MS Code § 25-43-1.102 (2020)
2020 Mississippi Code|Title 25 - Public Officers and Employees; Public Records|Chapter 43 - Administrative Procedures|Article 1 - General Provisions|§ 25-43-1.102. Definitions

 As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section unless the context otherwise requires:   "Agency" means a board, commission, department, officer or other administrative unit of this state, including the agency head, and one or more members of the agency head or agency employees directly or indirectly purporting to act on behalf or under the authority of the agency head. The term does not include the Legislature or any of its component units, the judiciary or any of its component units or the Governor. The term does not include a political subdivision of the state or any of the administrative units of a political subdivision. To the extent it purports to exercise authority subject to any provision of this chapter, an administrative unit otherwise qualifying as an "agency" must be treated as a separate agency even if the unit is located within or subordinate to another agency.   "Agency head" or "head of the agency" means an individual or body of individuals in whom the ultimate legal authority of the agency is vested by any provision of law.   "Agency proceeding" or "proceeding" means the process by which an agency considers:   A declaratory opinion pursuant to Section 25-43-2.103, or   A rule pursuant to Article III of this chapter.   "Agency record" means the official rule-making record of an agency pursuant to Section 25-43-3.112.   "Declaratory opinion" means an agency opinion rendered in accordance with the provisions of Section 25-43-2.103.   "Order" means an agency action of particular applicability that determines the legal rights, duties, privileges, immunities or other legal interests of one or more specific persons. An order shall be in writing signed by a person with authority to render the order, or if more than one (1) person has such authority by at least that number of such persons as jointly have the authority to render the order, or by a person authorized to render the order on behalf of all such persons. The term does not include an executive order issued by the Governor pursuant to Section 25-43-1.104, an opinion issued by the Attorney General pursuant to Section 7-5-25, an opinion issued by the Ethics Commission pursuant to Section 25-4-17, or a declaratory opinion rendered in accordance with Section 25-43-2.103.   "Person" means an individual, partnership, corporation, association, governmental subdivision or unit thereof, or public or private organization or entity of any character, and includes another agency.   "Provision of law" or "law" means the whole or a part of the federal or state Constitution, or of any federal or state (i) statute, (ii) case law or common law, (iii) rule of court, (iv) executive order, or (v) rule or order of an administrative agency.   "Rule" means the whole or a part of an agency regulation or other statement of general applicability that implements, interprets or prescribes:   Law or policy, or   The organization, procedure or practice requirements of an agency. The term includes the amendment, repeal or suspension of an existing rule. "Rule" does not include:   1. A regulation or statement concerning only the internal management of an agency which does not directly and substantially affect the procedural or substantive rights or duties of any segment of the public;   2. A regulation or statement that establishes criteria or guidelines to be used by the staff of an agency in performing audits, investigations or inspections, settling commercial disputes, negotiating commercial arrangements or in the defense, prosecution or settlement of cases, if disclosure of the criteria or guidelines would:   a. Enable law violators to avoid detection;   b. Facilitate disregard of requirements imposed by law; or   c. Give a clearly improper advantage to persons who are in an adverse position to the state;   3. A regulation or statement that only establishes specific prices to be charged for particular goods or services sold by an agency;   4. A regulation or statement concerning only the physical servicing, maintenance or care of agency owned or operated facilities or property;   5. A regulation or statement relating only to the use of a particular facility or property owned, operated or maintained by the state or any of its subdivisions, if the substance of the regulation or statement is adequately indicated by means of signs or signals to persons who use the facility or property;   6. A regulation or statement directly related only to inmates of a correctional or detention facility, students enrolled in an educational institution or patients admitted to a hospital, if adopted by that facility, institution or hospital;   7. A form whose contents or substantive requirements are prescribed by rule or statute, and instructions for the execution or use of the form;   8. An agency budget;   9. A compact or agreement between an agency of this state and one or more agencies of another state or states; or   10. An opinion of the Attorney General pursuant to Section 7-5-25, an opinion of the Ethics Commission pursuant to Section 25-4-17, or an Executive Order of the Governor.   "Rule-making" means the process for formulation and adoption of a rule.