Bill Text: MS HB718 | 2011 | Regular Session | Introduced

---

Bill Title: Drug Enforcement Coordinating Committee; create.

Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 6-1)

Status: (Failed) 2011-02-01 - Died In Committee [HB718 Detail]

Download: Mississippi-2011-HB718-Introduced.html

---

MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

2011 Regular Session

To: Judiciary A

By: Representatives Moss, Clarke, Dedeaux, Robinson, Rogers (61st), Sullivan, Ward

House Bill 718

AN ACT TO CREATE NEW CODE SECTION 41-29-191, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO CREATE A DRUG ENFORCEMENT COORDINATING COMMITTEE; TO ESTABLISH THE COMMITTEE'S MEMBERSHIP AND DEFINE ITS DUTIES; TO AMEND SECTION 41-29-168, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REQUIRE THE COMMITTEE TO DEVELOP REPORTING FORMS USED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT IN REPORTING INFORMATION TO THE BUREAU OF NARCOTICS; TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY TO CONTINUE TO OPERATE THE MISSISSIPPI ANALYSIS AND INFORMATION CENTER; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

     SECTION 1.  The following shall be codified as Section 41-29-191, Mississippi Code of 1972:

     41-29-191.  (1)  There is created a drug enforcement coordinating committee, which shall consist of the following members:

          (a)  The Attorney General, or his designee;

          (b)  Two (2) municipal chiefs of police appointed by the Mississippi Association of Police Chiefs;

          (c)  Two (2) sheriffs appointed by the Mississippi Sheriff's Association;

          (d)  The director;

          (e)  A representative of the Division of Public Safety Planning appointed by the Commissioner of Public Safety;

          (f)  The Commissioner of Public Safety;

          (g)  A rotating member who shall be appointed as follows:

              (i)  From July 1, 2011, to June 30, 2012, a representative of the Mississippi Department of Transportation appointed by the executive director of the department;

              (ii)  From July 1, 2012, to June 30, 2013, a representative of The Alcoholic Beverage Control Division appointed by the Executive Director of the Department of Revenue; and

              (iii)  From July 1, 2013, to June 30, 2014, a representative of the Mississippi Highway Safety Patrol appointed by the Commissioner of Public Safety;

              (iv)  Beginning on July 1, 2014, the cycle shall repeat with each of the agencies set out in this paragraph having representatives serving for one (1) year appointed as provided in this paragraph;

          (h)  Two (2) members from the Byrne/JAG Grant Task Force, one (1) appointed by the Mississippi Sheriff's Association and one (1) appointed by the Mississippi Association of Police Chiefs.  Those appointments shall cease to be effective when the Byrne/JAG Grant ceases to be in force and effect.

     (2)  The committee shall annually report to the Legislature on the effectiveness of the state's drug enforcement efforts and shall make recommendations to the Legislature for amendments to the state's laws relating to drug enforcement policy.  The committee shall be supported by the Department of Public Safety, which shall provide staff and necessary resources to the committee.  All public officials and employees serving on the committee may charge the ordinary and necessary expenses of traveling to committee meetings to their employing agency.  The committee also shall carry out any other duties assigned to it by law.

     SECTION 2.  Section 41-29-168, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

     41-29-168.  (1)  Every sheriff, chief of police or constable or other peace officer in this state and the identification bureau of the highway safety patrol is * * * required to report to the bureau all arrests, incidences and information involving or connected with controlled substances.

     (2)  The owner, manager, practitioner, or any other person having possession or custody of controlled substances or of premises on which controlled substances are stored or located, whether or not such person is a registrant under Section 41-29-125, is * * * required to report to the bureau any theft, burglary, robbery or attempted theft, burglary or robbery of such premises or substance, or the mysterious disappearance of any controlled substance within forty-eight (48) hours of the discovery of such occurrence or disappearance.

     (3)  The director shall promulgate appropriate procedures and shall supply forms to facilitate the reports as required by subsections (1) and (2) of this section.  The coordinating committee created in Section 1 of this act shall be responsible for designing all forms supplied under the authority of this subsection.

     (4)  It shall be unlawful for any person required to submit reports under subsection (2) of this section to omit to do so or to knowingly submit a false or incorrect report, in whole or in part, and upon conviction, such person shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be fined not less than One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) nor more than Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) and may be confined for not more than thirty (30) days.

     SECTION 3.  The Mississippi Department of Public Safety shall continue to operate the Mississippi Analysis and Information Center currently under the department's authority.

     SECTION 4.  This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2011.

---