Senate Bill 2182

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 45-6-3, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REMOVE FROM THE DEFINITION OF "LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER" A STATUTORY EXEMPTION FOR CERTAIN EMPLOYEES OF THE STATE BOARD OF PHARMACY; TO AMEND SECTION 41-29-159, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REQUIRE THAT ONLY STATE BOARD OF PHARMACY EMPLOYEES WHO ARE MINIMUM STANDARDS CERTIFIED LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS CAN EXERCISE THE POWERS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. Section 45-6-3, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

45-6-3. For the purposes of this chapter, the following words shall have the meanings ascribed herein, unless the context shall otherwise require:

(a) "Commission" means the Criminal Justice Planning Commission.

(b) "Board" means the Board on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Training.

(c) "Law enforcement officer" means any person appointed or employed full time by the state or any political subdivision thereof, or by the state military department as provided in Section 33-1-33, who is duly sworn and vested with authority to bear arms and make arrests, and whose primary responsibility is the prevention and detection of crime, the apprehension of criminals and the enforcement of the criminal and traffic laws of this state and/or the ordinances of any political subdivision thereof. The term "law enforcement officer" also includes employees of the Department of Corrections who are designated as law enforcement officers by the Commissioner of Corrections pursuant to Section 47-5-54. However, the term "law enforcement officer" shall not mean or include any elected official or any person employed as an assistant to or investigator for a district attorney in this state, * * * or any person or elected official who, subject to approval by the board, provides some criminal justice related services for a law enforcement agency. As used in this paragraph "appointed or employed full time" means any person who is receiving gross compensation for his duties as a law enforcement officer of Two Hundred Fifty Dollars ($250.00) or more per week or One Thousand Seventy-five Dollars ($1,075.00) or more per month.

(d) "Part-time law enforcement officer" shall mean any person appointed or employed in a part-time, reserve or auxiliary capacity by the state or any political subdivision thereof who is duly sworn and vested with authority to bear arms and make arrests, and whose primary responsibility is the prevention and detection of crime, the apprehension of criminals and the enforcement of the criminal and traffic laws of this state or the ordinances of any political subdivision thereof. However, the term "part-time law enforcement officer" shall not mean or include any person or elected official who, subject to approval by the board, provides some criminal justice related services for a law enforcement agency. As used in this paragraph, "appointed or employed" means any person who is performing such duties at any time whether or not they receive any compensation for duties as a law enforcement officer provided that such compensation is less than Two Hundred Fifty Dollars ($250.00) per week or One Thousand Seventy-five Dollars ($1,075.00) per month.

(e) "Law enforcement trainee" shall mean any person appointed or employed in a full-time, part-time, reserve or auxiliary capacity by the state or any political subdivision thereof for the purposes of completing all the selection and training requirements established by the board to become a law enforcement officer or a part-time law enforcement officer. Such individuals shall not have the authority to use force, bear arms, make arrests or exercise any of the powers of a peace officer unless under the direct control and supervision of a law enforcement officer.

SECTION 2. Section 41-29-159, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

41-29-159. (a) Any officer or employee of the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, investigative unit of the State Board of Pharmacy who is a law enforcement officer within the meaning of Section 45-6-3 and trained and certified within the meaning of Section 45-6-1 et seq., investigative unit of the State Board of Medical Licensure, investigative unit of the State Board of Dental Examiners, investigative unit of the Mississippi Board of Nursing, investigative unit of the State Board of Optometry, any duly sworn peace officer of the State of Mississippi, any enforcement officer of the Mississippi Department of Transportation, or any highway patrolman, may, while engaged in the performance of his statutory duties:

(1) Carry firearms;

(2) Execute and serve search warrants, arrest warrants, subpoenas, and summonses issued under the authority of this state;

(3) Make arrests without warrant for any offense under this article committed in his presence, or if he has probable cause to believe that the person to be arrested has committed or is committing a crime; and

(4) Make seizures of property pursuant to this article.

(b) As divided among the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, the State Board of Pharmacy, the State Board of Medical Licensure, the State Board of Dental Examiners, the Mississippi Board of Nursing and the State Board of Optometry, the primary responsibility of the illicit street traffic or other illicit traffic of drugs is delegated to agents of the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics. The State Board of Pharmacy is delegated the responsibility of regulating and checking the legitimate drug traffic among pharmacists, pharmacies, hospitals, nursing homes, drug manufacturers, and any other related professions and facilities with the exception of the medical, dental, nursing, optometric and veterinary professions. The State Board of Medical Licensure is responsible for regulating and checking the legitimate drug traffic among physicians, podiatrists and veterinarians. The Mississippi Board of Dental Examiners is responsible for regulating and checking the legitimate drug traffic among dentists and dental hygienists. The Mississippi Board of Nursing is responsible for regulating and checking the legitimate drug traffic among nurses. The State Board of Optometry is responsible for regulating and checking the legitimate drug traffic among optometrists.

(c) The provisions of this section shall not be construed to limit or preclude the detection or arrest of persons in violation of Section 41-29-139 by any local law enforcement officer, sheriff, deputy sheriff or peace officer.

(d) Agents of the bureau are authorized to investigate the circumstances of deaths which are caused by drug overdose or which are believed to be caused by drug overdose.

(e) Any person who shall impersonate in any way the director or any agent, or who shall in any manner hold himself out as being, or represent himself as being, an officer or agent of the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof shall be punished by a fine of not less than One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) nor more than Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) or by imprisonment for not more than one (1) year, or by both such fine and imprisonment.

SECTION 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2007.