MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2014 Regular Session
To: Judiciary B
By: Representative Gipson
AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 97-23-99, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REVISE THE OFFENSE AND PENALTIES REGARDING GIVING AWAY OF MERCHANDISE BY AN EMPLOYEE WITHOUT AUTHORIZATION OF THE MERCHANT; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:
SECTION 1. Section 97-23-99, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
97-23-99. (1) It
shall be unlawful for any employee of a merchant engaged in the sale of goods
to the public to willfully give away any merchandise of a value of less than * * *
Five
Hundred Dollars ($500.00) intended for sale without receiving full payment
for such merchandise or to give away any merchandise without the specific
authorization of the merchant. Any person violating the provisions of this * * *
subsection shall be
guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction shall be fined not more than One
Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00) or imprisoned for not more than one (1) year or
both.
(2) It shall be unlawful for any employee of a merchant engaged in the sale of goods to the public to willfully give away any merchandise of a value of Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) or more intended for sale without receiving full payment for such merchandise or to give away any merchandise without the specific authorization of the merchant. Any person violating the provisions of this subsection shall be guilty of a felony and upon conviction shall be imprisoned in the custody of the Department of Corrections for a term not exceeding ten (10) years or shall be fined not more than Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000.00), or both.
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2014.