MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

2021 Regular Session

To: Appropriations

By: Representative Read

House Bill 1177

(As Passed the House)

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 1-5-7, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT THE OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE SHALL NOT PROVIDE COPIES OF THE GENERAL LAWS, JOURNALS AND LOCAL AND PRIVATE LAWS OF EACH SESSION OF THE LEGISLATURE FOR LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE MEETING ROOMS IN THE NEW CAPITOL UNLESS SPECIFICALLY REQUESTED IN WRITING BY THE CLERK OF THE HOUSE OR THE SECRETARY OF THE SENATE FOR THE COMMITTEE ROOMS OF THEIR RESPECTIVE HOUSE; TO PROVIDE THAT ANY OTHER RECIPIENT OF THE GENERAL LAWS AND JOURNALS LISTED IN THIS SECTION MAY WAIVE THE RECEIPT OF THE GENERAL LAWS, JOURNALS OR BOTH BY WRITTEN REQUEST TO THE OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE; TO DELETE THE AUTHORITY FOR THE LEGISLATIVE SERVICES OFFICES OF THE HOUSE AND SENATE TO RECEIVE ADDITIONAL COPIES OF THE GENERAL LAWS, JOURNALS AND LOCAL AND PRIVATE LAWS; TO PROVIDE THAT COPIES OF THE GENERAL LAWS, JOURNALS AND LOCAL AND PRIVATE LAWS SHALL BE PROVIDED TO THE LEGISLATIVE PEER COMMITTEE; TO CREATE NEW SECTION 23-17-42, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO AUTHORIZE THE SECRETARY OF STATE TO INSERT INTO THE CONSTITUTION PROPOSED CHANGES, ALTERATIONS OR AMENDMENTS PROPOSED TO THE CONSTITUTION BY INITIATIVE OF THE PEOPLE OR LEGISLATIVE ALTERNATIVE IN THE SAME WAY THAT THE SECRETARY OF STATE INSERTS INTO THE CONSTITUTION PROPOSED CHANGES, ALTERATIONS OR AMENDMENTS PROPOSED TO THE CONSTITUTION THAT ARE PASSED BY THE LEGISLATURE; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

     SECTION 1.  Section 1-5-7, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

     1-5-7.  (1)  The Office of the Secretary of State shall distribute and transmit, free of cost, the general laws and journals of each session of the Legislature, as follows:  One (1) volume of each to the following:  Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, Attorney General, State Auditor, State Treasurer, Clerk of the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeals; Mississippi State University, Mississippi University for Women, Alcorn State University, University of Southern Mississippi, Delta State University, Jackson State University, Mississippi Valley State University, University of Mississippi and University of Mississippi School of Law; the sheriff of each county for the county law library; each member of the Legislature; the Secretary of the Senate; the Clerk of the House; each attorney employed in the Legislative Services Offices of the House of Representatives and the Senate; each legislative committee meeting room in the New Capitol; the Legislative Reference Bureau; the Legislative Budget Office; the Legislative PEER Committee; the Department of Archives and History; and the Library of Congress at Washington, D.C. 

     The copies of the general laws and journals to be provided to each sheriff, member of the Legislature and * * *each the attorneys employed in the Legislative Services Offices of the House and Senate under this subsection (1) shall not be provided unless specifically requested by such sheriff, legislator or attorney in writing, and the copies to be provided for legislative committee meeting rooms in the New Capitol shall not be provided unless specifically requested in writing by the Clerk of the House or the Secretary of the Senate for the committee rooms of their respective house.  Any other recipient of the general laws and journals listed in this subsection (1) may waive the receipt of the general laws, journals or both by written request to the Office of the Secretary of State

     (2)  The Office of the Secretary of State shall provide, free of cost, one (1) volume of the local and private laws to each attorney employed in the Legislative Services Offices of the House of Representatives and the Senate; each legislative committee meeting room in the New Capitol; * * * and the Legislative Reference Bureau; * * * however and the Legislative PEER Committee.

     The copies of the local and private laws to be provided * * *each to the attorneys employed in the Legislative Services Offices of the House and Senate under this subsection (2) shall not be provided unless specifically requested by such attorney in writing, and the copies to be provided for legislative committee meeting rooms in the New Capitol shall not be provided unless specifically requested in writing by the Clerk of the House or the Secretary of the Senate for the committee rooms of their respective house.

 * * * In addition to the volumes provided to the Legislative Services Offices' attorneys under this section, four (4) volumes of the general laws, three (3) volumes of the local and private laws and two (2) volumes of the journal of the particular house involved shall be provided free of cost to the Legislative Services Offices of the House of Representatives and the Senate. Receipt of any number of volumes that are to be provided to the Legislative Services Offices and their attorneys under this section may be waived in writing by the Director of the Legislative Services Office of either house.

     SECTION 2.  The following shall be codified as Section

23-17-42, Mississippi Code of 1972:

     23-17-42.  When a proposed change, alteration or amendment proposed to the Constitution by initiative of the people or legislative alternative receives the required number of votes as provided in Section 273(8), Mississippi Constitution of 1890, the Secretary of State shall insert the proposed change, alteration or amendment into the Constitution by proclamation of his or her office certifying that the proposed change, alteration or amendment to the Constitution received the required number of votes as provided in Section 273(8), Mississippi Constitution of 1890.  The Secretary of State shall also designate the article number and section number or numbers for the proposed change, alteration or amendment in the Constitution if the article number and section number or numbers are not provided in the initiative of the people or legislative alternative.

     SECTION 3.  This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage.