Senate Bill 2650

(As Passed the Senate)

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 23-15-805, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO MODIFY THE CAMPAIGN FINANCE REPORTING PROCESS BY REQUIRING THAT THE SECRETARY OF STATE MAINTAIN A CENTRAL SITE ON THE INTERNET TO MAKE CAMPAIGN FINANCE REPORTS ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC AND EASILY SEARCHABLE; TO PROVIDE THAT CANDIDATES, CANDIDATE COMMITTEES AND POLITICAL COMMITTEES MAY FILE REPORTS USING THE ONLINE FILING SYSTEM CREATED BY THE SECRETARY OF STATE; 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:

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 * * * ~~article~~ chapter with the Office of the Secretary of State. Candidates, candidate committees and political committees may file all reports required under this chapter through the Secretary of State's online filing system and may file via facsimile, electronic mail, postal mail or hand delivery.

(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.

( * * *b2) 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. Candidates, candidate committees and political committees may file all reports required under this chapter through the Secretary of State's online filing system, and any reports forwarded by the circuit clerk to the Secretary of State shall be posted to the online filing system.

( * * *c3) 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. Candidates, candidate committees and political committees may file all reports required under this chapter through the Secretary of State's online filing system, and any reports forwarded by the municipal clerk to the Secretary of State shall be posted to the online filing system.

( * * *d4) 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.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after January 1, 2026.