MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2014 Regular Session
To: Transportation; Judiciary B
By: Representative Haney
AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 63-3-519, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO AUTHORIZE SHERIFFS AND THEIR DEPUTIES TO USE RADAR SPEED DETECTION DEVICES ON THE PUBLIC ROADS, STREETS AND HIGHWAYS FOR THE SOLE PURPOSE OF ENFORCING SPEED LIMITS WITHIN THE SPECIAL ZONES DESIGNATED IN THE VICINITY OF SCHOOLS; TO AMEND SECTION 63-3-515, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REQUIRE THAT FUNDS FROM VIOLATIONS OF THE SPECIAL ZONES DESIGNATED IN THE VICINITY OF A SCHOOL SHALL BE USED BY COUNTIES FOR SCHOOL SAFETY BY FUNDING SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS OR LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS ASSIGNED TO SCHOOLS OR BY FUNDING SAFETY TRAINING OF SCHOOL FACULTY AND STAFF; 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. (1) It * * *
is 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 federal decennial census upon the public
streets of the municipality;
( * * *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 decennial census on federally
designated highways lying within the corporate limits; or
(d) By the sheriff and his deputies on any public road, street or highway outside the corporate limits of a municipality for the sole purpose of enforcing speed limits within the special zones designated in the vicinity of schools created under Section 63-3-515 as long as the special zone is indicated by caution blinking lights.
(2) The Mississippi
Highway Safety Patrol * * * shall
not set up radar on highways within municipalities with a population in excess
of fifteen thousand (15,000) according to the latest federal decennial
census.
SECTION 2. Section 63-3-515, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
63-3-515. (1) The boards of supervisors of counties and the governing authorities of municipalities are hereby authorized to adopt by order or resolution and to enforce within their respective territorial boundaries the maximum legal rate of speed at which a motor vehicle may be run or operated along any public street, road, highway (except state-maintained highways), or portion thereof in the vicinity of schools and churches, upon levees and causeways and in other special zones which the board or governing authorities may designate. The rate of speed so established shall be determined upon the basis of an engineering and traffic study. The order or resolution setting such speed limits may provide that such limits are only effective during specified times of the day, days of the week and months of the year.
(2) Funds from violations of the special zones designated in the vicinity of a school created under subsection (1) of this section shall be used by counties for school safety by funding school resource officers or law enforcement officers assigned to schools or by funding safety training of school faculty and staff.
SECTION 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2014.