HB 652 Summary

• Prohibits state agencies and community/junior colleges from expending public funds to pay contract lobbyists, making any such contracts void and unenforceable.

• Public employees who authorize contract lobbying expenditures are subject to termination, but excludes employees lobbying as part of their regular job duties.

• Adds definitions to lobbying law including "state agency," "community or junior college," "public funds," and "contract lobbying" to the Mississippi Code.

• Removes "contracts for legislative advocacy services" from Public Procurement Review Board oversight by deleting that category from Section 27-104-7.

• Brings forward existing sections on lobbyist exemptions (Section 5-8-7), prohibited lobbyist conduct (Section 5-8-13), and higher education employee appearance restrictions (Section 37-101-15) for possible future amendment.