Bill Text: MS HB641 | 2017 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Car theft; revise penalties for.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Failed) 2017-01-31 - Died In Committee [HB641 Detail]

Download: Mississippi-2017-HB641-Introduced.html

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MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

2017 Regular Session

To: Judiciary B

By: Representative Willis

House Bill 641

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 97-17-42, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REVISE CAR THEFT PENALTIES; TO AMEND SECTION 99-19-401, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, IN CONFORMITY WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THIS ACT; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

     SECTION 1.  Section 97-17-42, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

     97-17-42.  (1)  Any person who shall, willfully and without authority, take possession of or take away a motor vehicle of any value belonging to another, with intent to either permanently or temporarily convert it or to permanently or temporarily deprive the owner of possession or ownership, and any person who knowingly shall aid and abet in the taking possession or taking away of the motor vehicle, shall be guilty of * * *larceny a felony and shall be punished * * * based on the value of the motor vehicle involved according to the schedule in Section 97‑17‑41.  If the value of the motor vehicle involved is One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00) or less, the person shall be punished according to the schedule in Section 97‑17‑43.for a term not exceeding ten (10) years, or shall be fined not more than Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000.00).

     (2)  Any person convicted under this section who causes damage to any motor vehicle shall be ordered by the court to pay restitution to the owner or owners of the motor vehicle or vehicles damaged.

     (3)  This section shall not apply to the enforcement of a security interest in a motor vehicle.

     (4)  Any person who shall be convicted for a second or subsequent offense under this section shall be imprisoned in the Penitentiary for a term not exceeding * * *twice the term authorized based on the value of the motor vehicle involved in the subsequent offense according to the schedule in Section 97‑17‑41 fifteen (15) years, or shall be fined not more than Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000.00), or both.

     SECTION 2.  Section 99-19-401, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

     99-19-401.  (1)  Every person convicted in this state of any of the offenses listed in subsection (2) of this section may be sentenced to an additional term of up to five (5) years for the offense listed in subsection (2).

     (2)  If the conditions set forth in subsection (3) exist, the following crimes, whether misdemeanor or felony, shall be subject to enhancement of penalty as set out in subsection (1):

          (a)  Section 63-1-60 or 45-35-13 relating to fraudulent use of an identification card or driver's license;

          (b)  Section 97-19-21 or 97-19-29 relating to fraudulent use of a credit card;

          (c)  Section 97-19-33 or 97-29-35 relating to false personation;

          (d)  Section 97-45-19 relating to identity theft;

          (e)  Section 97-19-39, 97-19-41 or 97-19-85 relating to fraud; and

          (f)  Section 97-21-23, 97-21-25, 97-21-29, 97-21-37, 97-21-49, 97-21-51, 97-21-53 or 97-21-55 relating to forgery.

     (3)  (a)  The offenses listed in subsection (2) shall be subject to enhancement under subsection (1) in every case in which the instrumentality used in the commission of the subsection (2) offense was initially obtained, whether by the offender or another person, in the course of the commission of at least one * * *(1) of the following crimes:

              (i)  Section 97-3-7 relating to assault;

              (ii)  Section 97-3-19, 97-3-25, 97-3-27, 97-3-35 or 97-3-47 relating to homicide;

              (iii)  Section 97-3-53 relating to kidnapping;

              (iv)  Section 97-3-73, 97-3-77, 97-3-79 or 97-3-81 relating to robbery;

              (v)  Section 97-3-117 relating to carjacking;

              (vi)  Section 97-17-23 or 97-17-33 relating to burglary; * * * or

              (vii)  Section 97-17-41, * * * 97‑17‑42, 97-17-43, or 97-17-45 relating to larceny * * *.; or

              (viii)  Section 97-17-42 relating to car theft.

          (b)  For the purposes of this section, "instrumentality" means the credit card, debit card, bank card, bank draft, other document or financial instrument, or any identifying information including an account number taken from the person, possession, custody or control of another during the commission of any of the crimes listed in this subsection.

     (4)  This section shall not prohibit prosecution under any other criminal statute of this state or the United States.

     SECTION 3.  This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2017.

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