House Bill 1015 Summary

• Consolidates three existing Mississippi laws (Administrative Procedures Law, Public Records Act of 1983, and Open Meetings Law) into a single "Mississippi Administrative Procedures Law of 2014"

• Establishes public access requirements for agency records, rules, and meetings with specific timelines (20 days for record requests, 25+ days notice for proposed rules, 5 days notice for meetings)

• Requires agencies to charge reasonable fees for records based on search, duplication, and review costs, with fee waivers for certain requesters (news media, educational institutions, noncommercial scientific groups)

• Mandates detailed annual reports to the Legislature from each agency on records requests, denials, appeals, and processing times

• Provides civil remedies including attorney's fees for citizens who substantially prevail in disputes over public records access, and criminal penalties for willful violations