MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

2015 Regular Session

To: Education

By: Representative Monsour

House Bill 636

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 37-7-321, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO AUTHORIZE THE SCHOOL BOARD OF ANY SCHOOL DISTRICT TO EMPLOY CERTAIN ACTIVE AND FORMER MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES OF THE UNITED STATES TO SERVE AS SCHOOL PEACE OFFICERS, SCHOOL SECURITY GUARDS, OR SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS; TO AMEND SECTION 45-6-7, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO CONFORM TO THE PROVISIONS OF THIS ACT; TO BRING FORWARD SECTIONS 37-3-82, 37-3-82.1, 37-7-323 AND 45-9-101, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, FOR THE PURPOSE OF POSSIBLE AMENDMENT; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

     SECTION 1.  Section 37-7-321, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

     37-7-321.  (1)  The school board of any school district within the State of Mississippi, in its discretion, may employ one (1) or more persons as security personnel and may designate such persons as peace officers in or on any property operated for school purposes by such board upon their taking such oath and making such bond as required of a constable of the county in which the school district is situated.

     (2)  (a)  The school board of any school district within the State of Mississippi, in its discretion, may employ one or more members of any reserve component of the Armed Forces of the United States, or any former member of the service of the United States discharged or released therefrom under conditions other than dishonorable, as security personnel and may designate such persons as peace officers, school security guards, or school resource officers in or on any property operated for school purposes by such board upon their taking such oath and making such bond as required of a constable of the county in which the school district is situated.

          (b)  For the purposes of this section, "Armed Forces" means and includes all components of the Armed Forces of the United States including the Army National Guard, the Army National Guard of the United States, the Air National Guard and the Air National Guard of the United States, as those terms are defined in Section 101, Title 10, United States Code, and any other reserve component of the Armed Forces of the United States enumerated in  Section 261, Title 10, United States Code. 

     ( * * *23)  Any person employed by a school board as a security guard or school resource officer or in any other position that has the powers of a peace officer must receive a minimum level of basic law enforcement training, or possess military training from his or her tenure with the Armed Forces of the United States, as jointly determined and prescribed by the Board on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Training and the State Board of Education, within two (2) years of the person's initial employment in such position.  Upon the failure of any person employed in such position to receive the required training within the designated time, the person may not exercise the powers of a peace officer in or on the property of the school district.

     ( * * *34)  The school board is authorized and empowered, in its discretion, and subject to the approval of the Federal Communications Commission, to install and operate a noncommercial radio broadcasting and transmission station for educational and vocational educational purposes.

     ( * * *45)  If a law enforcement officer is duly appointed to be a peace officer by a school district under this section, the local school board may enter into an interlocal agreement with other law enforcement entities for the provision of equipment or traffic control duties, however, the duty to enforce traffic regulations and to enforce the laws of the state or municipality off of school property lies with the local police or sheriff's department which cannot withhold its services solely because of the lack of such an agreement.

     SECTION 2.  Section 45-6-7, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

     45-6-7.  In addition to the powers conferred upon the board elsewhere in this chapter, the board shall have power to:

          (a)  Promulgate rules and regulations for the administration of this chapter, including the authority to require the submission of reports and information by law enforcement agencies of the state and its political subdivisions.

          (b)  Establish minimum educational and training standards for admission to employment or appointment as a law enforcement officer or a part-time law enforcement officer:  (i) in a permanent position; and (ii) in a probationary status.

          (c)  Certify persons as being qualified under the provisions of this chapter to be law enforcement officers or part-time law enforcement officers.

          (d)  Revoke certification for cause and in the manner provided in this chapter.  The board is authorized to subpoena documents regarding revocations.  The board shall maintain a current list of all persons certified under this chapter who have been placed on probation, suspended, subjected to revocation of certification, or any combination of these.

          (e)  Establish minimum curriculum requirements for basic and advanced courses and programs for schools operated by or for the state or any political subdivision thereof for the specific purpose of training police and other law enforcement officers, both full- and part-time.

          (f)  Consult and cooperate with counties, municipalities, state agencies, other governmental agencies, and with universities, colleges, community and junior colleges and other institutions concerning the development of training schools, programs or courses of instruction for personnel defined in this chapter.

          (g)  Make recommendations concerning any matter within its purview pursuant to this chapter.

          (h)  Make such inspection and evaluation as may be necessary to determine if governmental units are complying with the provisions of this chapter.

          (i)  Approve law enforcement officer training schools for operation by or for the state or any political subdivision thereof for the specific purpose of training personnel defined in this chapter.

          (j)  Upon the request of agencies employing personnel defined in this chapter, conduct surveys or aid municipalities and counties to conduct surveys through qualified public or private agencies and assist in the implementation of any recommendations resulting from such surveys.

          (k)  Upon request of agencies within the purview of this chapter, conduct general and specific management surveys and studies of the operations of the requesting agencies at no cost to those agencies.  The role of the board under this subsection shall be that of management consultant.

          (l)  Adopt and amend regulations consistent with law, for its internal management and control of board programs.

          (m)  Enter into contracts or do such things as may be necessary and incidental to the administration of this chapter.

          (n)  Establish jointly with the State Board of Education the minimum level of basic law enforcement training or military training required of persons employed by school districts as school security guards, or school resource officers or in other positions that have the powers of a peace officer.

     SECTION 3.  Section 37-3-82, Mississippi Code of 1972, is brought forward as follows:

     37-3-82.  (1)  There is hereby established the Mississippi Community Oriented Policing Services in Schools (MCOPS) grant program in the State Department of Education to provide funding, pursuant to specific appropriation by the Legislature therefor, to assist law enforcement agencies in providing additional School Resource Officers to engage in community policing in and around primary and secondary schools.  The MCOPS program shall authorize the State Department of Education to make grants to increase deployment of law enforcement officers in order (a) to increase or enhance community policing in this state, (b) that trained, sworn enforcement officers assigned to schools play an integral part in the development and/or enhancement of a comprehensive school safety plan, and (c) that the presence of these officers shall provide schools with a direct link to local law enforcement agencies.

     (2)  The MCOPS program shall meet the following requirements and standards:

          (a)  This program shall provide an incentive for law enforcement agencies to build collaborative partnerships with the school community and to use community policing efforts to combat school violence and implement educational programs to improve student and school safety.

          (b)  The additional School Resource Officers must devote at least seventy-five percent (75%) of their time to work in and around primary and secondary schools, in addition to the time that School Resource Officers are devoting in the absence of the MCOPS in Schools grant.

          (c)  The MCOPS in Schools program shall provide a maximum state contribution of up to Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000.00) per officer position over the one-year grant period, to be matched from local funds on a 50/50 matching basis.  Officers paid with MCOPS funds may be employed by the local law enforcement agency or by the local school district.  MCOPS funds may be used to pay for entry-level salaries and benefits of newly trained additional School Resource Officers and may be used to pay the salaries and benefits of School Resource Officers employed prior to July 1, 2013.  All jurisdictions that apply must demonstrate that they have primary law enforcement authority over the school(s) identified in their application and demonstrate their inability to implement this project without state assistance.  Schools or law enforcement agencies may not reduce its overall federal, state, locally funded level of sworn officers (including other School Resource Officers or other sworn officers assigned to the schools) as a result of applying for or receiving MCOPS in Schools grant funding.  MCOPS in Schools funding may be used to rehire sworn officers previously employed who have been laid off for financial reasons unrelated to the availability of the MCOPS in Schools grant, but must obtain prior written approval from the State Department of Education.

          (f)  School Resource Officers (SROs) may serve in a variety of roles, including, but not limited to, that of a law enforcement officer/safety specialist, law-related educator, and problem-solver/community liaison.  These officers may teach programs such as crime prevention, substance abuse prevention, and gang resistance as well as monitor and assist troubled students through mentoring programs.  The School Resource Officer(s) may also identify physical changes in the environment that may reduce crime in and around the schools, as well as assist in developing school policies which address criminal activity and school safety.

The application must also include a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), signed by the law enforcement executive and the appropriate school official(s), to document the roles and responsibilities to be undertaken by the law enforcement agency and the educational school partner(s) through this collaborative effort.  The application must also include a Narrative Addendum to document that the School Resource Officer(s) will be assigned to work in and around primary or secondary schools and provide supporting documentation in the following areas:  problem identification and justification, community policing strategies to be used by the officers, quality and level of commitment to the effort, and the link to community policing.

          (g)  All agencies receiving awards through the MCOPS in Schools program are required to send the School Resource Officer position(s) funded by this grant, to the Mississippi Law Enforcement Officers' Training Academy where they shall be required to participate in training through the Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training Program at the academy, with the cost to be defrayed from the MCOPS program.  The MCOPS Office of the State Department of Education will reimburse grantees for training, per diem, travel, and lodging costs for attendance of required participants up to a maximum of One Thousand Two Hundred Dollars ($1,200.00) per person attending.  Applicants receiving an MCOPS in Schools grant, will receive additional training information following notification of the grant award.  The MCOPS in Schools training requirement must be completed prior to the end of twelve-month grant funding for officer positions.

     (3)  The State Department of Education shall promulgate rules and regulations prescribing procedures for the application, expenditure requirements and the administration of the Mississippi Community Oriented Policing Services in Schools (MCOPS) program established in this section, and shall make a report on the implementation of the MCOPS program with any recommendations to the 2014 Regular Session of the Legislature.

     SECTION 4.  Section 37-3-82.1, Mississippi Code of 1972, is brought forward as follows:

     37-3-82.1.  In the event that a public school district is unable to participate in the MCOPS program due to the district's inability to meet the necessary financial requirements of the local fund match, the local school board of that school district may develop a plan for the security of its students, faculty and administration, which must be approved by the State Board of Education and the Mississippi Department of Public Safety prior to its implementation.  The local school board may still apply for grants under the MCOPS program for training of security personnel employed by the school district.

     SECTION 5.  Section 37-7-323, Mississippi Code of 1972, is brought forward as follows:

     37-7-323.  Any act which, if committed within the limits of a city, town or village, or in any public place, would be a violation of the general laws of this state, shall be criminal and punishable if done on the campus, grounds or roads of any of the public schools of this state.  The peace officers duly appointed by the school board of any school district are vested with the powers and subjected to the duties of a constable for the purpose of preventing all violations of law on school property within the district, and for preserving order and decorum thereon.  The peace officers duly appointed by the school board of any school district are also vested with the powers and subjected to the duties of a constable for the purpose of preventing all violations of law that occur within five hundred (500) feet of any property owned by the school district, if reasonably determined to have a possible impact on the safety of students, faculty or staff of the school district while on said property.  Provided, however, that nothing in this section shall be interpreted to require action by any such peace officer appointed by a school district to events occurring outside the boundaries of school property, nor shall any such school district or its employees be liable for any failure to act to any event occurring outside the boundaries of property owned by the school district.

     SECTION 6.  Section 45-9-101, Mississippi Code of 1972, is brought forward as follows:

     45-9-101.  (1)  (a)  The Department of Public Safety is authorized to issue licenses to carry stun guns, concealed pistols or revolvers to persons qualified as provided in this section.  Such licenses shall be valid throughout the state for a period of five (5) years from the date of issuance.  Any person possessing a valid license issued pursuant to this section may carry a stun gun, concealed pistol or concealed revolver.

          (b)  The licensee must carry the license, together with valid identification, at all times in which the licensee is carrying a stun gun, concealed pistol or revolver and must display both the license and proper identification upon demand by a law enforcement officer.  A violation of the provisions of this paragraph (b) shall constitute a noncriminal violation with a penalty of Twenty-five Dollars ($25.00) and shall be enforceable by summons.

     (2)  The Department of Public Safety shall issue a license if the applicant:

          (a)  Is a resident of the state and has been a resident for twelve (12) months or longer immediately preceding the filing of the application.  However, this residency requirement may be waived, provided the applicant possesses a valid permit from another state, is active military personnel stationed in Mississippi, or is a retired law enforcement officer establishing residency in the state;

          (b)  (i)  Is twenty-one (21) years of age or older; or

              (ii)  Is at least eighteen (18) years of age but not yet twenty-one (21) years of age and the applicant:

                   1.  Is a member or veteran of the United States Armed Forces; and

                   2.  Holds a valid Mississippi driver's license or identification card with the "Veteran" designation issued by the Department of Public Safety;

          (c)  Does not suffer from a physical infirmity which prevents the safe handling of a stun gun, pistol or revolver;

          (d)  Is not ineligible to possess a firearm by virtue of having been convicted of a felony in a court of this state, of any other state, or of the United States without having been pardoned for same;

          (e)  Does not chronically or habitually abuse controlled substances to the extent that his normal faculties are impaired.  It shall be presumed that an applicant chronically and habitually uses controlled substances to the extent that his faculties are impaired if the applicant has been voluntarily or involuntarily committed to a treatment facility for the abuse of a controlled substance or been found guilty of a crime under the provisions of the Uniform Controlled Substances Law or similar laws of any other state or the United States relating to controlled substances within a three-year period immediately preceding the date on which the application is submitted;

          (f)  Does not chronically and habitually use alcoholic beverages to the extent that his normal faculties are impaired.  It shall be presumed that an applicant chronically and habitually uses alcoholic beverages to the extent that his normal faculties are impaired if the applicant has been voluntarily or involuntarily committed as an alcoholic to a treatment facility or has been convicted of two (2) or more offenses related to the use of alcohol under the laws of this state or similar laws of any other state or the United States within the three-year period immediately preceding the date on which the application is submitted;

          (g)  Desires a legal means to carry a stun gun, concealed pistol or revolver to defend himself;

          (h)  Has not been adjudicated mentally incompetent, or has waited five (5) years from the date of his restoration to capacity by court order;

          (i)  Has not been voluntarily or involuntarily committed to a mental institution or mental health treatment facility unless he possesses a certificate from a psychiatrist licensed in this state that he has not suffered from disability for a period of five (5) years;

          (j)  Has not had adjudication of guilt withheld or imposition of sentence suspended on any felony unless three (3) years have elapsed since probation or any other conditions set by the court have been fulfilled;

          (k)  Is not a fugitive from justice; and

          (l)  Is not disqualified to possess a weapon based on federal law.

     (3)  The Department of Public Safety may deny a license if the applicant has been found guilty of one or more crimes of violence constituting a misdemeanor unless three (3) years have elapsed since probation or any other conditions set by the court have been fulfilled or expunction has occurred prior to the date on which the application is submitted, or may revoke a license if the licensee has been found guilty of one or more crimes of violence within the preceding three (3) years.  The department shall, upon notification by a law enforcement agency or a court and subsequent written verification, suspend a license or the processing of an application for a license if the licensee or applicant is arrested or formally charged with a crime which would disqualify such person from having a license under this section, until final disposition of the case.  The provisions of subsection (7) of this section shall apply to any suspension or revocation of a license pursuant to the provisions of this section.

     (4)  The application shall be completed, under oath, on a form promulgated by the Department of Public Safety and shall include only:

          (a)  The name, address, place and date of birth, race, sex and occupation of the applicant;

          (b)  The driver's license number or social security number of applicant;

          (c)  Any previous address of the applicant for the two (2) years preceding the date of the application;

          (d)  A statement that the applicant is in compliance with criteria contained within subsections (2) and (3) of this section;

          (e)  A statement that the applicant has been furnished a copy of this section and is knowledgeable of its provisions;

          (f)  A conspicuous warning that the application is executed under oath and that a knowingly false answer to any question, or the knowing submission of any false document by the applicant, subjects the applicant to criminal prosecution; and

          (g)  A statement that the applicant desires a legal means to carry a stun gun, concealed pistol or revolver to defend himself.

     (5)  The applicant shall submit only the following to the Department of Public Safety:

          (a)  A completed application as described in subsection (4) of this section;

          (b)  A full-face photograph of the applicant taken within the preceding thirty (30) days in which the head, including hair, in a size as determined by the Department of Public Safety, except that an applicant who is younger than twenty-one (21) years of age must submit a photograph in profile of the applicant;

          (c)  A nonrefundable license fee of One Hundred Dollars ($100.00).  Costs for processing the set of fingerprints as required in paragraph (d) of this subsection shall be borne by the applicant.  Honorably retired law enforcement officers and disabled veterans shall be exempt from the payment of the license fee;

          (d)  A full set of fingerprints of the applicant administered by the Department of Public Safety; and

          (e)  A waiver authorizing the Department of Public Safety access to any records concerning commitments of the applicant to any of the treatment facilities or institutions referred to in subsection (2) and permitting access to all the applicant's criminal records.

     (6)  (a)  The Department of Public Safety, upon receipt of the items listed in subsection (5) of this section, shall forward the full set of fingerprints of the applicant to the appropriate agencies for state and federal processing.

          (b)  The Department of Public Safety shall forward a copy of the applicant's application to the sheriff of the applicant's county of residence and, if applicable, the police chief of the applicant's municipality of residence.  The sheriff of the applicant's county of residence and, if applicable, the police chief of the applicant's municipality of residence may, at his discretion, participate in the process by submitting a voluntary report to the Department of Public Safety containing any readily discoverable prior information that he feels may be pertinent to the licensing of any applicant.  The reporting shall be made within thirty (30) days after the date he receives the copy of the application.  Upon receipt of a response from a sheriff or police chief, such sheriff or police chief shall be reimbursed at a rate set by the department.

          (c)  The Department of Public Safety shall, within forty-five (45) days after the date of receipt of the items listed in subsection (5) of this section:

              (i)  Issue the license;

              (ii)  Deny the application based solely on the ground that the applicant fails to qualify under the criteria listed in subsections (2) and (3) of this section.  If the Department of Public Safety denies the application, it shall notify the applicant in writing, stating the ground for denial, and the denial shall be subject to the appeal process set forth in subsection (7); or

              (iii)  Notify the applicant that the department is unable to make a determination regarding the issuance or denial of a license within the forty-five-day period prescribed by this subsection, and provide an estimate of the amount of time the department will need to make the determination.

          (d)  In the event a legible set of fingerprints, as determined by the Department of Public Safety and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, cannot be obtained after a minimum of two (2) attempts, the Department of Public Safety shall determine eligibility based upon a name check by the Mississippi Highway Safety Patrol and a Federal Bureau of Investigation name check conducted by the Mississippi Highway Safety Patrol at the request of the Department of Public Safety.

     (7)  (a)  If the Department of Public Safety denies the issuance of a license, or suspends or revokes a license, the party aggrieved may appeal such denial, suspension or revocation to the Commissioner of Public Safety, or his authorized agent, within thirty (30) days after the aggrieved party receives written notice of such denial, suspension or revocation.  The Commissioner of Public Safety, or his duly authorized agent, shall rule upon such appeal within thirty (30) days after the appeal is filed and failure to rule within this thirty-day period shall constitute sustaining such denial, suspension or revocation.  Such review shall be conducted pursuant to such reasonable rules and regulations as the Commissioner of Public Safety may adopt.

          (b)  If the revocation, suspension or denial of issuance is sustained by the Commissioner of Public Safety, or his duly authorized agent pursuant to paragraph (a) of this subsection, the aggrieved party may file within ten (10) days after the rendition of such decision a petition in the circuit or county court of his residence for review of such decision.  A hearing for review shall be held and shall proceed before the court without a jury upon the record made at the hearing before the Commissioner of Public Safety or his duly authorized agent.  No such party shall be allowed to carry a stun gun, concealed pistol or revolver pursuant to the provisions of this section while any such appeal is pending.

     (8)  The Department of Public Safety shall maintain an automated listing of license holders and such information shall be available online, upon request, at all times, to all law enforcement agencies through the Mississippi Crime Information Center.  However, the records of the department relating to applications for licenses to carry stun guns, concealed pistols or revolvers and records relating to license holders shall be exempt from the provisions of the Mississippi Public Records Act of 1983, and shall be released only upon order of a court having proper jurisdiction over a petition for release of the record or records.

     (9)  Within thirty (30) days after the changing of a permanent address, or within thirty (30) days after having a license lost or destroyed, the licensee shall notify the Department of Public Safety in writing of such change or loss.  Failure to notify the Department of Public Safety pursuant to the provisions of this subsection shall constitute a noncriminal violation with a penalty of Twenty-five Dollars ($25.00) and shall be enforceable by a summons.

     (10)  In the event that a stun gun, concealed pistol or revolver license is lost or destroyed, the person to whom the license was issued shall comply with the provisions of subsection (9) of this section and may obtain a duplicate, or substitute thereof, upon payment of Fifteen Dollars ($15.00) to the Department of Public Safety, and furnishing a notarized statement to the department that such license has been lost or destroyed.

     (11)  A license issued under this section shall be revoked if the licensee becomes ineligible under the criteria set forth in subsection (2) of this section.

     (12)  (a)  No less than ninety (90) days prior to the expiration date of the license, the Department of Public Safety shall mail to each licensee a written notice of the expiration and a renewal form prescribed by the department.  The licensee must renew his license on or before the expiration date by filing with the department the renewal form, a notarized affidavit stating that the licensee remains qualified pursuant to the criteria specified in subsections (2) and (3) of this section, and a full set of fingerprints administered by the Department of Public Safety or the sheriff of the county of residence of the licensee.

The first renewal may be processed by mail and the subsequent renewal must be made in person.  Thereafter every other renewal may be processed by mail to assure that the applicant must appear in person every ten (10) years for the purpose of obtaining a new photograph.

              (i)  Except as provided in this subsection, a renewal fee of Fifty Dollars ($50.00) shall also be submitted along with costs for processing the fingerprints;

              (ii)  Honorably retired law enforcement officers and disabled veterans shall be exempt from the renewal fee; and

              (iii)  The renewal fee for a Mississippi resident aged sixty-five (65) years of age or older shall be Twenty-five Dollars ($25.00).

          (b)  The Department of Public Safety shall forward the full set of fingerprints of the applicant to the appropriate agencies for state and federal processing.  The license shall be renewed upon receipt of the completed renewal application and appropriate payment of fees.

          (c)  A licensee who fails to file a renewal application on or before its expiration date must renew his license by paying a late fee of Fifteen Dollars ($15.00).  No license shall be renewed six (6) months or more after its expiration date, and such license shall be deemed to be permanently expired.  A person whose license has been permanently expired may reapply for licensure; however, an application for licensure and fees pursuant to subsection (5) of this section must be submitted, and a background investigation shall be conducted pursuant to the provisions of this section.

     (13)  No license issued pursuant to this section shall authorize any person to carry a stun gun, concealed pistol or revolver into any place of nuisance as defined in Section 95-3-1, Mississippi Code of 1972; any police, sheriff or highway patrol station; any detention facility, prison or jail; any courthouse; any courtroom, except that nothing in this section shall preclude a judge from carrying a concealed weapon or determining who will carry a concealed weapon in his courtroom; any polling place; any meeting place of the governing body of any governmental entity; any meeting of the Legislature or a committee thereof; any school, college or professional athletic event not related to firearms; any portion of an establishment, licensed to dispense alcoholic beverages for consumption on the premises, that is primarily devoted to dispensing alcoholic beverages; any portion of an establishment in which beer or light wine is consumed on the premises, that is primarily devoted to such purpose; any elementary or secondary school facility; any junior college, community college, college or university facility unless for the purpose of participating in any authorized firearms-related activity; inside the passenger terminal of any airport, except that no person shall be prohibited from carrying any legal firearm into the terminal if the firearm is encased for shipment, for purposes of checking such firearm as baggage to be lawfully transported on any aircraft; any church or other place of worship; or any place where the carrying of firearms is prohibited by federal law.  In addition to the places enumerated in this subsection, the carrying of a stun gun, concealed pistol or revolver may be disallowed in any place in the discretion of the person or entity exercising control over the physical location of such place by the placing of a written notice clearly readable at a distance of not less than ten (10) feet that the "carrying of a pistol or revolver is prohibited."  No license issued pursuant to this section shall authorize the participants in a parade or demonstration for which a permit is required to carry a stun gun, concealed pistol or revolver.

     (14)  A law enforcement officer as defined in Section 45-6-3, chiefs of police, sheriffs and persons licensed as professional bondsmen pursuant to Chapter 39, Title 83, Mississippi Code of 1972, shall be exempt from the licensing requirements of this section.  The licensing requirements of this section do not apply to the carrying by any person of a stun gun, pistol or revolver, knife, or other deadly weapon that is not concealed as defined in Section 97-37-1.

     (15)  Any person who knowingly submits a false answer to any question on an application for a license issued pursuant to this section, or who knowingly submits a false document when applying for a license issued pursuant to this section, shall, upon conviction, be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be punished as provided in Section 99-19-31, Mississippi Code of 1972.

     (16)  All fees collected by the Department of Public Safety pursuant to this section shall be deposited into a special fund hereby created in the State Treasury and shall be used for implementation and administration of this section.  After the close of each fiscal year, the balance in this fund shall be certified to the Legislature and then may be used by the Department of Public Safety as directed by the Legislature.

     (17)  All funds received by a sheriff or police chief pursuant to the provisions of this section shall be deposited into the general fund of the county or municipality, as appropriate, and shall be budgeted to the sheriff's office or police department as appropriate.

     (18)  Nothing in this section shall be construed to require or allow the registration, documentation or providing of serial numbers with regard to any stun gun or firearm.

     (19)  Any person holding a valid unrevoked and unexpired license to carry stun guns, concealed pistols or revolvers issued in another state shall have such license recognized by this state to carry stun guns, concealed pistols or revolvers.  The Department of Public Safety is authorized to enter into a reciprocal agreement with another state if that state requires a written agreement in order to recognize licenses to carry stun guns, concealed pistols or revolvers issued by this state.

     (20)  The provisions of this section shall be under the supervision of the Commissioner of Public Safety.  The commissioner is authorized to promulgate reasonable rules and regulations to carry out the provisions of this section.

     (21)  For the purposes of this section, the term "stun gun" means a portable device or weapon from which an electric current, impulse, wave or beam may be directed, which current, impulse, wave or beam is designed to incapacitate temporarily, injure, momentarily stun, knock out, cause mental disorientation or paralyze.

     SECTION 7.  This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2015.