MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

2000 Regular Session

To: Wildlife and Fisheries

By: Senator(s) Posey

AN ACT TO PROMOTE HUNTER SAFETY FOR CHILDREN BELOW LICENSE AGE, TO REDUCE HUNTING ACCIDENTS OF SUCH CHILDREN; TO PROTECT THE SAFETY OF SUCH CHILDREN; TO REQUIRE CERTAIN CHILDREN UNDER 16 YEARS OF AGE TO TAKE HUNTER EDUCATION; TO REQUIRE AN ADULT TO BE WITH A CHILD UNDER THE AGE OF 12 WHILE HUNTING; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. (1) To reduce hunting accidents of children under license age, to protect the safety of these children and to promote hunter safety, a child at least twelve (12) years of age and under sixteen (16) years of age must have a certificate of satisfactory completion of a hunter education course approved by the department before hunting in this state.

(2) A child under the age of twelve (12) must be in the presence and under the direct supervision of a licensed or exempt hunter at least twenty-one (21) years of age when the child is hunting.

(3) There is no penalty for a violation of this section, but to protect the safety of the child a conservation officer may require the child to end the hunt and may unload the firearm and may take the firearm and the child to an adult.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2000.