MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

1999 Regular Session

To: Public Buildings, Grounds and Lands

By: Representative McInnis

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 29-5-3, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROHIBIT THE CAPITOL PRESS CORPS FROM OCCUPYING CERTAIN OFFICE SPACE IN THE NEW CAPITOL; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. Section 29-5-3, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

29-5-3. The several rooms and apartments of the New Capitol shall not be occupied by any other persons nor for any other purpose than as expressly authorized by the Legislature; provided, however, that it shall be the duty of the Legislature to provide office space in the New Capitol for any state department, officer or employee where it is provided by law that the department, officer or employee shall have an office in the State Capitol.

From and after July 1, 1999, any space on the fourth floor of the New Capitol previously occupied by the Capitol Press Corps shall be vacated by such press corps and shall be reassigned by the appropriate committees of the Mississippi House of Representatives and the Mississippi Senate for use as offices for legislative members. For the purposes of this section, the Capitol Press Corps means those reporters or journalists employed by a newspaper to report on the legislative process and who have permanent offices located on the fourth floor of the New Capitol.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 1999.