Joint Resolution 1

A JOINT RESOLUTION OF THE HOUSE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE OF THE MISSISSIPPI HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AND THE RULES COMMITTEE OF THE MISSISSIPPI STATE SENATE REQUIRING THE COMMITTEES, MEETING AS A JOINT COMMITTEE, AUTHORIZING COMPETITIVE BIDDING FOR CERTAIN SPACE ON THE FOURTH FLOOR OF THE NEW CAPITOL BUILDING, AND AUTHORIZING REALLOCATION OF THE SPACE IF NO ACCEPTABLE PAYMENT IS RECEIVED.

WHEREAS, Sections 29-5-2 and 29-5-3, Mississippi Code of 1972, give the Legislature the exclusive authority to allocate office space in the New Capitol Building, by providing that the assignment of space in the New Capitol Building shall be designated by resolution of the combined House Management Committee and Senate Rules Committee, meeting as a joint committee; and

WHEREAS, in 2001, a joint resolution of the House Management Committee and the Senate Rules Committee was adopted during a joint committee meeting to allocate space in the New Capitol Building for use by the Senate, the House of Representatives, the Governor, the Lieutenant Governor, the Secretary of State and certain other personnel; and

WHEREAS, in the joint resolution, a portion of the space on the fourth floor was allocated to the press for use by the press; and

WHEREAS, no compensation or competitive bidding was required, authorized or mentioned in relation to the space allocated to the press in the joint resolution; and

WHEREAS, since 2001, only certain news media have been given the privilege of using office space without charge to the news media; and

WHEREAS, to create a fair environment for all news media to compete to use office space in the New Capitol, to resolve inadequacies in office space for legislators and staff, the October 1, 2001, Joint Resolution is amended to require the House Management Committee and the Senate Rules Committee to offer competitive bidding prices to the news media, for purposes of determining whether the news media may lease the office space allocated to the press; and to authorize the House Management Committee and the Senate Rules Committee to reallocate the space on the fourth floor for another use or purpose, if the House Management Committee and the Senate Rules Committee do not receive an acceptable bid from the news media for the space:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE AND THE SENATE RULES COMMITTEE IN JOINT MEETING, That the space on the fourth floor that is now allocated to the press shall be competitively bid for purposes of determining who may lease the office space allocated to the press, and that the space may be reallocated for another use or purpose by the House Management Committee and the Senate Rules Committee if no acceptable bid for that space from the news media is received.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the press.

ADOPTED BY THE HOUSE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE AND SENATE RULES COMMITTEE, MEETING JOINTLY, ON__________, 2018.