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HR 19

House rules; amend to create a new rule that requires each committee's agenda to be published 24 hours before the meeting.

2026 Regular Session

Requires 24-hour advance publication of standing committee meeting agendas with specific content, unless exempted, and agendas cannot be altered.

Died In Committee
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Bill Summary · HR 19

Summary of House Resolution No. 19 (Mississippi Regular Session 2026)

Purpose and Intent

  • Establishes a new House Rule (Rule 104.1A) to ensure transparency by requiring the publication of committee meeting agendas at least 24 hours before standing committee meetings.
  • The rule aims to provide lawmakers, staff, and the public with advance notice of the bills and topics to be considered.

Key Provisions

  1. Agenda Publication Timing

    • For standing committee meetings: the Clerk of the House must publish the agenda at least 24 hours prior to the meeting time.
    • For meetings outside the standing committee timeframe: agendas must be published on the official Mississippi House website at least 1 hour before the scheduled meeting.

  2. Exemptions

    • The following are not subject to the 24-hour publication requirement:
      • Rules Committee
      • Management Committee
      • Any joint or subcommittee meeting
      • Any hearing in which no bills will be adopted

  3. Agenda Content Requirements

    • Each published agenda must include:
      • (a) The name of the committee
      • (b) The date and time of the meeting
      • (c) The short title of each bill to be discussed
      • (d) A hyperlink to an electronic version of the bill text

  4. Integrity of the Agenda

    • Once published, the agenda cannot be altered.
    • Committees may only address items that appear on the published agenda.

  5. Effective Date

    • The rule takes effect immediately upon adoption by the House of Representatives.

Affected Entities

  • Primary: Members and staff of standing committees in the Mississippi House of Representatives.
  • Secondary: The public, researchers, media, and advocacy groups who rely on advance notice of committee activity.
  • Notably Exempted: Certain committees and meetings (Rules Committee, Management Committee, joint/subcommittee meetings, and hearings with no bill adoption).

Procedural Timeline and Status

  • Referral: Referred to Rules (January 16, 2026).
  • Action history shows:
    • Died in Committee on April 15, 2026, after suspension from deadlines.
    • Previously listed as “Suspend from Deadlines by HC” on April 15, 2026.

Potential Impact

  • Transparency and Predictability: Public access to committee agendas 24 hours in advance could improve transparency and allow stakeholders to prepare testimony or mobilize advocacy.
  • Operational Considerations: Clerks and committees would need to ensure timely publication and accurate linking to bill texts.
  • Exemption Scope: The broad exemptions (Rules, Management, joint/subcommittees, and hearings with no bill adoption) may limit applicability in some contexts, preserving flexibility for certain proceedings.
  • Timeline Uncertainty: The measure did not advance to enactment, given it died in committee in April 2026. If revived, it would amend House Rules via a resolution process and would take effect immediately upon adoption.

Bottom Line

HR 19 sought to impose a 24-hour publication requirement for standing committee agendas, with specific content and integrity safeguards, while allowing certain exemptions. As of the latest action, the bill did not progress to passage.

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

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