MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2011 Regular Session
To: Ethics
By: Senator(s) Flowers
AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 25-4-29, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO INCREASE THE FINE ASSESSED FOR A PUBLIC OFFICIAL'S FAILURE TO FILE A REQUIRED STATEMENT OF ECONOMIC INTEREST; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:
SECTION 1. Section 25-4-29, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
25-4-29. (1) Required statements hereunder shall be filed as follows:
(a) Every incumbent public official required by paragraphs (a), (b), (d) and (e) of Section 25-4-25 to file a statement of economic interest shall file such statement with the commission on or before May 1 of each year that such official holds office, regardless of duration;
(b) Candidates for office required to file a statement hereunder shall file such statement within fifteen (15) days after the deadline for qualification for that public office;
(c) Persons who are required to file a statement because of appointment to fill a vacancy in an office or required to file under Section 25-4-25(d) and (e) shall file such statement within thirty (30) days of their appointment;
(d) No person by reason of successful candidacy or assuming additional offices shall be required to file more than one (1) statement of economic interest in any calendar year, except such official shall notify the commission as soon as practicable of additional offices not previously reported; and
(e) The commission may, on an individual case basis, provide for additional time to file a statement upon a showing that compliance with a filing date set out under paragraph (a), (b), (c) or (d) above would work an unreasonable hardship.
(2) Any person who fails to file a statement of economic interest within thirty (30) days of the date the statement is due shall be deemed delinquent by the commission. The commission shall give written notice of the delinquency to the person by United States mail, restricted delivery, or by personal service of process. If within fifteen (15) days of receiving written notice of delinquency the delinquent filer has not filed the statement of economic interest, a fine of One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) per day shall be assessed against the delinquent filer for each day thereafter in which the statement of economic interest is not properly filed. The commission shall enroll such assessment as a civil judgment with the circuit clerk in the delinquent filer's county of residence. The commission may enforce the judgment for the benefit of the State General Fund in the same manner as is prescribed for other civil judgments.
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2011.