MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

1998 Regular Session

To: Public Buildings, Grounds and Lands

By: Representative McInnis

House Bill 1266

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 29-5-3, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROHIBIT THE CAPITOL PRESS CORPS FROM OCCUPYING CERTAIN OFFICE SPACE IN THE NEW CAPITOL; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. Section 29-5-3, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

29-5-3. The several rooms and apartments of the New Capitol shall not be occupied by any other persons nor for any other purpose than as expressly authorized by the Legislature; provided, however, that it shall be the duty of the Legislature to provide office space in the New Capitol for any state department, officer or employee where it is provided by law that the department, officer or employee shall have an office in the State Capitol.

For the purposes of this section, the Capitol Press Corps shall be defined as those reporters or journalists employed by a newspaper to report on the legislative process and who have permanent offices located on the fourth floor of the New Capitol. From and after the effective date of this act, any space on the fourth floor previously occupied by the Capitol Press Corps shall be reassigned by the appropriate committees of the Mississippi House of Representatives and the Mississippi Senate for use as offices for legislative members.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 1998.