The Mississippi Ethics Commission has four main areas of authority under four separate laws:

• The Ethics in Government Law – prohibits public officials and employees from having economic conflicts of interest.
• The Open Meetings Act – requires governmental boards and commissions to meet in public, unless they enter executive session by following a specific procedure for limited reasons.
• The Public Records Act – ensures the public can inspect and copy most government documents.
• The Campaign Finance Law – authorizes the Ethics Commission to issue advisory opinions to candidates about the use of campaign funds.

What We Don't Do

Unethical Personal Conduct – The Ethics Law does not regulate the personal conduct of public officials and employees. Just because someone in government does something “unethical” doesn’t mean they violated the Ethics in Government Law.

Criminal Activity – We are not a law enforcement agency. The Ethics Commission does not investigate crimes. If you have evidence of public corruption crimes, you may wish to contact the Investigative Division in the Office of the State Auditor or the Public Integrity Division in the Office of the Attorney General.

Elections – The Elections Division in the Office of the Secretary of State is the authority on Election Law and handles campaign finance reports filed by state candidates.

Judges – Conduct of judges is governed by the Code of Judicial Conduct which is regulated by the Commission on Judicial Performance.

General Questions of Government Law – The Office of the Attorney General provides guidance to state and local government officials on matters of general government law.

Lawyer Ethics – The Rules of Professional Conduct govern attorneys practicing in Mississippi and are enforced by the Mississippi Bar Association.