Senate Bill 2050

AN ACT TO ENACT THE "SERVICE CANINE PROTECTION ACT OF 2024"; TO DEFINE TERMS; TO REQUIRE EACH CANINE UNIT TO EQUIP ITS CANINE VEHICLES WITH A HEAT ALARM SYSTEM; TO REQUIRE EACH CANINE UNIT TO ADOPT A WRITTEN PROTOCOL; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "Service Canine Protection Act of 2024."

SECTION 2. For purposes of this act, the following words shall have the meanings ascribed herein unless the context otherwise requires:

(a) "Canine unit" means a canine handler who is a law enforcement officer or firefighter, a service canine trained to assist a law enforcement officer or firefighter in the performance of the officer or firefighter's official duties, and any law enforcement officer or firefighter who is not a canine handler but is assigned to the canine unit.

(b) "Canine vehicle" means a vehicle assigned to a canine unit for the transport of service canines in the performance of the service canine's official duties.

(c) "Firefighter" means an individual who is trained for the prevention and control of loss of life and property from fire or other emergencies, who is assigned to firefighting activity by the state or a political subdivision, and is required to respond to alarms and perform emergency actions at the location of a fire, hazardous materials or other emergency incident. The term "firefighter" includes an individual who is a member of a volunteer fire department that is a political subdivision.

(d) "Heat alarm system" means a temperature monitoring system for a canine vehicle.

(e) "Law enforcement officer" shall have the same meaning as defined in Section 45-6-3(c).

(f) "Service canine" means a canine trained to assist in search and rescue or law enforcement activities.

SECTION 3. (1) Each canine unit shall equip its canine vehicles with a heat alarm system. At a minimum, the heat alarm system shall:

(a) Monitor vital components of the canine vehicle, including cabin temperature and vehicle battery voltage;

(b) Activate the canine vehicle's sirens, horn and light bar if an alarm condition is detected; and

(2) Each canine unit shall adopt a written protocol that requires:

(a) Daily checks that the heat alarm system is engaged and functioning properly;

(b) Regular maintenance of the heat alarm system; and

(c) End-of-shift or end-of-day procedures to ensure that no service canine is left in a canine vehicle at the end of a shift or the end of the day.

SECTION 4. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2024.