W\ISSISSIPPf THE MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE - 1964 COFO Jackson, l'!Jiso . 1017 Lynch St. June 2, 1964 This ~aport concerns the composition and activities of the M1ssisaippi Legislature in 1964 . The report seemed necessary because of the large number of anti- civil rights bills and other bills of a racial character dealt with by the 1964 Legislat1.ve Session . The body of the report lists and explains the key bills introduced and passed 1n this session. Only the most important sections of the bills a1~ quoted in fullj other portions are explained 1n the text . Where relevant, seleot1,ons from floor debate are g1ven, as. well as biographl.­ cal notes on legislators associated l·tith specif'ic measures . These note: m2ll<e clear the racial aspects of the leg:tal ation . t>1ease note that lnly those bills starred 1-ii th an asteriAk have actua ll, been signed into aw, as of' June 2, 1964 . Several. other bills which have been passed in either or in 1Joth houses •rill p1•obably become law before adjournment of the current session, expected in late June or ea1•ly July. The Tabl9 of Contents and the Introduction, taken tosether, serve as a summary or the ful~ report . T.4BLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION -- - page l l . A~~I-ECONO~ITC BOYCOTX BILL - Senate Bill No . 16o7 (Still in Oo~tte This bill attempts to outlaw economic boycotts by )'l"egroes against 11h~te businesses wb~oh discriminate . --- page 4 *2. ANTI- LEAFLETING LAW - Senate Bill No . 1545 (rassed and Signed) - Tllio bill prohibits the d:l,st;ributing of leaflets calling for economic boycott;. - -- page 5 '*J . ANTI-PICKETING LAI-T - 1{ow;e' B:!,ll No. 5!J6 (paaoed anq Signed) - A bill prohibiting picketing of public buildings. - -- page 5 4 . 'SECOND' ANTI- PICKETING LAW -JPasaed in House_ sent to Senate) - An a1mout ident:toal law to be used the above law l.S declared unconsti- tutional . --- page 6 5. BILL AUTHORIZING Si'ECIAL DEPUTY SHERIFFS IN .1\LL COUNTIES - House Bil" No. 246 (Still in County Affairs Co~ttee) - A bill to allow unlimitea deputy a11eriffs "to cope l·titb emergencies 11 • --- page 7 *6. BILL TO "RESTRAIN MOVEMENTS OF INDIVIDUAlS UNDER CERTA!l'l C!nCUl-1- ST/\NCES" --- THE CURFEW L.~W - House Bill No. 64 (Passed in both Houses and SiBned) - This bill would allow police to restrict freedom of move­ ment of individuals and groups and to establish curfews Without formall declaring martial law. - -- page 7 7. BILL "TO PROVIDE FOR APPOINTMENT OF SECURITY AND PATROL PERS.ONNEL FOR STATE INSTITUTIONS" - House Bill No. 617 (~ssed in House end sent to Senate) - This bill proVides Cor •security patrol officers~ to be appointed at all State institutions by the Public Safety Cornmissione --- page 7 8. BILL TO IIUTHORIZll! A COMPLETE RAD;rO STATION FOR POLICE IN ANY COIDI'TY House Bill No. 101 (Passed 1n both Houses) --- page 8 *9. THE '1MID.'ICI.PAL AGRE!EMEN'l'" ACT - Senate Bill No. 1526 (Pasaed by both Houses and signed) - A bill to allow municipalities to share police forces and i'i.rei'igbting equipment cluri.ng "riots and civil disturbances" --- }Jiilge 9 10. THE "REFUSAL TO CO!o!PLY WITli CERTAIN REQUESTS" BILL - House Eill No . 777 (Passed in both l!ouses) - A bill to outlaw passive resistance in civil rights demonstrations . ---page 9 "'11 . THE HIGID~AY PATROL ACT - House Bill 564 (Paasecl :l,n bot)'l Houses and signed) - An omnibus bill enl arging the Highway Patrol and expandil1g ita powers, and allow;Lng the Governor to order the Patrol into local situations Without the request of' local authorit~es . --- page ll l2. ANTI-FREEDOM SCHOOL BILL NO . 1 - Senate Bill ~o. 2136 (Still in Judiciary Committee) - This bill makes. illegal the Freedom Schools and community Centers planned by COFO tor the comin~ summer. - -- page 13 l3. ANTI- FREEDOM SCHOOL BILL NO . 2 - Senate Bill No. 1969 (Still in Education Committee) - This 1~ an earlier attempt to ban the Freedom Schools. - -- page 15 14. A BILL TO RAISE QUALIFICATIOl\1$ FOR MEMBERS OF COUNTY BOARDS OF . EDUCATION - Senate Bill No. 1702 (Released from ~duoation Committee) - Among other things, t)lis bill would require Board members to be high school graduates . The bill has had trouble in the Senate. - - - page 15 15. A BILL TO PERMIT SEGREGATION OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS BY SEXES - (·Approved by the House Education Committee) - The bill is to be twed in the event Mississippi schools are forced to integrate racially. - -- page 16 l6. BILLS TO ALLOW STATE SUPPORT OF PRIVATE SCHOOLS - .(Introduced into the Senate) - This is a series of bills to allow state funds to be used in support or private schools if public schools are closed to avoid integration. --- page 16 17. BI~ TO REVOKE THE CHARTER OF TOUGALOO COLLEGE - Senate Bill No . l672 (Still in Judiciary Committee) - This bill 1-ffis introduced in re­ taliation £or civil rights activities o£ students and faculty at integyoated Touga l.oo College . --- page 16 18. BILL TO .END ACCREDITATION OF TOUGALOO COLLEGE - Senate J3111 No. 2~ (Passeq il;l both Houses) - This bi.Il ~~oulcl change the accreditat,ion ays~ :l,n the state so that Tougaloo could be cropped from accreditation . --- page 17 19. TITVESTIGATtON OF t.JNIVERSI'l'Y OF t1ISSISSIPPI "PROFESSOR CRITICA):.. OP THii: STATE - concurrent reao:;.ution introduced 1n the House - An attacl: by legislators against a critical university professor. - - - page 18 ~0 . ANT;I-SUMMER PROJECT BILL - TO PROHIBIT ENTRY INTO THE STATE - House Bill No . 870 (Still in JUdiciary "A" Committee) - Tbia bUl attempts to prohibit entry into the state or volunteers for the ~lississippi s~ner .E'~'O.f<?d on the grounds that their purpose is "vlilfull violation of the 1aws of the state" . --- page 18 21 . THE "CRUIINAL SYNDICALISM" BILL - Senate Bill No . 2027 (Passed in Senilte, reported out favorably by House conunittee ) - This bill makea illegal any association which advocates or practices crime or violence . It is aimed both at white extremist groups and .at civil rights organi- zations . ---page 19 ~2 . BII;L TO PROHIBIT THE CAUSING OF CRI14:FR01~ OUTS!DE THE STATE - Seua te BiH No . 2026 (Passed in Senate, reported out favorably by HOU.'Ie committee) - This bill, like the Criminal Syndicalism bill, could be applied to bo·i;h white extreml.sts and civil rights I·Torkers . --- page 20 23. AN ACT TO PROHIBIT 1ENTICEI>1Eli""T ' OF A CHILD TO VIOLATE TflE LAWS AND Ofill:GTP!NOES OF THE STATE - House Bill No . 786 (Still in JUdiciary "A 11 Committee ) - This bill attempt s to l<eep rn1nors from participating in civil rie;bts activities by puniahin(l; teachers, parents , and ci.vil rights workers . page 21. 24 • :SI.I<L PROVIDING FOR COURTS TO TREAT JUVENILES ARRESTED IN CIVIL RIQHTS CIISES AS ADULTS - Houae B:tll No. 960 ( Passed by House, now in senate ) - This bill rernovea from youth Court jUl'isdiction minors under 21 years of age charged under those laws most often used tor arrest of civil rir:;hta workers. --- page 1:!2 *25 . A PPROPRIATJ;ON ;FOR THE STATE SOVEREIGNTY COMMISSION - $50,000 - senate Bill No. 1896 (Passed in b;>tb Houses and signed) - .1\n emergency $50,000 appropriat:l,on to the State Sovereignty Comm1ss1on, the official ·r~atch<log of aegregat:!.on in Missias1pp1, to fight the Civil Rights Bill now pendiniJ before Congress . - -- :page 22 26 . SUPPORT FOR GOVERNOR WALLACE - Concurrent Resolution in the House (Passe;:l by the House) - A Resolution commendi.nc; Wallace for his \~is con- sin 'victory'. --- page 21J 27. l3ILL TO l'AY COSTS OF COUNTY RE(}ISTRARS AND CIRCUH' CLERKS CONVICTED UNDER THE L957 and 1960 CIVIL RIQHTS AC~S - Senate Bill No . 1880 ( P~sse c in Senate, DOlt ii:l HOuse) - This biU would allow the State to actively support cotmty otr~cials who refuse to comply 1~th Federal Court orders to reg:i,ster Negroes on an equal basl.s with whites . --- page 211 28 . THE "LIBERTY ANENDMENT" TO OUTLAW FEDERAL AQENGIES AND THE INCOME TAX - House Concurrent Resolution No . 16 (Passed in both Houses 1 n0111 in Joint committee) -ThiS proposed amendment to the u.S. cons t itut~on would reqv.ire the U.S . Government to dissolve or sell all agencies I>Ihich mi~t comp ete w.ith private enterprise . The personal income tax would also be ended . --- page 24 29. BILL TO END URBAN RENEWAL - House BiD (Passed in House, sent to senate) - A bill ending urban renewal inli!Ississippi to avoid "t'erlcr a 1 ancroachrnent" . --- (.lage 26 *30. BILL TO INVALIDATE TEE 24TH AMENDMENT WHICH BANS THE POLL TJIX - Senate nill No . 1783 (Passed in both Houses and signed) - This bill appears to compl y with the 24th Amendment which bans the poll tax in Federal elections. But the bill in fact provides for a similar fOI'm or registration which would have the same exclusive effects as the poll tax itsel f . --- page 27 31. BILL TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF NEGROES ON MISSISSIPPI JURY LISTS - House Bill No . 937 (Passed in House, sent to senate) - This bill attempts to reduce t11e number of Negroes on MissiSsippi jut>y lists by changing the ClUSlii'1¢a t iOns for jury members . --- page 29 *32. BILL TO PRCVIDE PRISON TERMS OR STERILIZATION FOR PA~~S OF ILLEGITIMATE CHILDREN - House Bill No . 180 (passed b¥ House, revised version passed by senate, Senate version finally approved by botrb Houses and signed) - This bill in its o~iginal House form ~ave parents of " second illegitimate oh.lld the choice between three to f'ive y€ars in the State Penitentiary and sexual sterilization.