Bean, Robert

Mississippi Public Records Act

Miss. Code Ann. 25-61-1 et seq.

The Mississippi Public Records Act is a series of laws designed to guarantee that the public has access to public records of government bodies at all levels. Records are defined as "all books, records, papers, accounts, letters, maps, photographs, films, cards, tapes, recordings or reproductions thereof, and any other documentary materials, regardless of physical form or characteristics, having been used, being in use, or prepared, possessed or retained for use in the conduct, transaction or performance of any business, transaction, work, duty or function of any public body, or required to be maintained by any public body."

Anyone can request access to Mississippi’s public records and no state of purpose is required. There are no restrictions placed on the use of records.The Mississippi Public Records Act states that, if not decided upon by the individual department, departments have one working day to respond to PRA requests. However, departments may establish their own time limits of up to fourteen working days.