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Ethics Commission postpones finalizing order stating Legislature not bound by open meetings law

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Ethics Commission postpones finalizing order stating Legislature not bound by open meetings law

by Bobby Harrison, Mississippi Today
December 8, 2022

Members of the Mississippi Ethics Commission postponed on Thursday adopting “a final order” to support their controversial conclusion that the Mississippi Legislature is not bound by the state’s open meetings law.

Long-time Commission Chair Ben Stone proposed placing in the final order that while the open meetings law does not specifically cite the Legislature, the Mississippi Constitution clearly mandates that the Legislature conduct its business in the open.

While Stone said the Ethics Commission is authorized to rule on open meetings issues related solely to the law and is not authorized to interpret the constitution, he said he believes the language related to the constitution could still be included in the final order.

“We are not allowed to interpret it, but we are able to cite it and put it in our opinion,” Stone said at the start of the specially called meeting that was conducted via Zoom. “The Legislature is not going to close its doors regardless of what we do here today.”

The eight-member commission adjourned Thursday without making a final decision, but scheduled another meeting for Dec. 14 in an attempt to resolve the issue.

The issue arose in response to a legal challenge by the Mississippi Free Press to the Ethics Commission of whether House Speaker Philip Gunn is violating the state’s open meetings laws when he holds meetings of the Republican Caucus behind closed doors. According to various sources, as reported by Mississippi Today, legislative business is routinely discussed in the closed caucus meetings.

The Republican Caucus consists of 75 of the 122 members of the Mississippi House. A majority constitutes a quorum that is needed for the House to conduct business.

In addressing the issue of the caucus meetings, the Ethics Commission by a 5-3 vote last week ruled that the Legislature is not covered by the open meetings law.

Many members stuck to that opinion in Thursday’s special meeting.

“We believe the Legislature should be open, is required to be open,” said Commissioner Stephen Burrow, but the issue is “outside the jurisdiction of the Ethics Commission.”

He said it is up to a courts, not the Ethics Commission, to make the final decision on whether the Legislature is mandated to be open.

Commissioner Samuel Kelly said he believed legislators “clearly intended to keep themselves out” of the open meetings law. The law specifies certain bodies that should be open. It lists that certain legislative committees shall be open, but it does not cite the Legislature as a whole. By the same token, in citing specific entities that shall be exempt from the open meetings law, it also does not mention the Legislature.

The open meetings law specifies that “all official meetings of any public body, unless otherwise provided in this chapter or in the constitution of the United States of America or the state of Mississippi are declared to be public meetings and shall be open to the public at all times.” The law does allow closed sessions of public bodies in certain instances, such as to discuss lawsuits or personnel issues.

The final decision of the Ethics Commission, which consists of political appointees made by the speaker, lieutenant governor, governor and chief justice of the Supreme Court, can be appealed to the courts.

Commissioner Maxwell Luter said he is “very concerned” about the precedent that would be established by saying the Legislature is not covered by the open meetings law. He also said that he feared that such a ruling would negatively impact the perception of the Ethics Commission.

This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

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Mississippi Today

UMMC holds free cancer screenings

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April 30, 2025

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mississippitoday.org – @EricJShelton – 2025-04-30 12:00:00

by Eric J. Shelton, Mississippi Today
April 30, 2025

  • Resident physician Claire Babin, right, performs an oral cancer screening on Ella Holmes during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
  • Physicians prepare for oral, head and neck cancer screenings during a free screening event at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
  • Resident physician Brooks Lampkin, center, screens Diane Carter for oral cancer as medical students Mason Nodurft, left, and Eva Kiparizoska observe during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
  • Educational giveaways advocating against smoking are available during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
  • Sharon Terry, senior tobacco treatment specialist, waits for patients during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
  • Skylar Robinson, medical office assistant, left, and Kiandria Bruce, registered nurse, review materials at the patient sign-in table during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
  • Head and neck cancer literature is available during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
  • Dr. Alex Brooks and registered nurse Angela Noble talk during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
  • Nina Brown, clinical manager, helps Ned Bostic with paperwork during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
  • Resident physician Brooks Lampkin performs an oral cancer screening on Ned Bostic at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
  • Ned Bostic receives a neck cancer screening during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
  • Resident physician Brooks Lampkin, center, and medical student Hanna Watson examine Ned Bostic during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.

The University of Mississippi Medical Center’s Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery hosted a free oral, head, and neck cancer screening Wednesday at the Jackson Medical Mall as part of Oral, Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Week.

The event featured quick, noninvasive screenings aimed at catching cancer early — when treatment is most effective. Onyx Care provided free HPV vaccinations, while the ACT Center for Tobacco Treatment, Education, and Research offered resources on smoking cessation and free services.

“These screenings take about 10 minutes and can save lives,” said Dr. Gina Jefferson, head and neck surgical oncologist at UMMC. “The earlier a cancer is diagnosed, the better chance we have of curing it.”

Tobacco and alcohol use remain major risk factors for these cancers. However, physicians say an increasing number of cases are linked to HPV, especially among younger adults with no history of smoking or drinking. Dentists are often the first to spot early signs, which can include persistent sores, lumps in the neck, or difficulty swallowing.

Oral, head and neck cancers are among the most common globally. When found early, survival rates can exceed 80 percent.

This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

The post UMMC holds free cancer screenings appeared first on mississippitoday.org


Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.

Political Bias Rating: Centrist

This article presents factual information about a free cancer screening event without showing a clear ideological stance. It primarily focuses on the health benefits of early cancer detection and the availability of free resources, such as HPV vaccinations and smoking cessation support. The language used is neutral and the content is centered around public health education rather than promoting a political viewpoint. The inclusion of factual statistics, such as survival rates and risk factors, adds to its informative and objective tone. There are no signs of bias or advocacy for a particular political agenda, making this a centrist piece.

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Crooked Letter Sports Podcast

Podcast: What next for Mississippi State baseball?

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1 day ago

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April 30, 2025

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mississippitoday.org – @rick_cleveland – 2025-04-30 10:46:00

by Rick Cleveland and Tyler Cleveland, Mississippi Today
April 30, 2025

Mississippi State didn’t even wait until the end of the season to fire Chris Lemonis, who brought the national championship to Starkville not quite four years ago. Where do the Bulldogs go from here. Robbie Faulk who covers the Bulldogs more closely than anyone else joins the podcast to discuss the situation.

Stream all episodes here.

This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

The post Podcast: What next for Mississippi State baseball? appeared first on mississippitoday.org

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Mississippi Today

Mobile sports betting users: We want to hear from you

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1 day ago

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April 30, 2025

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mississippitoday.org – @MSTODAYnews – 2025-04-30 10:21:00

by Mississippi Today, Mississippi Today
April 30, 2025

Mississippi Today is looking to speak with current and former mobile sports betting users. We’d like to speak with people who spend considerable amounts of time and money betting on sports through online gambling sites.

We’re interested in hearing the experience of people who have suffered from gambling addiction or problems, or friends and family members of people who have. We also would like to talk with people who believe legalizing mobile sports betting would benefit Mississippi and its residents.

We want to hear from you. Please take the survey below or contact Political Reporter Michael Goldberg by email at mgoldberg@mississippitoday.org

TAKE THE SURVEY:

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This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

The post Mobile sports betting users: We want to hear from you appeared first on mississippitoday.org


Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.

Political Bias Rating: Centrist

This article from Mississippi Today appears to present a neutral stance, focusing on gathering input from various groups of mobile sports betting users, including those who may have experienced addiction issues. The content does not advocate for or against the legalization of mobile sports betting but instead seeks to gather diverse perspectives, including those of individuals who may support or oppose it. The language used is objective and does not suggest a particular ideological perspective, allowing for a balanced exploration of the issue at hand.

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