Campaign finance reports; require candidates for county, county district and municipal offices to file with SOS.

HB 549 requires candidates for county, county district, and municipal offices - and their political committees - to file all campaign finance reports (detailing donations and spending) directly with Mississippi’s Secretary of State’s office, instead of local county clerks. It updates existing rules to mandate that these reports be submitted via fax, email, mail, or in person, and requires the Secretary of State to make them publicly available within 48 hours and retain them for five years. The bill applies specifically to local elections (not state-level races) and takes effect July 1, 2026. This streamlines reporting for local campaigns under a single state-level office.