MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2016 Regular Session
To: Judiciary B
By: Representative Criswell
AN ACT TO CREATE THE "MISSISSIPPI CONSTITUTIONAL CARRY AND CITIZENS SELF-DEFENSE ACT"; TO CREATE NEW SECTION 97-37-2, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO CLARIFY THAT NO PERSON MAY CARRY ANY WEAPON IN CERTAIN LOCATIONS; TO AMEND SECTION 97-37-1, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT ANY PERSON MAY CARRY A CONCEALED OR UNCONCEALED PISTOL, REVOLVER OR STUN GUN IN ALL AREAS OF THE STATE THAT DO NOT PROHIBIT SUCH CARRYING IF THE PERSON IS AT LEAST 18 YEARS OF AGE; TO AMEND SECTION 45-9-53, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO CLARIFY THAT MUNICIPALITIES AND COUNTIES ARE NOT AUTHORIZED TO REGULATE THE CARRYING OF CONCEALED OR UNCONCEALED FIREARMS; TO AMEND SECTION 97-37-17, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REMOVE THE INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING FROM THE DEFINITION OF EDUCATIONAL PROPERTY FOR PURPOSES OF REGULATING WEAPONS ON EDUCATIONAL PROPERTY; TO PROVIDE THAT IT SHALL NOT BE A VIOLATION FOR ANY PERSON WHO IS AT LEAST 18 YEARS OF AGE AND LEGALLY ABLE TO POSSESS A FIREARM TO CARRY SUCH ON THE CAMPUS OF A COMMUNITY OR JUNIOR COLLEGE; TO AMEND SECTION 45-9-101, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REMOVE THE PENALTY FOR CARRYING A CONCEALED FIREARM WITHOUT A PERMIT; TO REDUCE THE AGE TO QUALIFY FOR A CONCEALED PERMIT TO 18 YEARS OF AGE; TO AMEND SECTION 37-101-15, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE STATE INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING SHALL NOT CREATE ANY REGULATION THAT PROHIBITS THE CARRYING OF ANY FIREARM, WHETHER SUCH FIREARM IS CONCEALED OR NOT CONCEALED, ON ANY LAND, BUILDING OR PROPERTY BELONGING TO, CONTROLLED BY OR ASSIGNED TO THE USE AND BENEFIT OF THE BOARD; TO AMEND SECTION 37-29-67, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE STATE INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING SHALL NOT CREATE ANY REGULATION THAT PROHIBITS THE CARRYING OF ANY FIREARM, WHETHER SUCH FIREARM IS CONCEALED OR NOT CONCEALED, ON ANY LAND, BUILDING OR PROPERTY BELONGING TO, CONTROLLED BY OR ASSIGNED TO THE USE AND BENEFIT OF THE BOARD; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:
SECTION 1. The following shall be codified as Section 97-37-2, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
97-37-2. (1) In accordance with state law, any person who is at least eighteen (18) years of age or older and is legally able to possess firearms under state and federal law, may carry a concealed or unconcealed pistol, revolver or stun gun in any area of the state not prohibited by state or federal law.
(2) No person may carry any stun gun, pistol or revolver, whether unlicensed or licensed, within any police, sheriff or highway patrol station; any detention facility, prison or jail; 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 meeting place of the governing body of any governmental entity; any meeting of the Legislature or a committee thereof; 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; or any place where the carrying of firearms is prohibited by federal law. The carrying of a stun gun, concealed pistol or revolver may be disallowed on any private property at the discretion of the person or entity exercising control over the physical location of such property 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."
(3) This section shall be referred to and cited as the "MISSISSIPPI CONSTITUTIONAL CARRY AND CITIZENS SELF-DEFENSE ACT."
SECTION 2. Section 97-37-1, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
97-37-1. (1) Except as
otherwise provided in Section 45-9-101, any person who carries, concealed on or
about one's person, any bowie knife, dirk knife, butcher knife, switchblade
knife, metallic knuckles, blackjack, * * * or any rifle with
a barrel of less than sixteen (16) inches in length, or any shotgun with a
barrel of less than eighteen (18) inches in length, machine gun or any fully
automatic firearm or deadly weapon, or any muffler or silencer for any firearm,
whether or not it is accompanied by a firearm, or uses or attempts to use
against another person any imitation firearm, shall, upon conviction, be
punished as follows:
(a) By a fine of not less than One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) nor more than Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00), or by imprisonment in the county jail for not more than six (6) months, or both, in the discretion of the court, for the first conviction under this section.
(b) By a fine of not less than One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) nor more than Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00), and imprisonment in the county jail for not less than thirty (30) days nor more than six (6) months, for the second conviction under this section.
(c) By confinement in the custody of the Department of Corrections for not less than one (1) year nor more than five (5) years, for the third or subsequent conviction under this section.
(d) By confinement in the custody of the Department of Corrections for not less than one (1) year nor more than ten (10) years for any person previously convicted of any felony who is convicted under this section.
(2) It shall not be a violation of this section for any person over the age of eighteen (18) years to carry a firearm or deadly weapon concealed within the confines of his own home or his place of business, or any real property associated with his home or business or within any motor vehicle.
(3) It shall not be a violation of this section for any person to carry a firearm or deadly weapon concealed if the possessor of the weapon is then engaged in a legitimate weapon-related sports activity or is going to or returning from such activity. For purposes of this subsection, "legitimate weapon-related sports activity" means hunting, fishing, target shooting or any other legal activity which normally involves the use of a firearm or other weapon.
(4) For the purposes of this section, "concealed" means hidden or obscured from common observation and shall not include any weapon listed in subsection (1) of this section, including, but not limited to, a loaded or unloaded pistol carried upon the person in a sheath, belt holster or shoulder holster that is wholly or partially visible, or carried upon the person in a scabbard or case for carrying the weapon that is wholly or partially visible.
(5) It shall not be a violation of this section for any person, whether the person is a resident of this state or not, to carry a concealed or unconcealed pistol, revolver or stun gun in any area of this state not prohibited by state law, if the person is at least eighteen (18) years of age and is legally able to possess firearms under state and federal law.
SECTION 3. Section 45-9-53, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
45-9-53. (1) This section and Section 45-9-51 do not affect the authority that a county or municipality may have under another law:
(a) To require citizens or public employees to be armed for personal or national defense, law enforcement, or another lawful purpose;
(b) To regulate the discharge of firearms within the limits of the county or municipality. A county or municipality may not apply a regulation relating to the discharge of firearms or other weapons in the extraterritorial jurisdiction of the county or municipality or in an area annexed by the county or municipality after September 1, 1981, if the firearm or other weapon is:
(i) A shotgun, air rifle or air pistol, BB gun or bow and arrow discharged:
1. On a tract of land of ten (10) acres or more and more than one hundred fifty (150) feet from a residence or occupied building located on another property; and
2. In a manner not reasonably expected to cause a projectile to cross the boundary of the tract; or
(ii) A center fire or rimfire rifle or pistol or a muzzle-loading rifle or pistol of any caliber discharged:
1. On a tract of land of fifty (50) acres or more and more than three hundred (300) feet from a residence or occupied building located on another property; and
2. In a manner not reasonably expected to cause a projectile to cross the boundary of the tract;
(c) To regulate the use of property or location of businesses for uses therein pursuant to fire code, zoning ordinances, or land-use regulations, so long as such codes, ordinances and regulations are not used to circumvent the intent of Section 45-9-51 or paragraph (e) of this subsection;
(d) To regulate the use of firearms in cases of insurrection, riots and natural disasters in which the city finds such regulation necessary to protect the health and safety of the public. However, the provisions of this section shall not apply to the lawful possession of firearms, ammunition or components of firearms or ammunition;
(e) To regulate the storage or transportation of explosives in order to protect the health and safety of the public, with the exception of black powder which is exempt up to twenty-five (25) pounds per private residence and fifty (50) pounds per retail dealer;
* * *
( * * *f) To regulate the receipt of firearms
by pawnshops.
* * *
( * * *2) This section and Section 45-9-51 do
not authorize a county or municipality or their officers or employees to act in
contravention of Section 33-7-303.
( * * *3) No county or a municipality may use
the written notice provisions of Section 45-9-101(13) or Section 97-37-2(1)
to prohibit concealed firearms on property under their control except * * *
.
( * * *4)
(a) A citizen of this state, or a person * * * authorized to carry a concealed pistol or revolver under Section 45-9-101,
or a person licensed to carry a concealed pistol or revolver with the
endorsement under Section 97-37-7, who is adversely affected by an ordinance or posted written notice adopted by a county or
municipality in violation of this section may file suit for declarative and
injunctive relief against a county or municipality in the circuit court which
shall have jurisdiction over the county or municipality where the violation of
this section occurs.
(b) Before instituting suit under this subsection, the party adversely impacted by the ordinance or posted written notice shall notify the Attorney General in writing of the violation and include evidence of the violation. The Attorney General shall, within thirty (30) days, investigate whether the county or municipality adopted an ordinance or posted written notice in violation of this section and provide the chief administrative officer of the county or municipality notice of his findings, including, if applicable, a description of the violation and specific language of the ordinance or posted written notice found to be in violation. The county or municipality shall have thirty (30) days from receipt of that notice to cure the violation. If the county or municipality fails to cure the violation within that thirty-day time period, a suit under paragraph (a) of this subsection may proceed. The findings of the Attorney General shall constitute a "Public Record" as defined by the Mississippi Public Records Act of 1983, Section 25-61-1 et seq.
(c) If the circuit court finds that a county or municipality adopted an ordinance or posted written notice in violation of this section and failed to cure that violation in accordance with paragraph (b) of this subsection, the circuit court shall issue a permanent injunction against a county or municipality prohibiting it from enforcing the ordinance or posted written notice. Any elected county or municipal official under whose jurisdiction the violation occurred may be civilly liable in a sum not to exceed One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00), plus all reasonable attorney's fees and costs incurred by the party bringing the suit. Public funds may not be used to defend or reimburse officials who are found by the court to have violated this section.
(d) It shall be an affirmative defense to any claim brought against an elected county or municipal official under this subsection (5) that the elected official:
(i) Did not vote in the affirmative for the adopted ordinance or posted written notice deemed by the court to be in violation of this section;
(ii) Did attempt to take recorded action to cure the violation as noticed by the Attorney General in paragraph (b) of this subsection; or
(iii) Did attempt to take recorded action to rescind the ordinance or remove the posted written notice deemed by the court to be in violation of this section.
( * * *5) No county or municipality or their
officers or employees may participate in any program in which individuals are
given a thing of value provided by another individual or other entity in
exchange for surrendering a firearm to the county, municipality or other
governmental body unless:
(a) The county or municipality has adopted an ordinance authorizing the participation of the county or municipality, or participation by an officer or employee of the county or municipality in such a program; and
(b) Any ordinance enacted pursuant to this section must require that any firearm received shall be offered for sale at auction as provided by Sections 19-3-85 and 21-39-21 to federally licensed firearms dealers, with the proceeds from such sale at auction reverting to the general operating fund of the county, municipality or other governmental body. Any firearm remaining in possession of the county, municipality or other governmental body after attempts to sell at auction may be disposed of in a manner that the body deems appropriate.
SECTION 4. Section 97-37-17, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
97-37-17. (1) The following definitions apply to this section:
(a) "Educational
property" shall mean any public or private primary or secondary
school building or bus, public or private school campus, grounds, recreational
area, athletic field, or other property owned, used or operated by any local
school board, primary or secondary school, * * * or
directors for the administration of any public or private primary or
secondary educational institution or during a primary or secondary
school-related activity, and shall include the facility and property of the
Oakley Youth Development Center, operated by the Department of Human Services;
provided, however, that the term "educational property" shall not
include any sixteenth section school land or lieu land on which is not located
a school building, school campus, recreational area or athletic field.
(b) "Student" shall mean a person enrolled in a public or private school, college or university, or a person who has been suspended or expelled within the last five (5) years from a public or private school, college or university, or a person in the custody of the Oakley Youth Development Center, operated by the Department of Human Services, whether the person is an adult or a minor.
(c) "Switchblade knife" shall mean a knife containing a blade or blades which open automatically by the release of a spring or a similar contrivance.
(d) "Weapon" shall mean any device enumerated in subsection (2) or (4) of this section.
(2) It shall be a felony for any person to possess or carry, whether openly or concealed, any gun, rifle, pistol or other firearm of any kind, or any dynamite cartridge, bomb, grenade, mine or powerful explosive on educational property. However, this subsection does not apply to a BB gun, air rifle or air pistol. Any person violating this subsection shall be guilty of a felony and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not more than Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00), or committed to the custody of the State Department of Corrections for not more than three (3) years, or both.
(3) It shall be a felony for any person to cause, encourage or aid a minor who is less than eighteen (18) years old to possess or carry, whether openly or concealed, any gun, rifle, pistol or other firearm of any kind, or any dynamite cartridge, bomb, grenade, mine or powerful explosive on educational property. However, this subsection does not apply to a BB gun, air rifle or air pistol. Any person violating this subsection shall be guilty of a felony and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not more than Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00), or committed to the custody of the State Department of Corrections for not more than three (3) years, or both.
(4) It shall be a misdemeanor for any person to possess or carry, whether openly or concealed, any BB gun, air rifle, air pistol, bowie knife, dirk, dagger, slingshot, leaded cane, switchblade knife, blackjack, metallic knuckles, razors and razor blades (except solely for personal shaving), and any sharp-pointed or edged instrument except instructional supplies, unaltered nail files and clips and tools used solely for preparation of food, instruction and maintenance on educational property. Any person violating this subsection shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not more than One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00), or be imprisoned not exceeding six (6) months, or both.
(5) It shall be a misdemeanor for any person to cause, encourage or aid a minor who is less than eighteen (18) years old to possess or carry, whether openly or concealed, any BB gun, air rifle, air pistol, bowie knife, dirk, dagger, slingshot, leaded cane, switchblade, knife, blackjack, metallic knuckles, razors and razor blades (except solely for personal shaving) and any sharp-pointed or edged instrument except instructional supplies, unaltered nail files and clips and tools used solely for preparation of food, instruction and maintenance on educational property. Any person violating this subsection shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not more than One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00), or be imprisoned not exceeding six (6) months, or both.
(6) It shall not be a violation of this section for any person to possess or carry, whether openly or concealed, any gun, rifle, pistol or other firearm of any kind on educational property if:
(a) The person is not a student attending school on any educational property;
(b) The firearm is within a motor vehicle; and
(c) The person does not brandish, exhibit or display the firearm in any careless, angry or threatening manner.
(7) This section shall not apply to:
(a) A weapon used solely for educational or school-sanctioned ceremonial purposes, or used in a school-approved program conducted under the supervision of an adult whose supervision has been approved by the school authority;
(b) Armed Forces personnel of the United States, officers and soldiers of the militia and National Guard, law enforcement personnel, any private police employed by an educational institution, State Militia or Emergency Management Corps and any guard or patrolman in a state or municipal institution, and any law enforcement personnel or guard at a state juvenile training school, when acting in the discharge of their official duties;
(c) Home schools as defined in the compulsory school attendance law, Section 37-13-91;
(d) Competitors while participating in organized shooting events;
(e) Any person as authorized in Section 97-37-7 while in the performance of his official duties;
(f) Any mail carrier while in the performance of his official duties; or
(g) Any weapon not prescribed by Section 97-37-1 which is in a motor vehicle under the control of a parent, guardian or custodian, as defined in Section 43-21-105, which is used to bring or pick up a student at a school building, school property or school function.
(8) All schools shall post in public view a copy of the provisions of this section.
(9) It shall not be a violation of this section for any person, whether the person is a resident of this state or not, to carry a concealed or unconcealed pistol, revolver or stun gun on any campus of a public junior college, community college, college or university, if the person is at least eighteen (18) years of age and is otherwise legally able to possess firearms under state and federal law, whether the person is a resident of the state or not.
SECTION 5. Section 45-9-101, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
45-9-101. (1) * * * Except as otherwise provided, 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.
* * *
(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 if 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, including National Guard or Reserve; and
2. Holds a valid Mississippi driver's license or identification card 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 Eighty Dollars ($80.00). 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, disabled veterans and active duty members of the Armed Forces of the United States 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 Forty Dollars ($40.00) shall also be submitted along with costs for processing the fingerprints;
(ii) Honorably retired law enforcement officers, disabled veterans and active duty members of the Armed Forces of the United States 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 Dollars ($20.00).
(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 meeting place of the governing body of any governmental
entity; any meeting of the Legislature or a committee thereof; * * * primary or secondary school, * * * 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; * * * 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 * * *
on any * * *
private property 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." * * *
(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.
(22) (a) From and after January 1, 2016, the Commissioner of Public Safety shall promulgate rules and regulations which provide that licenses authorized by this section for honorably retired law enforcement officers and honorably retired correctional officers from the Mississippi Department of Corrections shall (i) include the words "retired law enforcement officer" on the front of the license, and (ii) that the license itself have a red background to distinguish it from other licenses issued under this section.
(b) An honorably retired law enforcement officer and honorably retired correctional officer shall provide the following information to receive the license described in this section: (i) a letter, with the official letterhead of the agency or department from which such officer is retiring, which explains that such officer is honorably retired, and (ii) a letter with the official letterhead of the agency or department, which explains that such officer has completed a certified law enforcement training academy.
(23) A disabled veteran who seeks to qualify for an exemption under this section shall be required to provide, as proof of service-connected disability, verification from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.
(24) No license shall be required under this section for a loaded or unloaded pistol or revolver carried in a purse, handbag, satchel, other similar bag or briefcase or fully enclosed case.
SECTION 6. Section 37-101-15, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
37-101-15. (a) Except as otherwise provided in this section, the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning shall succeed to and continue to exercise control of all records, books, papers, equipment, and supplies, and all lands, buildings, and other real and personal property belonging to or assigned to the use and benefit of the board of trustees formerly supervising and controlling the institutions of higher learning named in Section 37-101-1. The board shall have and exercise control of the use, distribution and disbursement of all funds, appropriations and taxes, now and hereafter in possession, levied and collected, received, or appropriated for the use, benefit, support, and maintenance or capital outlay expenditures of the institutions of higher learning, including the authorization of employees to sign vouchers for the disbursement of funds for the various institutions, except where otherwise specifically provided by law.
(b) Except as otherwise provided in this section, the board shall have general supervision of the affairs of all the institutions of higher learning, including the departments and the schools thereof. The board shall have the power in its discretion to determine who shall be privileged to enter, to remain in, or to graduate therefrom. The board shall have general supervision of the conduct of libraries and laboratories, the care of dormitories, buildings, and grounds; the business methods and arrangement of accounts and records; the organization of the administrative plan of each institution; and all other matters incident to the proper functioning of the institutions. The board shall have the authority to establish minimum standards of achievement as a prerequisite for entrance into any of the institutions under its jurisdiction, which standards need not be uniform between the various institutions and which may be based upon such criteria as the board may establish.
(c) The board shall exercise all the powers and prerogatives conferred upon it under the laws establishing and providing for the operation of the several institutions herein specified. The board shall adopt such bylaws and regulations from time to time as it deems expedient for the proper supervision and control of the several institutions of higher learning, insofar as such bylaws and regulations are not repugnant to the Constitution and laws, and not inconsistent with the object for which these institutions were established. The board shall have power and authority to prescribe rules and regulations for policing the campuses and all buildings of the respective institutions, to authorize the arrest of all persons violating on any campus any criminal law of the state, and to have such law violators turned over to the civil authorities.
(d) For all institutions specified herein, the board shall provide a uniform system of recording and of accounting approved by the State Department of Audit. The board shall annually prepare, or cause to be prepared, a budget for each institution of higher learning for the succeeding year which must be prepared and in readiness for at least thirty (30) days before the convening of the regular session of the Legislature. All relationships and negotiations between the State Legislature and its various committees and the institutions named herein shall be carried on through the board of trustees. No official, employee or agent representing any of the separate institutions shall appear before the Legislature or any committee thereof except upon the written order of the board or upon the request of the Legislature or a committee thereof.
(e) For all institutions specified herein, the board shall prepare an annual report to the Legislature setting forth the disbursements of all monies appropriated to the respective institutions. Each report to the Legislature shall show how the money appropriated to the several institutions has been expended, beginning and ending with the fiscal years of the institutions, showing the name of each teacher, officer, and employee, and the salary paid each, and an itemized statement of each and every item of receipts and expenditures. Each report must be balanced, and must begin with the former balance. If any property belonging to the state or the institution is used for profit, the reports shall show the expense incurred in managing the property and the amount received therefrom. The reports shall also show a summary of the gross receipts and gross disbursements for each year and shall show the money on hand at the beginning of the fiscal period of the institution next preceding each session of the Legislature and the necessary amount of expense to be incurred from said date to January 1 following. The board shall keep the annual expenditures of each institution herein mentioned within the income derived from legislative appropriations and other sources, but in case of emergency arising from acts of providence, epidemics, fire or storm with the written approval of the Governor and by written consent of a majority of the senators and of the representatives it may exceed the income. The board shall require a surety bond in a surety company authorized to do business in this state, of every employee who is the custodian of funds belonging to one or more of the institutions mentioned herein, which bond shall be in a sum to be fixed by the board in an amount that will properly safeguard the said funds, the premium for which shall be paid out of the funds appropriated for said institutions.
(f) The board shall have the power and authority to elect the heads of the various institutions of higher learning and to contract with all deans, professors, and other members of the teaching staff, and all administrative employees of said institutions for a term of not exceeding four (4) years. The board shall have the power and authority to terminate any such contract at any time for malfeasance, inefficiency, or contumacious conduct, but never for political reasons. It shall be the policy of the board to permit the executive head of each institution to nominate for election by the board all subordinate employees of the institution over which he presides. It shall be the policy of the board to elect all officials for a definite tenure of service and to reelect during the period of satisfactory service. The board shall have the power to make any adjustments it thinks necessary between the various departments and schools of any institution or between the different institutions.
(g) The board shall keep complete minutes and records of all proceedings which shall be open for inspection by any citizen of the state.
(h) The board shall have the power to enter into an energy performance contract, energy services contract, on a shared-savings, lease or lease-purchase basis, for energy efficiency services and/or equipment as prescribed in Section 31-7-14.
(i) The Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning, for and on behalf of Jackson State University, is hereby authorized to convey by donation or otherwise easements across portions of certain real estate located in the City of Jackson, Hinds County, Mississippi, for right-of-way required for the Metro Parkway Project.
(j) In connection with any international contract between the board or one (1) of the state's institutions of higher learning and any party outside of the United States, the board or institution that is the party to the international contract is hereby authorized and empowered to include in the contract a provision for the resolution by arbitration of any controversy between the parties to the contract relating to such contract or the failure or refusal to perform any part of the contract. Such provision shall be valid, enforceable and irrevocable without regard to the justiciable character of the controversy. Provided, however, that in the event either party to such contract initiates litigation against the other with respect to the contract, the arbitration provision shall be deemed waived unless asserted as a defense on or before the responding party is required to answer such litigation.
(k) The Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning ("board"), on behalf of any institution under its jurisdiction, shall purchase and maintain business property insurance and business personal property insurance on all university-owned buildings and/or contents as required by federal law and regulations of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as is necessary for receiving public assistance or reimbursement for repair, reconstruction, replacement or other damage to those buildings and/or contents caused by the Hurricane Katrina Disaster of 2005 or subsequent disasters. The board is authorized to expend funds from any available source for the purpose of obtaining and maintaining that property insurance. The board is authorized to enter into agreements with the Department of Finance and Administration, local school districts, community/junior college districts, community hospitals and/or other state agencies to pool their liabilities to participate in a group business property and/or business personal property insurance program, subject to uniform rules and regulations as may be adopted by the Department of Finance and Administration.
(l) The Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning, or its designee, may approve the payment or reimbursement of reasonable travel expenses incurred by candidates for open positions at the board's executive office or at any of the state institutions of higher learning, when the job candidate has incurred expenses in traveling to a job interview at the request of the board, the Commissioner of Higher Education or a state institution of higher learning administrator.
(m) The board shall not enact any regulation that prohibits the carrying of any firearm, whether such firearm is concealed or not concealed, on any land, building or property belonging to, controlled by or assigned to the use and benefit of the board.
SECTION 7. Section 37-29-67, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
37-29-67. (1) The duties of the board of trustees shall be the general government of the community/junior college and directive of the administration thereof. Subject to the provisions of Sections 37-29-1 through 37-29-273, the board shall have full power to do all things necessary to the successful operation of the district and the college or colleges or attendance centers located therein to insure educational advantages and opportunities to all the enrollees within the district.
(2) The board of trustees shall be authorized to designate a personnel supervisor or other person employed by the district to recommend teachers and to transmit such recommendations to the board of trustees; however, this authorization shall be restricted to no more than two (2) positions for each employment period in the district.
(3) The delineation and enumeration of the powers and purposes set out in Sections 37-29-1 through 37-29-273 shall be deemed to be supplemental and additional, and shall not be construed to restrict the powers of the board of trustees of the district or of any college located therein so as to deny to the said district and the college or colleges therein the rights, privileges and powers previously authorized by statute.
(4) The board of trustees shall have the power to enter into an energy performance contract, energy services contract, a shared-savings, lease or lease-purchase basis, for energy efficiency services and/or equipment as prescribed in Section 31-7-14.
(5) The board of trustees shall be authorized, with the approval of the Mississippi Community College Board, to change the name of the junior college to community college. The Mississippi Community College Board shall establish guidelines for the implementation of any junior college name change. Any reference to junior college district in this chapter shall hereinafter refer to the junior college district or its successor in name as changed by the board of trustees.
(6) The boards of trustees shall purchase and maintain business property insurance and business personal property insurance on all college-owned buildings and/or contents as required by federal law and regulations of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as is necessary for receiving public assistance or reimbursement for repair, reconstruction, replacement or other damage to such buildings and/or contents caused by the Hurricane Katrina Disaster of 2005 or subsequent disasters. The boards of trustees are authorized to expend funds from any available source for the purpose of obtaining and maintaining that property insurance. The boards of trustees are authorized to enter into agreements with the Department of Finance and Administration, local school districts, other community/junior college districts, state institutions of higher learning, community hospitals and/or other state agencies to pool their liabilities to participate in a group business property and/or business personal property insurance program, subject to uniform rules and regulations as may be adopted by the Department of Finance and Administration.
(7) The board of trustees shall not enact any regulation that prohibits the carrying of any firearm, whether such firearm is concealed or not concealed, on any land, building or property belonging to, controlled by or assigned to the use and benefit of the board.
SECTION 8. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2016.