Counties; shorten notice requirement for special meetings from five days to three days., the official text

MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

2026 Regular Session

To: County Affairs

By: Representatives Mattox, Carpenter, Byrd

House Bill 1231

(As Sent to Governor)

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 19-3-19, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972,
TO SHORTEN THE REQUIREMENT FOR NOTICE OF SPECIAL MEETINGS OF COUNTY BOARDS OF
SUPERVISORS FROM FIVE DAYS TO THREE BUSINESS DAYS; AND FOR RELATED
PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1.  Section
19-3-19, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

19-3-19.  (1)  The board of
supervisors may, at a regular meeting, by an order on its minutes, adjourn to
meet at any time it may determine upon.

(2)  The president, or the
vice president in the absence or disability of the president, or any three (3)
members of the board, may call special meetings when deemed necessary.  Notice
shall be given of all special meetings, for at least * * * five (5) three (3) business
days, by advertisement posted at the courthouse door, or published in a
newspaper of the county, and the notice thereof, whether posted or published in
a newspaper, shall be entered in full on the minutes of said meeting.  In
addition, notice shall be posted on the official county website and/or the
county's official social media webpage for the duration of at least three (3)
days immediately preceding the special meeting.  The notice of a special
meeting * * *,
shall specify each matter of business to be transacted thereat, and at such
special meetings business shall not be transacted which is not specified in the
order or notice for such meeting.

(3)  The president, or the
vice president in the absence or disability of the president, or any two (2)
members of the board, may by written notice, call an emergency meeting of the
board of supervisors in cases of an emergency arising as a result of serious
damage to county property, or to roads or bridges, or emergencies arising as a
result of epidemic conditions or weather conditions.  The notice shall state
the time of the meeting and distinctly specify the subject matters of business
to be acted upon and be signed before a notary by the officer or officers
calling the meeting.  At least three (3) hours before the time fixed for the
meeting, notice shall be personally delivered to the members of the board who
have not signed it and who can be found.  The notice shall also be posted at
the courthouse door at least three (3) hours before the time fixed for the
meeting.  If a member of the board cannot be found to complete the personal
delivery of the notice, the president, vice president or any one of the two (2)
members of the board calling an emergency meeting shall make every attempt,
within the applicable notice period, to contact the board member that was not
personally found by other available means, including, but not limited to,
telephone or e-mail.  The method of notice used to call the meeting shall be
entered on the minutes of the emergency meeting, and business not specified in
the notice shall not be transacted at the meeting.

SECTION 2.  This act
shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2026.