Mississippi 2023 Regular Session

Mississippi House Bill HB404

Introduced

1/12/23

Refer

1/12/23

Failed

1/31/23

Caption

State assessments; deposit certain into designated special funds instead of General Fund.

Impact

The legislation seeks to enhance funding mechanisms for crucial law enforcement training and forensic investigation programs. Supporters of this bill argue that redirecting funds is a necessary step towards improving law enforcement capabilities and ensuring that forensic laboratories are adequately financed to perform essential functions. This could have a positive impact on public safety by fostering a more efficient and capable law enforcement system within the state.

Summary

House Bill 404 proposes to amend Section 99-19-73 of the Mississippi Code of 1972. The primary objective of the bill is to reallocate a portion of the state assessments collected from monetary penalties imposed for certain traffic violations. Instead of funneling these funds into the State General Fund, the bill aims to direct these funds into specific accounts, namely the Law Enforcement Officers Training Fund, the Mississippi Forensics Laboratory Implied Consent Law Fund, and the Forensics Laboratory DNA Identification System Fund. This change is designed to bolster important law enforcement training and forensic services essential for the state.

Contention

Despite the benefits touted by its supporters, there may be contention surrounding the bill regarding the reduction of funds available for general state services. Critics might voice concerns that diverting these assessments from the General Fund could undermine other essential public services reliant on these resources. The debates may center around the adequacy of the new funding sources being presented to cover law enforcement needs without compromising support for broader public welfare programs.