MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

2022 Regular Session

To: Highways and Transportation

By: Senator(s) Sparks, Branning, Tate, Suber, McCaughn, Parks, Jackson (11th)

Senate Bill 2517

(As Sent to Governor)

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 of Public Safety 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.

     (4)  This section shall stand repealed on July 1, 2024.

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