House Bill 1509

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 25-1-99, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REQUIRE THE OFFICE OF THE COUNTY TAX COLLECTOR TO MAINTAIN BUSINESS HOURS FROM 8:00 A.M. TO 5:00 P.M.; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. Section 25-1-99, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

25-1-99. The clerks of the circuit and chancery courts, the county superintendents of education, the county tax assessors, and the sheriffs shall keep their offices at the courthouses of their respective counties if offices shall be there provided for them. If offices shall not be there provided for them, they shall keep their offices within one-half (1/2) mile of the courthouses of their respective counties; except that the office of the county superintendent of education may be placed in the county in any other place determined by the county board of education to be most feasible, regardless of the distance from the courthouse. The offices of all circuit and chancery clerks * * *~~and~~, sheriffs and tax collectors shall be open for business on all business days from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., except that within the discretion of the board of supervisors of * * *~~said~~ the county, the above county offices may be closed at 12:00 noon one (1) business day of each week, or may be closed all day Saturday of each week, or may be closed at 12:00 noon on Saturday and at 12:00 noon on one (1) additional business day of each week. Such courthouse hours decided upon within the discretion of the board of supervisors must be duly entered at large on the minutes of said board, and such action by the board shall be published in a newspaper having general circulation in the county once each week for four (4) consecutive weeks.

Provided, however, the courthouse shall be closed on all state holidays as set forth in Section 3-3-7, and when any state holiday set forth in Section 3-3-7 falls on a Saturday, the courthouse may be closed on the Friday immediately preceding such Saturday and when such holiday falls on a Sunday, the courthouse may be closed on the Monday immediately succeeding such Sunday. The board of supervisors, in its discretion, may close the county offices on those holidays created by executive order of the Governor.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2019.