MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2016 Regular Session
To: Judiciary B
By: Representative DeLano
AN ACT TO PROHIBIT ALTERING THE SERIAL NUMBER OF A FIREARM; TO PROHIBIT THE POSSESSION OF SUCH FIREARMS; TO PROVIDE PENALTIES FOR VIOLATIONS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:
SECTION 1. (1) A person shall not knowingly buy, sell, transport, pawn, receive, or possess any stolen firearm or a firearm from which the manufacturer's serial number has been altered, obliterated or removed.
(2) A person shall not knowingly alter, obliterate or remove the manufacturer's serial number of a firearm.
(3) (a) A person violating the provisions of this section where a death does not occur shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, shall be fined not more than Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00) or imprisoned not more than one (1) year, or both.
(b) A person violating the provisions of this section where a death occurs shall be guilty of a felony and, upon conviction, shall be fined not more than Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($500,000.00) or imprisoned not more than ten (10) years, or both.
(4) For the purposes of this section, "firearm" means any loaded or unloaded handgun, pistol, revolver, rifle, shotgun or other weapon that will expel, is designed to expel or may readily be converted to expel a projectile by the action of an explosive. Firearm does not include a firearm in a permanently inoperable condition.
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2016.