MS HB1067

Expands the Transparency Mississippi website to include information on elected officials (contact information, voting record, party affiliation, term of office, next election date, and committee appointments), appointed administrative officials, ethics violations and investigations, audit status and results, and lobbying activity.

Requires the website to display contracts over $50,000, vendor campaign contributions, bids, laws governing contracts, state-paid lobbying activity, registered lobbyists, agency lobbying contracts, and grants to nonprofit organizations with contact persons and grant justifications.

Mandates inclusion of Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) contact information for all agencies and departments in a centralized location, plus annual FOIA compliance surveys measuring submissions, fulfillments, average response times, and denial reasons.

Requires website information to be updated within 14 days of receiving agency data and remain publicly accessible for a minimum of 10 years; mandates all information be presented in plain English with an easy-to-navigate interface without requiring plug-in downloads.

Establishes accountability and transparency websites for institutions of higher learning, community and junior colleges by July 1, 2012, and for community hospitals by January 1, 2016, to publicly display financial reports, audits, budgets, and expenditure information.