House Bill 1281 Summary

• Expands the definition of "agency" under the Mississippi Accountability and Transparency Act to include counties with populations of 20,000 or more and municipalities with populations of 10,000 or more.

• Requires counties with 20,000+ population and municipalities with 10,000+ population to create accountability and transparency websites or website sections by July 1, 2022, displaying financial reports, audits, budgets, and expenditure information.

• Mandates state agencies, counties, and municipalities to list on their websites any expenditures of $150,000 or more used to pay settlements for sexual harassment claims, with designated indicators on transparency websites.

• Requires state agency transparency websites to include an easy-to-understand interface in plain English that is well-organized and accessible without tedious plug-in downloads.

• Effective date is July 1, 2021.