After July 1 in Mississippi, hunter eaten by bear = official state secret.

If a hunter is eaten by a bear on or after July 1 in Mississippi, it may be an official state secret. ... here's what a line in House Bill 929 as passed by the House and amended and passed by the Senate adds to Section 49-4-31 of the Mississippi code effective at midnight on the last day of June:

"Hunting accident/incident reports shall not be a public record, nor made available for public distribution."

Now if a trucker stops at a state rest area and is eaten by a bear, that would be public information. If a fisherman is eaten by an alligator, the public could be trusted with that information.

It's only anything adverse that happens to a hunter that the report would become top secret - and no, this legislation has nothing to do with bird shot misfired in Texas last month by Vice President Dick Cheney. - MORE