Senate Bill 2600

AN ACT TO PROHIBIT THE PRACTICE OF INCLUDING MORE THAN ONE SUBJECT IN A SINGLE BILL BY REQUIRING THAT EACH BILL ENACTED BY THE MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE BE LIMITED TO ONLY ONE SUBJECT; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. Short title. This act may be cited as the "Mississippi One Subject at a Time Act."

SECTION 2. One subject at a time. (1) Each general and appropriation bill or concurrent resolution shall embrace no more than one (1) subject.

(2) Subject in title. The subject of a bill or concurrent resolution shall be clearly and descriptively expressed in the title.

(3) Appropriation bills. An appropriation bill shall not contain any general legislation or change of existing law provision. Provided, however, that this section shall not be construed to prohibit any provision imposing a condition upon the expenditure of funds so appropriated.

SECTION 3. Enforcement. (1) Multiple subjects in title. If the title of an act or concurrent resolution addresses two (2) or more unrelated subjects, then the entire act or concurrent resolution is void.

(2) Provisions not expressed in title. If the title of an act or concurrent resolution addresses a single subject, but the act contains one or more provisions concerning a subject that is not clearly and descriptively expressed in its title, then only such provision or provisions concerning the subject not clearly and descriptively expressed in the title shall be void.

(3) Appropriation provisions outside subcommittee jurisdiction. If an act appropriating funds contains a provision outside of the jurisdiction of the relevant subcommittee of the Committees on Appropriations of the House or of the Senate, and therefore outside the subject of the bill, then such provision shall be void.

(4) Provisions of appropriation bills not germane to subject matter. If an act appropriating funds contains general legislation or change of existing law provision, then each and every such provision shall be void.

(5) Point of order. The provisions of this act shall be enforced by the President of the Mississippi Senate and the Speaker of the Mississippi House of Representatives. Any member of the Legislature may make a point of order relating to a general bill, appropriation bill or concurrent resolution based upon the provisions of this act and the presiding officer of the respective house shall rule accordingly.

(6) Commencement of an action. Any person aggrieved by the enforcement of, or attempt or threat of enforcement of, an act passed without having complied with Section 2 of this act, or any member of the Mississippi Legislature aggrieved by the failure of the Senate or House of Representatives of which that individual is a member to comply with any requirement of those sections, shall, regardless of the amount in controversy, have a cause of action against the State of Mississippi to seek appropriate relief, including an injunction against the enforcement of any law, the passage of which did not conform to Section 2 of this act.

(7) State of review. In any judicial action brought pursuant to subsection 6, the standard of review shall be de novo.

SECTION 4. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2014.