Associated Student Body President OC Williford vetoed Senate Bill 26-14 to prohibit the ASB attorney general from gaining power of interpretation. The presidential veto was upheld at the ASB Formal Senate on Tuesday, Sept. 22 in the Gertrude C. Ford Ole Miss Student Union.
Williford vetoed SB 26-14 after it passed at the Sept. 1 formal senate meeting. The bill proposed revising Title (I), Section 107 of the ASB Code to give the ASB Attorney General the power of interpretation.
SB 26-14 was brought into reconsideration and received 44 votes to uphold the veto. Three senators abstained from the vote.
At the time it was presented, the bill received backlash from senators, who stated that giving the attorney general the power of interpretation was unconstitutional and went against the checks and balances written into the ASB Code and Constitution.
Williford vetoed the bill on the same grounds in a statement released to the senate on Sept. 11. Once a bill is passed by the ASB Senate, it must be signed by the committee chair, senate clerk and vice president within 72 hours. After that, the president has 10 days to veto the bill. If the bill is not vetoed within that time frame, then it is considered passed officially.
Whether the bill is passed or vetoed, the legislation will then be presented to the Dean of Students Bradley Baker, the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Shawnboda Mead and Chancellor Glenn Boyce.
“The attorney general must be able to read, apply and provide guidance on the code in carrying out the responsibilities of the office,” Williford said in the statement on Sept. 11. “However, allowing an executive officer’s interpretation to become ASB Law crosses into a judicial function that, I believe, the constitution reserves for the judicial council.”
The bill was originally brought forward by Chairman Paul Winfield II and President Pro Tempore Corey Kingery. Winfield still supports the bill and believes that the bill is not unconstitutional.
“We also released a brief letter after the president’s veto,” Winfield said. “We, as authors of this bill, would never bring something to the floor that we believe was unconstitutional.”
A vetoed bill can be revisited or revised if senators wish.
Gavin Gallegos/The Daily Mississippian Photo Desk
Senate Bill 26-15, which proposed a revision to Title (II.c), Section 114 of the ASB Code, was unanimously approved. The bill’s purpose was to provide more clarification on the definitions of senate bills, resolutions and proclamations.
Senate Resolution 26-2 proposed the introduction of the UM 10 student discount program and was unanimously approved. Partnering businesses that have enrolled will provide students with a 10% off their orders up to $50. Businesses partnered with the UM 10 include Uno Mas, a Mexican restaurant on the Square, and Oxford T-Shirt Company, a custom-made clothing store.
Nominations of eight legislative aides, two board members for ASB Secretary Caroline Croley, two justice department members and one judicial council member were unanimously confirmed.
ASB also announced that homecoming election tabling will take place from Sept. 28 to Oct. 9 on the Union Plaza from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day.
