35 Miss. Code. R. § 101-3.6 - Declaratory Opinions
A. This rule sets
forth the Board's requirements governing the form, content, and filing of
requests for declaratory opinions, the procedural rights of persons in relation
to the written requests, and the Board's procedures regarding the disposition
of requests as required by the Miss. Code Ann. §
25-43-2.103.
B. The Board will issue declaratory opinions
regarding the applicability to specified facts of:
1) a statute administered or enforceable by
the Board,
2) a rule promulgated by
the Board, or
3) an order issued by
the Board.
C. A request
must be limited to a single transaction or occurrence.
D. When a person with a substantial interest,
as required by section
25-43-2.103
of the Administrative Procedures Act, requests a declaratory opinion, the
requestor must submit a printed, typewritten, or legibly handwritten request.
1) Each request must be submitted on 8-1/2" x
11" white paper.
2) The request may
be in the form of a letter addressed to the Board or in the form of a pleading
as if filed with a court.
3) Each
request must include the full name, telephone numbers, and mailing address of
the requestor(s).
4) All requests
shall be signed by the person filing the request, unless represented by an
attorney, in which case the attorney may sign the request.
5) Each request must clearly state it is a
request for a declaratory opinion.
E. Any party who signs the request shall
attest that the request complies with the requirements set forth in these
rules, including but not limited to a full, complete, and accurate statement of
relevant facts ant that there are not related proceedings pending before any
agency, administrative or judicial tribunal.
F. Each request must contain the following:
1) A clear identification of the statute,
rule, or order at issue;
2) The
question for the declaratory opinion;
3) A clear and concise statement of all facts
relevant to the question presented;
4) The identity of all other known persons
involved or impacted by the facts giving rise to the request including their
relationship to the facts, and their name, mailing address, and telephone
number; and
5) A statement
sufficient to show that the requestor has a substantial interest in the subject
matter of the request.
G. The Board may, for good cause, refuse to
issue a declaratory opinion. The circumstances in which declaratory opinions
will not be issued include, but are not necessarily limited to:
1) The matter is outside the primary
jurisdiction of the Board;
2) Lack
of clarity concerning the question presented;
3) There is pending or anticipated
litigation, administrative action or anticipated administrative action, or
other adjudication which may either answer the question presented by the
request or otherwise make an answer unnecessary.
4) The statute, rule, or order on which the
declaratory opinion is sought is clear and not in need of interpretation to
answer the question presented;
5)
The facts presented in the request are not sufficient to answer the question
presented;
6) The request fails to
contain information required by these rules or the requestor failed to follow
the procedure set forth in these rules;
7) The request seeks to resolve issues which
have become moot or are abstract or hypothetical such that the requestor is not
a substantially affected by the rule, statute or order on which the declaratory
opinion is sought;
8) No
controversy exists or is certain to arise which raises a question concerning
the application of the statute, rule or order.
9) The question presented by the request
concerns the legal validity of a statute, rule or order;
10) The request is not based upon facts
calculated to aid in the planning of future conduct, but is, instead, based on
past conduct in an effort to establish the effect of that conduct;
11) No clear answer is
determinable;
12) The question
presented by the request involves the application of a criminal statute or sets
forth facts which may constitute a crime;
13) The answer to the question presented
would require the disclosure of information which is privileged or otherwise
protected by law from disclosure;
14) The question is currently the subject of
an Attorney General's opinion;
15)
The question has been answered by an Attorney General's opinion;
16) One or more requestors have standing to
seek an Attorney General's opinion on the proffered question;
17) A similar request is pending before this
agency or any other agency, or a proceeding is pending on the same subject
matter before any agency, administrative or judicial tribunal, or where such an
opinion would constitute the unauthorized practice of law; or
18) The question involves eligibility for a
license, permit, certificate or other approval by the Board or some other
agency and there is a statutory or regulatory application process by which the
eligibility for said license, permit, or certificate or other approval may be
determined.
H. Within
forty-five (45) days after receipt of a request for a declaratory opinion which
complies with the requirements of these rules, the Board shall, in writing:
1) Issue an opinion declaring the
applicability of the statute, rule or order to the specified
circumstances;
2) Agree to issue a
declaratory opinion by a specified time but not later than ninety (90) days
after receipt of the written request; or
3) Decline to issue a declaratory opinion,
stating the reasons for its action.
The forty-five (45) day period shall begin on the first business day after which the request is received by the Board.
I. Declaratory opinions
and requests for declaratory opinions shall be available for public inspection
and copying at the expense of the viewer during normal business hours. All
declaratory opinions and requests shall be indexed by name, subject, and date
of issue. Declaratory opinions and requests which contain information which is
confidential or exempt from disclosure under the Mississippi Public Records Act
or other laws shall be exempt from this requirement and shall remain
confidential.
Notes
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