Mississippi Code Title 5. Legislative Department § 5-3-81. Reapportionment;  special joint committee

(1) The special joint committee on reapportionment, created in the first extraordinary session of the Mississippi Legislature in 1977, is hereby directed to establish a program whereby the State of Mississippi shall cooperate with the bureau of the census, United States Department of Commerce, to obtain 1980 census population data by individual block counts or, in the alternative, to establish any program of census population counts offered by the bureau of the census which, in the determination of the joint committee, is more feasible than the block population counts program for the purpose of facilitating apportionment of representative public bodies in the State of Mississippi.

(2) The joint committee may, in its discretion, submit to the bureau of the census, United States Department of Commerce, a statement or letter of intent that the State of Mississippi does intend to participate in the “Delineation of Enumeration Districts by Local Authorities for Use in the 1980 Census” program upon a determination that such program is appropriate for use in Mississippi for population counting in each decennial census as a means of facilitating any necessary reapportionment of representative public bodies.

(3) The boards of supervisors of the counties within this state are hereby directed to submit on or before September 1, 1977, election district maps drawn pursuant to the metes and bounds requirements of Section 23-5-13, Mississippi Code of 1972, to the special joint committee on reapportionment.  The boards of supervisors shall also, within ten (10) days after a request by the special joint committee on reapportionment, furnish such other information, graphic data and material as the joint committee shall require.  The election commission, circuit clerks and chancery clerks of each county and the governing authorities of any governmental unit are hereby specifically empowered and directed to cooperate with the board of supervisors and the joint committee in the same manner upon request of the board and/or the joint committee.

(4) The joint committee shall submit a report of its actions, findings and recommendations and a statement of action necessary to implement the recommendations to the next succeeding regular or extraordinary session of the Mississippi Legislature.