2015 Mississippi Code
Title 97 - CRIMES
Chapter 11 - OFFENSES INVOLVING PUBLIC OFFICIALS
§ 97-11-53 - Offer of inducements to influence public official's action on award of contracts or accomplishment of official acts

As used in this section the following words shall have the following meaning:

(1) Person: individual, firm, corporation, association, partnership or other legal entity.

(2) Public official:

(a) Any elected official of the State of Mississippi or of any political subdivision thereof, or

(b) Any officer, director, commissioner, supervisor, chief, head, agent or employee of:

(i) The State of Mississippi,

(ii) Any agency of the State of Mississippi,

(iii) Any political subdivision of the State of Mississippi,

(iv) Any body politic of the State of Mississippi, or

(v) Any entity created by or under the laws of the State of Mississippi or by executive order of the Governor of the State of Mississippi and which expends public funds.

No person shall directly or indirectly offer, promise, give or agree to give to any public official or his spouse any money, property, or other tangible or intangible thing of value as an inducement or incentive for (a) the awarding or refusal to award a contract by any of the entities referred to in subsections (i) through (v) of subsection 2-b of this section; (b) the purchase, sale or lease of property by any of the entities referred to in subsections (i) through (v) of subsection 2-b of this section; or (c) the accomplishment of any official act or purpose involving public funds or public trust.

Any person who violates the terms of this section shall be guilty of a felony and shall, upon conviction, be imprisoned in the penitentiary not more than ten (10) years, or be fined not more than five thousand dollars ($ 5,000.00), or both; and in addition such person and the firm, corporation, partnership, association or other type of business entity which he represents shall be barred for a period of five (5) years from the date of conviction from doing business with the State of Mississippi or any political subdivision thereof or any other public entity referred to in this section.

No public official shall directly or indirectly accept, receive, offer to receive or agree to receive any gift, offer, or promise of any money, property or other tangible or intangible thing of value as an inducement or incentive for (a) the awarding or refusal to award a contract by any of the entities referred to in subsections (i) through (v) of subsection 2-b of this section; (b) the purchase, sale or lease of property by any of the entities referred to in subsections (i) through (v) of subsection 2-b of this section; or (c) the accomplishment of any official act or purpose involving public funds or public trust.

Any public official who violates the terms of this section or whose spouse does so with his knowledge and consent, shall be guilty of a felony and shall, upon conviction, be imprisoned in the penitentiary not more than ten (10) years, or be fined not more than five thousand dollars ($ 5,000.00), or both; and in addition, upon conviction such public official shall forfeit his office, if any he hold, and be forever disqualified from holding any public office, trust, appointment or employment with the State of Mississippi or any political subdivision thereof or with any other public entity referred to in this section.

Each violation of the provisions of this section shall constitute a separate offense.