House Bill 1280

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 45-1-29, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT THE MISSISSIPPI CRIME LABORATORY MAY NOT CHARGE FEES FOR SERVICES RENDERED BY IT TO ANY LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY OF ANY MUNICIPALITY; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. Section 45-1-29, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

45-1-29. (1) The Mississippi Crime Laboratory shall be funded separately from the Department of Public Safety. Any appropriated funds shall be maintained in an account separate from any funds of the Department of Public Safety and shall never be commingled with any funds of said department. However, nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit the utilization of the combined resources of the Mississippi Crime Laboratory, the Division of Support Services of the Department of Public Safety or the Mississippi Justice Information Center to efficiently carry out the mission of the Department of Public Safety.

(2) Grants and donations to the crime laboratory may be accepted from individuals, the federal government, firms, corporations, foundations and other interested organizations and societies.

(3) (a) Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (b), the Commissioner of Public Safety shall establish and the Division of Support Services of the Department of Public Safety shall collect for services rendered proper fees commensurate with the services rendered by the crime laboratory. Those fees shall be deposited into a special fund in the State Treasury to the credit of the crime laboratory and expended in accordance with applicable rules and regulations of the Department of Finance and Administration. Those fees may be used for any authorized expenditure of the crime laboratory except expenditures for salaries, wages and fringe benefits.

(b) No fees may be collected for any services rendered by the crime laboratory to any law enforcement department or office of any municipality.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2005.