House Bill 342

AN ACT TO AUTHORIZE THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF JACKSON COUNTY TO ESTABLISH A PILOT PROGRAM FOR THE USE OF RADAR SPEED DETECTION EQUIPMENT BY THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT OF THE COUNTY FOR TWO TWELVE-MONTH PERIODS; TO PROVIDE THAT IF THE BOARD ESTABLISHES SUCH PROGRAM, THE BOARD MAY PURCHASE OR ACQUIRE RADAR SPEED DETECTION DEVICES FOR USE BY THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT OF THE COUNTY IN THE ENFORCEMENT OF SPEED LIMITS ON THE ROADS, STREETS AND HIGHWAYS OF THE COUNTY OUTSIDE THE CORPORATE LIMITS OF ANY INCORPORATED MUNICIPALITY; TO REQUIRE THE SHERIFF TO COLLECT AND REPORT CERTAIN INFORMATION TO A COMMITTEE APPOINTED BY THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND THE SHERIFF DEMONSTRATING THE EFFECT THAT THE USE OF SUCH RADAR SPEED DETECTION DEVICES HAVE HAD OVER THE INITIAL TWELVE-MONTH PERIOD IN REDUCING TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS AND CASUALTIES; TO PROVIDE THAT THE AUTHORITY FOR THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT OF JACKSON COUNTY TO USE RADAR SPEED DETECTION EQUIPMENT AFTER JUNE 30, 2007, SHALL STAND REPEALED UNLESS AUTHORIZED BY SUBSEQUENT LEGISLATION ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. (1) The Board of Supervisors of Jackson County, in its discretion, by order duly adopted and entered upon its minutes, may establish a pilot program for the use of radar speed detection equipment by the sheriff's department of the county. If the board establishes such program, the board may expend out of any available funds of the county, an amount that the board determines is sufficient for the purchase or acquisition of not more than Twenty (20) radar speed detection devices. Such devices and equipment, when so authorized and acquired, may be operated and used by the Sheriff of Jackson County and any duly sworn deputy sheriff of the county to enforce the motor vehicle speed limits on any public road, street or highway within the county outside the corporate limits of any incorporated municipality.

(2) The pilot program shall be divided into two (2) twelve-month periods. The initial twelve-month period shall begin on July 1, 2005, and end on June 30, 2006. The second twelve-month period shall begin on July 1, 2006, and end on June 30, 2007.

(3) At the end of the initial twelve-month period, the Sheriff of Jackson County shall present to the Board of Supervisors of Jackson County the following information:

(a) The number of speeding citations issued during the period from July 1, 2004, through June 30, 2005, without the use of radar, compared to the number of speeding citations issued during the period from July 1, 2005, through June 30, 2006, with the use of radar;

(b) The number of serious injuries and fatal crashes in automobile accidents in the county for the two (2) comparative years described in paragraph (a) above; and

(c) The number of felony arrests made as a result of traffic stops made by the sheriff's office in the county using radar for the period from July 1, 2005, through June 30, 2006.

(4) A committee to be appointed by the board of supervisors and the sheriff shall review the statistics provided by the sheriff under subsection (3) of this section and make such suggestions as the committee deems appropriate for addressing any concerns or problems with regard to the use or operation of radar speed detection equipment by the sheriff's office during the initial twelve-month period of the pilot program.

(5) Upon completion of review of the statistics by the committee under subsection (4) of this section, and the making of any suggestions for improvement, the sheriff and his deputies shall be authorized to use radar speed detection equipment for an additional twelve-month period beginning July 1, 2006, to enforce the motor vehicle speed limits on any public road, street or highway within the county outside the corporate limits of any incorporated municipality.

(6) This section shall stand repealed from and after July 1, 2007, and the authority of the Sheriff of Jackson County and any duly sworn deputy sheriff of the county to enforce the motor vehicle speed limits on any public road, street or highway within the county shall terminate unless authorized by subsequent legislation enacted by the Legislature.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage.