MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

2002 Regular Session

To: Ways and Means

By: Representative Pierce, Malone

House Bill 985

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 27-19-155, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REQUIRE THE LICENSE TAG COMMISSION TO PURCHASE VEHICLE LICENSE TAGS FROM THE MISSISSIPPI PRISON INDUSTRIES CORPORATION; TO REPEAL SECTION 27-19-157, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, WHICH PROVIDES THAT IF LICENSE TAGS ARE REQUIRED TO BE MADE BY PRISONERS AT THE STATE PENITENTIARY, THEN THE TAGS WILL BE PURCHASED FROM THE PENITENTIARY; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

     SECTION 1.  Section 27-19-155, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

     27-19-155.  The license or numbered tag herein provided for shall be purchased by the License Tag Commission, composed of the Governor, Commissioner of Revenue, Attorney General, and the State Treasurer * * *.  The License Tag Commission shall award the contract for the manufacture and purchase of license tags to the Mississippi Prison Industries Corporation created under the Mississippi Prison Industries Act of 1990.  The Mississippi Prison Industries Corporation shall begin manufacture of the license tags on July 1, 2002.  The License Tag Commission is hereby authorized and empowered to renegotiate any contract entered into for the purchase of license tags in order to obtain any other or additional tags necessitated by the passage of this article.

     All license tags and numbered plates purchased under the provisions of this article, shall be paid for pursuant to an appropriation to be made for such purposes.  All monies received by the State Tax Commission as registration or tag fees, either from the tax collectors, or from licenses issued by the State Tax Commission, shall be paid into the State Treasury on the same day in which such funds are collected by the State Tax Commission.

     SECTION 2.  Section 27-19-157, Mississippi Code of 1972, which provides that if license tags are required to be made by prisoners at the State Penitentiary, then the tags will be purchased from the Penitentiary, is repealed.

     SECTION 3.  This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2002.