Senator kills own bill that would have limited State Auditor’s power

• Senator David Parker’s committee advanced the bill to the floor last week. On Tuesday, he killed his own bill. Here’s why.

Senate Accountability, Efficiency, and Transparency Committee Chairman David Parker (R) killed his own bill that limited the Auditor’s Office during Tuesday’s Senate floor session.

By unanimous voice vote, the Senate voted to table SB 2847, which would have stopped Mississippi Auditor Shad White’s office from filing lawsuits to recoup money on behalf of the state without prior approval from the Governor or Legislature. It also would have removed from the Auditor the ability to hire consulting firms for what the Legislature has called “managerial studies.”

The bill would also have allowed for pre- and post-audits of for-profit and nonprofit entities administering programs financed by state funds in an amount less than $10 million. Current law, Miss. Code Ann. 7-7-211(f), allows the Auditor to conduct pre- and post-audits of these entities without a cap on the amount.

RELATED: Senate committee advances legislation to restrict power of Auditor’s Office

Senator Parker’s committee advanced the bill to the floor last week. However, he said Tuesday that over the weekend he received a call, though he did not say from whom, claiming that any discussion of the bill is possible jury tampering.

“I spoke with our attorney, who told me it was not,” Parker said.

Parker said the bill was not written with malice but to ensure a “fair and balanced” process.

During his five-minute speech, Parker did not elaborate on why he was tabling the bill other than to note that the call was related to a previous discussion with Auditor White regarding a DeSoto County Alderman.

As previously reported by Magnolia Tribune, Parker was outraged over the Auditor’s handling of the case against Desoto County Alderman Charles Roberts.

According to Parker, the alderman filed for unemployment after being laid off but failed to include in his claim his salary as an alderman. Parker said the alderman had recognized his mistake and paid the money back before White went on television to announce it.

Roberts was indicted by DeSoto County District Attorney Matthew Barton (R) for fraud last September. Attorneys for Roberts argued that the prosecution was unnecessary since his wages had been garnished and he was forced to sell his house to pay the state $16,948 to settle the claim.