No Action

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT NO 1 PROPOSED TO

Senate Bill No. 2632

BY: Committee

     Amend by striking all after the enacting clause and inserting in lieu thereof the following:

     SECTION 1.  The following shall be codified as Section 5-8-25, Mississippi Code of 1972:

5-8-25.  (1)  For purposes of this section, the following terms shall have the meanings as defined in this subsection:

          (a)  "State agency" means any board, commission, department and authority of the State of Mississippi, including the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning, and the individual institutions of higher learning.

          (b)  "Community or junior college" means all community or junior colleges and their boards of trustees established or empowered by Chapter 29, Title 37, Mississippi Code of 1972.

          (c)  "Local government" means any county, municipality or other political subdivision of the State of Mississippi.

          (d)  "Public funds" means all general funds appropriated by the Legislature and all other fees, local levies, or other revenues generated by the agency, local government or community or junior college that are available for expenditure by the agency, local government or a community or junior college.  However, the term "public funds" shall not include gifts, donations or endowments received by an individual institution of higher learning or a community or junior college.

          (e)  "Lobbying" means any activity as defined as "lobbying" in Section 5-8-3; however, this term does not include providing technical information to legislators or legislative staff.

          (f)  "Contract lobbying" means any lobbying of the Mississippi Legislature performed by an independent contractor or lobbying that is performed by a contract worker of an agency, local government or community or junior college.

     (2)  (a)  No state agency, local government or community or junior college shall expend any public funds to pay any person, firm or association or other collective of individuals to perform contract lobbying for the agency, local government or community or junior college.

          (b)  Any contract entered into between an agency, local government or community or junior college with a contract lobbyist shall be void and unenforceable.

          (c)  Any employee of a state agency, local government or community or junior college who authorizes payment of public funds to pay a person, firm, association or other collective of individuals who engage in contract lobbying shall be subject to dismissal.

     SECTION 2.  This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2017.

     Further, amend by striking the title in its entirety and inserting in lieu thereof the following:

     AN ACT TO CREATE SECTION 5-8-25, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO DEFINE CERTAIN TERMS AND TO PROHIBIT STATE AGENCIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS FROM EXPENDING PUBLIC FUNDS TO PAY CONTRACT LOBBYISTS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.