretary of State has established standards under Section 25-34-39 for attaching, affixing or logically associating the certificate, the process must conform to those standards.

(8) The signature of a notarial officer certifying a notarial act may not be deemed evidence to show that the notarial officer had knowledge of the contents of the record so signed, other than those specific contents which constitute the signature, execution, acknowledgment, oath, affirmation, affidavit, verification or other act which the signature of that notarial officer chronicles.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-53-9 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 13 / Section 53-9
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-53-9
Status: in_force

The members of the authority shall be compensated by a per diem as is authorized by Section 25-3-69 for each day spent in actual discharge of their duties, and shall be reimbursed for mileage and actual expenses incurred in the performance of their duties as provided in Section 25-3-41 . No authority member may incur per diem, travel, or other expenses unless previously authorized by vote at a meeting of the authority, which action shall be recorded in the official minutes of said meeting.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-55-3 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 53 / Section 55-3
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-55-3
Status: in_force

Whenever the record of deeds of any county, or any book or part of a book thereof shall be destroyed, stolen, or lost, the same may be remedied--

(a) By the re-record of the original of whatever may have been therein recorded; or

(b) By the recording of decrees adjudicating the execution of lost or destroyed or stolen instruments of all kinds, and perpetuating testimony, and of decrees confirming titles to land or cancelling titles thereto; or

(c) By the recording of certified copies of whatever may have been recorded in the lost, destroyed, or stolen record, which may have been taken from the said record, or which may be taken from the records of any other county in which the original may have been recorded, or from the files of any court of record in this state or any other state, or of the United States, or of any public office of this state or of the United States, in which the original or authenticated copies may be found.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-34-29 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 15 / Section 34-29
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-34-29
Status: in_force

(1) In this section, “ foreign state ” means a government other than the United States, a state of the United States or a federally recognized Indian tribe.

(2) If a notarial act is performed under authority and in the jurisdiction of a foreign state or constituent unit of the foreign state or is performed under the authority of a multinational or international governmental organization, the act has the same effect under the law of this state as though performed by a notarial officer of this state.

(3) If the title of office and indication of authority to perform notarial acts in a foreign state appears in a digest of foreign law or in a list customarily used as a source for that information, the authority of an officer with that title to perform notarial acts is established conclusively.

(4) The signature and official seal of an individual holding an office described in subsection (3) are prima facie evidence that the signature is genuine and the individual holds the designated title.

(5) An apostille in the form prescribed by the Hague Convention of October 5, 1961, and issued by a foreign state party to the Convention conclusively establishes that the signature of the notarial officer is genuine and that the officer holds the indicated office.

(6) A consular authentication issued by an individual designated by the United States Department of State as a notarizing officer for performing notarial acts overseas and attached to the record with respect to which the notarial act is performed conclusively establishes that the signature of the notarial officer is genuine and that the officer holds the indicated office.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-5-23 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 1 / Section 5-23
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-5-23
Status: in_force

At the time and place designated in said notice, the Governor shall cause to be convened a removal council to be composed of three chancery judges appointed by the Governor, none of whom shall reside in the district in which the officer under question resides, to hear and determine whether there is substantial basis for a removal election consistently with the provisions of Sections 25-5-3 through 25-5-37 . The senior chancellor shall serve as the presiding judge of the council. The hearing herein provided may continue from day to day and be recessed from time to time, as in the discretion of the council may be ordered. The qualified electors of the county shall likewise be given notice by proclamation of the Governor of the time and place of such hearing. Any interested citizen or citizens may likewise appear at said time and place and make such representations to the council as, in the discretion of the council, may be material to the issues involved. The council shall promulgate rules for such hearings, which shall be in writing, but all representations shall be made under oath, to be administered by some member of the council. It shall not be necessary that a stenographic record be kept of such representations, either for or against removal, but the testimony taken shall be heard as nearly as practicable in compliance with the usually applicable rules of evidence. All decisions of the council on any question, preliminary or final, including the question of whether just cause for an election has been shown, shall be final and not subject to review.

The elective officer concerned shall be entitled to be represented by counsel of his choice at said hearing.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-32-11 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 15 / Section 32-11
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-32-11
Status: in_force

The duties of the public defender shall include the investigation of charges against the defendant and all facts surrounding the same, and shall include courtroom and appellate appearances on behalf of the defendant in all cases originating in state and county courts. The public defender shall have free access to the accused who shall have process to compel the attendance of witnesses in his favor.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-43-2.102 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 31 / Section 43-2.102
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-43-2.102
Status: in_force

(1) In addition to other requirements imposed by any provision of law, and subject to any confidentiality provisions established by law, each agency shall make all written final orders available for public inspection and copying and index them by name and subject.

(2) A written final order available for public inspection pursuant to subsection (1) may not be relied on as precedent by an agency to the detriment of any person until it has been made available for public inspection and indexed in the manner described in subsection (1) of this section. This provision is inapplicable to any person who has actual, timely knowledge of the order. The burden of proving that knowledge is on the agency.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-7-17 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 3 / Section 7-17
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-7-17
Status: in_force

The clerk of the circuit court of any county in Mississippi in which is located a municipality with a population of seventy-five hundred (7,500) or more, according to the last federal census, may be allowed an amount not exceeding Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) for any one year to be paid out of the municipal treasury of said municipality on the filing of an itemized account of fees in each special case appealed from any city, where said case is disposed of by nolle prosequi, passed to files, or verdict of not guilty. Said fee bills shall be approved by the city attorney for payment and shall be presented to the municipal council or board of aldermen of said municipality for allowance, in the discretion of said council or board. This section shall not apply to counties wherein is located a municipality of less than ten thousand (10,000) and more than seventy-five hundred (7,500) population, in which said county there has been created and maintained a county court under Chapter 9, Title 9, of the Mississippi Code of 1972 .
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-5-33 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 3 / Section 5-33
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-5-33
Status: in_force

The election commissioners of the county, or a quorum thereof, shall meet at the office of the county registrar at 9:00 A. M. of the day following the special removal election, and shall then proceed to canvass, tabulate, and certify the results of the election as now provided by the general election laws of the State of Mississippi. The certificate of said results, showing the total votes cast for the removal of the officer, the total votes cast against the removal of the officer, and the total number of qualified electors in the county or supervisors district in which said election was held, shall be forwarded to the Governor. If a majority of all qualified electors of said county or supervisors district in which said election shall have been held shall not have voted in said election, either for or against the removal, or if a majority of the qualified electors voting in the election shall oppose removal, the officer shall not be removed and shall not thereafter during his term of office be subject to another removal election. If a majority of all qualified electors of said county or supervisors district in which said election shall have been held have voted either for or against removal, and if a majority of the qualified electors voting in said election shall vote for the removal of the officer, then the Governor shall issue his proclamation declaring the office vacant, removing said officer, and appointing a suitable person to fill the vacancy until the same can be filled in a special election to be held not more than sixty (60) days after the aforesaid proclamation of the Governor. No officer shall be subject to a removal petition until he shall have served at least one (1) year of his term.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-59-15 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 19 / Section 59-15
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-59-15
Status: in_force

It shall be the duty of each state agency and each appointed or elected state official to:

(a) Cooperate with the department in complying with the provisions of this chapter.

(b) Establish and maintain an active and continuing program for the economical and efficient management of records.

(c) Cause to be made and preserved records containing adequate and proper documentation of the organization, functions, policies, decisions, procedures and essential transactions of the agency or office and designed to furnish the information necessary to protect the legal and financial rights of the government and of the persons directly affected by the agency's activities.

(d) Submit to the department for review by the state records committee and in accordance with the rules and regulations of the department, a recommended retention schedule for records in its custody, except schedules for certain types of records common to all agencies or offices which may be established by the department and the state records committee. No records will be scheduled for retention any longer than is absolutely necessary in the performance of the required functions of the agency or office. Records not actively required for the performance of the agency's or official's duties will be transferred to the records center or the Mississippi State Archives in accordance with rules and regulations established by the department. Records which have been identified as archival, or which must be retained permanently, may be transferred directly to the Mississippi State Archives, consistent with the provisions of this chapter.

(e) As of July 1, 1981, state agencies and appointed or elected state officials shall not lease additional space for records storage or renew existing leases for that purpose without approval of the state records committee. Further, with the development of records control schedules, such records now in storage in leased offsite facilities will be removed from them in accordance with the rules and regulations of the department.

(f) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to divest state agency heads or appointed or elected state officials of the authority to determine the nature and form of records acquired in the administration of their several responsibilities.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-61-17 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 61 / Section 61-17
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-61-17
Status: in_force

Nothing in this chapter shall be construed as denying the Legislature the right to determine the rules of its own proceedings and to regulate public access to its records. However, notwithstanding the provisions of this section, the Legislature shall be subject to the provisions of Sections 27-104-151 through 27-104-159 .
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-61-17 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 19 / Section 61-17
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-61-17
Status: in_force

Nothing in this chapter shall be construed as denying the Legislature the right to determine the rules of its own proceedings and to regulate public access to its records. However, notwithstanding the provisions of this section, the Legislature shall be subject to the provisions of Sections 27-104-151 through 27-104-159 .
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-31-33 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 14 / Section 31-33
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-31-33
Status: in_force

The board of supervisors of any county having a population in excess of two hundred thousand (200,000) according to the federal decennial census of 1970 shall contribute a sum equal to Four Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($4,500.00) per year, payable monthly, to supplement the salary of the district attorney of that county, provided that he serves full time; and shall contribute a sum equal to Three Thousand Dollars ($3,000.00) per year, payable monthly, per full-time legal assistant to supplement the salary of each full-time legal assistant to the district attorney of that county.

The board of supervisors of any Class 1 county bordering on the Gulf of Mexico and having two (2) judicial districts shall contribute a sum equal to Four Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($4,500.00) per year, payable monthly, to supplement the salary of the district attorney of that county provided that he serves full time; and shall contribute a sum equal to Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00) per year, payable monthly, to supplement the salary of each full-time legal assistant to the district attorney of that county.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-43-3.105 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 34 / Section 43-3.105
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-43-3.105
Status: in_force

(1) Prior to giving the notice required in Section 25-43-3.103 , each agency proposing the adoption of a rule or significant amendment of an existing rule imposing a duty, responsibility or requirement on any person shall consider the economic impact the rule will have on the citizens of our state and the benefits the rule will cause to accrue to those citizens. For purposes of this section, a “ significant amendment ” means any amendment to a rule for which the total aggregate cost to all persons required to comply with that rule exceeds One Hundred Thousand Dollars ($100,000.00).

(2) Each agency shall prepare a written report providing an economic impact statement for the adoption of a rule or significant amendment to an existing rule imposing a duty, responsibility or requirement on any person, except as provided in subsection (7) of this section. The economic impact statement shall include the following:

(a) A description of the need for and the benefits which will likely accrue as the result of the proposed action;

(b) An estimate of the cost to the agency, and to any other state or local government entities, of implementing and enforcing the proposed action, including the estimated amount of paperwork, and any anticipated effect on state or local revenues;

(c) An estimate of the cost or economic benefit to all persons directly affected by the proposed action;

(d) An analysis of the impact of the proposed rule on small business;

(e) A comparison of the costs and benefits of the proposed rule to the probable costs and benefits of not adopting the proposed rule or significantly amending an existing rule;

(f) A determination of whether less costly methods or less intrusive methods exist for achieving the purpose of the proposed rule where reasonable alternative methods exist which are not precluded by law;

(g) A description of reasonable alternative methods, where applicable, for achieving the purpose of the proposed action which were considered by the agency and a statement of reasons for rejecting those alternatives in favor of the proposed rule; and

(h) A detailed statement of the data and methodology used in making estimates required by this subsection.

(3) No rule or regulation shall be declared invalid based on a challenge to the economic impact statement for the rule unless the issue is raised in the agency proceeding. No person shall have standing to challenge a rule, based upon the economic impact statement or lack thereof, unless that person provided the agency with information sufficient to make the agency aware of specific concerns regarding the statement in an oral proceeding or in written comments regarding the rule. The grounds for invalidation of an agency action, based upon the economic impact statement, are limited to the agency's failure to adhere to the procedure for preparation of the economic impact statement as provided in this section, or the agency's failure to consider information submitted to the agency regarding specific concerns about the statement, if that failure substantially impairs the fairness of the rule-making proceeding.

(4) A concise summary of the economic impact statement must be properly filed with the Secretary of State for publication in the administrative bulletin and the period during which persons may make written submissions on the proposed rule shall not expire until at least twenty (20) days after the date of such proper filing.

(5) The properly filed summary of the economic impact statement must also indicate where persons may obtain copies of the full text of the economic impact statement and where, when and how persons may present their views on the proposed rule and demand an oral proceeding on the proposed rule if one is not already provided.

(6) If the agency has made a good-faith effort to comply with the requirements of subsections (1) and (2) of this section, the rule may not be invalidated on the ground that the contents of the economic impact statement are insufficient or inaccurate.

(7) This section does not apply to the adoption of:

(a) Any rule which is required by the federal government pursuant to a state/federal program delegation agreement or contract;

(b) Any rule which is expressly required by state law; and

(c) A temporary rule adopted pursuant to Section 25-43-3.108 .
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-55-11 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 45 / Section 55-11
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-55-11
Status: in_force

If the record lost, destroyed, or stolen be that of a pending suit, or a part thereof, process on the petition for its substitution may be returnable on any day of a term of court, and it may be served on the attorney of the party defendant to the petition; but in such case the plaintiff or complainant, if he so elect, may bring another suit on the same cause of action.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-17-7 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 14 / Section 17-7
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-17-7
Status: in_force

(1) The amount by which an eligible employee's salary is reduced pursuant to a salary reduction agreement authorized under Section 25-17-5, Mississippi Code of 1972 , shall continue to be included as compensation for the purpose of computing state retirement benefits, provided this inclusion does not conflict with federal law, including federal regulations and federal administrative interpretations thereunder, pertaining to the Federal Insurance Contributions Act 1 or to Internal Revenue Code Section 125 cafeteria plans.

(2) The amount by which an eligible employee's salary is reduced pursuant to a salary reduction agreement authorized under Section 25-17-5, Mississippi Code of 1972 , shall not be considered as current taxable income for purposes of computing Mississippi income taxes to be withheld and paid on behalf of the employee.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-55-3 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 14 / Section 55-3
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-55-3
Status: in_force

Whenever the record of deeds of any county, or any book or part of a book thereof shall be destroyed, stolen, or lost, the same may be remedied--

(a) By the re-record of the original of whatever may have been therein recorded; or

(b) By the recording of decrees adjudicating the execution of lost or destroyed or stolen instruments of all kinds, and perpetuating testimony, and of decrees confirming titles to land or cancelling titles thereto; or

(c) By the recording of certified copies of whatever may have been recorded in the lost, destroyed, or stolen record, which may have been taken from the said record, or which may be taken from the records of any other county in which the original may have been recorded, or from the files of any court of record in this state or any other state, or of the United States, or of any public office of this state or of the United States, in which the original or authenticated copies may be found.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-7-41 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 3 / Section 7-41
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-7-41
Status: in_force

Rangers shall be entitled to the following fees:

(a)

For taking the information of the taker up of animal, and issuing summons for appraisers

․․․․․․․․$ .50

(b)

For registering the certificate․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․

․․․․․․․․․ .50

(c)

Advertising estray․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․

․․․․․․․․․1.00

(d)

For making sale․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․

․․․․․․․․․ .50

(e)

And ten per centum commissions on the amount of sales.

(f)

For taking proof of title, and order for delivery of estray to the owner․

․․․․․․․․․ .50

(g)

And there shall be allowed to the taker up the sum of five dollars and his necessary expenses for keeping the estray; but if two or more estrays of the same species are taken up by the same person at the same time, they shall be included in one information, registry, and advertisement, and fees shall be allowed to the ranger and taker up as for only one; and when an estray shall be valued at more than Twenty Dollars ($20.00), an allowance shall not be made to the taker up, except the sum of Five Dollars ($5.00) herein allowed for taking up the estray, until the same shall be approved by the board of supervisors, and in no case shall the taker up receive more than half of the proceeds of sale.

And allowance shall not be made to the taker up for keeping the estray when the use of the same is equal to the expense of keeping.

(h)

For appraising estrays, to each appraiser․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․

․․․․․․․․․ .50
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-59-3 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 51 / Section 59-3
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-59-3
Status: in_force

For the purposes of this chapter:

(a) “Department” shall mean the Mississippi Department of Archives and History.

(b) “Public records” shall mean all documents, papers, letters, maps, books, tapes, photographs, films, sound recordings or other materials regardless of physical form or characteristics made or received pursuant to law or ordinance or in connection with the transaction of official business by any agency or by any appointed or elected official. Books, periodicals and other published material normally found in a library are excluded from this definition.

(c) “State record” shall mean a record which normally is maintained within the custody or control of a state agency or by any appointed or elected state official or any other record which is designated or treated as a state record according to general law.

(d) “Vital record” shall mean any record vital to the resumption of the legal and financial status of government in the state or to the protection and fulfillment of obligations to the citizens of the state of Mississippi.

(e) “Agency” shall mean any state office, department, division, board, bureau, commission, institution of higher learning or other separate unit or institution of state government created or established by law.

(f) “Mississippi State Archives” shall mean an establishment maintained by the department for the preservation of those public records and other documentary materials that have been determined by the department to have sufficient historical or other enduring value to warrant their continued preservation by the state and that have been accepted by the department for deposit in its custody.

(g) “Records center” shall mean an establishment maintained by the department primarily for the processing, servicing and security of public records that must be retained for varying periods of time but need not be retained in an agency's office, equipment or space.

(h) “Records control schedule” shall mean a set of instructions prescribing how long, where or in what form records shall be kept.

(i) “Records management” shall mean the application of management techniques to the creation, utilization, maintenance, retention, preservation and disposal of records undertaken to reduce costs and improve efficiency of record-keeping. Records management includes management of filing and microfilm equipment and supplies, filing and information retrieval systems, historical documentation, micrographics, records system scheduling and vital records protection.

(j) “Director” shall mean the director of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History.

(k) “State records committee” shall mean a committee established by this chapter whose duties are to review, approve, disapprove, amend or modify records control schedules submitted by agency heads.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-41-5 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 19 / Section 41-5
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-41-5
Status: in_force

(1) All official meetings of any public body, unless otherwise provided in this chapter or in the Constitutions of the United States of America or the State of Mississippi, are declared to be public meetings and shall be open to the public at all times unless declared an executive session as provided in Section 25-41-7 .

(2) A public body may conduct any meeting through teleconference or video means. A quorum of a public body as prescribed by law may be at different locations for the purpose of conducting a meeting through teleconference or video means provided that the equipment used is located at the place where the public body normally meets or at a public location specified in any notice of a special meeting, and provided that the equipment allows all members of the public body and members of the public who attend the meeting to hear the deliberations of the public body.

(3) An agenda and materials that will be distributed to members of the public body and that have been made available to the staff of the public body in sufficient time for duplication and forwarding to the members of the public body shall be made available to the public at the time of the meeting. Votes taken during any meeting conducted through teleconference or video means shall be taken in a manner that is clearly audible or visible to all members of the public body and to members of the public present at the public location.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-53-29 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 14 / Section 53-29
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-53-29
Status: in_force

(1) For the purposes of this section the term “ bureau ” shall mean the “Mississippi Department of Information Technology Services.” The authority shall have the following powers and responsibilities to carry out the establishment of policy and provide for long-range planning and consulting:

(a) Provide a high level of technical expertise for agencies, institutions, political subdivisions and other governmental entities as follows: planning; consulting; project management; systems and performance review; system definition; design; application programming; training; development and documentation; implementation; maintenance; and other tasks as may be required, within the resources available to the bureau.

(b) Publish written planning guides, policies and procedures for use by agencies and institutions in planning future electronic information service systems. The bureau may require agencies and institutions to submit data, including periodic electronic equipment inventory listings, information on agency staffing, systems under study, planned applications for the future, and other information needed for the purposes of preparing the state master plan. The bureau may require agencies and institutions to submit any additional data required for purposes of preparing the state master plan.

(c) Inspect agency facilities and equipment, interview agency employees and review records at any time deemed necessary by the bureau for the purpose of identifying cost-effective applications of electronic information technology. Upon conclusion of any inspection, the bureau shall issue a management letter containing cost estimates and recommendations to the agency head and governing board concerning applications identified that would result in staff reductions, other monetary savings and improved delivery of public services.

(d) Conduct classroom and on-site training for end users for applications and systems developed by the bureau.

(e) Provide consulting services to agencies and institutions or Mississippi governmental subdivisions requesting technical assistance in electronic information services technology applications and systems. The bureau may submit proposals and enter into contracts to provide services to agencies and institutions or governmental subdivisions for such purposes.

(2) The bureau shall annually issue a three-year master plan in writing to the Governor, available on request to any member of the Legislature, including recommended statewide strategies and goals for the effective and efficient use of information technology and services in state government. The report shall also include recommended information policy actions and other recommendations for consideration by the Governor and members of the Legislature.

(3) The bureau shall make an annual report in writing to the Governor, available on request to any member of the Legislature, to include a full and detailed account of the work of the authority for the preceding year. The report shall contain recommendations to agencies and institutions resulting from inspections or consulting contracts. The report shall also contain a summary of the master plan, progress made, and legislative and policy recommendations for consideration by the Governor and members of the Legislature.

(4) The bureau may charge fees to agencies and institutions for services rendered to them. The bureau may charge fees to vendors to recover the cost of providing procurement services and the delivery of procurement awards to public bodies. The amounts of such fees shall be set by the authority upon recommendation of the Executive Director of the MDITS, and all such fees collected shall be paid into the fund established for carrying out the purposes of this section.

(5) It is the intention of the Legislature that the employees of the bureau performing services defined by this section be staffed by highly qualified persons possessing technical, consulting and programming expertise. Such employees shall be considered nonstate service employees as defined in Section 25-9-107(c)(x) and may be compensated at a rate comparable to the prevailing rate of individuals in qualified professional consulting firms in the private sector. Such compensation rates shall be determined by the State Personnel Director. The number of such positions shall be set by annual appropriation of the Legislature. Qualifications and compensation of the bureau employees shall be set by the State Personnel Board upon recommendation of the Executive Director of the MDITS. The total number of positions and classification of positions may be increased or decreased during a fiscal year depending upon work load and availability of funds.

(6) The bureau may, from time to time, at the discretion of the Executive Director of the MDITS, contract with firms or qualified individuals to be used to augment the bureau's professional staff in order to assure timely completion and implementation of assigned tasks, provided that funds are available in the fund established for carrying out the purposes of this section. Such individuals may be employees of any agency, bureau or institution provided that these individuals or firms meet the requirements of other individuals or firms doing business with the state through the Mississippi Department of Information Technology Services. Individuals who are employees of an agency or institution may contract with the Mississippi Department of Information Technology Services only with the concurrence of the agency or institution for whom they are employed.

From and after July 1, 2018, the expenses of this agency shall be defrayed by appropriation from the State General Fund. In addition, in order to receive the maximum use and benefit from information technology and services, expenses for the provision of statewide shared services that facilitate cost-effective information processing and telecommunication solutions shall be defrayed by pass-through funding and shall be deposited into the Mississippi Department of Information Technology Services Revolving Fund unless otherwise specified by the Legislature. These funds shall only be utilized to pay the actual costs incurred by the Mississippi Department of Information Technology Services for providing these shared services to state agencies. Furthermore, state agencies shall work in full cooperation with the Board of the Mississippi Department of Information Technology Services (MDITS) to identify computer equipment or services to minimize duplication, reduce costs, and improve the efficiency of providing common technology services across agency boundaries.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-3-41 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 3 / Section 3-41
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-3-41
Status: in_force

(1) Subject to the provisions of subsection (10) of this section, when any officer or employee of the State of Mississippi, or any department, agency or institution thereof, after first being duly authorized, is required to travel in the performance of his official duties, the officer or employee shall receive as expenses for each mile actually and necessarily traveled, when the travel is done by a privately owned automobile or other privately owned motor vehicle, the mileage reimbursement rate allowable to federal employees for the use of a privately owned vehicle while on official travel.

(2) When any officer or employee of any county or municipality, or of any agency, board or commission thereof, after first being duly authorized, is required to travel in the performance of his official duties, the officer or employee shall receive as expenses Twenty Cents (20¢) for each mile actually and necessarily traveled, when the travel is done by a privately owned motor vehicle; however, the governing authorities of a county or municipality may, in their discretion, authorize an increase in the mileage reimbursement of officers and employees of the county or municipality, or of any agency, board or commission thereof, in an amount not to exceed the mileage reimbursement rate authorized for officers and employees of the State of Mississippi in subsection (1) of this section.

(3) Where two (2) or more officers or employees travel in one (1) privately owned motor vehicle, only one (1) travel expense allowance at the authorized rate per mile shall be allowed for any one (1) trip. When the travel is done by means of a public carrier or other means not involving a privately owned motor vehicle, then the officer or employee shall receive as travel expense the actual fare or other expenses incurred in such travel.

(4) In addition to the foregoing, a public officer or employee shall be reimbursed for other actual expenses such as meals, lodging and other necessary expenses incurred in the course of the travel, subject to limitations placed on meals for intrastate and interstate official travel by the Department of Finance and Administration, provided, that the Legislative Budget Office shall place any limitations for expenditures made on matters under the jurisdiction of the Legislature. The Department of Finance and Administration shall set a maximum daily expenditure annually for such meals and shall notify officers and employees of changes to these allowances immediately upon approval of the changes. Travel by airline shall be at the tourist rate unless that space was unavailable. The officer or employee shall certify that tourist accommodations were not available if travel is performed in first class airline accommodations. Itemized expense accounts shall be submitted by those officers or employees in such number as the department, agency or institution may require; but in any case one (1) copy shall be furnished by state departments, agencies or institutions to the Department of Finance and Administration for preaudit or postaudit. The Department of Finance and Administration shall promulgate and adopt reasonable rules and regulations which it deems necessary and requisite to effectuate economies for all expenses authorized and paid pursuant to this section. Requisitions shall be made on the State Fiscal Officer who shall issue his warrant on the State Treasurer. However, the provisions of this section shall not include agencies financed entirely by federal funds and audited by federal auditors.

(5) Any officer or employee of a county or municipality, or any department, board or commission thereof, who is required to travel in the performance of his official duties, may receive funds before the travel, in the discretion of the administrative head of the county or municipal department, board or commission involved, for the purpose of paying necessary expenses incurred during the travel. Upon return from the travel, the officer or employee shall provide receipts of transportation, lodging, meals, fees and any other expenses incurred during the travel. Any portion of the funds advanced which is not expended during the travel shall be returned by the officer or employee. The Department of Audit shall adopt rules and regulations regarding advance payment of travel expenses and submission of receipts to ensure proper control and strict accountability for those payments and expenses.

(6) No state or federal funds received from any source by any arm or agency of the state shall be expended in traveling outside of the continental limits of the United States until the governing body or head of the agency makes a finding and determination that the travel would be extremely beneficial to the state agency and obtains a written concurrence thereof from the Governor, or his designee, and the Department of Finance and Administration. However, employees of state institutions of higher learning may expend funds for travel outside of the continental limits of the United States upon a written finding by the president or head of the institution that the travel would be extremely beneficial to the institution.

(7) Where any officer or employee of the State of Mississippi, or any department, agency or institution thereof, or of any county or municipality, or of any agency, board or commission thereof, is authorized to receive travel reimbursement under any other provision of law, the reimbursement may be paid under the provisions of this section or the other section, but not under both.

(8) When the Governor, Lieutenant Governor or Speaker of the House of Representatives appoints a person to a board, commission or other position that requires confirmation by the Senate, the person may receive reimbursement for mileage and other actual expenses incurred in the performance of official duties before the appointment is confirmed by the Senate, as reimbursement for those expenses is authorized under this section.

(9)(a) The Department of Finance and Administration may contract with one or more commercial travel agencies, after receiving competitive bids or proposals therefor, for that travel agency or agencies to provide necessary travel services for state officers and employees. Municipal and county officers and municipal and county employees may also participate in the state travel agency contract and utilize these travel services for official municipal or county travel. However, the administrative head of each state institution of higher learning may, in his discretion, contract with a commercial travel agency to provide necessary travel services for all academic officials and staff of the university in lieu of participation in the state travel agency contract. Any such decision by a university to contract with a separate travel agency shall be approved by the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning and the Executive Director of the Department of Finance and Administration.

(b) Before executing a contract with one or more travel agencies, the Department of Finance and Administration shall advertise for competitive bids or proposals once a week for two (2) consecutive weeks in a regular newspaper having a general circulation throughout the State of Mississippi. If the department determines that it should not contract with any of the bidders initially submitting proposals, the department may reject all those bids, advertise as provided in this paragraph and receive new proposals before executing the contract or contracts. The contract or contracts may be for a period not greater than three (3) years, with an option for the travel agency or agencies to renew the contract or contracts on a one-year basis on the same terms as the original contract or contracts, for a maximum of two (2) renewals. After the travel agency or agencies have renewed the contract twice or have declined to renew the contract for the maximum number of times, the Department of Finance and Administration shall advertise for bids in the manner required by this paragraph and execute a new contract or contracts.

(c) Whenever any state officer or employee travels in the performance of his official duties by airline or other public carrier, he may have his travel arrangements handled by that travel agency or agencies. The amount paid for airline transportation for any state officer or employee, whether the travel was arranged by that travel agency or agencies or was arranged otherwise, shall not exceed the amount specified in the state contract established by the Department of Finance and Administration, Office of Purchasing and Travel, unless prior approval is obtained from the office.

(10)(a) For purposes of this subsection, the term “ state agency ” means any agency that is subject to oversight by the Bureau of Fleet Management of the Department of Finance and Administration under Section 25-1-77 .

(b) Each state agency shall use a trip optimizer type system developed and administered by the Department of Finance and Administration in computing the optimum method and cost for travel by state officers and employees using a motor vehicle where the travel will exceed one hundred (100) miles per day and the officer or employee is not driving a state-owned or state-leased vehicle that has been dedicated or assigned to the officer or employee.

(c) The provisions of this subsection shall be used to determine the most cost-effective method of travel by motor vehicles, whether those vehicles are owned by the state agency, leased by the state agency, or owned by the officer or employee, and shall be applicable for purposes of determining the maximum authorized amount of any travel reimbursement for officers and employees of those agencies related to vehicle usage.

(d) The maximum authorized amount of travel reimbursement related to motor vehicle usage shall be the lowest cost option as determined by the trip optimizer type system. All travel claims submitted for reimbursement shall include the results of the trip optimizer type system indicating the lowest cost option for travel by the state officer or employee.

(e) In providing a calculation of rates, the trip optimizer type system shall account for the distance that an officer or employee must travel to pick up a rental or state fleet vehicle, and shall account for the long-term rate discounts offered through the state purchasing contract for vehicle rentals.

(f) This subsection shall not apply to travel by state officials in motor vehicles driven by the official or in vehicles used for the transport of the official. The exemption in this paragraph (f) applies only to the state official and not to the staff or other employees of the state official. As used in this paragraph (f), “ state official ” means statewide elected officials and the elected members of the Public Service Commission.

(g) The provisions of this subsection shall not be applicable to any state agency for the period beginning on April 8, 2022, through June 30, 2027.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-65-21 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 41 / Section 65-21
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-65-21
Status: in_force

(1) No later than six (6) months or less at the discretion of the university president or chancellor, the community/junior college president or state agency director after a financial, compliance, electronic data processing or performance audit is issued, the agency internal audit director shall inform the university president or chancellor, the community/junior college president or the agency head and audit committee of the status of corrective actions taken by the university, community/junior college or agency manager responsible for supervision of the program activity, function or organizational unit audited.

(2) If a follow-up report is issued, the university, community/junior college or agency internal audit director shall submit the report to the head of the university, community/junior college or agency and the audit committee. The follow-up report shall be provided upon request to any member of the Legislature, the State Auditor, the Attorney General, the Governor or other external auditor.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-32-5 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 14 / Section 32-5
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-32-5
Status: in_force

Compensation for the public defender shall be fixed by the board of supervisors or boards of supervisors, if two (2) or more counties are acting jointly; provided, however, the compensation for a public defender, who shall be full-time, representing an entire circuit court district shall not be less than the compensation of the district attorney, the compensation for a public defender representing one (1) county shall not be less than the compensation of the county prosecuting attorney and the compensation for a public defender representing two (2) or more counties, but less than the entire circuit court district, shall not be less than the aggregate of the compensation for county prosecuting attorneys of the counties served, but in no event to exceed the compensation of the district attorney. No full-time public defender or full-time assistant public defenders shall engage nor be associated with any person in the private practice of law. Part-time public defenders or part-time assistant public defenders may engage in the private practice of the law as long as such practice does not relate to the prosecution of criminal matters.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-62-7 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 32 / Section 62-7
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-62-7
Status: in_force

A person who knowingly violates this chapter is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment of not more than ninety (90) days or a fine of not more than One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00) or both.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-43-4.107 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 41 / Section 43-4.107
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-43-4.107
Status: in_force

(1) Notwithstanding any other law of this state, any agency authorized to assess administrative penalties or administrative fines upon a business may waive or reduce any administrative penalty or administrative fine for a violation of any statute, ordinance, or rules by a small business under the following conditions:

(a) The small business corrects the violation within thirty (30) days or less after receipt of a notice of violation or citation;

(b) The violation was the result of an excusable misunderstanding of an agency's interpretation of a rule; or

(c) The agency determines that the small business is making a good-faith effort to comply with the statute, ordinance or rule.

(2) Subsection (1) of this section shall not apply when:

(a) A small business fails to exercise good faith in complying with the statute, ordinance or rule;

(b) A violation involves criminal conduct;

(c) A violation results in serious health, safety or environmental impact; or

(d) The penalty or fine is assessed pursuant to a federal law or regulation and for which no waiver or reduction is authorized by the federal law or regulation.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-53-121 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 13 / Section 53-121
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-53-121
Status: in_force

(1) The types of contracts permitted in the procurement of telecommunications equipment, systems and related services are defined herein, and the provisions in Sections 25-53-101 through 25-53-125 supplement the provisions of Chapter 7, Title 31, Mississippi Code of 1972 .

(2) The Mississippi Department of Information Technology Services may, on behalf of any state agency, enter into an equipment support contract with a vendor of telecommunications equipment or services for the purchase or lease of such equipment or services in accordance with the following provisions:

(a) Specifications for equipment support contracts shall be developed in advance and shall conform to the following requirements:

(i) Specifications for equipment support contracts shall cover a specific class or classes of equipment and service and may include all features associated with that class or classes.

(ii) Specifications in the request for proposals for equipment support contracts shall be developed by the Mississippi Department of Information Technology Services.

(iii) Specifications shall be based on the projected needs of user agencies.

(iv) Specifications for equipment support contracts for purchase or lease of telecommunications equipment may include specifications for the maintenance of the equipment desired.

(b) The initial procurement of an equipment support contract, and procurement of equipment and services to be utilized by agencies under an equipment support contract, shall be as follows:

(i) Equipment support contracts shall be awarded by competitive sealed bidding.

(ii) A using agency may procure required telecommunications equipment and service available under an equipment support contract through release of a purchase order for the required equipment and service to the vendor holding an equipment support contract. However, such procurement by purchase order shall be accomplished in accordance with the procedures and regulations prescribed by the Mississippi Department of Information Technology Services, and shall be subject to all other statutory requirements including approval by the bureau.

(c) The final authority for entering into equipment support contracts shall rest with the bureau, and such contracts shall be executed by the Mississippi Department of Information Technology Services in accordance with the procedures and regulations defined by said authority.

(d) Equipment support contracts shall include the following terms and conditions:

(i) Equipment support contracts shall be valid for not more than one (1) fiscal year with the Mississippi Department of Information Technology Services having an option to renew for two (2) additional fiscal years. The vendor may vary lease or purchase prices for the optional renewal period(s) by an amount equal to the lesser of the lease or purchase price permitted by that vendor's contract with the General Services Administration of the United States Government for such equipment and services, or any variance in that vendor's published list prices for such equipment and services during that fiscal year, provided that any increase may not exceed five percent (5%) and the variance must have been authorized by the initial equipment and service order contract.

(ii) The prices stated in such contract shall not change for the period of the contract.

(iii) Individual items of telecommunications equipment and service which may be included under an equipment support contract may not have a purchase price greater than Fifty Thousand Dollars ($50,000.00) or a monthly lease price greater than Three Thousand Dollars ($3,000.00). Such price shall not include costs of maintenance, taxes or transportation.

(iv) Equipment support contracts shall include the following annual appropriation dependency clause:

“The continuation of this contract is contingent upon the appropriation of funds to fulfill the requirements of the contract by the Legislature. If the Legislature fails to appropriate sufficient monies to provide for the continuance of the contract, the contract shall terminate on the date of the beginning of the first fiscal year for which funds are not appropriated.”

(3) The Mississippi Department of Information Technology Services may on behalf of any state agency enter into contracts for the lease or purchase of telecommunications equipment systems or services in accordance with the following provisions:

(a) The bureau may directly contract for or approve contracts for regulated or tariffed telecommunications services upon determination by the bureau that the application of such service is in the best interests of the State of Mississippi.

(b) All other contracts of this type shall be entered into through request for proposals as defined in Sections 25-53-101 through 25-53-125 .

(c) The justification of such contracts must be presented to the bureau prior to issuance of a request for proposals. Such justification shall identify and consider all cost factors relevant to that contract.

(d) The term of a lease contract shall not exceed sixty (60) months for a system lease valued less than One Million Dollars ($1,000,000.00) and shall not exceed one hundred twenty (120) months for a system lease valued One Million Dollars ($1,000,000.00) or more.

(e) All lease contracts must contain the following annual appropriation dependency clause:

“The continuation of this contract is contingent upon the appropriation of funds to fulfill the requirements of the contract by the Legislature. If the Legislature fails to appropriate sufficient monies to provide for the continuation of a contract, the contract shall terminate on the date of the beginning of the first fiscal year for which funds are not appropriated.”

(f) The Mississippi Department of Information Technology Services shall maintain a list of all such contracts. This list shall show as a minimum the name of the vendor, the annual cost of each contract and the term of the contract or the purchase cost.

(g) Upon the advance written approval of the bureau, state agencies may extend contracts for the lease of telecommunications equipment, systems and related services on a month-to-month basis for a period not to extend more than one (1) calendar year for the stated lease prices.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-31-10.1 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 15 / Section 31-10.1
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-31-10.1
Status: in_force

In addition to the salaries, expenses and fringe benefits of district attorneys and legal assistants authorized by Section 25-3-35(5) and (6) and criminal investigators authorized by Section 25-31-10(5) , the salary of a district attorney may be supplemented in an amount not to exceed Eight Thousand Three Hundred Dollars ($8,300.00) per year; the salary of a legal assistant may be supplemented in an amount not to exceed Six Thousand Dollars ($6,000.00) per year; and the salary of a criminal investigator may be supplemented in an amount not to exceed Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00) per year, payable monthly. The supplemental salary, expenses and fringe benefits authorized herein may be paid from office-generated funds, funds from a county, a combination of counties, a municipality, a combination of municipalities, a county and a municipality, a combination of counties and municipalities, federal funds, grants from private foundations, or by means of an Interlocal Cooperative Agreement authorized by Section 17-13-1 . The district attorney shall report to the board of supervisors of each county comprising the circuit court district the amount and source of the supplemental salary, expenses and fringe benefits, and the board in each county shall spread the same on its minutes. The district attorney shall also report such information to the Department of Finance and Administration who shall make such information available to the Legislative Budget Office. The supplemental salary, expenses and fringe benefits may either be paid from district attorney accounts, transferred by the district attorney to the Department of Finance and Administration or to one or more of the separate counties comprising the circuit court district, and such funds shall be disbursed to the employees in the same manner as state-funded criminal investigators and full-time legal assistants.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-55-25 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 45 / Section 55-25
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-55-25
Status: in_force

(1) A duplicate for a lost or destroyed bond shall not issue until there shall have been filed with the officer an affidavit and a bond. The affidavit must be that of some credible person knowing the facts, and it must set forth the ownership of such bond, the number of unpaid coupons, if any, thereto attached, and the description thereof, embracing, if can be, its number, to whom and for what issued, its date, and when mature. The bond must be that of a person to whom the duplicate is to be issued, with at least two (2) sufficient sureties, in a sum equal to double the amount of the lost, destroyed or stolen bond, payable to the state, conditioned to pay all damages which the state, county, city, town, or levee board, as the case may be, may sustain if compelled to pay such bond or coupons, together with all costs and expenses and lawyers' fees, if any, incurred in enforcing the bond.

(2) A duplicate for a lost or destroyed warrant shall not issue until there shall have been filed with the officer an affidavit. The affidavit must be that of some credible person knowing the facts, and it must set forth the ownership of such warrant and the description thereof, embracing, if can be, its number, to whom and for what issued, and its date.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-53-59 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 19 / Section 53-59
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-53-59
Status: in_force

Any information confidentiality officer who shall intentionally and wilfully violate his oath by releasing or divulging confidential information without proper authority shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and sentenced to not exceeding one (1) year in jail or a fine of not exceeding One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00), or both.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-65-13 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 31 / Section 65-13
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-65-13
Status: in_force

The university, community/junior college or agency internal audit director shall:

(a) Report directly to the university president or chancellor, community/junior college president or agency head or deputy university official, community/junior college official or agency head.

(b) Conduct financial, compliance, electronic data processing and operational and efficiency audits of university, community/junior college or agency programs, activities and functions and prepare audit reports of findings.

(c) Review and evaluate internal controls over university, community/junior college or agency programs, accounting systems, administrative systems, electronic data processing systems and all other major systems necessary to ensure accountability of the university, community/junior college or state agency.

(d) Develop long-term and annual audit plans to be based on the findings of periodic documented risk assessments. The plan shall show the individual audits to be conducted during each year and the related resources to be devoted to each of the respective audits. The audit plan shall ensure that internal controls are reviewed on a periodic basis. The plan shall be submitted to the university, community/junior college or agency head for approval and the audit committee for comment. A copy of the approved plan shall be available upon request to the State Auditor or other appropriate external auditor to assist in planning and coordination of any external financial, compliance, electronic data processing or performance audit.

(e) The scope and assignment of the audits shall be determined by the university, community/junior college or internal audit director; however, the university president or chancellor, community/junior college president or head of the agency may at any time direct the internal audit director to perform an audit of a special program, activity, function or organizational unit.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-53-231 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 41 / Section 53-231
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-53-231
Status: in_force

There is hereby created the “Cyber Security Review Board,” which shall be responsible for ensuring a collaborative effort is made to address the cybersecurity threat posed to the State of Mississippi. Responsibilities of the board include creating a system of reporting cybersecurity attacks within the state, researching and implementing best practices to mitigate cybersecurity risks, and connecting individuals and entities with federal and industry partners.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-43-1.103 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 19 / Section 43-1.103
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-43-1.103
Status: repealed

(1) This chapter applies to all agencies and all proceedings not expressly exempted under this chapter.

(2) This chapter creates only procedural rights and imposes only procedural duties. They are in addition to those created and imposed by other statutes.

(3) Specific statutory provisions which govern agency proceedings and which are in conflict with any of the provisions of this chapter shall continue to be applied to all proceedings of any such agency to the extent of such conflict only.

(4) The provisions of this chapter shall not be construed to amend, repeal or supersede the provisions of any other law; and, to the extent that the provisions of any other law conflict or are inconsistent with the provisions of this chapter, the provisions of such other law shall govern and control.

(5) An agency may grant procedural rights to persons in addition to those conferred by this chapter so long as rights conferred upon other persons by any provision of law are not substantially prejudiced.

(6) For the purposes of implementing, administering and/or enforcing the provisions of rules and regulations promulgated pursuant to the Mississippi Medical Cannabis Act, the Mississippi State Department of Health and the Mississippi Department of Revenue shall be exempted from this chapter from February 2, 2022, through June 30, 2026. This subsection shall stand repealed on June 30, 2026.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-5-29 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 5 / Section 5-29
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-5-29
Status: in_force

The special removal election shall be conducted and the results thereof canvassed and certified in all respects as nearly as practicable in like manner as general elections, unless otherwise expressly provided in this chapter, but any such election falling within sixty (60) days next preceding a general election date shall be held on the day of the general election by the same managers designated to hold the general election, but on the special ballots provided in Section 25-5-31 .
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-65-23 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 13 / Section 65-23
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-65-23
Status: in_force

(1) The state or other external auditor, in connection with planning independent postaudits of the same agency, shall give appropriate consideration to internal audit reports and the resolution of findings therein.

(2) Appropriate legislative committees may inquire into the reasons or justifications for failure of the university, community/junior college or agency to correct the deficiencies reported in internal audits.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-53-3 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 32 / Section 53-3
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-53-3
Status: in_force

(1) Whenever the term “ Central Data Processing Authority ” or the term “ authority ,” when referring to the Central Data Processing Authority, is used in any law, rule, regulation, document or elsewhere, it shall be construed to mean the Mississippi Department of Information Technology Services.

(2) For the purposes of this chapter the following terms shall have the meanings ascribed in this section unless the context otherwise requires:

(a) “Central Data Processing Authority” and “CDPA” mean “Mississippi Department of Information Technology Services (MDITS)” and the term “authority” means “board of the MDITS.”

(b) “Bureau of Systems Policy and Planning,” “Bureau of Telecommunications,” “Bureau of Central Data Processing” and “bureau” mean “Mississippi Department of Information Technology Services.”

(c) “ Computer equipment or services ” means any information technology, computer or computer related telecommunications equipment, electronic word processing and office systems, or services utilized in connection therewith, including, but not limited to, all phases of computer software and consulting services, and insurance on all state-owned computer equipment.

(d) “ Acquisition ” of computer or telecommunications equipment or services means the purchase, lease, rental, or acquisition in any other manner of any such computer or telecommunications equipment or services.

(e) “ Agency ” means and includes all the various state agencies, officers, departments, boards, commissions, offices and institutions of the state.

(f) “ Governing authority ” means boards of supervisors, governing boards of all school districts, all boards of directors of public water supply districts, boards of directors of master public water supply districts, municipal public utility commissions, governing authorities of all municipalities, port authorities, commissioners and boards of trustees of any public hospitals and any political subdivision of the state supported wholly or in part by public funds of the state or political subdivisions thereof.

(g) “ Bid ” means any of the valid source selection techniques and competitive procurement methods appropriate to information technology procurement in the public sector, including, but not limited to, competitive sealed bidding, competitive sealed proposals, simplified small purchase procedures, sole source procurements, and emergency procurements.

(h) “ Telecommunications transmission facility ” means any transmission medium, switch, instrument, inside wiring system or other facility which is used, in whole or part, to provide any transmission.

(i) “ Equipment support contract ” means a contract which covers a single, specific class or classes of telecommunications equipment or service and all features associated with that class, through which state agencies may purchase or lease the item of equipment or service specified by issuing a purchase order under the terms of the contract without the necessity of further competitive bidding.

(j) “ Inside wiring system ” means any wiring which:

(i) Directly or indirectly, interconnects any terminal equipment with any other terminal equipment or with any regulated facility or common carrier services; and

(ii) Is located at the premises of the customer and is not inside any terminal equipment.

(k) “ Procurement ” means the selling, buying, purchasing, renting, leasing or otherwise obtaining telecommunications equipment, system or related services, as well as activities engaged in, resulting in or expected to result in selling, buying, purchasing, renting, leasing or otherwise obtaining telecommunications equipment.

(l) “ Telecommunications equipment, systems, related services ” are limited to the equipment and means to provide:

(i) Telecommunications transmission facilities.

(ii) Telephone systems, including voice processing systems.

(iii) Facsimile systems.

(iv) Radio paging services.

(v) Mobile telephone services, including cellular mobile telephone service.

(vi) Intercom and paging systems.

(vii) Video teleconferencing systems.

(viii) Personal communications networks and services.

(ix) Any and all systems based on emerging and future telecommunications technologies relative to (i) through (viii) above.

(m) “ Telecommunications system lease contract ” means a contract between a supplier of telecommunications systems, including equipment and related services, and the Mississippi Department of Information Technology Services through which telecommunications systems, including equipment and related services, may be leased for a term which shall not exceed sixty (60) months for a system lease valued less than One Million Dollars ($1,000,000.00) and shall not exceed one hundred twenty (120) months for a system lease valued One Million Dollars ($1,000,000.00) or more.

(n) “ Tariffed or regulated service ” means telecommunications service offered by common carriers and subject to control by the Mississippi Public Service Commission or the Federal Communications Commission.

(o) “ State Data Center ” means one or more facilities operated by the Mississippi Department of Information Technology Services to provide information technology resources requiring enterprise computing resources or any other centrally managed information resources.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-34-39 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 17 / Section 34-39
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-34-39
Status: in_force

(1) A notary public may perform a notarial act with respect to electronic records pursuant to this chapter.

(2) The Secretary of State has the sole power to determine the methods by which notarial acts with respect to electronic records may be implemented in this state. Those methods must be set forth in rules promulgated by the Secretary of State.

(3) A notary public seeking to perform notarial acts with respect to electronic records must file an additional registration with the Secretary of State subsequent to being granted a notary commission.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-43-3.112 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 13 / Section 43-3.112
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-43-3.112
Status: in_force

An agency shall file in the Office of the Secretary of State each rule it adopts and all rules existing on July 1, 2005, that have not previously been filed. The filing must be done as soon after adoption of the rule as is practicable. At the time of filing, each rule adopted after July 1, 2005, must have included in or attached to it the material set out in Section 25-43-3.109 . The Secretary of State shall affix to each rule and statement a certification of the date of filing and keep a permanent register open to public inspection of all filed rules and attached material. In filing a rule, each agency shall use a standard format prescribed by the Secretary of State.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-4-11 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 1 / Section 4-11
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-4-11
Status: in_force

(1) Five (5) members of the commission shall constitute a quorum. Five (5) members of the commission shall vote in the affirmative before any official action can be taken by the commission. Execution of such official action may be delegated to the chairman or executive director of the commission.

(2) A vacancy in the commission shall not impair the right of the remaining members to exercise all the powers of the commission subject to the requirements of subsection (1) of this section.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-3-29 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 3 / Section 3-29
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-3-29
Status: in_force

Except as otherwise therein provided, the salaries mentioned in the foregoing sections shall be paid monthly out of the general county fund, and the salaries and allowances shall be included in the budget of each county; however, the board of supervisors, by resolution duly adopted and entered on its minutes, may provide that such salaries shall be paid semimonthly on the first and fifteenth day of each month or every two (2) weeks. If a pay date falls on a weekend or legal holiday, salary payments shall be made on the workday immediately preceding the weekend or legal holiday.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-65-27 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 58 / Section 65-27
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-65-27
Status: in_force

The university president or chancellor, the community/junior college president or the agency director shall:

(a) Review and approve the annual internal audit plan and budget, internal and external audit reports, follow-up reports and quality assurance reviews;

(b) Periodically meet with the agency internal audit director to discuss pertinent matters, including whether there are any restrictions on the scope of audits; and
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-41-1 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 34 / Section 41-1
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-41-1
Status: in_force

It being essential to the fundamental philosophy of the American constitutional form of representative government and to the maintenance of a democratic society that public business be performed in an open and public manner, and that citizens be advised of and be aware of the performance of public officials and the deliberations and decisions that go into the making of public policy, it is hereby declared to be the policy of the State of Mississippi that the formation and determination of public policy is public business and shall be conducted at open meetings except as otherwise provided herein.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-31-36 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 15 / Section 31-36
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-31-36
Status: in_force

(1) Except as otherwise provided herein, no district attorney shall engage in the private practice of law. However, district attorneys may continue to practice for a period of time, not to exceed six (6) months from the date of taking office, in any of the courts so far as to enable them to bring to a conclusion civil cases actually pending in which such district attorneys were employed when they were appointed or elected.

(2) Any person not serving as a legal assistant to the district attorney who is appointed by the Governor to serve as district attorney to fill a vacancy occurring in such office until such office shall be filled by a special or regular election as provided by Sections 23-15-193 , 23-15-833 and 23-15-843 shall be allowed to engage in the private practice of law while holding the office of district attorney pursuant to such appointment.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-41-11 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 17 / Section 41-11
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-41-11
Status: in_force

(1) Minutes shall be kept of all meetings of a public body, whether in open or executive session, showing the members present and absent; the date, time and place of the meeting; an accurate recording of any final actions taken at such meeting; and a record, by individual member, of any votes taken; and any other information that the public body requests be included or reflected in the minutes. The minutes shall be recorded within a reasonable time not to exceed thirty (30) days after recess or adjournment and shall be open to public inspection during regular business hours.

(2) Minutes of a meeting conducted by teleconference or video means shall comply with the requirements of Section 25-41-5 .

(3) Minutes of legislative committee meetings shall consist of a written record of attendance and final actions taken at such meetings.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-31-43 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 11 / Section 31-43
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-31-43
Status: in_force

Any district attorney, legal assistant to a district attorney or criminal investigator employed by a district attorney who retires under the Public Employees' Retirement System for superannuation or for reason of disability shall be allowed to retain, as his personal property, one (1) sidearm which was issued under authority of Section 97-37-7 . The replacement cost of the sidearm shall come from funds appropriated to the district attorney other than those funds appropriated from State General Funds.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-7-13 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 1 / Section 7-13
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-7-13
Status: in_force

(1) The clerks of the circuit court shall charge the following fees:

(a) Docketing, filing, marking and registering each complaint, petition and indictment․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․ $ 85.00

The fee set forth in this paragraph shall be the total fee for all services performed by the clerk up to and including entry of judgment with respect to each complaint, petition or indictment, including all answers, claims, orders, continuances and other papers filed therein, issuing each writ, summons, subpoena or other such instruments, swearing witnesses, taking and recording bonds and pleas, and recording judgments, orders, fiats and certificates; the fee shall be payable upon filing and shall accrue to the clerk at the time of collection. The clerk or his successor in office shall perform all duties set forth above without additional compensation or fee.

(b) Docketing and filing each motion to renew judgment, notice of renewal of judgment, suggestion for a writ of garnishment, suggestion for a writ of execution and judgment debtor actions and issuing all process, filing and recording orders or other papers and swearing witnesses․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․ $ 35.00

(c) For every civil case filed, an additional fee to be deposited to the credit of the Comprehensive Electronic Court Systems Fund established in Section 9-21-14 ․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․ $ 10.00

(d) For every civil case filed, an additional fee to be deposited to the credit of the Judicial System Operation Fund established in Section 9-21-45 ․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․ $ 40.00

(2) Except as provided in subsection (1) of this section, the clerks of the circuit court shall charge the following fees:

(a) Filing and marking each order or other paper and recording and indexing same․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․ $ 2.00

(b) Issuing each writ, summons, subpoena, citation, capias and other such instruments․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․ $ 1.00

(c) Administering an oath and taking bond․․․․ $ 2.00

(d) Certifying copies of filed documents, for each complete document․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․ $ 1.00

(e) Recording orders, fiats, licenses, certificates, oaths and bonds:

First page․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․ $ 2.00

Each additional page․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․ $ 1.00

(f) Furnishing copies of any papers of record or on file and entering marginal notations on documents of record:

If performed by the clerk or his employee, per page․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․ $ 1.00

If performed by any other person, per page․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․ $ .25

(g) Judgment roll entry․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․ $ 5.00

(h) Taxing cost and certificate․․․․․․․․․․․․․․ $ 1.00

(i) For taking and recording application for marriage license, for filing and recording consent of parents when required by law, for filing and recording medical certificate, filing and recording proof of age, recording and issuing license, recording and filing returns․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․ $ 35.00

The clerk shall deposit Fourteen Dollars ($14.00) of each fee collected for a marriage license in the Victims of Domestic Violence Fund established in Section 93-21-117 , on a monthly basis.

(j) For certified copy of marriage license and search of record, the same fee charged by the Bureau of Vital Statistics of the State Board of Health.

(k) For public service not particularly provided for, the circuit court may allow the clerk, per annum, to be paid by the county on presentation of the circuit court's order, the following amount․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․ $5,000.00

However, in the counties having two (2) judicial districts, such above allowance shall be made for each judicial district.

(l) For drawing jurors and issuing venire, to be paid by the county․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․ $ 5.00

(m) For each day's attendance upon the circuit court term, for himself and necessary deputies allowed by the court, each to be paid by the county․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․ $ 75.00

(n) Summons, each juror to be paid by the county upon the allowance of the court․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․ $ 1.00

(o) For issuing each grand jury subpoena, to be paid by the county on allowance by the court, not to exceed Twenty-five Dollars ($25.00) in any one (1) term of court․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․ $ 1.00

(p) For each civil filing, to be deposited into the Civil Legal Assistance Fund․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․ $ 5.00

(3) On order of the court, clerks and deputies may be allowed five (5) extra days for attendance upon the court to get up records.

(4) The clerk's fees in state cases where the state fails in the prosecution, or in cases of felony where the defendant is convicted and the cost cannot be made out of his estate, in an amount not to exceed Four Hundred Dollars ($400.00) in one (1) year, shall be paid out of the county treasury on approval of the circuit court, and the allowance thereof by the board of supervisors of the county. In counties having two (2) judicial districts, such allowance shall be made in each judicial district; however, the maximum thereof shall not exceed Eight Hundred Dollars ($800.00). Clerks in the circuit court, in cases where appeals are taken in criminal cases and no appeal bond is filed, shall be allowed by the board of supervisors of the county after approval of their accounts by the circuit court, in addition to the above fees, for making such transcript the rate of Two Dollars ($2.00) per page.

(5) The clerk of the circuit court may retain as his commission on all money coming into his hands, by law or order of the court, a sum to be fixed by the court not exceeding one-half of one percent ( 1 / 2 of 1%) on all such sums.

(6) For making final records required by law, including, but not limited to, circuit and county court minutes, and furnishing transcripts of records, the circuit clerk shall charge Two Dollars ($2.00) per page. The same fees shall be allowed to all officers for making and certifying copies of records or papers which they are authorized to copy and certify.

(7) The circuit clerk shall prepare an itemized statement of fees for services performed, cost incurred, or for furnishing copies of any papers of record or on file, and shall submit the statement to the parties or, if represented, to their attorneys within sixty (60) days. A bill for same shall accompany the statement.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-60-3 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 15 / Section 60-3
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-60-3
Status: in_force

Counties and municipalities are hereby authorized to establish regional records centers for the storage, preservation and use of permanently valuable county and municipal records and of inactive county and municipal records which are required to be retained for a prescribed period of time but which are not needed to be kept in the creating office. Such regional records centers may be jointly established and maintained pursuant to agreements executed under the Interlocal Cooperation Act of 1974. Any center established under this section must either be certified by the Department of Archives and History as provided for historical or archival groups or public libraries in Section 25-59-25(2) , or be administered by the Department of Archives and History pursuant to a contract between the department and the local government which established the center.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-5-27 — MS Code / Title 25 / Chapter 1 / Section 5-27
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-5-27
Status: in_force

The officer named in the removal petition shall continue to perform the duties of his office until the results of said special removal election shall be officially proclaimed. If, however, the officer named in the petition for removal shall offer his resignation before the issuance of the proclamation for the holding of special removal election, it shall be accepted, shall take effect on the date it is offered, and the vacancy shall be filled as provided by law for the filling of any vacancy in an elective county office. The officer who either resigns or is removed shall not be eligible to fill the vacancy caused by his removal or resignation, or serve as deputy in the office from which he resigns or is removed.