Miss. House Republicans advance new Sunshine bill
Mississippi House Republicans are moving forward with efforts to limit the attorney general’s power to hire private attorneys to file lawsuits for the state.
Attorney General Jim Hood is the only Democrat remaining in statewide elected office, and he opposes their efforts.
A bill that passed the House Judiciary A Committee on Monday says any statewide elected official or appointed agency head could hire private attorneys if they think the attorney general’s office can’t provide sufficient legal representation.
It also says agency heads must approve any lawsuits filed on behalf of their programs — a provision that could’ve blocked past lawsuits in which a Democratic attorney general and a Republican governor had strong differences of opinion.
AP
2/13/12
