JACKSON, MS (Mississippi News Now) -
It's called House Bill 122 and is now the center of political contention between Attorney General Jim Hood and House Speaker Philip Gunn as well as Representative Mark Baker, both of whom are co-authors.
The bill seeks to remove the attorney general's power to hire outside council to represent the state and instead allows state agencies to do it themselves, without Hood's approval.
Hood says he has no problem with the legislative process, but when it comes to how the bill was handled, that's a different story.
"They don't give me any notice of it. I don't even get a chance to read the bill," said Hood.
The bill, touted as sunshine legislation, was filed just before five o'clock Monday afternoon and about twelve hours later it was before a house judiciary committee which Baker is the chairman of.
"Why would you slip this bill out in the middle of the night, you call it sunshine, and you bring it on the floor the next morning and you don't even give the attorney general an opportunity to comment," said Hood.
Hood says Baker intentionally set the meeting for Tuesday morning at the same time when hood had a meeting with a senate appropriations committee.
"I said well give me a few minutes to get out of that senate appropriations committee hearing upstairs, I'll come right back down to give me a chance to be heard. He [Baker] refused to do that," said Hood.
"I don't really understand the concern," said Rep. Baker.
Baker says the bill has been moving around the capitol for years and shouldn't come as any surprise.
"I think there are occasions where the attorney general attempts to legislate through litigation and by doing so attempts to affect public policy in the state of Mississippi," said Baker.
In the end, the committee voted to approve the bill which will now go to the full house for a vote where bakers believes it will pass. As far as allowing Hood to speak on the bill, Baker says he was never intended to be shut out.
"He [Hood] was actually in the committee meeting. I saw him going around to various members and asking them or speaking to them I assume giving them information so they could ask questions," said Hood.
When asked whether the committee gave Hood a chance to speak during the hearing, Baker said Hood didn't ask.
Hood says the bill, if passed, would end up costing the state more money if agency heads are left making legal decisions.
"It's obvious they're not worried about what the facts are, they're just trying to introduce a bill to take the constitutional powers away from the attorney general," said Hood.
Part of the bill also calls for online publishings of contracts where legal services are expected to be more than $100,000.
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