Senate Bill 2517

(COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE)

AN ACT TO CREATE NEW SECTION 77-7-345, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO AUTHORIZE THE COMMISSIONER OF PUBLIC SAFETY TO CREATE BY RULE A VOLUNTARY PROGRAM OF COMMERCIAL MOTOR VEHICLE INSPECTION; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. The following shall be codified as Section 77-7-345, Mississippi Code of 1972:

77-7-345. (1) When not otherwise specifically provided, the commissioner is authorized to make and promulgate reasonable rules and regulations to provide a voluntary program for inspection of commercial motor vehicles.

(2) For the purposes of this section, "commercial motor vehicle" has the meaning ascribed in Section 63-1-203.

(3) The regulations, if promulgated, will:

(a) Create a voluntary program for inspection of any combination of truck, truck tractor, trailer, semi-trailer or pole trailer, including each segment of a combined vehicle, that is used upon the highways or streets as a commercial motor vehicle for compliance with all applicable federal and state motor carrier safety regulations;

(b) Require that inspectors have access to the vehicle maintenance log;

(c) Prescribe a method of documentation to be displayed on the vehicle that is readily visible to an observer in the form of a decal or sticker, and require that the form of documentation prescribed must be kept on the vehicle;

(d) Require that inspection occur on an annual basis for participation in the program;

(e) Provide that inspection is not mandatory;

(f) Impose a reasonable inspection fee, which shall be deposited to the credit of the operating fund of the Commercial Transportation Enforcement Division of the Mississippi Department of Public Safety; and

(g) Specify that officers of the Commercial Transportation Enforcement Division will retain all responsibility and authority to monitor and enforce violations under Section 77-7-335.

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