MS HB608

Establishes the "Tidelands Transparency and Accountability Act" requiring the Secretary of State to publish monthly transparency reports on the first business day of each month regarding the Public Trust Tidelands Fund and Public Trust Tidelands Assessments Fund.

Monthly reports must detail all deposits and withdrawals including names of payors and payees, descriptions of transaction purposes, administration costs, and cumulative listing of all leases and assessments with tenant names, addresses, rental amounts, and property location maps.

Reports must include detailed narrative descriptions of procedures, appraisals, and reasoning used to determine lease rental and assessment amounts, plus copies of all contracts entered into by the Secretary of State for professional services not awarded through public bid process.

Requires an independent auditor hired by the State Auditor to conduct annual audits of the Tidelands Trust Funds, with results filed with the State Auditor and Legislature and posted on the Secretary of State's website.

Prohibits use of Tidelands Trust Funds to pay judgments against the Secretary of State or State of Mississippi or for attorney's fees in tidelands-related litigation.