Senate Bill 2384 Summary

• Establishes that willfully refusing to appear before a legislative committee, answer questions, or produce subpoenaed records constitutes contempt of the Legislature, punishable by fine of up to $1,000 and/or imprisonment up to 6 months.

• Provides legislative committees with alternative civil enforcement option to file complaints in chancery court to compel witness compliance, with failure to comply treated as contempt of court.

• Allows legislative committees to delegate subpoena power to subcommittees by majority vote and permits committees to request Attorney General assistance or use contract counsel for enforcement actions.

• Specifies that protective court orders cannot prevent legislative committees, the Attorney General, State Auditor, or Ethics Commission from accessing information subject to those orders or determining how the information may be used and reported.

• Takes effect July 1, 2012.