House Bill 1048

AN ACT TO PROVIDE THAT IT IS A FELONY FOR A PERSON TO KNOWINGLY, WITH INTENT TO IMPERSONATE AND WITH INTENT TO DECEIVE, MISREPRESENT ONESELF AS A MEMBER OR VETERAN OF ANY ACTIVE OR RESERVE COMPONENT BRANCH OF THE UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES BY WEARING THE UNIFORM OR ANY MEDAL OR INSIGNIA AUTHORIZED FOR USE BY THE MEMBERS OR VETERANS OF THE UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. Any person who knowingly, with intent to impersonate and with intent to deceive, misrepresents oneself as a member or veteran of any active or reserve component branch of the United States Armed Forces by wearing the uniform or any medal or insignia authorized for use by the members or veterans of the United States Armed Forces, by federal and state laws and regulations, shall, upon conviction, be guilty of a felony, and fined not less than Two Thousand Dollars ($2,000.00) nor more than Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00), and sentenced to serve not less than one (1) year nor more than two (2) years in the custody of the Department of Corrections. For the purposes of this section, component branch of the United States Armed Forces includes the Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard or Marine Corps, or the Army National Guard, the Army National Guard of the United States, the Air National Guard or 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 United States Armed Forces enumerated in Section 10101, Title 10, United States Code.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2016.