MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2021 Regular Session
To: Judiciary, Division B
By: Senator(s) Branning
AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 45-9-101, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO AUTHORIZE THE DEPARTMENT OF SAFETY TO WAIVE THE RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT FOR A CONCEALED-CARRY LICENSE FOR SPOUSES OF ACTIVE MILITARY PERSONNEL STATIONED IN MISSISSIPPI; TO AMEND SECTIONS 63-1-9 AND 63-1-21, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REMOVE THE INTERMEDIATE LICENSE; TO REVISE THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY'S AUTHORITY TO ISSUE DRIVER'S LICENSES AND LEARNER'S PERMITS; TO REQUIRE A LICENSEE UNDER A CERTAIN AGE TO BE SUPERVISED WHILE DRIVING FOR THE FIRST 6 MONTHS OF POSSESSION OF A DRIVER'S LICENSE; TO AMEND SECTION 63-11-23, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REMOVE AN EXCEPTION TO LICENSE SUSPENSION FOR PARTICIPATING IN A COURT-ORDERED DRUG TESTING PROGRAM; TO AMEND SECTION 63-11-25, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT A PETITION APPEALING THE FORFEITURE, SUSPENSION OR DENIAL OF ISSUANCE OF A LICENSE SHALL BE SERVED ON THE ATTORNEY GENERAL AND THE COMMISSIONER OF PUBLIC SAFETY; TO AMEND SECTIONS 45-33-43, 63-1-5, 63-1-6, 63-1-10.1, 63-1-23, 63-1-33, 63-1-35, 63-1-37, 63-1-43 AND 63-1-47, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO CONFORM; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:
SECTION 1. Section 45-9-101, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
45-9-101. (1) (a) Except as otherwise provided, the Department of Public Safety is authorized to issue licenses to carry stun guns, concealed pistols or revolvers to persons qualified as provided in this section. Such licenses shall be valid throughout the state for a period of five (5) years from the date of issuance. Any person possessing a valid license issued pursuant to this section may carry a stun gun, concealed pistol or concealed revolver.
(b) The licensee must carry the license, together with valid identification, at all times in which the licensee is carrying a stun gun, concealed pistol or revolver and must display both the license and proper identification upon demand by a law enforcement officer. A violation of the provisions of this paragraph (b) shall constitute a noncriminal violation with a penalty of Twenty-five Dollars ($25.00) and shall be enforceable by summons.
(2) The Department of Public Safety shall issue a license if the applicant:
(a) Is a resident of the state. However, this residency requirement may be waived if the applicant possesses a valid permit from another state, is active military personnel stationed in Mississippi, is the spouse of active military personnel stationed in Mississippi, or is a retired law enforcement officer establishing residency in the state;
(b) (i) Is twenty-one (21) years of age or older; or
(ii) Is at least eighteen (18) years of age but not yet twenty-one (21) years of age and the applicant:
1. Is a member or veteran of the United States Armed Forces, including National Guard or Reserve; and
2. Holds a valid Mississippi driver's license or identification card issued by the Department of Public Safety;
(c) Does not suffer from a physical infirmity which prevents the safe handling of a stun gun, pistol or revolver;
(d) Is not ineligible to possess a firearm by virtue of having been convicted of a felony in a court of this state, of any other state, or of the United States without having been pardoned or without having been expunged for same;
(e) Does not chronically or habitually abuse controlled substances to the extent that his normal faculties are impaired. It shall be presumed that an applicant chronically and habitually uses controlled substances to the extent that his faculties are impaired if the applicant has been voluntarily or involuntarily committed to a treatment facility for the abuse of a controlled substance or been found guilty of a crime under the provisions of the Uniform Controlled Substances Law or similar laws of any other state or the United States relating to controlled substances within a three-year period immediately preceding the date on which the application is submitted;
(f) Does not chronically and habitually use alcoholic beverages to the extent that his normal faculties are impaired. It shall be presumed that an applicant chronically and habitually uses alcoholic beverages to the extent that his normal faculties are impaired if the applicant has been voluntarily or involuntarily committed as an alcoholic to a treatment facility or has been convicted of two (2) or more offenses related to the use of alcohol under the laws of this state or similar laws of any other state or the United States within the three-year period immediately preceding the date on which the application is submitted;
(g) Desires a legal means to carry a stun gun, concealed pistol or revolver to defend himself;
(h) Has not been adjudicated mentally incompetent, or has waited five (5) years from the date of his restoration to capacity by court order;
(i) Has not been voluntarily or involuntarily committed to a mental institution or mental health treatment facility unless he possesses a certificate from a psychiatrist licensed in this state that he has not suffered from disability for a period of five (5) years;
(j) Has not had adjudication of guilt withheld or imposition of sentence suspended on any felony unless three (3) years have elapsed since probation or any other conditions set by the court have been fulfilled;
(k) Is not a fugitive from justice; and
(l) Is not disqualified to possess a weapon based on federal law.
(3) The Department of Public Safety may deny a license if the applicant has been found guilty of one or more crimes of violence constituting a misdemeanor unless three (3) years have elapsed since probation or any other conditions set by the court have been fulfilled or expunction has occurred prior to the date on which the application is submitted, or may revoke a license if the licensee has been found guilty of one or more crimes of violence within the preceding three (3) years. The department shall, upon notification by a law enforcement agency or a court and subsequent written verification, suspend a license or the processing of an application for a license if the licensee or applicant is arrested or formally charged with a crime which would disqualify such person from having a license under this section, until final disposition of the case. The provisions of subsection (7) of this section shall apply to any suspension or revocation of a license pursuant to the provisions of this section.
(4) The application shall be completed, under oath, on a form promulgated by the Department of Public Safety and shall include only:
(a) The name, address, place and date of birth, race, sex and occupation of the applicant;
(b) The driver's license number or social security number of applicant;
(c) Any previous address of the applicant for the two (2) years preceding the date of the application;
(d) A statement that the applicant is in compliance with criteria contained within subsections (2) and (3) of this section;
(e) A statement that the applicant has been furnished a copy of this section and is knowledgeable of its provisions;
(f) A conspicuous warning that the application is executed under oath and that a knowingly false answer to any question, or the knowing submission of any false document by the applicant, subjects the applicant to criminal prosecution; and
(g) A statement that the applicant desires a legal means to carry a stun gun, concealed pistol or revolver to defend himself.
(5) The applicant shall submit only the following to the Department of Public Safety:
(a) A completed application as described in subsection (4) of this section;
(b) A full-face photograph of the applicant taken within the preceding thirty (30) days in which the head, including hair, in a size as determined by the Department of Public Safety, except that an applicant who is younger than twenty-one (21) years of age must submit a photograph in profile of the applicant;
(c) A nonrefundable license fee of Eighty Dollars ($80.00). Costs for processing the set of fingerprints as required in paragraph (d) of this subsection shall be borne by the applicant. Honorably retired law enforcement officers, disabled veterans and active duty members of the Armed Forces of the United States shall be exempt from the payment of the license fee;
(d) A full set of fingerprints of the applicant administered by the Department of Public Safety; and
(e) A waiver authorizing the Department of Public Safety access to any records concerning commitments of the applicant to any of the treatment facilities or institutions referred to in subsection (2) and permitting access to all the applicant's criminal records.
(6) (a) The Department of Public Safety, upon receipt of the items listed in subsection (5) of this section, shall forward the full set of fingerprints of the applicant to the appropriate agencies for state and federal processing.
(b) The Department of Public Safety shall forward a copy of the applicant's application to the sheriff of the applicant's county of residence and, if applicable, the police chief of the applicant's municipality of residence. The sheriff of the applicant's county of residence and, if applicable, the police chief of the applicant's municipality of residence may, at his discretion, participate in the process by submitting a voluntary report to the Department of Public Safety containing any readily discoverable prior information that he feels may be pertinent to the licensing of any applicant. The reporting shall be made within thirty (30) days after the date he receives the copy of the application. Upon receipt of a response from a sheriff or police chief, such sheriff or police chief shall be reimbursed at a rate set by the department.
(c) The Department of Public Safety shall, within forty-five (45) days after the date of receipt of the items listed in subsection (5) of this section:
(i) Issue the license;
(ii) Deny the application based solely on the ground that the applicant fails to qualify under the criteria listed in subsections (2) and (3) of this section. If the Department of Public Safety denies the application, it shall notify the applicant in writing, stating the ground for denial, and the denial shall be subject to the appeal process set forth in subsection (7); or
(iii) Notify the applicant that the department is unable to make a determination regarding the issuance or denial of a license within the forty-five-day period prescribed by this subsection, and provide an estimate of the amount of time the department will need to make the determination.
(d) In the event a legible set of fingerprints, as determined by the Department of Public Safety and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, cannot be obtained after a minimum of two (2) attempts, the Department of Public Safety shall determine eligibility based upon a name check by the Mississippi Highway Safety Patrol and a Federal Bureau of Investigation name check conducted by the Mississippi Highway Safety Patrol at the request of the Department of Public Safety.
(7) (a) If the Department of Public Safety denies the issuance of a license, or suspends or revokes a license, the party aggrieved may appeal such denial, suspension or revocation to the Commissioner of Public Safety, or his authorized agent, within thirty (30) days after the aggrieved party receives written notice of such denial, suspension or revocation. The Commissioner of Public Safety, or his duly authorized agent, shall rule upon such appeal within thirty (30) days after the appeal is filed and failure to rule within this thirty-day period shall constitute sustaining such denial, suspension or revocation. Such review shall be conducted pursuant to such reasonable rules and regulations as the Commissioner of Public Safety may adopt.
(b) If the revocation, suspension or denial of issuance is sustained by the Commissioner of Public Safety, or his duly authorized agent pursuant to paragraph (a) of this subsection, the aggrieved party may file within ten (10) days after the rendition of such decision a petition in the circuit or county court of his residence for review of such decision. A hearing for review shall be held and shall proceed before the court without a jury upon the record made at the hearing before the Commissioner of Public Safety or his duly authorized agent. No such party shall be allowed to carry a stun gun, concealed pistol or revolver pursuant to the provisions of this section while any such appeal is pending.
(8) The Department of Public Safety shall maintain an automated listing of license holders and such information shall be available online, upon request, at all times, to all law enforcement agencies through the Mississippi Crime Information Center. However, the records of the department relating to applications for licenses to carry stun guns, concealed pistols or revolvers and records relating to license holders shall be exempt from the provisions of the Mississippi Public Records Act of 1983, and shall be released only upon order of a court having proper jurisdiction over a petition for release of the record or records.
(9) Within thirty (30) days after the changing of a permanent address, or within thirty (30) days after having a license lost or destroyed, the licensee shall notify the Department of Public Safety in writing of such change or loss. Failure to notify the Department of Public Safety pursuant to the provisions of this subsection shall constitute a noncriminal violation with a penalty of Twenty-five Dollars ($25.00) and shall be enforceable by a summons.
(10) In the event that a stun gun, concealed pistol or revolver license is lost or destroyed, the person to whom the license was issued shall comply with the provisions of subsection (9) of this section and may obtain a duplicate, or substitute thereof, upon payment of Fifteen Dollars ($15.00) to the Department of Public Safety, and furnishing a notarized statement to the department that such license has been lost or destroyed.
(11) A license issued under this section shall be revoked if the licensee becomes ineligible under the criteria set forth in subsection (2) of this section.
(12) (a) No less than ninety (90) days prior to the expiration date of the license, the Department of Public Safety shall mail to each licensee a written notice of the expiration and a renewal form prescribed by the department. The licensee must renew his license on or before the expiration date by filing with the department the renewal form, a notarized affidavit stating that the licensee remains qualified pursuant to the criteria specified in subsections (2) and (3) of this section, and a full set of fingerprints administered by the Department of Public Safety or the sheriff of the county of residence of the licensee.
The first renewal may be processed by mail and the subsequent renewal must be made in person. Thereafter every other renewal may be processed by mail to assure that the applicant must appear in person every ten (10) years for the purpose of obtaining a new photograph.
(i) Except as provided in this subsection, a renewal fee of Forty Dollars ($40.00) shall also be submitted along with costs for processing the fingerprints;
(ii) Honorably retired law enforcement officers, disabled veterans and active duty members of the Armed Forces of the United States shall be exempt from the renewal fee; and
(iii) The renewal fee for a Mississippi resident aged sixty-five (65) years of age or older shall be Twenty Dollars ($20.00).
(b) The Department of Public Safety shall forward the full set of fingerprints of the applicant to the appropriate agencies for state and federal processing. The license shall be renewed upon receipt of the completed renewal application and appropriate payment of fees.
(c) A licensee who fails to file a renewal application on or before its expiration date must renew his license by paying a late fee of Fifteen Dollars ($15.00). No license shall be renewed six (6) months or more after its expiration date, and such license shall be deemed to be permanently expired. A person whose license has been permanently expired may reapply for licensure; however, an application for licensure and fees pursuant to subsection (5) of this section must be submitted, and a background investigation shall be conducted pursuant to the provisions of this section.
(13) No license issued pursuant to this section shall authorize any person to carry a stun gun, concealed pistol or revolver into any place of nuisance as defined in Section 95-3-1, Mississippi Code of 1972; any police, sheriff or highway patrol station; any detention facility, prison or jail; any courthouse; any courtroom, except that nothing in this section shall preclude a judge from carrying a concealed weapon or determining who will carry a concealed weapon in his courtroom; any polling place; any meeting place of the governing body of any governmental entity; any meeting of the Legislature or a committee thereof; any school, college or professional athletic event not related to firearms; any portion of an establishment, licensed to dispense alcoholic beverages for consumption on the premises, that is primarily devoted to dispensing alcoholic beverages; any portion of an establishment in which beer, light spirit product or light wine is consumed on the premises, that is primarily devoted to such purpose; any elementary or secondary school facility; any junior college, community college, college or university facility unless for the purpose of participating in any authorized firearms-related activity; inside the passenger terminal of any airport, except that no person shall be prohibited from carrying any legal firearm into the terminal if the firearm is encased for shipment, for purposes of checking such firearm as baggage to be lawfully transported on any aircraft; any church or other place of worship, except as provided in Section 45-9-171; or any place where the carrying of firearms is prohibited by federal law. In addition to the places enumerated in this subsection, the carrying of a stun gun, concealed pistol or revolver may be disallowed in any place in the discretion of the person or entity exercising control over the physical location of such place by the placing of a written notice clearly readable at a distance of not less than ten (10) feet that the "carrying of a pistol or revolver is prohibited." No license issued pursuant to this section shall authorize the participants in a parade or demonstration for which a permit is required to carry a stun gun, concealed pistol or revolver.
(14) A law enforcement officer as defined in Section 45-6-3, chiefs of police, sheriffs and persons licensed as professional bondsmen pursuant to Chapter 39, Title 83, Mississippi Code of 1972, shall be exempt from the licensing requirements of this section. The licensing requirements of this section do not apply to the carrying by any person of a stun gun, pistol or revolver, knife, or other deadly weapon that is not concealed as defined in Section 97-37-1.
(15) Any person who knowingly submits a false answer to any question on an application for a license issued pursuant to this section, or who knowingly submits a false document when applying for a license issued pursuant to this section, shall, upon conviction, be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be punished as provided in Section 99-19-31, Mississippi Code of 1972.
(16) All fees collected by the Department of Public Safety pursuant to this section shall be deposited into a special fund hereby created in the State Treasury and shall be used for implementation and administration of this section. After the close of each fiscal year, the balance in this fund shall be certified to the Legislature and then may be used by the Department of Public Safety as directed by the Legislature.
(17) All funds received by a sheriff or police chief pursuant to the provisions of this section shall be deposited into the general fund of the county or municipality, as appropriate, and shall be budgeted to the sheriff's office or police department as appropriate.
(18) Nothing in this section shall be construed to require or allow the registration, documentation or providing of serial numbers with regard to any stun gun or firearm.
(19) Any person holding a valid unrevoked and unexpired license to carry stun guns, concealed pistols or revolvers issued in another state shall have such license recognized by this state to carry stun guns, concealed pistols or revolvers. The Department of Public Safety is authorized to enter into a reciprocal agreement with another state if that state requires a written agreement in order to recognize licenses to carry stun guns, concealed pistols or revolvers issued by this state.
(20) The provisions of this section shall be under the supervision of the Commissioner of Public Safety. The commissioner is authorized to promulgate reasonable rules and regulations to carry out the provisions of this section.
(21) For the purposes of this section, the term "stun gun" means a portable device or weapon from which an electric current, impulse, wave or beam may be directed, which current, impulse, wave or beam is designed to incapacitate temporarily, injure, momentarily stun, knock out, cause mental disorientation or paralyze.
(22) (a) From and after January 1, 2016, the Commissioner of Public Safety shall promulgate rules and regulations which provide that licenses authorized by this section for honorably retired law enforcement officers and honorably retired correctional officers from the Mississippi Department of Corrections shall (i) include the words "retired law enforcement officer" on the front of the license, and (ii) that the license itself have a red background to distinguish it from other licenses issued under this section.
(b) An honorably retired law enforcement officer and honorably retired correctional officer shall provide the following information to receive the license described in this section: (i) a letter, with the official letterhead of the agency or department from which such officer is retiring, which explains that such officer is honorably retired, and (ii) a letter with the official letterhead of the agency or department, which explains that such officer has completed a certified law enforcement training academy.
(23) A disabled veteran who seeks to qualify for an exemption under this section shall be required to provide a veterans health services identification card issued by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs indicating a service-connected disability, which shall be sufficient proof of such service-connected disability.
(24) A license under this section is not required for a loaded or unloaded pistol or revolver to be carried upon the person in a sheath, belt holster or shoulder holster or in a purse, handbag, satchel, other similar bag or briefcase or fully enclosed case if the person is not engaged in criminal activity other than a misdemeanor traffic offense, is not otherwise prohibited from possessing a pistol or revolver under state or federal law, and is not in a location prohibited under subsection (13) of this section.
SECTION 2. Section 63-1-9, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
63-1-9. (1) No driver's
license * * * or * * * learner's permit shall be issued pursuant to this article:
(a) To any person under the age of eighteen (18) years except as provided in this article.
(b) To any person whose license to operate a motor vehicle on the highways of Mississippi has been previously revoked or suspended by this state or any other state or territory of the United States or the District of Columbia, if the revocation or suspension period has not expired.
(c) To any person who is an habitual drunkard or who is addicted to the use of other narcotic drugs.
(d) To any person who would not be able by reason of physical or mental disability to operate a motor vehicle on the highways with safety. However, persons who have one (1) arm or leg, or have arms or legs deformed, and are driving a car provided with mechanical devices whereby the person is able to drive in a safe manner over the highways, if otherwise qualified, shall receive an operator's license the same as other persons. Moreover, deafness shall not be a bar to obtaining a license.
(e) To any person as an operator who has previously been adjudged to be afflicted with and suffering from any mental disability and who has not at time of application been restored to mental competency.
(f) To any unmarried person under the age of eighteen (18) years who does not at the time of application present a diploma or other certificate of high school graduation or a general educational development certificate issued to the person in this state or any other state; or on whose behalf documentation has not been received by the Department of Public Safety from that person or a school official verifying that the person:
(i) Is enrolled and making satisfactory progress in a course leading to a general educational development certificate;
(ii) Is enrolled in school in this state or any other state;
(iii) Is enrolled in a "nonpublic school," as such term is defined in Section 37-13-91(2)(i); or
(iv) Is unable to attend any school program due to circumstances deemed acceptable as set out in Section 63-1-10.
(g) To any person under the age of eighteen (18) years who has been convicted under Section 63-11-30.
(2) All permits and licenses issued on or before July 31, 2009, shall be valid according to the terms upon which issued. From and after August 1, 2009:
(a) A * * * learner's permit may be issued to any
person who is at least fifteen (15) years of age who otherwise meets the
requirements of this article.
* * *
( * * *b) A driver's license may be issued to
any person who is at least * * * sixteen
(16) years of age who otherwise meets the requirements of this article and
who has held * * * a learner's
permit for at least one (1) year without any conviction under Section 63-11-30
or of a moving violation. Any conviction under Section 63-11-30 or of a moving
violation shall restart the * * * one-year requirement
for the holding of * * * a learner's permit before an applicant
can qualify for a driver's license. * * *
( * * *c) An applicant for a Mississippi
driver's license who, at the time of application, is at least * * * sixteen
(16) years of age and who has held a valid motor vehicle driver's license
issued by another state for at least six (6) months shall not be required to
hold a * * *
learner's permit * * * before being issued a driver's license.
(3) The commissioner shall
ensure that the * * * learner's permit * * * and driver's license
issued under this article are clear, distinct and easily distinguishable from
one another.
SECTION 3. Section 63-1-21, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
63-1-21. (1) To obtain a
new or original Class R * * *, or Class D * * * license, every
applicant other than a person holding a valid out-of-state license shall first
obtain a * * *
learner's permit, successfully complete the examination provided for in Section
63-1-33, and pay the * * * learner's permit fee and examination fee prescribed in
Section 63-1-43.
(2) A * * * learner's permit entitles the holder,
if the permit is in his immediate possession, to drive a motor vehicle other
than a motorcycle on the highways of the State of Mississippi only when
accompanied by a licensed operator who is at least twenty-one (21) years of age
and who is actually occupying the seat beside the driver. A * * * learner's permit may be issued to any
applicant who is at least fifteen (15) years of age and shall be valid for a
period of two (2) years from the date of issue.
(3) * * * A
licensee under the age of eighteen (18) shall be allowed unsupervised
driving from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 6:00 a.m. to
11:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and * * * shall be allowed unsupervised
driving any time for a person traveling directly to or from work. At all other
times * * * for the first six (6) months of possession
of a license, a licensee under the age of eighteen (18) must be supervised
by a parent, guardian or other person aged twenty-one (21) years or older who
holds a valid driver's license under this article and who is actually occupying
the seat beside the driver.
* * *
SECTION 4. Section 63-11-23, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
63-11-23. (1) Administrative license suspension for test refusal. The Commissioner of Public Safety, or his authorized agent, shall review the sworn report by a law enforcement officer as provided in Section 63-11-21.
(a) If upon review the
Commissioner of Public Safety, or his authorized agent, finds (i) that the law
enforcement officer had reasonable grounds and probable cause to believe the
person had been operating a motor vehicle upon the public highways, public
roads * * * or
streets of this state while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or any
other substance that may impair a person's mental or physical ability; (ii)
that the person refused to submit to the chemical test of the person's breath,
blood or urine upon request of the officer; and (iii) that the person was
informed that his license and driving privileges would be suspended or denied
if he refused to submit to the chemical test of his breath, blood or urine, then
the Commissioner of Public Safety, or his authorized agent, shall give notice
to the licensee that his license or permit to drive, or any nonresident
operating privilege, shall be suspended thirty (30) days after the date of the
notice for a period of ninety (90) days if the person has not previously been
convicted of or nonadjudicated for a violation of Section 63-11-30, or, for a
period of one (1) year if the person was previously convicted or nonadjudicated
under Section 63-11-30. If the commissioner or his authorized agent determines
that the license or permit should not be suspended, he shall return the license
or permit to the licensee.
(b) The notice of suspension shall be in writing and conform to Section 63-1-52.
(c) A person may continue to drive on either an interlock-restricted license or under a drug-testing program if so ordered by a court in the course of a criminal proceeding for a violation of Section 63-11-30.
(2) Extension or suspension of privilege to drive; request for trial. (a) If the chemical testing of a person's breath indicates the blood alcohol concentration was eight one-hundredths percent (.08%) or more for persons who are above the legal age to purchase alcoholic beverages under state law, or two one-hundredths percent (.02%) or more for persons who are below the legal age to purchase alcoholic beverages under state law, based upon grams of alcohol per one hundred (100) milliliters of blood or grams of alcohol per two hundred ten (210) liters of breath as shown by a chemical analysis of the person's blood, breath, or urine, the arresting officer shall seize the license and give the driver a receipt for his license on forms prescribed by the Commissioner of Public Safety and shall promptly forward the license together with a sworn report to the Commissioner of Public Safety. The receipt given a person shall be valid as a permit to operate a motor vehicle for thirty (30) days in order that the defendant may be processed through the court having original jurisdiction and a final disposition had.
(b) If the defendant requests a trial within thirty (30) days and trial is not commenced within thirty (30) days, then the court shall determine if the delay in the trial is the fault of the defendant or his counsel. If the court finds that it is not the fault of the defendant or his counsel, then the court shall order the defendant's privileges to operate a motor vehicle to be extended until the defendant is convicted upon final order of the court.
(c) If a receipt or permit to drive issued under this subsection expires without a trial having been requested as provided in this subsection, then the Commissioner of Public Safety, or his authorized agent, shall suspend the license or permit to drive or any nonresident operating privilege for the applicable period of time as provided in subsection (1) of this section.
(3) Offenders driving without a license. If the person is a resident without a license or permit to operate a motor vehicle in this state, the Commissioner of Public Safety, or his authorized agent, shall deny to the person the issuance of a license or permit for a period of one (1) year beginning thirty (30) days after the date of notice of the suspension.
(4) Appeal. It shall be the duty of the municipal prosecuting attorney, county prosecuting attorney, an attorney employed under the provisions of Section 19-3-49, or if there is not a prosecuting attorney for the municipality or county, the duty of the district attorney to represent the state in any hearing on a de novo appeal held under the provisions of Section 63-11-25, Section 63-11-37 or Section 63-11-30.
(5) Suspension subsequent to conviction. Unless the person obtains an interlock-restricted license or the court orders the person to exercise the privilege to operate a motor vehicle only under an interlock-restricted license or while participating in a court-ordered drug-testing program, thirty (30) days after receipt of the court abstract documenting a person's conviction under Section 63-11-30, the Department of Public Safety shall suspend the driver's license and privileges of the person to operate a motor vehicle as follows:
(a) When sentenced under Section 63-11-30(2):
(i) For a first offense: one hundred twenty (120) days;
(ii) For a second offense: one (1) year;
(iii) For a third offense: for the full period of the person's sentence; upon release from incarceration, the person will be eligible for only an interlock-restricted license for three (3) years;
(iv) For a fourth or subsequent offense: for the full period of the person's sentence; upon release from incarceration, the person will be eligible for only an interlock-restricted license for ten (10) years and will further be subject to court-ordered drug testing if the original offense involved operating a motor vehicle under the influence of a drug other than alcohol.
(b) When sentenced under Section 63-11-30(3) (Zero Tolerance for Minors):
(i) For a first offense: one hundred twenty (120) days;
(ii) For a second offense: one (1) year;
(iii) For a third offense occurring within five (5) years, suspend or deny the driving privilege for two (2) years or until the person reaches the age of twenty-one (21), whichever is longer.
(6) Suspensions. (a) Notices of suspension given under this section shall be in writing and conform to Section 63-1-52.
(b) Suspensions under this and any other chapter shall run consecutively and not concurrently.
(7) License reinstatement. A person is eligible for an unrestricted license when the person has completed an alcohol safety education program as provided in Section 63-11-32, has satisfied all other conditions of law and of the person's sentence or nonadjudication, and is not otherwise barred from obtaining an unrestricted license.
SECTION 5. Section 63-11-25, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
63-11-25. If the forfeiture, suspension or denial of issuance is sustained by the Commissioner of Public Safety, or his duly authorized agent pursuant to subsection (1) of Section 63-11-23, upon such hearing, the person aggrieved may file within ten (10) days after the rendition of such decision a petition in the circuit or county court having original jurisdiction of the violation for review of such decision and such hearing upon review shall proceed as a trial de novo before the court without a jury. The petition shall be served upon the Attorney General and the Commissioner of Public Safety. Provided further, that no such party shall be allowed to exercise the driving privilege while any such appeal is pending.
SECTION 6. Section 45-33-43, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
45-33-43. At the
time a person surrenders a driver's license from another jurisdiction or makes
an application for a driver's license, temporary driving permit, * * * commercial driver's
license or identification card issued under Section 45-35-3, the department
shall provide the applicant with written information on the registration
requirements of this chapter and shall require written acknowledgment by the
applicant of receipt of the notification.
SECTION 7. Section 63-1-5, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
63-1-5. (1) (a) No person shall drive or operate a motor vehicle or an autocycle as defined in Section 63-3-103 upon the highways of the State of Mississippi without first securing an operator's license to drive on the highways of the state, unless specifically exempted by Section 63-1-7.
(b) The types of operator's licenses are:
(i) Class R;
(ii) Class D;
(iii) Class A, B or C commercial license governed by Article 5 of this chapter; and
* * *
( * * *iv) Interlock-restricted license as
prescribed in Section 63-11-31.
(2) (a) Every person who makes application for an original license or a renewal license to operate any single vehicle with a gross weight rating of less than twenty-six thousand one (26,001) pounds or any vehicle towing a vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating not in excess of ten thousand (10,000) pounds other than vehicles included in Class C, vehicles which require a special endorsement, or to operate a vehicle as a common carrier by motor vehicle, taxicab, passenger coach, dray, contract carrier or private commercial carrier as defined in Section 27-19-3, other than those vehicles for which a Class A, B or C license is required under Article 5 of this chapter, may, in lieu of the Class R regular driver's license, apply for and obtain a Class D driver's license. The fee for the issuance of a Class D driver's license shall be as set forth in Section 63-1-43 and the Class D license shall be valid for the term prescribed in Section 63-1-47. Except as required under Article 5 of this chapter, no driver of a pickup truck shall be required to have a Class D or a commercial license regardless of the purpose for which the pickup truck is used.
(b) Persons operating vehicles listed in paragraph (a) of this subsection for private purposes or in emergencies need not obtain a Class D license.
(3) An interlock-restricted license allows a person to drive only a motor vehicle equipped with an iginition-interlock device.
(4) A person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, may be punished by imprisonment for not less than two (2) days nor more than six (6) months, by a fine of not less than Two Hundred Dollars ($200.00) nor more than Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00), or both.
SECTION 8. Section 63-1-6, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
63-1-6. (1) Unless exempted under Section 63-1-7 or Section 63-1-6.1, no person shall drive or operate a motorcycle, except for an autocycle as defined in Section 63-3-103, upon the highways of the State of Mississippi without first securing an operator's license with a motorcycle endorsement upon it.
(2) (a) A motorcycle endorsement may be issued to any person who holds a valid Mississippi driver's license and meets the other requirements for a motorcycle endorsement contained in this chapter.
(b) Every applicant for a motorcycle endorsement shall first obtain a temporary motorcycle permit, successfully complete the examination provided in Section 63-1-33, and pay the temporary motorcycle permit fee and examination fee prescribed in Section 63-1-43. Applicants for a temporary motorcycle permit shall:
(i) Be at least fifteen (15) years of age;
(ii) Operate a motorcycle only under the direct supervision of a person at least twenty-one (21) years of age who possesses either a valid driver's or operator's license with a motorcycle endorsement or a valid restricted motorcycle operator's license;
(iii) Be prohibited from transporting a passenger on a motorcycle;
(iv) Be prohibited from operating a motorcycle upon any controlled access highway; and
(v) Be prohibited from operating a motorcycle during the hours of 6:00 p.m. through 6:00 a.m.
Temporary motorcycle driving
permits shall be valid for the same period of time and may be renewed upon the
same conditions as * * * learner's permits issued under Section 63-1-21.
SECTION 9. Section 63-1-10.1, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
63-1-10.1. A school
superintendent or designee shall report to the Department of Education on a
schedule determined by the State Board of Education when a student under
eighteen (18) years of age who has been issued a driver's license * * * or temporary learning
permit has been coded as a "drop out" as defined by the State Board
of Education. The Department of Education will provide notification to the
Department of Public Safety of those students under eighteen (18) years of age
who have obtained a driver's license * * * or temporary learning
permit and have been coded by the local school district as a "drop
out" upon verification that prior written parental consent for the release
of educational records has been obtained in compliance with the Family
Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1972, as amended, 20 USCS Section 1232.
SECTION 10. Section 63-1-23, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
63-1-23. The application of
any person under the age of seventeen (17) years for a temporary driving permit * * * or license issued pursuant
to this article shall be signed and verified before a person authorized to
administer oaths by both the father and mother of the applicant, if both are
living and have custody of him, or in the event neither parent is living then
by the person or guardian having such custody or by an employer of him, or in
the event there is no guardian or employer then by any other responsible person
who is willing to assume the obligation imposed under Section 63-1-25 upon a
person signing the application of a minor.
SECTION 11. Section 63-1-33, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
63-1-33. (1) Except as
otherwise provided under subsections (6) and (7) of this section, it shall be
the duty of the license examiner, when application is made for an operator's
license or * * *
learner's permit, to test the applicant's ability to read and understand road
signs and to give the required signals as adopted by the National Advisory
Committee on Uniform Traffic Control Devices and the American Association of
Motor Vehicle Administrators.
(2) Except as otherwise provided under subsections (6) and (7) of this section, the commissioner shall have prepared and administer a test composed of at least ten (10) questions relating to the safe operation of a motor vehicle and testing the applicant's knowledge of the proper operation of a motor vehicle. Every examination shall ensure adequate knowledge on the part of the applicant as to school bus safety requirements.
(3) Prior to the administration of the test, the license examiner shall inspect the horn, lights, brakes, vehicle registration and proof of liability coverage of the motor vehicle which the applicant expects to operate while being tested, and if he finds that any of the aforementioned items are deficient, no license or endorsement shall be issued to the applicant until same have been repaired.
(4) An applicant for a Mississippi driver's license who, at the time of application, holds a valid motor vehicle driver's license issued by another state shall not be required to take a written test.
(5) Except as otherwise provided by Section 63-1-6, when application is made for an original motorcycle endorsement, the applicant shall be required to pass a written test which consists of questions relating to the safe operation of a motorcycle and a skill test similar to the "Motorcycle Operator Skill Test," which is endorsed by the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators. The commissioner may exempt any applicant from the skill test if the applicant presents a certificate showing successful completion of a course approved by the commissioner, which includes a similar examination of skills needed in the safe operation of a motorcycle.
(6) The Department of Public Safety shall accept the certification of successful completion of an individual's training in the knowledge and skills needed for the proper and safe operation of a motor vehicle from a driver education and training program at a secondary school that meets the standards of the State Board of Education, in lieu of the department administering the examination of the individual for the purpose of obtaining a driver's license. The school may employ teachers duly certified by the Department of Education to teach in such a program. In addition, off-duty members of the Mississippi Highway Safety Patrol shall be authorized to teach in such a program without having to obtain a teaching certificate from the Department of Education. Instructors will be considered employees of the school, not of the Driver License Examining Bureau. The commissioner and the State Board of Education shall jointly promulgate rules and regulations for the administration of this subsection.
(7) The commissioner shall develop an affidavit whereby a parent, teacher or guardian may certify that he or she has witnessed a student operate a motor vehicle for at least fifty (50) hours and attest to their proficiency in the proper and safe operation of a motor vehicle and the Department of Public Safety shall accept such in lieu of a skills test conducted by the department.
SECTION 12. Section 63-1-35, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
63-1-35. (1) The Commissioner of Public Safety shall prescribe the form of license issued pursuant to this article which shall, among other features, include a driver's license number assigned by the Department of Public Safety. A licensee shall list his social security number with the department which shall cross reference the social security number with the driver's license number for purposes of identification. Additionally, each license shall bear a full-face color photograph of the licensee in such form that the license and the photograph cannot be separated. The photograph shall be taken so that one (1) exposure will photograph the applicant and the application simultaneously on the same film. The department shall use a process in the issuance of a license with a color photograph that shall prevent as nearly as possible any alteration, counterfeiting, duplication, reproduction, forging or modification of the license or the superimposition of a photograph without ready detection. The photograph shall be replaced by the department at the time of renewal. Drivers' licenses, including photographs appearing thereon, may be renewed by electronic means according to rules and regulations promulgated by the commissioner in conformity to Section 27-104-33.
(2) The commissioner shall prescribe the form of license issued pursuant to this article to licensees who are not United States citizens and who do not possess a social security number issued by the United States government. The license of such persons shall include a number and/or other identifying features.
(3) Any new, renewal or
duplicate driver's license, temporary driving permit * * * or commercial driver's
license issued to a person required to register as a sex offender pursuant to
Section 45-33-25 shall bear a designation identifying the licensee or permittee
as a sex offender.
(4) The commissioner is
authorized to provide the new, renewal or duplicate driver's license, temporary
driving permit * * * or commercial driver's license to any honorably
discharged veteran as defined in Title 38 of the United States Code, and such
license or permit shall exhibit the letters "Vet" or any other mark
identifying the person as a veteran. The veteran requesting the
"Vet" designation shall present his DD-214 or equivalent document
that includes a notation from the State Veterans Affairs Board that the
applicant is a veteran.
(5) Not later than July 1, 2021, the commissioner shall develop and implement a driver's license or driving permit in electronic format as an additional option for license or permit holders. Acceptable electronic formats include display of electronic images on a cellular phone or any other type of electronic device.
SECTION 13. Section 63-1-37, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
63-1-37. If a license or * * * learner's permit issued under the
provisions of this article is lost or destroyed, the licensee may obtain a
duplicate copy by paying the fee prescribed in Section 63-1-43. The license or
permit shall be marked "Duplicate."
SECTION 14. Section 63-1-43, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
63-1-43. (1) The commissioner shall charge and collect the following fees:
(a) Fees to which the card stock fee authorized in Section 45-1-21 shall be added:
Class R original or renewal four-year license
authorized in Section 63-1-5.............................. $18.00
Class R original or renewal eight-year license
authorized in Section 63-1-5.............................. $36.00
Class D original or renewal four-year license
authorized in Section 63-1-47............................. $23.00
Class D original or renewal eight-year license
authorized in Section 63-1-47............................. $46.00
Four-year Identification Card authorized in
Section 45-35-7.......................................... $11.00
Eight-year Identification Card authorized in
Section 45-35-7.......................................... $22.00
Eight-year Identification Card for the blind
authorized in Section 45-35-7............................. $11.00
Four-year Disability Identification Card authorized in
Section 45-35-53......................................... $11.00
* * *
Learner's Permit authorized in
Section 63-1-21.......................................... $ 1.00
Duplicate Identification Card or Disability
Identification Card....................................... $ 5.00
* * *
Duplicate Class R or Class D license
authorized in Section 63-1-37............................. $ 5.00
Class A, B or C Commercial driver's license
authorized in Section 63-1-208............................ $48.00
CDL Learner's Permit authorized in Section 63-1-208... $10.00
Duplicate CDL or CDL learner's permit................ $ 5.00
Ignition-Interlock-Restricted License
authorized in Section 63-11-31............................ $50.00
(b) Driver services fees to which the card stock fee authorized in Section 45-1-21 is not added:
Temporary Motorcycle Permit.......................... $ 1.00
Four-year or eight-year Motorcycle Endorsement........ $ 5.00
Late Renewal Fee..................................... $ 1.00
Four-year Identification Card upon medical reason for
surrender of a driver's license as authorized in
Section 45-35-7 (one (1) time only)....................... No fee
Hazardous Materials Background Check (federal)........ $63.00
Hazardous Materials Background Check (state).......... $37.00
CDL Application Fee.................................. $25.00
CDL Endorsements:
Tanker Endorsement................................... $ 5.00
Doubles/Triples Endorsement.......................... $ 5.00
Passenger Endorsement................................ $ 5.00
Hazardous Materials Endorsement...................... $ 5.00
School Bus Endorsement............................... $ 5.00
(c) In addition to the fees required in this section, an applicant may contribute an additional One Dollar ($1.00) which shall be deposited into the Statewide Litter Prevention Fund. The applicant shall be informed that he may contribute an additional One Dollar ($1.00) which shall be deposited into the Statewide Litter Prevention Fund and shall be expended solely for the purpose of funding litter prevention projects or litter education programs, as recommended by the Statewide Litter Prevention Program of Keep Mississippi Beautiful, Inc.
(d) Starting January 1, 2021, for any original or renewal license for which the fee is greater than Ten Dollars ($10.00), if the applicant brings all required documentation but does not receive his or her license within two and one-half (2-1/2) hours of entering and remaining at the license station, Ten Dollars ($10.00) shall be deducted from the total amount owed for the license.
(2) All originals and renewals of operators' licenses shall be in compliance with Section 63-1-47.
SECTION 15. Section 63-1-47, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
63-1-47. (1) (a) Except as otherwise provided in this section, each applicant for an original or renewal Class R or Class D license issued pursuant to this article, who is entitled to issuance of same, shall be issued a four-year license or an eight-year license, at the option of the applicant, which will expire at midnight on the licensee's birthday and may be renewed any time within six (6) months before the expiration of the license upon application and payment of the required fee, unless required to be reexamined.
* * *
( * * *b) The term of an ignition-interlock-restricted
license issued under this article shall be four (4) years.
(2) Any commercial driver's license issued under Article 5 of this chapter shall be issued for a five-year term to expire at midnight on the licensee's birthday.
(3) (a) All applications by an operator under eighteen (18) years of age must be accompanied by documentation that the applicant is in compliance with the education requirements of Section 63-1-9(1)(g), and the documentation used in establishing compliance must be dated no more than thirty (30) days before the date of application.
(b) All applications by an operator under eighteen (18) years of age, if applicable, must be accompanied by documentation signed and notarized by the parent or guardian of the applicant and the appropriate school official, authorizing the release of the applicant's attendance records to the Department of Public Safety as required under Section 63-1-10.
(c) The commissioner
shall suspend the driver's license * * * or * * * learner's permit of a student under
eighteen (18) years of age who has been reported by the Department of Education
as required by Section 63-1-10.1, and shall give notice of the suspension to
the licensee as provided in Section 63-1-52(4). A school superintendent or
designee may request that the driver's license * * * or * * * learner's permit that has been
suspended under the provisions of this subsection be reinstated after the
student has successfully completed nine (9) weeks of school attendance without
an unlawful absence.
(4) (a) Any original or renewal license issued under this chapter to a person who is not a United States citizen shall expire four (4) years from the date of issuance or on the expiration date of the applicant's authorized stay in the United States, whichever is the lesser period of time, and may be renewed, if the person is otherwise qualified to renew the license, within thirty (30) days of expiration. The fee for any such license and for renewal shall be as prescribed in Section 63-1-43.
(b) Any applicant for an original or renewal license under this subsection (4) must present valid documentary evidence documenting that the applicant:
(i) Is a citizen or national of the United States;
(ii) Is an alien lawfully admitted for permanent or temporary residence in the United States;
(iii) Has conditional permanent residence status in the United States;
(iv) Has an approved application for asylum in the United States or has entered into the United States in refugee status;
(v) Has a valid, unexpired nonimmigrant visa or nonimmigrant visa status for entry into or lawful presence in the United States;
(vi) Has a pending application for asylum in the United States;
(vii) Has a pending or approved application for temporary protected status in the United States;
(viii) Has approved deferred-action status;
(ix) Has a pending application for adjustment of status to that of an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence in the United States or conditional permanent resident status in the United States; or
(x) Has a valid employment authorization card issued by the United States Department of Homeland Security.
(5) For any driver's license issued under this chapter, the Department of Public Safety shall send an email and text message notification of an upcoming driver's license expiration date to the known emails and phone numbers authorized by license holders for such notices not less than thirty (30) days before the expiration date of that license.
SECTION 16. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2021.