MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2014 Regular Session
To: Judiciary B
By: Representatives Carpenter, Alday, Arnold, Barton, Boyd, Brown (20th), Chism, Monsour, Morgan, Pigott, Rushing, Staples, Taylor, Lane
AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 45-9-131, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO AUTHORIZE THE NEXT OF KIN TO PURCHASE THE SIDEARM OF A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER KILLED IN THE LINE OF DUTY IF THERE IS NO SPOUSE; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:
SECTION 1. Section 45-9-131, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
45-9-131. Upon approval of the governing authority of the municipality or county, a member of any municipal or county law enforcement agency who retires under any state retirement system or the spouse or immediate next of kin if there is no spouse of a law enforcement officer who is killed in the line of duty may be allowed to purchase as his or her personal property one (1) sidearm which was issued to the law enforcement officer by the law enforcement agency from which he or she retired or by whom he or she was employed at the time of death. The governing authority of the municipality or county shall determine the amount to be paid for the firearm by the retiring member of the law enforcement agency or the spouse or immediate next of kin if there is no spouse of the law enforcement officer. If the immediate next of kin is a minor child, the sidearm shall be held in trust until the minor child is legally authorized to own the weapon.
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2014.