Mississippi Code Title 57. Planning, Research and Development § 57-13-23

(1) There is created and established the Mississippi Automated Resource Information System (MARIS), (heretofore created by Executive Order No. 459, dated May 26, 1983, as amended by Executive Order No. 562, dated January 15, 1986), which shall be the mechanism within state government for the storing, processing, extracting and disseminating of useful data and information relating to the state's resources.

(2) The goal of MARIS shall be to facilitate the achievement of state agencies' responsibilities as they relate to the development, management, conservation, protection and utilization of the resources of Mississippi by making usable resource data and information more readily available and in a format that is consistent throughout state departments, agencies and institutions, and, to the extent possible, with federal and privately generated resource data banks.

(3) MARIS shall be under the supervision and general policy formulations of a policy committee as the cooperative effort of state departments, agencies and institutions for the sharing of useful data acquired and generated by state agencies in discharging their individual responsibilities.

(4) There is created and established the MARIS Policy Committee composed of the directors or their designees of the following departments, agencies and institutions:

Center for Population Studies, University of Mississippi

Department of Information Technology Services

Department of Agriculture and Commerce

Department of Archives and History

Mississippi Development Authority

Department of Human Services

Department of Child Protection Services

Department of Environmental Quality

Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks

Mississippi Department of Transportation

Mississippi Emergency Management Agency

Mississippi Mineral Resources Institute, University of Mississippi

Department of Finance and Administration

Office of the Secretary of State

Public Service Commission

Remote Sensing Center, Mississippi State University

State Forestry Commission

State Department of Health

State Oil and Gas Board

State Soil and Water Conservation Commission

Department of Revenue

University Research Center

Water Management Council.

(5) The MARIS Policy Committee shall elect a chairman, vice chairman and secretary, and it shall elect an executive committee from the membership of the policy committee to be composed of not less than five (5) nor more than nine (9) members, including the aforesaid officers. The policy committee may elect to the executive committee one (1) person other than from its membership. The policy committee shall determine the authority and responsibility to be exercised by the executive committee.

(6) There is created and established the MARIS Task Force which shall be composed of at least one (1) representative from each of the aforesaid agencies with knowledge in computer applications to natural, cultural, industrial or economic resources to be appointed by the respective directors thereof, and any other persons deemed advisable by the policy committee.

(7) The University Research Center shall house the MARIS equipment and staff and shall provide administrative support for the policy committee and technical support to all member agencies.

(8) It shall be the duty of every department, agency, office and institution of the State of Mississippi, and the officers thereof, to cooperate with and assist the MARIS Policy Committee in every reasonable way.