MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

1999 Regular Session

To: Elections

By: Senator(s) Hawks, Hall, Johnson (19th), Moffatt, Scoper, Dickerson

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 23-15-976, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, AND SECTION 1 OF HOUSE BILL 1609, 1998 REGULAR SESSION, TO ALLOW POLITICAL PARTIES FREE EXERCISE OF THE RIGHT TO ENDORSE AND OTHERWISE SUPPORT CANDIDATES FOR JUDICIAL OFFICE; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. Section 23-15-976, Mississippi Code of 1972, as amended by House Bill 1609, 1998 Regular Session, is amended as follows:

23-15-976. A judicial office is a nonpartisan office and a candidate for election thereto is prohibited from campaigning or qualifying for such an office based on party affiliation. * * *

SECTION 2. Section 1 of House Bill 1609, 1998 Regular Session, is amended as follows:

SECTION 1. It shall be unlawful for any individual, political party, or political action committee not affiliated with a political party to give, donate, appropriate or furnish directly or indirectly, any money, security, funds or property in excess of Two Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($2,500.00) for the purpose of aiding any candidate or candidate's political committee for judge of a county, circuit or chancery court or in excess of Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00) for the purpose of aiding any candidate or candidate's political committee for judge of the Court of Appeals or justice of the Supreme Court, or to give, donate, appropriate or furnish directly or indirectly, any money, security, funds or property in excess of Two Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($2,500.00) to any candidate or the candidate's political committee for judge of a county, circuit or chancery court or in excess of Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00) for the purpose of aiding any candidate or candidate's political committee for judge of the Court of Appeals or justice of the Supreme Court, as a contribution to the expense of a candidate for judicial office.

SECTION 3. The Attorney General of the State of Mississippi is hereby directed to submit this act, immediately upon approval by the Governor, or upon approval by the Legislature subsequent to a veto, to the Attorney General of the United States or to the United States District Court for the District of Columbia in accordance with the provisions of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, as amended and extended.

SECTION 4. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after the date it is effectuated under Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, as amended and extended.