House Bill 707

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 63-3-519, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO AUTHORIZE THE USE OF RADAR SPEED DETECTION EQUIPMENT BY ANY MUNICIPALITY WITH A POPULATION OF AT LEAST 2,000 THAT LIES UPON A TWO-LANE FEDERALLY DESIGNATED HIGHWAY WHERE THERE IS A PUBLIC COMMUNITY COLLEGE IN THE MUNICIPALITY AS WELL AS A CERTAIN STATE OPERATED REGIONAL PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES SERVICES TO PERSONS WITH INTELLECTUAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. Section 63-3-519, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

63-3-519. It shall be unlawful for any person or peace officer or law enforcement agency, except the Mississippi Highway Safety Patrol, to purchase or use or allow to be used any type of radar speed detection equipment upon any public street, road or highway of this state. However, such equipment may be used:

(a) By municipal law enforcement officers within a municipality having a population of two thousand (2,000) or more according to the latest or a previous federal census upon the public streets of the municipality, but in no case where the latest federal census population for the municipality is less than one thousand five hundred (1,500);

(b) By any college or university campus police force within the confines of any campus wherein more than two thousand (2,000) students are enrolled;

(c) By municipal law enforcement officers in any municipality having a population in excess of fifteen thousand (15,000) according to the latest federal census on federally designated highways lying within the corporate limits * * *.;

(d) By municipal law enforcement officers upon the public streets of any incorporated municipality (i) where the county seat is located in the municipality and (ii) where there is a public community college located in the municipality * * *.;

(e) By municipal law enforcement officers within a municipality having a population of two thousand (2,000) or more according to the latest or a previous federal census upon any two-lane federally designated highway lying within the corporate limits of any incorporated municipality (i) where there is a public community college located in the municipality and (ii) where there is a state operated regional program providing comprehensive services to persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities located in the municipality, both of which have entrances into such two-lane federally designated highway.

The Mississippi Highway Safety Patrol shall be immediately notified by municipal law enforcement of any road blockages or emergencies occurring on any federally designated limited-access highways lying within the corporate limits.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2026.