House Bill 609

AN ACT TO CREATE THE LAW ENFORCEMENT SUPPLEMENTAL PAY PROGRAM TO BE ADMINISTERED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY; TO PROVIDE THAT IN ADDITION TO THE COMPENSATION NOW PAID BY ANY MUNICIPALITY OR COUNTY TO ANY SWORN, CERTIFIED LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER, EVERY SWORN, CERTIFIED LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER EMPLOYED BY ANY MUNICIPALITY OR COUNTY WHICH EMPLOYS ONE OR MORE SWORN, CERTIFIED LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS WHO DEVOTES HIS OR HER FULL WORKING TIME TO LAW ENFORCEMENT, SHALL BE PAID BY THE STATE EXTRA COMPENSATION IN THE AMOUNT OF FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS PER YEAR FOR EACH FULL-TIME MUNICIPAL OR COUNTY SWORN, CERTIFIED LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER WHO HAS COMPLETED OR WHO HEREAFTER COMPLETES FIVE YEARS OF SERVICE AS A SWORN, CERTIFIED LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. (1) There is created a Law Enforcement Supplemental Pay Program to be administered by the Mississippi Department of Public Safety to provide supplemental pay to local law enforcement officers.

(2) In addition to the compensation now paid by any municipality or county to any sworn, certified law enforcement officer, every sworn, certified law enforcement officer employed by any municipality or county which employs one or more sworn, certified law enforcement officers who devotes his or her full working time to law enforcement, shall be paid by the state extra compensation in the amount of Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) per year for each full-time municipal or county sworn, certified law enforcement officer who has completed or who hereafter completes five (5) years of service as a sworn, certified law enforcement officer.

(3) The five (5) years of service required under this section shall include any service as a sworn, certified law enforcement officer in the State of Mississippi.

(4) The supplemental pay provided by the state under this section shall be supplemental to any other pay the law enforcement officer has or would receive, and such supplemental pay may not be used to reduce or in any way diminish the pay for that law enforcement officer from any other funding sources.

(5) The Department of Public Safety shall adopt any rules or regulations necessary to administer this section.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2022.