House Bill 521

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 25-61-3, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REVISE THE MISSISSIPPI PUBLIC RECORDS ACT OF 1983 TO EXEMPT FROM THE DEFINITION OF PUBLIC RECORDS CERTAIN RECORDS OF THE MISSISSIPPI WORKERS' COMPENSATION COMMISSION; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. Section 25-61-3, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

25-61-3. The following words shall have the meanings ascribed herein unless the context clearly requires otherwise:

(a) "Public body" shall mean any department, bureau, division, council, commission, committee, subcommittee, board, agency and any other entity of the state or a political subdivision thereof, and any municipal corporation and any other entity created by the Constitution or by law, executive order, ordinance or resolution. The term "public body" includes the governing board of a charter school authorized by the Mississippi Charter School Authorizer Board. Within the meaning of this chapter, the term "entity" shall not be construed to include individuals employed by a public body or any appointed or elected public official.

(b) "Public records" shall mean all books, records, papers, accounts, letters, maps, photographs, films, cards, tapes, recordings or reproductions thereof, and any other documentary materials, regardless of physical form or characteristics, having been used, being in use, or prepared, possessed or retained for use in the conduct, transaction or performance of any business, transaction, work, duty or function of any public body, or required to be maintained by any public body. "Public records" shall not mean:

(i) "Personal information" as defined in Section 25-62-1 * * *.; and

(ii) Records of the Mississippi Workers' Compensation Commission that include personal, private or identifying information of any person with a claim or potential claim under the Workers' Compensation Law. This shall not apply to disclosures to a consumer reporting agency, as defined by 15 U.S.C. Section 1681 (f), pursuant to or in connection with an activity governed by the Fair Credit Reporting Act, Section 1681 et seq., Title 15 of the United States Code.

(c) "Data processing software" means the programs and routines used to employ and control the capabilities of data processing hardware, including, but not limited to, operating systems, compilers, assemblers, utilities, library routines, maintenance routines, applications and computer networking programs.

(d) "Proprietary software" means data processing software that is obtained under a licensing agreement and is protected by copyright or trade secret laws.

(e) "Incident report" means a narrative description, if such narrative description exists and if such narrative description does not contain investigative information, of an alleged offense, and at a minimum shall include the name and identification of each person charged with and arrested for the alleged offense, the time, date and location of the alleged offense, and the property involved, to the extent this information is known.

(f) "Investigative report" means records of a law enforcement agency containing information beyond the scope of the matters contained in an incident report, and generally will include, but not be limited to, the following matters if beyond the scope of the matters contained in an incident report:

(i) Records that are compiled in the process of detecting and investigating any unlawful activity or alleged unlawful activity, the disclosure of which would harm the investigation which may include crime scene reports and demonstrative evidence;

(ii) Records that would reveal the identity of informants and/or witnesses;

(iii) Records that would prematurely release information that would impede the public body's enforcement, investigative or detection efforts;

(iv) Records that would disclose investigatory techniques and/or results of investigative techniques;

(v) Records that would deprive a person of a right to a fair trial or an impartial adjudication;

(vi) Records that would endanger the life or safety of a public official or law enforcement personnel, or confidential informants or witnesses;

(vii) Records pertaining to quality control or PEER review activities; or

(viii) Records that would impede or jeopardize a prosecutor’s ability to prosecute the alleged offense.

(g) "Law enforcement agency" means a public body that performs as one (1) of its principal functions activities pertaining to the enforcement of criminal laws, the apprehension and investigation of criminal offenders, or the investigation of criminal activities.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2022.