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Bill

HB 400

Appointed state officers; provide for the removal of for certain forms of willful neglect.

2025 Regular Session

Mississippi bill enabling removal of appointed state officers for willful neglect of duties, died in committee without passage.

Died In Committee
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Bill Summary · HB 400

Legislative bill overview

HB 400 would establish grounds for removing appointed state officers who engage in certain forms of willful neglect of their duties. The bill creates a mechanism to address situations where state appointees fail to perform their official responsibilities intentionally or through gross negligence.

Why is this important

State appointed officers (not elected) currently have limited accountability mechanisms for performance failures. This bill attempts to strengthen oversight by allowing removal for willful neglect, which could improve government accountability and protect public interests when officials are negligent in their duties.

Potential points of contention

  • Definition precision: "Willful neglect" is legally vague without clear statutory definition—what constitutes neglect versus poor judgment or disagreement on priorities requires careful specification
  • Due process concerns: The bill's procedural safeguards for removal hearings and appeals are unclear, raising questions about fairness to accused officers
  • Political weaponization risk: Broad removal authority could be misused to target appointed officials for political reasons rather than genuine neglect, especially if the definition remains loose

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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