Bill Text: MS SB2616 | 2026 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Ayden's Law; authorize sheriffs to use radar speed detection equipment.

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 1)

Status: (Failed) 2026-02-03 - Died In Committee [SB2616 Detail]

Download: Mississippi-2026-SB2616-Introduced.html

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MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

2026 Regular Session

To: Highways and Transportation

By: Senator(s) Hill

Senate Bill 2616

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 63-3-519, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO AUTHORIZE THE SHERIFF AND HIS DEPUTIES IN ANY COUNTY TO USE RADAR SPEED DETECTION EQUIPMENT UNITS UPON THE PUBLIC STREETS, ROADS AND HIGHWAYS OF THE COUNTY LYING OUTSIDE OF THE LIMITS OF ANY MUNICIPALITY, VILLAGE OR HAMLET; TO PRIORITIZE USAGE IN CERTAIN AREAS; TO LIMIT THE NUMBER OF RADAR SPEED DETECTION EQUIPMENT UNITS IN A COUNTY BASED ON POPULATION; TO DEFINE AND PROHIBIT SPEED TRAPS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

     SECTION 1.  Section 63-3-519, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

     63-3-519. * * *  It shall be unlawful for any person or peace officer or law enforcement agency, except the Mississippi Highway Safety Patrol,  (1)  Only the following listed peace officers and law enforcement agencies are permitted to purchase or use or allow to be used any type of radar speed detection equipment upon any public street, road or highway of this state * * *.  However, such equipment may be used:

          (a)  The Mississippi Highway Safety Patrol;

          ( * * *ab) * * *  By  Municipal law enforcement officers within a municipality having a population of two thousand (2,000) or more, according to the latest or a previous federal census, upon the public streets of the municipality, but in no case where the latest federal census population for the municipality is less than one thousand five hundred (1,500);

          ( * * *bc) * * *  By  Any college or university campus police force within the confines of any campus * * * wherein at which more than two thousand (2,000) students are enrolled;

          ( * * *cd) * * *  By  Municipal law enforcement officers in any municipality having a population in excess of fifteen thousand (15,000) according to the latest federal decennial census on federally designated highways lying within the corporate limits * * *.;

          ( * * *de) * * *  By  Municipal law enforcement officers upon the public streets of any incorporated municipality (i) where the county seat is located in the municipality and (ii) where there is a public community college located in the municipality * * *.; and

          (f)  The sheriff and sheriff deputies on any public road, street or highway that is both under the jurisdiction of the county board of supervisors for maintenance and construction and located no less than one thousand (1,000) feet outside the jurisdictional limits of any municipality, hamlet or village.  The use of the radar speed detection equipment should be prioritized where the sheriff has documented a recurring number of crashes or fatalities that are speed-related, in a school zone, or where the sheriff has received a complaint about speeding from a property owner who is adjacent to that portion of the road.  The number of radar speed detection equipment units authorized under this subsection (1)(f) shall be based upon the population of the county according to the latest federal decennial census and shall be as follows:

              (i)  No more than one (1) unit in a county with a population less than thirty thousand (30,000);

              (ii)  No more than two (2) units in a county with a population more than thirty thousand (30,000) but less than forty-five thousand (45,000);

              (iii)  No more than three (3) units in a county with a population more than forty-five thousand (45,000) but less than sixty thousand (60,000);

              (iv)  No more than four (4) units in a county with a population more than sixty thousand (60,000) but less than seventy-five thousand (75,000); and

              (v)  No more than five (5) units in a county with a population more than seventy-five thousand (75,000).

     (2)  (a)  It is unlawful for any person or peace officer or law enforcement agency to operate radar speed detection equipment at a speed trap.

          (b)  This subsection (2)(a) does not apply to a posted school zone or to a local street or road.  A local street or road is one that primarily provides access to abutting residential property and meets the following three (3) conditions:

              (i)  Roadway width of not more than forty (40) feet;

              (ii)  Not more than one half (1/2) mile of uninterrupted length; and

              (iii)  Not more than one (1) traffic lane in each direction.

          (c)  For the purposes of this section:

              (i)  A "speed trap" is either 1. a particular section of a highway with a prima facie speed limit established by the local governing authority of the jurisdiction that is not justified by an engineering and traffic survey conducted within ten (10) years before the date of the alleged violation unless the speed limit conforms to requirements established by state or federal law; or 2. a particular section of a highway that does not have adequate signage giving notice of an upcoming lower speed limit.

              (ii)  Interruptions, under subsection (2)(b)(ii), include official traffic control signals.

     (3)  The Mississippi Highway Safety Patrol shall be immediately notified by municipal law enforcement of any road blockages or emergencies occurring on any federally designated limited-access highways lying within the corporate limits.

     (4)  This section of law shall be known and may be cited as "Ayden's Law."

     SECTION 2.  This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2026.

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