House Bill 305

(COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE)

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 5-3-55, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO INCREASE THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE LEGISLATIVE PEER COMMITTEE; TO AMEND SECTION 5-3-69, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO CONFORM TO THE PRECEDING PROVISION; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. Section 5-3-55, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

5-3-55. The committee shall be composed of eight (8) members from the Senate and eight (8) members from the House of Representatives, two (2) from each of the congressional districts of the State of Mississippi as constituted on January 1, 2004, to be appointed by the Lieutenant Governor and the Speaker of the House of Representatives for a term concurrent with their term in their respective house. * * * The Lieutenant Governor and Speaker shall make their respective appointments within fifteen (15) days after the first calendar day of the regular session in the first year of each four-year term. No member of the committee shall serve as a member of * * * any other state governmental board or commission. * * *

* * *

SECTION 2. Section 5-3-69, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

5-3-69. There shall be no business transacted, including adoption of rules or procedure, without the presence of a quorum of the committee. A quorum shall be ten (10) members, to consist of five (5) members from the Senate and five (5) members from the House of Representatives, and no action shall be valid unless approved by the majority of those members present and voting, and entered upon the minutes of the committee and signed by the chairman and vice chairman. All actions of the committee shall be approved by at least five (5) Senate members and five (5) House members.

The committee shall meet at the time and place as designated by the majority vote of the members; however, a special meeting may be called by the chairman or by a petition signed by no less than six (6) members. No action taken by the committee at any special meeting shall be valid unless each member has been given at least forty-eight (48) hours notice of the meeting, along with a statement of the business to be considered, and unless the action is entered upon the minutes of the committee and signed by the chairman.

SECTION 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage.