MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2025 Regular Session
To: Elections
By: Senator(s) England
AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 23-15-805, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO MODIFY THE CAMPAIGN FINANCE REPORTING PROCESS; TO REQUIRE THE SECRETARY OF STATE TO MAINTAIN A CENTRAL SITE ON THE INTERNET TO MAKE CAMPAIGN FINANCE REPORTS ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC AND EASILY SEARCHABLE; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:
SECTION 1. Section 23-15-805, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
[Through December 31, 2026, this section shall read as follows:]
23-15-805. (1) (a)
Candidates and candidate committees for state, state district, and
legislative district offices, and every political committee, which makes
reportable contributions to or expenditures in support of or in opposition to a
candidate for any such office or makes reportable contributions to or
expenditures in support of or in opposition to a statewide ballot measure,
shall file all reports required under this * * * chapter with the Office of the
Secretary of State.
(b) The Secretary of State shall maintain a central site on the internet to make accessible to the public and searchable all publicly available election-related reports and information. Reports shall be searchable by the identifiable variables on the report, including, but not limited to, candidate, office sought, itemized contribution, itemized expenditure, amount of contribution and amount of expenditure. In this section, the term "election-related report" means any report, designation or statement required to be filed under this chapter.
( * * *2) Candidates and candidate
committees for county or county district office, and every political
committee which makes reportable contributions to or expenditures in support of
or in opposition to a candidate for such office or makes reportable
contributions to or expenditures in support of or in opposition to a countywide
ballot measure or a ballot measure affecting part of a county, excepting a
municipal ballot measure, shall file all reports required by this section in
the office of the circuit clerk of the county in which the election occurs, or
directly to the Office of the Secretary of State * * *. The circuit clerk shall forward copies of all reports to
the Office of the Secretary of State.
( * * *3) Candidates for municipal office,
and every political committee which makes reportable contributions to or
expenditures in support of or in opposition to a candidate for such office, or
makes reportable contributions to or expenditures in support of or in
opposition to a municipal ballot measure shall file all reports required by
this article in the office of the municipal clerk of the municipality in which
the election occurs, or directly to the Office of the Secretary of State * * *. The municipal clerk shall forward copies of all reports
to the Office of the Secretary of State.
( * * *4) The Secretary of State, the circuit
clerks and the municipal clerks shall make all reports received under this
subsection available for public inspection and copying and shall preserve the
reports for a period of five (5) years.
[From and after January 1, 2027, this section shall read as follows:]
23-15-805. (1) Candidates and candidate committees for state, state district and legislative district offices and every political committee, which makes reportable contributions to or expenditures in support of or in opposition to a candidate for any such office or makes reportable contributions to or expenditures in support of or in opposition to a statewide ballot measure, shall file all reports required under this chapter with the Office of the Secretary of State through the Secretary of State's online filing system.
(2) Candidates and candidate committees for county or county district office, and every political committee which makes reportable contributions to or expenditures in support of or in opposition to a candidate for such office or makes reportable contributions to or expenditures in support of or in opposition to a countywide ballot measure or a ballot measure affecting part of a county, excepting a municipal ballot measure, shall file all reports required by this section in the office of the circuit clerk through the Secretary of State's online filing system. The Secretary of State shall ensure the circuit clerks, or their designees, are properly trained on the utilization of the online filing system and have access to the system.
(3) Candidates for municipal office, and every political committee which makes reportable contributions to or expenditures in support of or in opposition to a candidate for such office, or makes reportable contributions to or expenditures in support of or in opposition to a municipal ballot measure shall file all reports required by this article in the office of the municipal clerk of the municipality in which the election occurs through the Secretary of State's online filing system. The Secretary of State shall ensure the municipal clerks, or their designees, are properly trained on the utilization of the online filing system and have access to the system.
(4) The Secretary of State, the circuit clerks and the municipal clerks shall make all reports received under this subsection available for public inspection and copying and shall preserve the reports for a period of five (5) years.
(5) Any candidate, candidate committee or political committee required to file their campaign finance report via the Secretary of State's online filing system shall not be required to submit a report via the Secretary of State's online filing system if they submit an affidavit to the Secretary of State stating that that they do not have internet access. The affidavit must be submitted yearly and will be made available with other campaign finance reports. In the event of failure of the online filing system that reasonably prevents a candidate, candidate committee or political committee from filing a required report, the Secretary of State shall allow for the filing of reports via facsimile, electronic mail, postal mail or hand delivery and make such forms available to candidates, candidate committees and political committees for such filings.
(6) The Secretary of State shall maintain a central site on the internet to make accessible to the public and searchable all publicly available election-related reports and information. Reports shall be searchable by the identifiable variables on the report, including, but not limited to, candidate, office sought, itemized contribution, itemized expenditure, amount of contribution and amount of expenditure. In this section, the term "election-related report" means any report, designation or statement required to be filed under this chapter.
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2025, and shall stand repealed on June 30, 2025.