Senate Bill 2101

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 97-9-72, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO INCREASE THE MINIMUM TERM OF IMPRISONMENT FOR THE CRIME OF FLEEING OR ELUDING A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER IN A MOTOR VEHICLE; TO AMEND SECTION 97-9-73, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT THE CRIME OF RESISTING OR OBSTRUCTING AN ARREST SHALL BE A FELONY; TO INCREASE THE MINIMUM TERM OF IMPRISONMENT FOR THE CRIME OF RESISTING OR OBSTRUCTING AN ARREST; TO AMEND SECTION 97-3-117, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO INCREASE THE MINIMUM TERM OF IMPRISONMENT FOR THE CRIMES OF CARJACKING AND ARMED CARJACKING; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. Section 97-9-72, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

97-9-72. (1) The driver of a motor vehicle who is given a visible or audible signal by a law enforcement officer by hand, voice, emergency light or siren directing the driver to bring his motor vehicle to a stop when such signal is given by a law enforcement officer acting in the lawful performance of duty who has a reasonable suspicion to believe that the driver in question has committed a crime, and who willfully fails to obey such direction shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction shall be punished by a fine not to exceed One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00) or imprisoned in the county jail for a term not to exceed six (6) months, or both.

(2) Any person who is guilty of violating subsection (1) of this section by operating a motor vehicle in such a manner as to indicate a reckless or willful disregard for the safety of persons or property, or who so operates a motor vehicle in a manner manifesting extreme indifference to the value of human life, shall be guilty of a felony, and upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by a fine not to exceed Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00), or by commitment to the custody of the Mississippi Department of Corrections for not more than five (5) years, or both.

(3) Any person who is guilty of violating subsection (1) of this section, which violation results in serious bodily injury of another, upon conviction, shall be committed to the custody of the Department of Corrections for not less than * * * ~~three (3)~~ ten (10) nor more than twenty (20) years of imprisonment.

(4) Any person who is guilty of violating subsection (1) of this section, which violation results in the death of another, upon conviction, shall be committed to the custody of the Department of Corrections for not less than * * * ~~five (5)~~ twenty (20) nor more than forty (40) years.

(5) It is a defense to prosecution under this section:

(a) That the law enforcement officer was not in uniform or that no law enforcement vehicle used in the attempted stop was clearly marked as a law enforcement vehicle; or

(b) That the driver proceeded in a safe manner to a reasonably near well-lit public place before stopping.

SECTION 2. Section 97-9-73, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

97-9-73. It shall be unlawful for any person to obstruct or resist by force, or violence, or threats, or in any other manner, his lawful arrest or the lawful arrest of another person by any state, local or federal law enforcement officer, and any person or persons so doing shall be guilty of a * * * ~~misdemeanor~~ felony, and upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by a fine of not more than Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00), or by imprisonment in the * * * ~~county jail~~ custody of the Mississippi Department of Corrections for not more than * * * ~~six (6) months~~ two (2) years, or both.

SECTION 3. Section 97-3-117, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

97-3-117. (1) Whoever shall knowingly or recklessly by force or violence, whether against resistance or by sudden or stealthy seizure or snatching, or by putting in fear, or attempting to do so, or by any other means shall take a motor vehicle from another person's immediate actual possession shall be guilty of carjacking.

(a) A person who is convicted of carjacking shall be fined not more than Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00) and be committed to the custody of the State Department of Corrections for not less than five (5) years nor more than fifteen (15) years.

(b) A person who is convicted of attempted carjacking shall receive the same punishment as the person who is convicted of carjacking.

(2) Whoever commits the offense of carjacking while armed with or having readily available any pistol or other firearm or imitation thereof or other dangerous or deadly weapon, including a sawed-off shotgun, shotgun, machine gun, rifle, dirk, bowie knife, butcher knife, switchblade, razor, blackjack, billy, or metallic or other false knuckles, or any object capable of inflicting death or serious bodily harm, shall be guilty of armed carjacking.

(a) Any person who is convicted of armed carjacking shall be fined not more than Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000.00) and be committed to the custody of the State Department of Corrections for not less than ten (10) years nor more than thirty (30) years.

(b) Any person who is convicted of attempted armed carjacking shall receive the same punishment as the person who is convicted of armed carjacking.

(3) Any person convicted of a second or subsequent offense under this section shall be fined an amount up to twice that otherwise authorized and shall be imprisoned for a term of at least twice the minimum term provided for the offense and up to twice the maximum term otherwise authorized.

SECTION 4. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2023.