Florida the even More Sunshine State while Mississippi still in the dark

Florida is increasing their sunshine while Mississippi remains in the dark.

[Florida] Attorney General Bill McCollum today released the following statement after the Transparency in Private Attorney Contracting Act passed the Senate with bipartisan support and a final vote of 27-11:

“Pay-to-play scandals involving public officials have caused citizens to lose trust in their government, and this bill will insulate the Attorney General’s Office from inappropriate influence that is a concern with contingency fee contracts.

“I applaud Senator Thrasher, Representative Eisnaugle and the Leadership of the Florida Legislature for their efforts to pass this bill to promote transparency and accountability.”

The bill, supported by the Attorney General as a top legislative priority, will now head to the Governor for his signature.

“Floridians should have faith in their public officials, and I believe this bill will champion accountability and shine light on contracts between outside law firms and the state's chief legal officer,” said Senator John Thrasher, sponsor of Senate Bill 712.

Florida's legislation required:

provisions such as posting contracts and payments online, keeping detailed time records for private attorneys’ hours, and competitively selecting private attorneys. The bill will also require the Attorney General, prior to entering a contingency fee contract with a private attorney, to make a written determination that the representation is both cost-effective and in the public’s best interest....sensible limitations on the contingency fee percentages to be applied to the damages award, and limits the maximum payout to $50 million in contingency fees, excluding costs. The private legal services engaged on a contingency basis must also be competitively procured, whenever possible.

Meanwhile, Ed Blackmon and House Democrats continue to block this type of reform in Mississippi, at the behest of Attorney General Jim Hood.