Missississippi House alters, passes revision to open meetings law

The director of Mississippi’s ethics commission told The Associated Press that a revision to the state’s open meetings law passed by the House on Thursday had been watered down from its original version.

The legislation was approved 97-22 after a provision that established a formal process for nullifying any decision made in violation of open meetings laws was removed. An amendment that mirrors one passed by the state Senate, which would require individual violators to pay fines and not taxpayers, passed by a 65-54 vote.

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Ed Blackmon, who opposes the fine provision, will now decide when and if to call the bill back up for debate.