Mississippi Code 1972 (2023) › Title 81 - BANKS AND FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS (§§ 81-1-1 — 81-29-3) › Chapter 12 - SAVINGS ASSOCIATIONS LAW (§§ 81-12-1 — 81-12-229) › Section 81-12-77 - Inspection of books and records of association; confidential nature of certain books and records; access by members; procedure for members to communicate with other members with reference to questions to be presented at annual meeting

(1)
Every member, savings account holder or borrower shall have the right to inspect the books and records of an association as pertain to his loan or savings account. Otherwise, the right of inspection and examination of the books and records shall be limited (a) to the commissioner or his duly authorized representatives as provided in this chapter, (b) to persons duly authorized to act for the association, (c) officers and directors of the association, and (d) to any federal or state instrumentality or agency authorized to inspect or examine the books and records of an insured association. The books and records pertaining to the accounts and loans of members, savings account holders, and borrowers shall be kept confidential by the association, its directors, officers and employees, and by the commissioner, his examiners and representatives, except where the disclosure thereof shall be compelled by a court of competent jurisdiction, and no member or any other person shall have access to the books and records or shall be furnished or shall possess a partial or complete list of the members, savings account holders, or borrowers except upon express action and authority of the board of directors. This shall in no way be construed to prevent the commissioner from performing his duties under this chapter in any form permitted by law.
(2)
In the event, however, that any member or members desire to communicate with the other members of the association with reference to any question pending or to be presented for consideration at a meeting of the members, the association shall furnish upon request a statement of the approximate number of members of the association at the time of such request, and an estimate of the cost of forwarding such communication. The requesting member or members shall then submit the communication, together with a sworn statement that the proposed communication is not for any reason other than the business welfare of the association, to the commissioner who, if he finds it to be appropriate, truthful and in the best interests of the association and its members, shall execute a certificate setting out such findings, forward the certificate together with the communication, which may be sealed and its contents protected, to the association, and direct that the communication be prepared an d mailed by the association to the members upon the requesting member's or members' payment to it of the expense of such preparation and mailing. If the commissioner finds such proposed communication to be inappropriate, untruthful or contrary to the best interests of the association and its members, he shall have the discretion to make any disposition of the request to communicate which he deems proper and he shall execute a certificate setting out such findings and deliver it to the requesting member together with his order making disposition of the request.
Laws, 1977, ch. 445, § 20; reenacted, Laws, 1982, ch. 301, § 39; Laws, 1990 Ex Sess, ch. 52, § 40; Laws, 1993, ch. 441, § 40; Laws, 1994, ch. 622, § 72; reenacted without change, Laws, 1997, ch. 496, § 37; reenacted without change, Laws, 2001, ch. 488, § 39, eff. 7/1/2001.