Miss. Code Ann. § 49-13-13 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 5 / Section 13-13
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-13-13
Status: in_force

When any package containing quail carcasses is to be shipped by rail, express or other carrier, public or private, the packages wherein the quail are contained must comply with the packaging or wrapping requirements set forth in Section 49-13-11 of the Mississippi Commercial Quail Law.
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-13-5 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 6 / Section 13-5
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-13-5
Status: in_force

Any person, firm or corporation may engage in the business of propagating pen-raised quail for the commercial sale for consumption thereof by complying with the provisions of this chapter and may thereafter sell either live quail or the carcasses of such pen-raised quail either within or without this state.
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-7-77 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 3 / Section 7-77
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-7-77
Status: in_force

It shall be unlawful to hunt, trap, take, frighten, or kill game or fur-bearing animals forced out of their natural habitat by high water or fire until they have been permitted to return to such habitat by recession of such water, or the extinguishing of such fire.

All quail shall be protected from all hunting when the ground is covered by snow or when forced out of their natural habitat by high water or fire until they have been permitted to return to such habitat by the recession of such water or the extinguishing of such fire.
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-17-73 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 15 / Section 17-73
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-17-73
Status: in_force

When the governor shall have executed the compact on behalf of this state and shall have caused a verified copy thereof to be filed with the state secretary, and when such compact shall have been ratified by one or more of the states named in Section 49-17-71 , then compact shall become operative and effective as between this state and such other state or states. The governor is hereby authorized and directed to take such action as may be necessary to complete the exchange of official documents as between this state and any other state ratifying the compact.
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-27-6 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 13 / Section 27-6
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-27-6
Status: in_force

For purposes of this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section:

(a) “ Marina ” means a facility providing more than twelve (12) mooring spaces for boats that may provide supplies and services including electricity, fresh water, fuel or sewage collection facilities.

(b) “ Public marina ” means a marina that offers mooring spaces and docking facilities for lease by the general public. Public marinas include recreational and commercial marinas, and they require a “C” for commercial or “I” for industrial use designation.

(c) “ Private single-family or multi-family pier ” means a pier that is part of an adjacent single-family home subdivision or multi-family condominium or apartment development that provides mooring spaces and docking facilities restricted for use by only home owners or tenants of the adjacent development. Private single-family and multi-family piers with twelve (12) or fewer mooring spaces are compatible with a “G” for general use designation. Private single-family and multi-family piers with more than twelve (12) mooring spaces require a “C” for commercial use designation. Commercial vessels may not be moored in a multi-family pier.

(d) “ Yacht club marina ” means a marina that restricts mooring spaces and docking facilities to members only of a private association organization. Yacht clubs require a “C” for commercial or “I” for industrial use designation.
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-27-35 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 10 / Section 27-35
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-27-35
Status: in_force

The commission shall state, upon its record, its findings and reasons for all actions taken pursuant to Sections 49-27-23 through 49-27-37 . When a permit is granted or modified, the commission shall describe the public interest to be served by granting or modifying the permit. When a permit or modification is denied, the commission shall describe the public interest which would be adversely affected by granting or modifying the permit.
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-17-111 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 2 / Section 17-111
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-17-111
Status: in_force

Prior to undertaking the financing of any pollution control facility, the governing board shall obtain a finding of the pollution authority that the pollution control facilities are necessary and that the design thereof will result in the elimination, mitigation and/or prevention of air or water pollution.
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-17-723 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 5 / Section 17-723
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-17-723
Status: in_force

There is hereby created and established a public body corporate and politic constituting a political subdivision of the State of Mississippi to be known as the “Stone County Utility Authority.” The authority is composed of the geographic area of Stone County as defined in Section 19-1-131, Mississippi Code of 1972 , for the planning, acquisition, construction, maintenance, operation and coordination of water, wastewater and storm water systems in order to ensure the delivery of water, wastewater and storm water services to citizens residing within the boundaries of Stone County. The Stone County Utility Authority shall be deemed to be acting in all respects for the benefit of the people of the state in the performance of essential public functions, and the Stone County Utility Authority shall be empowered in accordance with the provisions of this act to promote the health, welfare and prosperity of the general public.
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-33-7 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 25 / Section 33-7
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-33-7
Status: in_force

For the purposes of this chapter, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section:

(a) “Act” shall mean the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Activity Act.

(b) “Forest or agricultural land” means any land in the state devoted to the growing of trees or the commercial production of agricultural products or timber, wood or forest products including nongame species where the land is classified by the county as forest, agricultural or open land and being used as forest or agricultural land in the performance of forestry or agricultural activities.

(c) “Forestry activities” means any activity on forest land associated with the reforesting, growing, managing, protecting and harvesting of timber, wood and forest products including nongame species.

(d) “Agricultural activities” means any activities included under Section 27-35-50(4) as agricultural purposes.

(e) “Inverse condemnation” means any action by the State of Mississippi that prohibits or severely limits the right of an owner to conduct forestry or agricultural activities on forest or agricultural land. Inverse condemnation shall not include an action by the state that is:

(i) A taking as defined in paragraph (l) of this section;

(ii) A result of police power to prohibit activities that are noxious in fact or are harmful to the public health and safety; or

(iii) An order issued as a result of a violation of state law; or

(iv) An action as prescribed by the Mississippi Commission on Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks as set forth in Sections 49-7-1 through 49-7-257 or concerning the closing or shortening of open seasons as set forth in Section 49-1-29(a) .

(f) “Noxious in fact” means an activity that constitutes a public nuisance under common law.

(g) “Owner” means the holder of legal or equitable title to:

(i) Forest or agricultural land or timber, wood or forest products, including the management of nongame species thereon; or

(ii) Personal property rights associated with conducting forestry or agricultural activities on forest or agricultural land.

(h) “Prohibits or severely limits” means to reduce the fair market value of forest or agricultural land (or any part or parcel thereof) or timber, wood or forest products including nongame species (or any part or parcel thereof) or personal property rights associated with conducting forestry or agricultural activities on the forest or agricultural land by more than forty percent (40%) of their value before the action.

(i) “Public health and safety” means actions by the State of Mississippi based upon its police powers. Public health and safety actions prohibiting or severely restricting forestry or agricultural activities shall be:

(i) Taken only in response to real and substantial threats to public health and safety;

(ii) Designated to significantly advance the health and safety purpose; and

(iii) No greater than necessary to achieve the health and safety purpose.

(j) “State of Mississippi” or “state” means the State of Mississippi, any county, municipality or any political subdivision thereof.

(k) “State law” means any statute, rule, regulation, ordinance, resolution or similar action by the State of Mississippi validly existing and as interpreted on October 1, 1994. State law shall not include:

(i) Any judicial or executive interpretation of a state law after October 1, 1994, that prohibits or severely limits the conducting of forestry or agricultural activities that were not prohibited or severely limited before October 1, 1994; or

(ii) Any legislative amendment, interpretation or enactment by the state after October 1, 1994, that prohibits or severely limits the conducting of forestry or agricultural activities (except such actions that are the result of police power to prohibit activities that are noxious in fact or are harmful to the public health and safety).

(l) “Taking” means any action by the State of Mississippi under the Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution, the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, or Article III, Section 17 of the Mississippi Constitution where the owner is entitled to compensation for the fair market value of the owner's property or some part thereof (or required to forfeit the property in accordance with state forfeiture laws). Taking shall include the formal exercise of the power of eminent domain, the seizure or forfeiture of property for violations of law or as evidence in criminal proceedings or the issuance of orders authorized by statute or issued by a state agency or court of law for violations of state law. Taking shall not include the repealing of any state action that lessens interference with the conduct of forestry or agricultural activities.

(m) “Personal property” means any interest acquired by deed, lease, contract or agreement in standing or severed timber, wood or forest products.
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-19-301 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 19 / Section 19-301
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-19-301
Status: in_force

Sections 49-19-301 through 49-19-307 may be cited as the “Mississippi Prescribed Burning Act.”
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-17-723 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 4 / Section 17-723
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-17-723
Status: in_force

There is hereby created and established a public body corporate and politic constituting a political subdivision of the State of Mississippi to be known as the “Stone County Utility Authority.” The authority is composed of the geographic area of Stone County as defined in Section 19-1-131, Mississippi Code of 1972 , for the planning, acquisition, construction, maintenance, operation and coordination of water, wastewater and storm water systems in order to ensure the delivery of water, wastewater and storm water services to citizens residing within the boundaries of Stone County. The Stone County Utility Authority shall be deemed to be acting in all respects for the benefit of the people of the state in the performance of essential public functions, and the Stone County Utility Authority shall be empowered in accordance with the provisions of this act to promote the health, welfare and prosperity of the general public.
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-5-105 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 2 / Section 5-105
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-5-105
Status: in_force

The words and phrases when used in Sections 49-5-101 through 49-5-119 shall, for the purposes of such sections, have the meanings respectively ascribed to them in this section, except in those instances where the context clearly indicates a different meaning.

(a) “ Commission ” means the Mississippi Commission on Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks.

(b) “ Director ” means the Executive Director of the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks.

(c) “ Ecosystem ” means a system of living organisms and their environment, each influencing the existence of the other and both necessary for the maintenance of life.

(d) “ Endangered species ” means any species or subspecies of wildlife whose prospects of survival or recruitment within the state are in jeopardy or are likely within the foreseeable future to become so, due to any of the following factors: (1) the destruction, drastic modification, or severe curtailment of its habitat, or (2) its over-utilization for scientific, commercial or sporting purposes, or (3) the effect on it of disease, pollution, or predation, or (4) other natural or man-made factors affecting its prospects of survival or recruitment within the state, or (5) any combination of the foregoing factors. The term shall also be deemed to include any species or subspecies of fish and wildlife appearing on the United States' List of Endangered Native Fish and Wildlife as it appears on July 1, 1974, ( Part 17 of Title 50 of the Code of Federal Regulations , Appendix D) as well as any species or subspecies of fish and wildlife appearing on the United States' List of Endangered Foreign Fish and Wildlife ( Part 17 of Title 50 of the Code of Federal Regulations , Appendix A), as such list may be modified hereafter.

(e) “ Management ” means the collection and application of biological information for the purposes of increasing the number of individuals within species and populations of wildlife up to the optimum carrying capacity of their habitat and maintaining such levels. The term includes the entire range of activities that constitute a modern scientific resource program including, but not limited to, research, census, law enforcement, habitat acquisition and improvement, and education. Also, included within the term, when and where appropriate, is the periodic or total protection of species or populations as well as regulated taking.

(f) “ Nongame species ” means any wild mammal, bird, amphibian, reptile, fish, mollusk, crustacean or other wild animal not otherwise legally classified by statute or regulation of this state.

(g) “ Optimum carrying capacity ” means that point at which a given habitat can support healthy populations of wildlife species, having regard to the total ecosystem, without diminishing the ability of the habitat to continue that function.

(h) “ Person ” means any individual, firm, corporation, association or partnership.

(i) “ Take ” means to harass, hunt, capture, or kill or attempt to harass, hunt, capture, or kill wildlife.

(j) “ Wildlife ” means any wild mammal, bird, reptile, amphibian, fish, mollusk, crustacean or other wild animal or any part, product, egg or offspring or the dead body or parts thereof.
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-31-15 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 6 / Section 31-15
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-31-15
Status: in_force

It shall be the duty of each state agency, the judicial branch of state government, the state institutions of higher learning and community colleges to:

(a) Establish a program, in cooperation with the Department of Environmental Quality and the Department of Finance and Administration, for the collection of recyclable materials as determined by the Department of Environmental Quality, generated in state offices throughout the state.

(b) Provide procedures for collecting and storing recyclable materials, containers for storing recyclable materials and contractual arrangements with buyers of recyclable materials.

(c) Evaluate the amount of recyclable materials recycled and make all necessary modifications to the recycling program to ensure that recyclable materials, as determined by the Department of Environmental Quality, are effectively and practically recycled.

(d) Establish and implement, in cooperation with the Department of Environmental Quality and the Department of Finance and Administration, a source reduction program for materials, as determined by the Department of Environmental Quality, used in the course of agency operations. The program shall be designed and implemented to achieve the maximum feasible source reduction of waste as a result of agency operations.
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-15-317 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 11 / Section 15-317
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-15-317
Status: in_force

Any charter or recreational fishing boat in the Gulf of Mexico over twenty-four (24) hours before returning to land may fillet any fish caught by its charter or recreational fishermen. The commission shall not adopt any rule or ordinance prohibiting or unduly restricting the filleting of fish by such charter or recreational fishing boats.
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-25-23 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 2 / Section 25-23
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-25-23
Status: in_force

Federal funds appropriated to carry out the provisions of this chapter are to be apportioned to the commissioners' districts in the same manner as such federal funds are apportioned to the state, and matching state funds are to be apportioned to the commissioners' districts proportionately.
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-17-741 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 3 / Section 17-741
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-17-741
Status: in_force

(1) The board of directors of a county authority shall elect annually from its number a president and vice president of the county authority and such other officers as in the judgment of the board are necessary. The president shall be the chief executive officer of the authority and the presiding officer of the board, and shall have the same right to vote as any other director. The vice president shall act in the absence or disability of the president. Each board also shall appoint a secretary and a treasurer who may or may not be members of the board, and it may combine these offices. The treasurer shall give bond in the sum of not less than One Hundred Thousand Dollars ($100,000.00) as set by the board of directors, and each director may be required to give bond in the sum of not less than Twenty-five Thousand Dollars ($25,000.00), with sureties qualified to do business in this state, and the premiums on the bonds shall be an expense of the authority. Each bond shall be payable to the State of Mississippi, and the condition of each bond shall be that the treasurer and director will faithfully perform all duties of his office and account for all money and other assets which shall come into his custody as treasurer or director of the authority.

(2) Each director of a county authority shall serve without salary, but shall be entitled to receive per diem pay as provided for in Section 25-3-69 and shall be reimbursed his actual necessary expenses, as provided in Section 25-3-41 , incurred while in the performance of his duties as a member of the board of directors of the authority upon authorization by the board. Expenses shall be paid from available funds of the authority.

(3) All business of a county authority shall be transacted by a majority vote of the total membership of the board of directors. The quorum for any meeting of the board of directors shall be a majority of the total membership of the board of directors.
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-17-507 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 13 / Section 17-507
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-17-507
Status: in_force

In addition to any other powers and duties authorized by law, the commission shall have the following powers and duties regarding lead-based paint activities:

(a) To adopt, modify, repeal and promulgate, after due notice and hearing, and where not otherwise prohibited by federal or state law, to make exceptions to and grant exemptions and variances from, and to enforce rules and regulations implementing or effectuating the powers and duties of the commission under Sections 49-17-501 through 49-17-531 ;

(b) To issue, reissue, suspend, revoke or deny the issuance or reissuance of accreditation for lead-based paint activity training programs and to require the modification of those training programs;

(c) To issue, reissue, suspend, revoke or deny the issuance or reissuance of certificates for risk assessors, project designers, supervisors, renovators, dust sampling technicians, inspectors and workers involved in lead-based paint activities;

(d) To develop and require the use of work practice standards for lead-based paint activities and to monitor compliance with those work practice standards;

(e) To establish pre-renovation information distribution requirements and monitor compliance with those requirements;

(f) To enforce and assess penalties for violations of Sections 49-17-501 through 49-17-531 ;

(g) To assess and collect fees for the accreditation of training programs, issuance and reissuance of certificates, and lead-based paint abatement and renovation projects;

(h) To develop an examination and grading system for testing applicants to be administered by accredited training programs;

(i) To establish requirements and procedures for the administration of a third-party certification examination;

(j) To enter into reciprocal agreements for accreditation of training programs and certification of risk assessors, project designers, supervisors, renovators, dust sampling technicians, inspectors and workers with other states that have established accreditation and certification programs that meet or exceed the accreditation and certification requirements adopted under Sections 49-17-501 through 49-17-531 ;

(k) To apply for, receive and expend any contributions, gifts, devises, bequests or funds from any source relating to Sections 49-17-501 through 49-17-531 ;

( l ) To enter into, and to authorize the executive director to execute with the approval of the commission, contracts, grants and cooperative agreements, except as limited under Section 49-2-9 , with any federal or state agency or subdivision thereof, any public or private institution, or any other person in connection with carrying out Sections 49-17-501 through 49-17-531 ; and

(m) To discharge other duties, responsibilities and powers necessary to implement Sections 49-17-501 through 49-17-531 .
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-23-7 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 11 / Section 23-7
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-23-7
Status: in_force

The State Highway Commission is hereby authorized to promulgate regulations governing the issuance of permits for the erection and maintenance of outdoor advertising coming within the exceptions contained in subsections (a), (d) and (e) of Section 49-23-5 , consistent with the safety and welfare of the traveling public, and as may be necessary to carry out the policy of the state declared in Section 49-23-1 , and consistent with the national standards promulgated by the secretary of commerce pursuant to Title 23, United States Code, provided that such regulations shall not contain any definition more restrictive than those set forth in Section 49-23-3 ; nor shall they be more restrictive than the provisions set forth in Section 49-23-9 .
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-7-148 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 4 / Section 7-148
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-7-148
Status: in_force

(1)(a) The department shall provide hunters with disabilities access to hunting areas in public wildlife management areas under its jurisdiction.

(b) The department shall allow the use of a mobility related device for an individual who is permanently physically disabled and meets one or more of the following criteria:

(i) Is paraplegic or hemiplegic;

(ii) Is unable to ambulate and requires a wheelchair, walker, leg braces, prosthesis, canes or crutches for mobility.

(2) The commission shall promulgate rules and regulations for reasonable access and include a definition of “hunters with disabilities” as used in this section.
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-15-103 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 11 / Section 15-103
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-15-103
Status: in_force

In pursuance of Article III of said compact there shall be three (3) members (hereinafter called commissioners) of the Gulf States Marine Commission (hereinafter called commission) from the State of Mississippi. The first commissioner from the State of Mississippi shall be president of the Mississippi Seafood Commission of the State of Mississippi ex-officio; and the term of any such ex-officio commissioner shall terminate at the time the said commissioner ceases to hold said office of president of the Mississippi Seafood Commission, and his successor as a member of this commission shall be his successor as president of the Mississippi Seafood Commission. The second commissioner from the State of Mississippi shall be a legislator; and the term of any such ex-officio commissioner shall terminate at the time he ceases to hold said legislative office, and his successor as commissioner shall be named in like manner. The Governor (by and with the advice and consent of the Senate) shall appoint a citizen as a third commissioner, who shall have a knowledge of the marine fisheries problems. The term of said commissioner shall be for a period of three (3) years and, in addition, he shall serve until his successor shall be appointed and qualified. Vacancies occurring in the office of such commissioner from any reason or cause shall be filled by appointment by the Governor (by and with the advice and consent of the Senate) for the unexpired term. The president of the Mississippi Seafood Commission, as ex-officio commissioner, may delegate from time to time, to any deputy or other member of the Mississippi Seafood Commission, the power to be present and participate, including voting as his representative, or substitute at any meeting of or hearing by or other proceeding of the commission.
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-33-17 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 17 / Section 33-17
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-33-17
Status: in_force

All the provisions of this chapter are subject to Sections 11-46-1 et seq., 49-2-9 , 49-2-13 , 49-17-17 , 17-17-1 , 41-67-3 and 41-67-15, Mississippi Code of 1972 .
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-17-30 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 6 / Section 17-30
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-17-30
Status: in_force

(1) As a condition of Title V of the federal Clean Air Act, the owner or operator of any stationary source required to obtain an air operating permit under the Title V program, hereinafter referred to as a “Title V permit,” shall pay to the Department of Environmental Quality an annual fee.

(2) To facilitate the proper administration of the Title V program, the commission is authorized to assess and collect fees from any stationary source subject to the Title V program. The commission shall establish the amount of each fee to cover the costs of the Title V program as provided in Section 49-17-14 . The commission is further authorized to promulgate such rules and regulations as are necessary for the development and administration of the Title V program and the assessment and collection of the Title V program fees.

(3)(a) The fee schedule for Title V program fees shall be set annually by order of the commission in an amount sufficient to cover the reasonable costs of development and administration of the Title V program. The commission's order shall follow:

(i) Receipt of the report and recommendations of the Advisory Council, if timely received; and

(ii) A public hearing to be held not earlier than thirty (30) days following receipt by the commission of the report and recommendations of the Advisory Council.

(b) The commission may proceed with entry of the order on fees if the Advisory Council fails to submit its report in a timely manner.

(c) The order of the commission may be appealed in the manner set forth in Section 49-17-41 .

(d) The determination of the fee set by order of the commission shall not be considered the promulgation of a regulation by the commission.

(e) The record of the public hearing shall be included in the record upon which the order is based and shall become a part of the appellate records for all appeals taken from the order of the commission establishing or modifying Title V program fees. Any undisputed amount due from an appellant must be paid according to the appellant's payment schedule during the pendency of the appeal.

(4) Any person required to pay the Title V program fee set forth under this chapter who disagrees with the calculation or applicability of the person's fee may petition the commission in writing for a hearing in accordance with Section 49-17-35 . Such hearing shall be in accordance with Section 49-17-33 . Any disputed portion of the fee for which a hearing has been requested will not incur any penalty or interest from and after the receipt by the commission of the hearing petition. The decision of the commission may be appealed in the manner set forth in Section 49-17-41 .

(5) All fees collected pursuant to this section shall be deposited into the “Air Operating Permit Program Fee Trust Fund” established in Section 49-17-14 .
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-17-419 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 2 / Section 17-419
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-17-419
Status: in_force

Nothing contained in the Mississippi Underground Storage Tanks Act of 1988 ( Sections 49-17-401 through 49-17-433 ) shall prevent the commission from requiring any owner of an underground storage tank from taking timely and effective corrective action.

The commission may use the Pollution Emergency Fund for emergency or remedial cleanup of underground storage tank leaks when the tank owner will not take timely and effective action. In the event of the necessity for such immediate remedial or cleanup action, the commission may contract for same and advance funds from the Pollution Emergency Fund to pay the costs thereof, such advancements to be repaid to the Pollution Emergency Fund upon recovery by the commission from the tank owner.
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-19-201 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 2 / Section 19-201
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-19-201
Status: in_force

Sections 49-19-201 through 49-19-227 shall be cited as the “Forest Resource Development Law of 1974”.
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-13-9 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 11 / Section 13-9
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-13-9
Status: in_force

The sale or transfer or ownership of any pen-raised quail carcasses must originate with a sale or transfer made by a licensed commercial quail breeder.

Each licensed quail producer shall display the license on the premises in easy view and shall keep a record of each bird sale or gift.

The record of bird transfer should include the following entries: kind and number of quail, date of ownership transfer and name and address of purchaser or gift recipient. The record of transfer of ownership must be kept current and available at all times for inspection by a representative of the department. Record discrepancies may cause the licensed quail producer to be charged with a misdemeanor.

Any individual or owner of a business establishment possessing quail from a licensed producer shall be subject to having the birds confiscated and may be charged with a misdemeanor if a record of transfer of ownership does not appear on the record book of the licensed producer from whom the person in question states that he purchased or received the birds.
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-5-2 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 2 / Section 5-2
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-5-2
Status: in_force

For purposes of this chapter, the following words shall have the meanings ascribed herein unless the context otherwise requires:

(a) “ Commission ” means the Mississippi Commission on Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks.

(b) “ Department ” means the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks.

(c) “ Executive director ” means the Executive Director of the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks.
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-7-303 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 6 / Section 7-303
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-7-303
Status: in_force

(1) A person involved in a hunting incident in which his use of a weapon caused a serious bodily injury or death to another person and who has an alcohol concentration of eight one- hundredths percent (.08%) or more based on specified levels in Section 63-11-30 , or is under the influence of any drug or controlled substance, shall have his hunting privileges revoked or suspended for two (2) years, in addition to any other punishment imposed. The chemical test must have been administered within three (3) hours after the hunting incident.

(2) If a person refuses to submit to the test at the request of a law enforcement officer, then none shall be given. The hunting privileges of a person who refuses the test shall be suspended for four (4) years. The law enforcement officer shall inform the person that his refusal to submit to a test is admissible in court and that his hunting privileges will be revoked or suspended for four (4) years.

(3) The results of such tests and the refusal to submit to a test shall be admissible in any civil or criminal action arising out of the hunting incident in which the person was involved.

(4) Any person whose hunting privileges are revoked or suspended under this section shall be required to complete an approved hunter education course before hunting privileges may be restored.
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-23-3 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 1 / Section 23-3
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-23-3
Status: in_force

As used in Sections 49-23-1 through 49-23-29 :

(a) “An unzoned commercial or industrial area” is an area determined by actual land uses which is commercial, industrial, marketing or mercantile, along a state controlled route and extending outward along one (1) side of such highway not more than eight hundred (800) feet from the edge of such activity.

(b) “ Areas which are zoned industrial or commercial ” means an area along a state controlled route that has been zoned or rezoned as industrial or commercial under the authority of any law of this state, which shall include, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, zoning districts customarily referred to as “B” or business, “C” or commercial, “I” or industrial, “M” or manufacturing and “S” or service and all similar classifications.

(c) “ Commission ” means the Mississippi Transportation Commission.

(d) “ Department ” means the Mississippi Department of Transportation.

(e) “ Erect ” means to construct, build, raise, assemble, place, affix, attach, create, paint, draw, or in any other way bring into being or establish an advertising message.

(f) “ Great River Road ” means that portion of highway located within this state as officially designated by the Federal Highway Administration pursuant to the provisions of Title 23, United States Code, “Highways.”

(g) “ Information center ” means an area or site established and maintained at safety rest areas for the purpose of informing the public of places of interest within the state and providing such other information as the commission may consider desirable.

(h) “ Interstate system ” means that portion of the national system of interstate and defense highways located within this state, as officially designated, or as may hereafter be so designated, by the commission, and approved pursuant to the provisions of Title 23, United States Code, “Highways.”

(i) “ Maintenance ” means repair, replacement, change, renovation or improvement of any outdoor advertising sign as defined herein. Maintenance shall not include the removal or destruction of any outdoor advertising sign.

(j) “ National highway system ” means that portion of the national system of interstate and defense highways located within this state, as officially designated, or as may hereafter be so designated by the commission, and approved pursuant to the provisions of Title 23, United States Code, “Highways.”

(k) “ Outdoor advertising ” or “ outdoor advertising sign ” means by outdoor signs, display, light, device, figure, painting, drawing, message, plaque, poster, billboard, or other thing which is designated, intended or used to advertise or inform, any part of which is visible from any place on the main-traveled way of a state controlled route.

(l) “ Primary system ” means that portion of connected main highways, as officially designated by the commission, and approved pursuant to the provisions of Title 23, United States Code, “Highways.”

(m) “ Safety rest area ” means an area or site established and maintained within or adjacent to the right-of-way or under public supervision or control, for the convenience of the traveling public.

(n) “ Scenic byway ” means a highway that is designated as a scenic byway under Section 65-41-1 et seq. without regard to qualification as a Federal Scenic Byway, meaning that both “state” scenic byway as well as “federal” scenic byway shall be included under the general category of “scenic byway.”

(o) “ State controlled routes ” means the Interstate System, the Federal Primary System, the National Highway System, the Great River Road and any scenic byways as defined herein along with any additions or deletions thereto as the Federal Highway Administration shall determine by federal statutes or regulations.
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-17-405 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 2 / Section 17-405
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-17-405
Status: in_force

(1) There is hereby created the Mississippi Groundwater Protection Trust Fund, hereinafter referred to as the “fund” to be administered by the Executive Director of the Department of Environmental Quality. The commission shall adopt regulations for administering this fund.

(2) The commission shall expend or utilize monies up to One Million Dollars ($1,000,000.00) annually in the fund by an annual appropriation approved by the Legislature to supplement all reasonable direct and indirect costs associated with the development and administration of the Underground Storage Tank (UST) Program if the annual tank regulatory fee in Section 49-17-421 does not adequately cover the costs associated with Sections 49-17-401 through 49-17-435 . All reasonable direct and indirect costs associated with development and administration of the UST Program, including, but not limited to, the reasonable costs of the following activities as they relate to the UST Program:

(a) Preparing generally applicable regulations or guidance regarding the UST Program or its implementation or enforcement;

(b) Administering the UST Program, including the supporting and tracking of UST owners/operators and associated UST systems, compliance with UST regulations, the fund, UST-certified contractors, tank fees and related data entry;

(c) Implementing and enforcing the terms of the UST regulations; and

(d) Investigation, assessment and rehabilitation of contamination sites with restoration or replacement of potable water supplies.

At no time shall an annual fund appropriation result in more than supplemental funding for the current annual cost of administering the UST Program.

(3) Whenever in the executive director's determination a release of motor fuels at an active site may pose a threat to the environment or the public health, safety or welfare, the department shall obligate monies available in the fund to provide for:

(a) Investigation and assessment of contamination sites;

(b) Restoration or replacement of potable water supplies;

(c) Rehabilitation of contamination sites, which may consist of cleanup of affected soil, groundwater and inland surface waters, using cost-effective alternatives that are technologically feasible and reliable, and that provide adequate protection of the public health, safety and welfare and minimize environmental damage, in accordance with the site selection and clean-up criteria established by the commission, except that nothing herein shall be construed to authorize the commission to obligate funds for payment of costs which may be associated with, but are not integral to, site rehabilitation, such as the cost for retrofitting or replacing underground storage tanks.

(4) Whenever the commission has expended funds from the fund created by Sections 49-17-401 through 49-17-433 , the owner of the underground storage tank shall not be liable to the department for such costs if the owner was in substantial compliance on the date on which the discharge of the motor fuels which necessitates the cleanup was reported to the department. Otherwise owners are responsible for reimbursement and the reimbursed monies shall go back into the fund. In such circumstances the commission is authorized to take any necessary action to recover these monies from responsible owners.

(5) Any provisions of this section and chapter regarding liability for the costs of cleanup, removal, remediation or abatement of any pollution, hazardous waste or solid waste shall be limited as provided in Section 49-17-42 and rules adopted thereto.
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-15-89 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 5 / Section 15-89
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-15-89
Status: in_force

It shall be unlawful for any person to catch, destroy, confine, hold or have in his possession, whether for individual use or for market, any of the genus callinectes sapidus (blue crab) or allied species, of a smaller size than five (5) inches measured from the tip of one (1) lateral spine across the back of the shell to the tip of the opposite lateral spine; provided that peeler crabs and soft-shell crabs are exempt from these limitations. Conservation officers may inspect any catch for violations of any of the provisions of Sections 49-15-83 through 49-15-91 .
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-15-77 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 2 / Section 15-77
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-15-77
Status: in_force

(1) It is unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to catch, take or carry away any saltwater fish by or with any trammel nets, purse seines, seines, fish traps or other like contrivances except permitted eel traps, in any area of the State of Mississippi within one hundred (100) feet of the mouth of any river, bayou, creek, canal, stream, tributary, lake, bay, inlet or other water source entering into areas defined as salt waters under the jurisdiction of the commission.

(2) A person, firm or corporation convicted of a violation of this section shall be punished as provided in Section 49-15-100(2), Mississippi Code of 1972 .
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-27-27 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 9 / Section 27-27
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-27-27
Status: in_force

In considering permits to dredge new channels by applicants under subsection (c) of Section 49-27-11 , the commission shall take into consideration in addition to Section 47-27-23 the benefit of such channel to the public at large, or to surrounding landowners, and the extent of use projected for the channel, as well as the ecological, economic, commercial, recreational and aesthetic value of the wetlands affected. The commission shall, where practical, require applicants to use existing channels, so as to reduce the coastal wetlands affected.
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-17-5 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 8 / Section 17-5
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-17-5
Status: in_force

For the purposes of Sections 49-17-1 through 49-17-43 , the following words and phrases shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section:

(1) Water.

(a) “Pollution” means such contamination, or other alteration of the physical, chemical or biological properties, of any waters of the state, including change in temperature, taste, color, turbidity, or odor of the waters, or such discharge of any liquid, gaseous, solid, radioactive, or other substance or leak into any waters of the state unless in compliance with a valid permit issued therefor by the Permit Board.

(b) “Wastes” means sewage, industrial wastes, oil field wastes, and all other liquid, gaseous, solid, radioactive, or other substances which may pollute or tend to pollute any waters of the state.

(c) “Sewerage system” means pipelines or conduits, pumping stations, and force mains, and other structures, devices, appurtenances and facilities used for collecting or conducting wastes to an ultimate point for treatment or disposal.

(d) “Treatment works” means any plant or other works, used for the purpose of treating, stabilizing or holding wastes.

(e) “Disposal system” means a system for disposing of wastes, either by surface or underground methods, and includes sewerage systems, treatment works, disposal wells and other systems.

(f) “Waters of the state” means all waters within the jurisdiction of this state, including all streams, lakes, ponds, impounding reservoirs, marshes, watercourses, waterways, wells, springs, irrigation systems, drainage systems, and all other bodies or accumulations of water, surface and underground, natural or artificial, situated wholly or partly within or bordering upon the state, and such coastal waters as are within the jurisdiction of the state, except lakes, ponds or other surface waters which are wholly landlocked and privately owned, and which are not regulated under the Federal Clean Water Act ( 33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq. ).

(g) “Underground water” means an underground source of drinking water as defined within the regulations of the Federal Safe Drinking Water Act.

(2) Air.

(a) “Air contaminant” means particulate matter, dust, fumes, gas, mist, smoke or vapor, or any combination thereof, produced by processes other than natural.

(b) “Air pollution” means the presence in the outdoor atmosphere of one or more air contaminants in quantities, of characteristic, and of a duration which are materially injurious or can be reasonably expected to become materially injurious to human, plant or animal life or to property, or which unreasonably interfere with enjoyment of life or use of property throughout the state or throughout such area of the state as shall be affected thereby.

(c) “Air contamination” means the presence in the outdoor atmosphere of one or more air contaminants which contribute to a condition of air pollution.

(d) “Air contamination source” means any source at, from, or by reason of which there is emitted into the atmosphere any air contaminant, regardless of who the person may be who owns or operates the building, premises or other property in, at, or on which such source is located, or the facility, equipment or other property by which the emission is caused or from which the emission comes.

(e) “Air-cleaning device” means any method, process or equipment, the primary function of which is to remove, reduce or render less noxious air contaminants discharged into the atmosphere.

(f) “Area of the state” means any city or county or portion thereof, or other substantial geographical area of the state as may be designated by the Mississippi Commission on Environmental Quality.

(g) “Federal Clean Air Act” means the Federal Clean Air Act, 42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq., as amended.

(3) General.

(a) “Commission” means the Mississippi Commission on Environmental Quality acting through the Office of Pollution Control of the Department of Environmental Quality.

(b) “Person” means the state or other agency or institution thereof, any municipality, political subdivision, public or private corporation, individual, partnership, association or other entity, and includes any officer or governing or managing body of any municipality, political subdivision, or public or private corporation, or the United States or any officer or employee thereof.

(c) “Pollution Emergency Fund” means the fund established under Section 49-17-68 .

(d) “General permit” means a permit for categories of sources that involve similar wastes and have similar monitoring requirements and restrictions.
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-7-90 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 4 / Section 7-90
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-7-90
Status: in_force

(1) Any person who takes or possesses a paddlefish or parts thereof, whether coming from within or from outside the state, in violation of law or regulation is guilty of a Class I violation and may be punished as provided in Section 49-7-141 , and upon conviction, shall forfeit all hunting, trapping and fishing privileges and paddlefish permits for a period of not less than one (1) year from the date of conviction. A violator shall pay a reinstatement fee of Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) to have his or her privileges restored.

(2) The commission may promulgate rules and regulations, establish and issue permits and establish and collect fees for permits for the harvest and sale of paddlefish and paddlefish parts.

(3) Any person engaged in selling or peddling nonnative fish taken from public waters must possess a commercial fishing license.

(4) Any person required to purchase a commercial fishing license must report his catch and/or other activities as required by regulation of the commission.
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-31-5 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 2 / Section 31-5
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-31-5
Status: in_force

(1) It is the intent of the Legislature to promote pollution prevention, require state agency recycling programs, encourage the recycling industry and promote public education on waste management issues.

(2) The Legislature declares it to be the policy of the State of Mississippi that the generation of waste should be reduced or eliminated at the source, whenever feasible; waste that is generated should be recycled or reused whenever feasible; waste that cannot be reduced or recycled should be treated in an environmentally safe manner; and disposal or other permitted release into the environment should be employed only as a last resort and should be conducted in an environmentally safe manner.

(3) The state's goal is to reduce the quantity of waste generated within Mississippi by a minimum of twenty-five percent (25%) by January 1, 1996. For purposes of measuring the reduction of hazardous waste, the department shall use as a baseline the quantity of hazardous waste generated, as reported for the 1989 calendar year. For purposes of measuring the reduction of nonhazardous solid waste, the department shall use as a baseline information submitted to the State Tax Commission pursuant to Section 17-17-219 for the 1992 calendar year. For other wastes, the department shall establish a baseline.
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-17-705 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 17 / Section 17-705
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-17-705
Status: in_force

Words and phrases used in this act shall have meanings as follows:

(a) “ Act ” means the Mississippi Gulf Coast Region Utility Act.

(b) “ Bonds ” mean interim notes having a maturity of three (3) years or less, revenue bonds and other certificates of indebtedness of the authority issued under the provisions of this act.

(c) “ County authority ” means a county utility authority created in the Gulf Coast Region under this act.

(d) “ Fiscal year ” means the period of time beginning on October 1 of each year and ending on September 30 of each year.

(e) “ Gulf Coast Region ” means the areas encompassed by the Counties of George, Hancock, Harrison, Jackson, Pearl River and Stone.

(f) “ Municipality ” means any incorporated city, town or village of the State of Mississippi, whether operating under general law or under special charter, lying wholly or partly within the Gulf Coast Region.

(g) “ Person ” means the State of Mississippi, a county, a municipality, any public agency, or any other city, town, village or political subdivision or governmental agency, governmental instrumentality of the State of Mississippi or of the United States of America, or any private utility, individual, co-partnership, association, firm, trust, estate or any other entity whatsoever.

(h) “ Project ” means the construction, development or acquisition by the county authority or county authorities of any infrastructure for water, wastewater and storm water systems or services and includes upgrading or repair of existing systems.

(i) “ Public agency ” means any county, municipality, state board or commission owning or operating properties, district created pursuant to the general laws or local and private laws of the State of Mississippi, or other political subdivision of the State of Mississippi having the power to own and operate waterworks, water supply systems, sewerage systems, sewage treatment systems or other facilities or systems for the collection, transportation and treatment of water, wastewater and storm water.

(j) “ Storm water ” means any flow occurring during or following any form of natural precipitation and resulting from that precipitation.

(k) “ System ” or “ systems ” means any plants, structures, facilities and other real and personal property, used or useful in the generation, storage, transportation or supply of water, and the collection, transportation, treatment or disposal of wastewater and storm water, including, but not limited to, tanks, lakes, streams, ponds, pipes, trunk lines, mains, sewers, conduits, pipelines, pumping and ventilating stations, plants and works, connections and any other real and personal property and rights therein necessary, useful or convenient for the purposes of the utility board or authorities in connection therewith.

(l) “ Wastewater ” means water being disposed of by any person and which is contaminated with waste or sewage, including industrial, municipal and any other wastewater that may cause impairment of the quality of the waters in the state.

(m) “ Water ” means potable water, service water and groundwater.

(n) “ Utility board ” means the Mississippi Gulf Coast Region Utility Board.
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-7-40 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 4 / Section 7-40
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-7-40
Status: in_force

The commission may adopt regulations to provide for a special hunt by handicapped persons in the natural area at Arkabutla Lake designated by the U.S. Corps of Engineers. The hunt and any such regulations must be approved by the U.S. Corps of Engineers. The following restrictions apply to any such hunt:

(a) The hunt shall be open to wheelchair-bound physically disabled persons;

(b) Selection of participants shall be by public drawing from all qualified applications received;

(c) No more than thirty (30) permits shall be issued;

(d) The hunt shall not exceed a total of six (6) days;

(e) A hunting license shall not be required of resident or nonresident applicants;

(f) Any other actions the commission and the U.S. Corps of Engineers deem necessary for a safe and productive hunt.
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-11-27 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 1 / Section 11-27
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-11-27
Status: in_force

Any person, firm or corporation violating any provision of this chapter is guilty of a Class I violation, and upon conviction thereof shall be punished as provided in Section 49-7-141 . A multiple violator of this chapter shall be assessed double the maximum allowable fine.
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-7-1 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 1 / Section 7-1
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-7-1
Status: in_force

For the purposes of this chapter, the following definitions and interpretations shall govern unless otherwise provided:

(a) The following wild animals are classed as game: bear, white-tailed deer, rabbits and squirrels.

(b) The following wild animals are classed as fur-bearing animals: muskrats, opossums, otters, weasels, minks, raccoons and bobcats.

(c) The following wild animals are classed as nuisance animals: wild hogs, nutria, beaver, fox, skunks and coyote.

(d) All freshwater fish in the following families are classed as game fish: Sunfish family (Centrarchidae)--including largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides), smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu), spotted bass (Micropterus punctulatus), white crappie (Pomoxis annularis), black crappie (Pomoxis nigromaculatus), redear sunfish (Lepomis microlophus), bluegill (Lepomis macrochiris), warmouth (Lepomis gulosus), green sunfish (Lepomis cyanellus), longear sunfish (Lepomis megalotis), redbreast sunfish (Lepomis auritus) and shadow bass (Ambloplites ariommus); Perch family (Percidae)--including walleye (Stizostedion vitreum), sauger (Stizostedion canadense) and yellow perch (Perca flavescens); Pike family (Esocidae)--including redfin pickerel (Esox americanus americanus), grass pickerel (Esox americanus vermiculatus), chain pickerel (Esox niger); Temperate bass family (Moronidae) including--white bass (Morone chrysops), yellow bass (Morone mississippiensis), striped bass (Morone saxatilis) and hybrid striped bass (Morone chrysops x Morone saxatilis and/or Morone saxatilis x Morone chrysops).

The following fish are classed as nongame gross fish: in the Herring family (Clupeidae)--gizzard shad (Dorosoma cepedianum), threadfin shad (Dorosoma petenense); in the Catfish family (Ictaluridae)--channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus), blue catfish (Ictalurus furcatus), flathead catfish (Pylodictus olivaris), yellow bullhead (Ameiurus natalis), black bullhead (Ameiurus melas), brown bullhead (Ameiurus nebulosus); in the Gar family--spotted gar (Lepisosteus oculatus), longnose gar (Lepisosteus osseus), shortnose gar (Lepisosteus platostomus), alligator gar (Atractosteus spatula); in the Eel family (Anguillidae)--American eel (Anguilla rostrata); in the Bowfin family (Amiidae)--bowfin (Amia calva); in the Paddlefish family (Polyodontidae)--paddlefish (Polyodon spathula); in the Minnow family (Cyprinidae)--common carp (Cyprinus carpio); in the Sucker family (Catostomidae)--river carpsucker (Carpoides carpio), quillback (Carpoides cyprinus), highfin carpsucker (Carpoides velifer), spotted sucker (Minytrema melanops), blacktail redhorse (Moxostoma poecilurum), smallmouth buffalo (Ictiobus bubalus), bigmouth buffalo (Ictiobus cyprinellus), black buffalo (Ictiobus niger); in the Drum family (Sciaenidae)--freshwater drum (Aplodinotus grunniens).

All fish native to Mississippi that are not classed as game fish or nongame gross fish are classed as nongame fish.

All fish native to foreign countries and all fish native to the United States but not native to Mississippi are classed as nonnative fish.

(e) The following are classed as game birds: geese, brant ducks, rails, coots, snipe, gallinules, moorhens, woodcock, crow, mergansers, wild turkey, quail and doves.

All other species of wild resident or migratory birds are classed as nongame birds.

(f) Closed season: the time during which birds, animals or fish may not be taken.

(g) Open season: the time during which birds, animals or fish may be lawfully taken.

(h) “ Commission ” means the Mississippi Commission on Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks.

(i) “ Department ” means the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks.

(j) “ Executive director ” means the Executive Director of the Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks.
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-15-64.3 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 13 / Section 15-64.3
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-15-64.3
Status: in_force

(1) It is unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to take, catch or have in their possession within territorial waters of the State of Mississippi shrimp of a size weighing in the raw state less than one (1) pound to each sixty-eight (68) shrimp, except as provided under Section 49-15-64.1 , except when a valid permit or affidavit of another state identifies the catch as having been taken in non-Mississippi waters, or except in case of live bait shrimp.

(2) It is unlawful to take, catch or have in possession live bait shrimp of a size weighing in the raw state less than one (1) pound to each one hundred (100) shrimp. This provision may be changed by a two-thirds ( 2 / 3 ) vote of the commission. The commission may adopt rules, regulations, guidelines and other operation criteria in conjunction with licensing live bait dealers and live bait catcher boats as it deems appropriate to ensure that only bona fide operations will be licensed.

(3) If a live bait dealer or live bait catcher boat is convicted of a violation of this chapter or a duly adopted ordinance of the commission, the commission may, in addition to punishment duly adjudicated, revoke the license of the vessel or dealer to whom it is issued for a period not exceeding two (2) weeks following conviction of the first offense, not exceeding six (6) months following conviction of the second offense, and up to one (1) year following conviction of the third and subsequent offenses, if the subsequent offenses are committed within three (3) years of the first offense. Upon the revocation of the license, the commission may require the posting of a cash performance bond not to exceed One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00) before the reissuance of that revoked license. The commission may require the forfeiture of that bond upon the subsequent conviction of any violation of this chapter or a duly adopted ordinance of the commission. If a person who posts bond under this section desires to no longer engage in the live bait business, that person shall certify that fact to the commission who shall return the bond. If that person desires to again engage in the live bait business, a cash performance bond may be required before the issuance of a license.
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-18-1 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 7 / Section 18-1
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-18-1
Status: in_force

This chapter may be cited as the Mississippi Liability of Persons Responding to Oil Spills Act.
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-35-9 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 23 / Section 35-9
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-35-9
Status: in_force

(1)(a) If the department and a brownfield party reach a proposed agreement, then at least thirty (30) days before the date that the commission considers the proposed brownfield agreement under Section 49-35-11 , the department shall publish a public notice in a newspaper of general circulation in the county or counties in which the brownfield agreement site is located. The public notice shall (i) describe the proposed brownfield agreement, including the proposed brownfield agreement site; (ii) request public comment on the proposed agreement within thirty (30) days after the date of publication of the notice; and (iii) provide the date and location of the commission's consideration of the proposed brownfield agreement. A copy of the proposed brownfield agreement shall be filed for public inspection in the county courthouse of the county or counties in which the proposed brownfield agreement site is located.

(b) The commission shall notify in writing the governing authority of the local government in which the proposed site is located.

(c) At the time of publication of the public notice under paragraph (a) of this subsection, an applicant brownfield party shall notify by certified mail, each record owner of property contiguous to the brownfield agreement site identified by the brownfield party after examination of the land records of the county or counties in which the brownfield agreement site is located at the address contained in the county records, if available. No brownfield agreement shall be declared invalid based on failure of any person to receive notice under this subsection.

(d) The commission may by regulation require additional public notice.

(2) The department may conduct a public hearing on the proposed brownfield agreement in the county in which the majority of the proposed brownfield agreement site is located, or in any other location in the local area of the proposed brownfield agreement site that is convenient to the members of the public who may have an interest in the proposed brownfield agreement. The department shall publish a notice of the hearing in a newspaper of general circulation in the county or counties in which the proposed brownfield agreement site is located. The department shall provide to the commission for review before its consideration of the proposed brownfield agreement all public comments and the transcript of any public hearing on the proposed brownfield agreement.
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-17-37 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 17 / Section 17-37
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-17-37
Status: in_force

All hearings before the commission shall be recorded either by a court reporter or by tape or mechanical recorders and subject to transcription upon order of the commission or any interested party, but in the event that the request for transcription originates with an interested party, such party shall pay the cost thereof.
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-27-51 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 25 / Section 27-51
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-27-51
Status: in_force

(1)(a) If a person in violation of this chapter submits a proper application for any unauthorized work and the commission determines that the work has been conducted in accordance with the public policy as set forth in Section 49-27-3 , the commission shall issue after-the-fact authorization for the work.

(b) For conducting the work without first obtaining a current and valid permit and other violations of this chapter, the commission may order and levy a penalty of not less than Fifty Dollars ($50. 00) nor more than Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) per day for each day the violation has existed for residential type regulated activity and a penalty of not less than One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00) nor more than Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000.00) per day for each day the violation has existed for commercial and industrial type regulated activity.

(2) If the person continues the violation, the Attorney General of the State of Mississippi at the request of the commission, a district attorney having jurisdiction, or a county attorney having jurisdiction may initiate the civil or criminal actions, or both civil and criminal actions, as described in this chapter against the person.

(3) The Attorney General, commission, district attorney or county attorney may initiate action to enjoin any person in violation of this chapter.
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-17-33 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 15 / Section 17-33
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-17-33
Status: in_force

The hearings herein provided may be conducted by the commission itself at a regular or special meeting of the commission, or the commission may designate a hearing officer, who may be the executive director, who shall have the power and authority to conduct such hearings in the name of the commission at any time and place as conditions and circumstances may warrant. The hearing officer shall have the record prepared of any hearing which he has conducted for the commission. Such record shall be submitted to the commission along with that hearing officer's findings of fact and recommended decision. Upon receipt and review of the record of the hearing and the hearing officer's findings of fact and recommended decision, the commission shall thereupon render its final decision in the matter. Any person ordered to appear for an alleged violation shall have the right to request a hearing before a majority of the commission if he prefers and such a hearing may then be set for the next regular meeting of the full commission, or specially. A verbatim record of the proceedings of such hearings shall be taken and filed with the commission, together with findings of fact and conclusions of law made by the commission. Witnesses who are subpoenaed shall receive the same fees and mileage as in civil actions. In case of contumacy or refusal to obey a notice of hearing or subpoena issued under this section, the circuit court shall have jurisdiction, upon application of the commission or its representative, to issue an order requiring such person to appear and testify or produce evidence as the case may require and any failure to obey such order of the court may be punished by such court as contempt thereof. Failure to appear at any such hearing, without prior authorization to do so from the commission or its designee, may result in the commission finding the alleged violator guilty of the charges complained of by default, and at such time an order may be entered, including the assessment of a penalty, which, in the opinion of the commission, will best further the purposes of Section 17-17-1 et seq. , and Section 49-17-1 et seq.
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-35-13 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 27 / Section 35-13
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-35-13
Status: in_force

(1) Any material failure of a brownfield party or the agents or employees of a brownfield party to comply with the brownfield agreement constitutes a violation of this section by the brownfield party. If a brownfield party violates this section the commission shall issue an order requiring the brownfield party to correct the violation in an appropriate time period established by the order.

(2) If the brownfield party fails to comply with an order issued under subsection (1) of this section, the brownfield party shall be subject to removal of all liability protection afforded by the brownfield agreement under Section 49-35-15 and shall be subject to civil penalties under Section 49-17-43 .

(3) This section shall not create a defense against the imposition of criminal or civil penalties or other administrative remedies authorized by law for violations of law caused by the brownfield party while implementing or failing to implement the brownfield agreement.
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-15-73 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 3 / Section 15-73
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-15-73
Status: in_force

It shall be unlawful for any person to use or employ any aircraft in the airspace of this state to assist in the harvesting of redfish as defined in Section 49-15-71 . Aircraft employed in any manner contrary to the provisions of this section shall not be registered, hangered, maintained, provisioned or serviced within this state, excepting in an emergency in which the lives of the pilot or crew of such aircraft are at risk. A person convicted of a violation of this section shall be punished as provided in Section 49-15-63, Mississippi Code of 1972 . In addition to the penalty prescribed by such section, any aircraft and any equipment utilized in the taking of redfish contrary to the provisions of this section shall be subject to confiscation under this section.
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-15-38 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 1 / Section 15-38
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-15-38
Status: in_force

(1)(a) Unless otherwise permitted by the department, no oysters shall be taken from state-owned reefs unless culled, and all oysters less than three (3) inches from end to end, and all dead shells, shall be replaced, scattered and broadcast immediately on the reefs from which they are taken. It is unlawful for any captain or person in charge of any vessel, or any canner, packer, commission man, dealer or other person to purchase, sell or to have in that person's possession or under that person's control any oysters off the state-owned reefs or private bedding grounds not culled according to this section, or any oysters under the legal size. A ten percent (10%) tolerance shall be allowed in relation to any culling.

(b) The department may authorize the culling of oysters of a lesser measure. That authorization shall be in response to special circumstances or extreme natural conditions affecting the habitat, including, but not limited to, flooding. The department may establish checkpoints in any area within its jurisdiction to conduct inspections, collect fees and issue tags in the enforcement of this chapter and regulations adopted by the commission.

(2) The department shall acquire and replant shells, seed oysters and other materials, when funding is available, for the purpose of growing oysters.

(3) Any person, firm or corporation failing or refusing to pay the shell retention fee required under Section 49-15-46 to the department when called for by the department, is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, shall be fined not more than One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) for each sack of shells for which they fail or refuse to tender the shell retention fee. In addition to the fine, the violator shall pay the reasonable value of the oyster shells and shall be ineligible to be licensed for any activity set forth in this chapter for a period of two (2) years from the date of conviction.

(4) The planting of oyster shells as provided under this chapter shall be under the direction and supervision of the executive director of the department.
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-15-15 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 9 / Section 15-15
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-15-15
Status: in_force

(1) In addition to any other powers and duties authorized by law, the department, with the advice of the advisory commission, shall have the following powers and duties regarding the regulation of seafood:

(a) To exercise full jurisdiction and authority over all marine aquatic life and to regulate any matters pertaining to seafood, including cultivated seafood;

(b) To adopt, promulgate, amend or repeal, after due notice and public hearing, in accordance with the Mississippi Administrative Procedures Law and subject to the limitations in subsection (2) of this section, rules and regulations authorized under this chapter, including, but not limited to, rules and regulations necessary for the protection, conservation or propagation of all seafood in the waters under the territorial jurisdiction of the State of Mississippi and for the regulation of gill net and purse seine fishermen. All public hearings under this chapter concerning the regulation of marine resources shall be held in Hancock, Harrison or Jackson Counties. Each rule or regulation promulgated under this chapter shall immediately be advertised one (1) time in a newspaper or newspapers having general circulation in counties affected by that regulation. A regulation shall become effective at 6:00 a.m. on the day after its publication;

(c) To regulate all seafood sanitation and processing programs. In the three (3) coastal counties, the sanitation program regulating processing plants and seafood sold in retail stores operating in conjunction with a processing plant or seafood market that primarily deals with seafood is under the exclusive authority of the department. The department may also inspect and regulate those areas of any seafood processing plant which process freshwater species at any site. To effectively and efficiently implement the state seafood sanitation program, the State Health Officer, the Commissioner of Agriculture and the executive director of the department may enter into a memorandum of understanding, which at a minimum, clearly specifies the responsibilities of each agency in implementing the seafood sanitation program, as well as the sharing of information and communication and coordination between the agencies;

(d) To set standards of measure;

(e) To set requirements for employment of commission employees whose compensation shall be governed by the rules and regulations of the State Personnel Board;

(f) To acquire and dispose of commission equipment and facilities;

(g) To keep proper records of the commission, including an official ordinance book which contains all rules and regulations promulgated by the department, with the advice of the advisory commission, under this chapter;

(h) To enter into advantageous interstate and intrastate agreements with proper officials, which directly or indirectly result in the protection, propagation and conservation of the seafood of the State of Mississippi, or continue any such agreements now in existence;

(i) To arrange, negotiate or contract for the use of available federal, state and local facilities which would aid in the propagation, protection and conservation of the seafood of the State of Mississippi;

(j) To authorize the operation of double rigs in the waters lying between the mainland coast and the island chain, and those rigs shall not exceed a length of twenty-five (25) feet at the corkline, and to prescribe the length at the lead line for each rig, net or try-trawl;

(k) To destroy or dispose of equipment or nets which have been lawfully seized by the commission and which are not sold under Section 49-15-201 et seq. ;

(l) To open, close and regulate fishing seasons for the taking of shrimp, oysters, fish taken for commercial purposes and crabs and set size, catching and taking regulations for all types of seafood and culling regulations for oysters, except as otherwise specifically provided by law;

(m) To utilize the resources of the Gulf Coast Research Laboratory to the fullest extent possible;

(n) To develop a resource management plan to preserve seafood resources and to ensure a safe supply of these resources;

(o) To prescribe types and forms of scientific permits for public educational or scientific institutions, federal and state agencies and consultants performing marine resource studies;

(p) To suspend the issuance of licenses when necessary to impose a moratorium to conserve a fishery resource;

(q) To promote, construct, monitor and maintain artificial fishing reefs in the marine waters of the State of Mississippi and in adjacent federal waters; to accept grants and donations of money or materials from public and private sources for such reefs; to set permit fees and establish guidelines for the construction of artificial reefs in federal waters; and to apply for any federal permits necessary for the construction or maintenance of artificial fishing reefs in federal waters. The location data associated with artificial reefs by corporations and private individuals shall not be published by the commission or the department on the website or in written publications of the department. Location data of the artificial reefs may be requested in writing by any individual and shall be provided by the department in a timely manner; and

(r) To require, in addition to other licensing requirements, the successful completion of educational or training programs on shellfish sanitation as a prerequisite to receiving commercial licenses authorized under this chapter in order to ensure compliance with the Interstate Shellfish Sanitation Conference's educational requirements for shellfish processors, dealers and harvesters by January 1, 2014.

(2) The department shall not adopt rules, regulations or ordinances pertaining to marine resources which are more stringent than federal regulations. In any case where federal laws and regulations are silent on a matter pertaining to marine resources, the laws and regulations of the State of Mississippi shall control. The department shall review all marine resource ordinances for compliance with the no more stringent standard and revise any ordinances more stringent than this standard no later than December 31, 1992. This subsection shall not apply to rules, regulations or ordinances pertaining to the wild stock of marine fin fish.
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-17-719 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 1 / Section 17-719
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-17-719
Status: in_force

There is hereby created and established a public body corporate and politic constituting a political subdivision of the State of Mississippi to be known as the “Pearl River County Utility Authority.” The authority is composed of the geographic area of Pearl River County as defined in Section 19-1-109, Mississippi Code of 1972 , for the planning, acquisition, construction, maintenance, operation and coordination of water, wastewater and storm water systems in order to ensure the delivery of water, wastewater and storm water services to citizens residing within the boundaries of Pearl River County. The Pearl River County Utility Authority shall be deemed to be acting in all respects for the benefit of the people of the state in the performance of essential public functions, and the Pearl River County Utility Authority shall be empowered in accordance with the provisions of this act to promote the health, welfare and prosperity of the general public.
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-15-64 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 4 / Section 15-64
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-15-64
Status: in_force

Any operator, firm or corporation engaged in commercial shrimping during the closed season shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, shall be punished by a fine of not less than Two Thousand Dollars ($2,000.00) nor more than Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00).

Upon an arrest for a violation of this section, catch and nets may be confiscated. Any catch may be sold by the law enforcement agency making the arrest at the average wholesale price being paid for shrimp. The monies derived from the sale shall be held in escrow pending disposition of the charge. If a conviction is obtained, the monies held in escrow shall be forfeited. The monies so forfeited shall be paid to the department, to be paid into the seafood fund. If the operator, firm or corporation is acquitted of the charge or if the charge is dismissed, then the monies obtained from the sale shall be paid to the proper operator, firm or corporation. Forfeiture of confiscated nets and paraphernalia shall be instituted under Sections 49-7-251 through 49-7-257 . If the person in possession of or using the nets in the violation is not the owner or licensee of the nets, the department shall notify the owner or licensee of the nets. The nets shall be subject to forfeiture unless the nets were stolen and prosecution for the theft is initiated.

The commission may issue special permits for the purpose of catching shrimp prior to the official opening of shrimp season, to those nonprofit organizations that are tax exempt under Section 501(c) of the United States Internal Revenue Code and which have on file with the State Tax Commission a tax exemption letter issued by the United States Internal Revenue Service. However, until January 1, 1992, the requirement that a nonprofit organization have on file with the State Tax Commission a tax exemption letter issued by the United States Internal Revenue Service shall be considered as having been met if the organization has actually made application for such exemption and has on file with the State Tax Commission a copy of its application.

The commission shall promulgate rules and regulations governing the taking of shrimp by the nonprofit organization and shall issue such regulations to all organizations upon request and at the issuance of the special permit.
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-5-103 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 1 / Section 5-103
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-5-103
Status: in_force

The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:

(a) That it is the policy of the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks to manage certain nongame wildlife for human enjoyment, for scientific purposes, and to insure their perpetuation as members of ecosystems;

(b) That species or subspecies of wildlife indigenous to this state which may be found to be endangered within the state should be accorded protection in order to maintain and to the extent possible enhance their numbers;

(c) That the state should assist in the protection of species or subspecies of wildlife which are deemed to be endangered by prohibiting the taking, possession, transportation, exportation, processing, sale or offer for sale or shipment within this state of species or subspecies of wildlife listed on the United States' Lists of Endangered Fish and Wildlife as set forth herein unless such actions will assist in preserving or propagating the species or subspecies; and

(d) That funding may be made available to the department annually by appropriations from the General Fund or from other sources separate and apart from the Fisheries and Wildlife Fund for management of nongame and endangered species.
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-7-19 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 6 / Section 7-19
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-7-19
Status: in_force

It shall be unlawful for any officer, authorized to issue the licenses mentioned in this chapter, to knowingly issue a resident license or nonresident license to any person physically or mentally unfit to carry or use firearms.
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-19-351 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 2 / Section 19-351
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-19-351
Status: in_force

(1) In this section, “ drought or wildfire conditions ” means the existence of a deficit of moisture creating severe conditions with increased wildfire occurrences as determined by the State Forestry Commission through use of drought indices or models or the existence of extreme wildfire conditions.

(2) If the State Forestry Commission determines that drought or wildfire conditions exist in a county, the commission shall notify the board of supervisors of that county. The commission may recommend that a temporary outdoor burning ban or other restrictions be adopted by the board of supervisors.

(3) The board of supervisors may, by order, prohibit or restrict outdoor burning in all or part of the unincorporated parts of the county if drought or wildfire conditions have been determined to exist by the State Forestry Commission. An order must specify the period during which burning is restricted. The State Forestry Commission shall notify the board of supervisors when the drought or wildfire conditions no longer exist. Any order issued under this section shall expire upon the determination that the drought or wildfire conditions no longer exist.

(4) Any person who knowingly and willfully violates an order under this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and may be fined not less than One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) nor more than Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00).

(5) The sheriff of the county shall enforce the order and may cite persons for violations of an order under this section.
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-13-1 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 8 / Section 13-1
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-13-1
Status: in_force

This chapter may be cited as the Mississippi Commercial Quail Law.
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-17-41 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 9 / Section 17-41
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-17-41
Status: in_force

In addition to any other remedies that might now be available, any person or interested party aggrieved by any order of the commission or the executive director shall have a right to file a sworn petition with the commission within thirty (30) days after the order was issued setting forth the grounds and reasons for his complaint and asking for a hearing of the matter involved, provided that no hearing on the same subject matter shall have been previously held before the commission or its designated hearing officer. The commission shall thereupon fix the time and place of such hearing and shall notify the petitioners thereof. In such pending matters, the commission shall have the same full powers as to subpoenaing witnesses, administering oaths, examining witnesses under oath and conducting the hearing, as is now vested by law in the Mississippi Public Service Commission, as to hearings before it, with the additional power that the executive director may issue all subpoenas, both at the instance of the petitioner and of the commission. At such hearings the petitioner, and any other interested party, may offer, present witnesses and submit evidence.

Following such hearing, the final order of determination of the commission upon such matters shall be conclusive, unless the petitioner, or such other interested party appearing at the hearing, shall, within fifteen (15) days after the adjournment of the meeting at which said final order was made, appeal to the chancery court of the county where the hearing was held, or of the situs in whole or in part of the subject matter of the hearing by giving a cost bond with sufficient sureties, payable to the state in the sum of not less than One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) nor more than Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00), to be fixed in the order appealed from, to be filed with and approved by the executive director of the commission, who shall forthwith certify the same together with a certified copy of the record of the commission in the matter to the chancery court to which the appeal is taken, which shall thereupon become the record of the cause. An appeal to the chancery court as provided herein shall not stay the execution of an order of the commission. Any party aggrieved by an order of the commission may, within said fifteen (15) days after the adjournment of the commission meeting at which said final order was entered, petition the chancery court of the situs in whole or in part of the subject matter for an appeal with supersedeas, and the chancellor shall grant a hearing on said petition and upon good cause shown may grant said appeal with supersedeas; the appellant shall be required to post a bond with sufficient sureties according to law in an amount to be determined by the chancellor. Appeals shall be considered only upon the record as made before the commission. The chancery court shall always be deemed open for hearing of such appeals and the chancellor may hear the same in termtime or in vacation at any place in his district, and the same shall have precedence over all civil cases, except election contests. The chancery court shall review all questions of law and of fact. If no prejudicial error be found, the matter shall be affirmed and remanded to the commission for enforcement. If prejudicial error be found, the same shall be reversed and the chancery court shall remand the matter to the commission for appropriate action as may be indicated or necessary under the circumstances. Appeals may be taken from the chancery court to the Supreme Court in the manner as now required by law, except that if a supersedeas is desired by the party appealing to the chancery court he may apply therefor to the chancellor thereof, who shall award a writ of supersedeas, without additional bond, if in his judgment material damage is not likely to result thereby, but otherwise he shall require such supersedeas bond as he deems proper, which shall be liable to the state for such damage.
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-27-17 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 2 / Section 27-17
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-27-17
Status: in_force

The following parties shall be notified of a hearing by the commission by mail prior to the date set for the hearing, but a failure to meet this requirement shall not invalidate any permit granted thereafter:

(a) All of those parties who are entitled to receive a copy of such application in accordance with Section 47-27-13 1 of this chapter; and

(b) All known present owners of record of adjacent land as reflected by current tax assessment rolls and all known claimants to water or riparian rights in or adjacent to the coastal wetlands affected.
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-19-203 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 2 / Section 19-203
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-19-203
Status: in_force

The legislature of the State of Mississippi recognizes that the growing demands on forests and related land resources cannot be met by intensive management of public lands and industrial forests alone, and declares that the development of forest resources on poorly stocked, idle and poorly managed lands in Mississippi is needed to insure that Mississippi shall continue to develop its forest economy.

The legislature declares the development of forest resources on suitable lands to be a public policy of the State of Mississippi. The legislature is mindful, in stating this policy, that continuous timber growth of commercially valuable species for needed forest products is in the public interest, and that such growth can be attained, to a considerable degree, by making financial assistance available to private non-industrial landowners for developing forest resources on desirable and suitable sites.
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-15-45 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 8 / Section 15-45
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-15-45
Status: reserved

Any municipality bounded by the Gulf of Mexico or Mississippi Sound, which has wholly or partly within its corporate limits, or in the waters adjacent thereto, a public oyster reef reserved for catching oysters exclusively by use of hand tongs, is hereby authorized to aid and cooperate with the department in enforcing all laws regulating the catching, taking and transporting of oysters, including all of the provisions of this chapter, and all regulations and ordinances of such department relating to such oyster reefs.
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-15-401 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 1 / Section 15-401
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-15-401
Status: in_force

It is the purpose of this article to establish an administrative hearing procedure for the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources to enforce the rules and regulations set forth in Title 22 of the Administrative Code and Sections 49-15-1 through 49-15-321 , 49-27-1 through 49-27-71 , 59-21-111 , and such other statutes within the jurisdiction of the Department of Marine Resources. Unless specifically authorized, the department shall not seek both administrative and criminal penalties against violators of the statutes referred to herein for the same offense, except as provided in Section 49-15-63 .
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-5-119 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 5 / Section 5-119
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-5-119
Status: in_force

The cost of programs established under Sections 49-5-101 through 49-5-119 shall be borne by any funds or property donated or granted for such purposes by any firm, person, corporation or agency of the U.S. Government and/or from such funds as may be appropriated from time to time by the Legislature; provided, further, that such funds as may be donated or granted by any firm, person, corporation or agency of the U.S. Government shall be placed in a separate fund to be known as “the endangered species protection fund” and such funds may be spent by the commission in its discretion as they become available in carrying out the provisions of Sections 49-5-101 through 49-5-119 .

Provided, further, the commission may in its discretion have printed, issue and sell singly or in blocks of five annual editions of not more than five thousand (5,000) endangered species stamps for sale and voluntary purchase as a contribution at Five Dollars ($5.00) each; and funds so derived, less printing costs, shall be deposited in the endangered species fund.
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-35-33 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 1 / Section 35-33
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-35-33
Status: in_force

The Legislature finds:

(a) There are properties in Mississippi, often referred to as “brownfields,” that were contaminated or were perceived to have been contaminated by past activities, but are attractive locations for redevelopment.

(b) The safe development or redevelopment of brownfields would benefit the citizens of Mississippi in many ways, including improving the tax base of local governments and creating job opportunities for citizens in the vicinity of brownfields.

(c) Owners and prospective developers and redevelopers of brownfields, local governments in which brownfields are located and federal and state government agencies should be encouraged to provide capital and labor to improve brownfields so that the property can be determined to be safe or made safe for appropriate future use.

(d) The reduction of public health and environmental hazards on existing brownfield sites is essential to creating a better quality of life for the citizens of this state.

(e) Section 49-35-27, Mississippi Code of 1972 , requires the Department of Environmental Quality to conduct a survey of incentive programs in other states for cleanup of contaminated sites by January 1, 1999. The department has conducted its survey and filed its report showing incentives provided in other states.
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-4-8 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 4 / Section 4-8
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-4-8
Status: in_force

The Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks shall have the following powers and duties:

(a) To conserve, manage, develop and protect the wildlife of the State of Mississippi.

(b) To take charge and have full jurisdiction and control over all state parks.

(c) To cooperate with other entities and agencies in developing and implementing such plans as necessary for the conservation, protection, beautification and improvement of the quality of the environment and living natural resources.
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-19-177 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 11 / Section 19-177
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-19-177
Status: in_force

The compact administrator, with the assistance of the advisory committee, shall be authorized to do any and all things necessary in order to effectuate the terms and provisions of the compact contained herein and Sections 49-19-171 through 49-19-179 shall be entitled to a liberal interpretation in order to carry out the spirit and intent of interstate cooperation in fire control for the mutual benefit of the states participating therein. Among the powers conferred upon the compact administrator, but not limiting his powers thereto, shall be that of formulating and, in accordance with need, from time to time, revising a regional forest fire plan for the member states. It shall be the duty of the compact administrator of Mississippi in cooperation with those compact administrators in the member states to formulate and put in effect a forest fire plan for Mississippi and take such measures as may be necessary to integrate such forest fire plan with the forest fire plan formulated by the compact administrators.
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-5-71 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 4 / Section 5-71
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-5-71
Status: in_force

(1) The Mississippi Commission on Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks is hereby authorized to acquire interests in real estate and personal property through purchase, donation, bequest or devise in furtherance of the purposes of Sections 49-5-61 through 49-5-85 and otherwise in accordance with the provisions of law. The commission is authorized to approve land or real estate suitable for such purposes as eligible for the income tax credit authorized under Section 27-7-22.22 .

(2) Before such real estate is purchased or leased, the fair market value of such real estate shall be determined by the averaging of at least two (2) appraisals by Mississippi Certified General Appraisers. Such appraisals shall be paid for by the State of Mississippi.

(3) The commission is hereby authorized to obtain abstracts and surveys, and to engage the services of attorneys to conduct the above described transactions. The commission is authorized to obtain title insurance on property purchased if, in the opinion of the commission, the best interests of the State of Mississippi would be served.

(4) In order to carry out its management responsibilities over all state lands which are now or may hereafter come under its jurisdiction, the Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks is authorized to grant easements and rights-of-way over and across any part of such state lands. Such easements and rights-of-way may be granted for such consideration, and upon such terms and conditions, as the department may deem to be in the best interest of the state, consistent with the use of such lands for recreational purposes. Any easement for a utility line shall be granted for that period of time which the department deems to be in the best interest of the management of such lands.
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-7-51 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 6 / Section 7-51
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-7-51
Status: in_force

(1)(a) It is unlawful for any person to buy or sell or to offer for sale, exchange for merchandise, or other consideration, within this state, any game birds, game animals, or game fish, or parts thereof, named in this chapter, whether taken within or coming from without the state, except as specifically permitted by law or regulation.

(b) It is lawful for the following items to be bought and sold in accordance with the rules and regulations promulgated by the commission:

(i) The skins and sinew of deer and products crafted, fashioned or made from deer bones or antlers not in velvet;

(ii) Any part of a wild turkey, except the meat; and

(iii) Any parts of nuisance animals.

(c) Mounted game animals, birds and fish may not be sold, purchased or leased.

(d) A violation of this subsection is a Class I violation and is punishable as provided in Section 49-7-141 .

(2) Any person who buys, sells, offers for sale, exchange for merchandise, or other consideration, any wild bird, wild animal or fish that has been taken illegally is guilty of a Class I violation and punished as provided in Section 49-7-141 .
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-7-67 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 4 / Section 7-67
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-7-67
Status: in_force

It shall be unlawful for any person to buy, sell or offer for sale the pelt of any fur-bearing animal knowing that the same has been unlawfully taken.
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-15-403 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 6 / Section 15-403
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-15-403
Status: in_force

(1) When any allegation or charge in the form of a complaint has been made against a person for violations pursuant to the authorities outlined in Section 49-15-401 and such matter has been brought before the department for administrative penalty processing, the department shall:

(a) Cause the complaint to be in writing, signed by the person and/or office making the charge and include the recommended fine;

(b) Ensure that the complaint is filed with the executive director;

(c) Cause the executive director of the department, or his designee, to review the complaint; and

(d) Send or deliver a copy of the complaint and any supporting documents to the alleged violator along with a request for the alleged violator to respond to the allegations within thirty (30) days. The notification shall be accomplished by any of the methods provided for by the Mississippi Rules of Civil Procedure. Citations issued at the time of the alleged violation by marine enforcement officers shall constitute sufficient notice.

(2) Upon receipt of the response and any supporting documents from the alleged violator, the executive director, or his designee, shall review all information on file to determine the merit of the complaint. If the executive director, or his designee, determines that the complaint lacks merit, the executive director may dismiss the complaint.

(3) If the executive director, or his designee, determines that there are reasonable grounds to indicate that a violation has occurred or if the alleged violator admits to the truth of the allegations upon which the complaint is based, the executive director may impose a fine not to exceed Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000.00) for each violation. The executive director shall send a copy of the imposed fine to the alleged violator.

(4) The alleged violator shall have fifteen (15) days from receipt of the finding and imposed fine of the executive director within which to file a written request for an informal settlement conference with the executive director, or his designee. If the alleged violator requests a conference, the executive director, or his designee, shall meet with the alleged violator to discuss the proposed penalty and the possibility of an agreed settlement. The alleged violator may present evidence and written or oral comments at the executive director's conference. The alleged violator may be represented by legal counsel, at his or her own expense. If, in the judgment of the executive director, or his designee, a reasonable settlement is reached, the recommended penalty shall be revised accordingly. The executive director shall make the final decision regarding the penalty to be issued, which may include dismissal of the complaint, issuance of a warning in lieu of a penalty or a monetary penalty not to exceed Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000.00) for each violation. If a request for information settlement is not received within the timeframe provided, the executive director's imposed fine will be the final decision.
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-13-13 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 4 / Section 13-13
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-13-13
Status: in_force

When any package containing quail carcasses is to be shipped by rail, express or other carrier, public or private, the packages wherein the quail are contained must comply with the packaging or wrapping requirements set forth in Section 49-13-11 of the Mississippi Commercial Quail Law.
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-26-5 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 15 / Section 26-5
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-26-5
Status: in_force

(1) The Department of Marine Resources, referred to in this chapter as “department,” shall serve as the primary state agency with regard to coordinating channel maintenance activities along the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

(2) The department shall develop a comprehensive long-range management plan for channel maintenance activities. The plan shall at a minimum:

(a) Identify areas in which channels are in need of maintenance;

(b) Assess the short-term and long-term economic costs and benefits of the state's channels;

(c) Promote channel sand bypassing to replicate the natural flow of sand; and

(d) Recommend channel maintenance projects to the Legislature for funding which ensures the geographic coordination and sequencing of prioritized projects.
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-17-731 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 13 / Section 17-731
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-17-731
Status: in_force

(1) There is hereby created and established a public body corporate and politic constituting a political subdivision of the State of Mississippi to be known as the “Jackson County Utility Authority.” The authority is composed of the geographic area of Jackson County as defined in Section 19-1-59, Mississippi Code of 1972 , for the planning, acquisition, construction, maintenance, operation and coordination of water and wastewater systems in order to ensure the delivery of water and wastewater services to citizens residing within the boundaries of Jackson County.

(2) Within thirty (30) days of April 18, 2006, the Jackson County Utility Authority and the Mississippi Gulf Coast Regional Wastewater Authority shall consolidate into a single agency, to be known as the Jackson County Utility Authority, which shall be a continuance of the corporate existence of the Mississippi Gulf Coast Regional Wastewater Authority. Such consolidation shall be effective by the concurrent resolution of the Mississippi Gulf Coast Regional Wastewater Authority and the Jackson County Utility Authority and the filing of a copy of such concurrent resolution with the Secretary of State, certified by the Secretary of the Mississippi Gulf Coast Regional Wastewater Authority and the Jackson County Utility Authority.

(3) Upon consolidation the following shall apply:

(a) All property, rights and powers of the Mississippi Gulf Coast Regional Wastewater Authority are hereby vested in and shall be exercised by the Jackson County Utility Authority, subject, however to all pledges, covenants, agreements and trusts made or created by the Mississippi Gulf Coast Regional Wastewater Authority;

(b) All debts, liabilities, obligations, agreements, contracts and covenants of the Mississippi Gulf Coast Regional Wastewater Authority are hereby imposed upon the Jackson County Utility Authority. Any property of the Mississippi Gulf Coast Regional Wastewater Authority in which a mortgage or security interest has been granted to any bondholders or other creditors of the Mississippi Gulf Coast Regional Wastewater Authority shall continue to be subject to the mortgage or security interest until the mortgage or security interest is defeased or terminated in accordance with its terms. All bondholders and other creditors of the Mississippi Gulf Coast Regional Wastewater Authority and persons having claims against or contracts with the Mississippi Gulf Coast Regional Wastewater Authority of any kind or character may enforce those debts, claims and contracts against the Jackson County Utility Authority in the same manner as they might have against the Mississippi Gulf Coast Regional Wastewater Authority, and the rights and remedies of those bondholders, creditors, and persons having claims or contracts shall not be limited or restricted in any manner by this act;

(c) All regulations of the Mississippi Gulf Coast Regional Wastewater Authority shall continue to be in effect as the regulations of the Jackson County Utility Authority until amended, supplemented or rescinded by the Jackson County Utility Authority in accordance with law; and

(d) All employees of the Mississippi Gulf Coast Regional Wastewater Authority shall become employees of the Jackson County Utility Authority. Nothing in this act shall affect the civil service status, if any, of those employees or their rights, privileges, obligations or status with respect to any pension or retirement system.
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-23-9 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 13 / Section 23-9
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-23-9
Status: in_force

(1) In addition to the authority set out in this chapter, the commission shall have authority to promulgate rules and regulations regarding the configuration and location of outdoor advertising signs provided for in Section 49-23-5 . At a minimum, the rules and regulations shall conform to the national standards promulgated pursuant to Title 23 of the United States Code and the standards set out in an agreement entered into under Section 49-23-27 .

(2)(a) For signs erected prior to July 1, 2003, the maximum size of any outdoor sign or other advertising device shall be one thousand two hundred (1,200) square feet;

(b) For sign structures erected on or after July 1, 2003, the maximum area for any one (1) sign face shall be six hundred seventy-two (672) square feet, the maximum height shall be fourteen (14) feet and the maximum length shall be forty-eight (48) feet, inclusive of any border and trim on the sign face, but excluding any embellishment on, and cut-out extension of, the sign face, the base or apron, supports and other structural members. The height of sign structures erected on or after April 15, 2008, or any replacements thereof shall not exceed forty (40) feet above the level of the road grade unless the grade of the land adjacent to the road is higher than the level of the road grade, then the height of the sign structure may exceed forty (40) feet above the level of the road grade but shall not exceed forty (40) feet above the grade of the site where the sign is placed. Any embellishment on or cut-out extension of any sign face shall not exceed twenty percent (20%) of the square footage of such sign face.

(3) The area of any sign face shall be measured by the smallest square, rectangle, triangle or circle or combination thereof which will encompass the entire sign.

(4) Sign structures erected on or after July 1, 2003, may contain one (1) or two (2) signs per face and may use only a side-by-side, back-to-back or V-type configuration and no other; provided, however, that if two (2) signs are used facing the same direction, the aggregate total area shall not exceed six hundred seventy-two (672) square feet.

(5) All illuminated outdoor signs or other advertising devices shall be so illuminated as to adhere to the customary practices of the industry in Mississippi and in conformance with national standards. No lighting devices shall be used which in any way imitate any traffic control device, railroad sign or signal, or highway directional signs.

(6) All outdoor signs and other advertising devices located within one-half ( 1 / 2 ) mile of an intersection of two (2) or more primary highways, or a primary highway and the Great River Road, or an interchange on the interstate system shall be erected and/or maintained with a minimum spacing between structures of five hundred (500) feet, unless separated by another commercial building or structure, other than outdoor advertising, in which case outdoor advertising may be permitted on one or more sides of building or buildings. The minimum spacing requirement of five hundred (500) feet between structures shall not apply to signs in existence on April 15, 2008.

(7) No two (2) signs shall be spaced less than five hundred (500) feet apart, except as to signs in existence on April 15, 2008, which shall not be removed by Sections 49-23-1 through 49-23-29 . This spacing limitation shall apply to areas within incorporated cities, towns, villages and in zoned and unzoned industrial or commercial areas.
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-19-177 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 15 / Section 19-177
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-19-177
Status: in_force

The compact administrator, with the assistance of the advisory committee, shall be authorized to do any and all things necessary in order to effectuate the terms and provisions of the compact contained herein and Sections 49-19-171 through 49-19-179 shall be entitled to a liberal interpretation in order to carry out the spirit and intent of interstate cooperation in fire control for the mutual benefit of the states participating therein. Among the powers conferred upon the compact administrator, but not limiting his powers thereto, shall be that of formulating and, in accordance with need, from time to time, revising a regional forest fire plan for the member states. It shall be the duty of the compact administrator of Mississippi in cooperation with those compact administrators in the member states to formulate and put in effect a forest fire plan for Mississippi and take such measures as may be necessary to integrate such forest fire plan with the forest fire plan formulated by the compact administrators.
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-15-1.1 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 6 / Section 15-1.1
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-15-1.1
Status: in_force

The State of Mississippi hereby assents to the provisions of the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act [ 16 USCS Section 699 et seq. ] and the Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration Act [ 16 USCS Section 777 et seq. ]. The Commission on Marine Resources may perform any acts as may be necessary to ensure the conservation of fish and marine life. Revenue from saltwater license sales shall be controlled only by the Department of Marine Resources and used only when exercising responsibilities specific to the management of the state's fish and marine resources for which the department has authority under state law.
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-15-64.1 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 1 / Section 15-64.1
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-15-64.1
Status: in_force

(1) The shrimp season shall open on the first Wednesday of June. The shrimp season shall be closed from January 1 until it is opened the first Wednesday of June, except south of the Intracoastal Waterway. The shrimp season shall be closed south of the Intracoastal Waterway and west of the Gulfport Ship Channel from May 1 until it is opened the first Wednesday of June, except as may be provided in subsection (2) of this section. For the purposes of this section only, that portion of the Intracoastal Waterway that extends from a point south of Long Beach to a point south of Point Clear is described as follows:

Begin at green buoy or beacon number 1 which is located approximately three (3) miles north of West Point on Cat Island, thence extending southwesterly to buoy or beacon number 4P, thence southwesterly to Pass Marianne Light, thence southwesterly to buoy or beacon number 15P at the northernmost point of Merrill Coquille, thence southwesterly to buoy or beacon number 17P, thence southwesterly to buoy or beacon number 22, thence westerly to Lighthouse Point and continuing westward following the meandering of the shoreline to the boundary line of the state.

(2) The department may open the season at an earlier or later date in designated areas only after sampling areas within its jurisdiction where shrimp may be caught for the purpose of determining the count of shrimp per pound. The department may also close certain designated areas where the shrimp count is found, by sampling, to be in excess of sixty-eight (68) per pound. If a natural or man-made disaster has the potential of adversely affecting the shrimp fishery, the department may open legal shrimping areas.

(3) The following waters are protective and staging areas for young shrimp, and are permanently closed to commercial and recreational shrimp trawling activities:

All waters north of a line beginning at a point one-half mile due South of the shoreline at the Mississippi-Alabama state boundary; thence running westerly following the meanderings of the shoreline one-half mile therefrom to Light “5” in the Bayou Casotte Channel; thence running northerly to Light “7” in the Bayou Casotte Channel; thence running westerly following the meanderings of the shoreline one-half mile therefrom to the intersection with the Pascagoula Channel; thence running northwesterly to Beacon “50” in the Pascagoula Channel; thence running southwesterly to Beacon “49” in the Pascagoula Channel; thence running in the most direct line to the northeast point of Singing River Island; thence running westerly along the north shoreline to the northwest point of Singing River Island; thence running northwesterly to a point one-half mile due south of the mouth of Graveline Bayou; thence running westerly following the meanderings of the shoreline one-half mile therefrom to Beacon “18” in the Biloxi Bay Channel; thence running northwesterly to Beacon “22” in the Biloxi Bay Channel; thence running northwesterly to Beacon “26” in the Biloxi Bay Channel; thence running westerly to Beacon “34”, exclusive of the Biloxi Channel itself; thence running westerly to Beacon “30” in the Biloxi Channel, exclusive of the Biloxi Channel itself; and thence running due South to a point on the north shore of Deer Island; thence running westerly following the north shore of Deer Island to the westernmost tip; thence running westerly in the most direct line to Biloxi Beacon “8”; thence running westerly following the meanderings of the shoreline at a distance of one-half mile therefrom to a point on the centerline of the CSX Railroad Bridge over St. Louis Bay; thence running westerly along the centerline of said bridge to a point one-half mile south of the western abutment; thence running southwesterly following the meanderings of the shoreline, at a distance of one-half mile therefrom, to a point one-half mile due East of the mouth of Bayou Caddy; thence running due West to the mouth of Bayou Caddy; thence running southwesterly following the meanderings of the shoreline to the southernmost point of the Mississippi shoreline on the east bank of the mouth of the Pearl River thence following the meanderings of the east bank of the Pearl River to a point where the east bank of the Pearl River intersects the centerline of the Highway 90 bridge; thence westerly along the centerline of the Highway 90 bridge to a point that intersects the Mississippi-Louisiana state boundary.

(4) The redesignation of beacon numbers by the United States Coast Guard shall not alter the description of the boundary described in this section.
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-15-415 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 5 / Section 15-415
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-15-415
Status: in_force

(1) Any penalty assessed by the department shall be due and payable within forty-five (45) days of the notification of the decision. All sums of money collected as a result of criminal or civil penalties levied under this article shall be paid into the Seafood Fund created and described in Section 49-15-17 .

(2) If the judgment is not paid within the forty-five (45) days, or within such additional time as the department may allow, the department may file suit in the chancery court of the county where the defendant resides or in the case of a nonresident defendant in the Chancery Court of the Second Judicial District of Harrison County or any other court with appropriate jurisdiction to enforce the decision of the executive director and recover reasonable attorney's fees and all court costs.

(3) A copy of the notification sent by the department to the violator shall be sufficient proof as to the judgment of the department.
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-35-3 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 15 / Section 35-3
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-35-3
Status: in_force

The Legislature finds:

(a) There are properties in Mississippi, often referred to as “brownfields,” that are contaminated or are perceived to be contaminated by past activities, but are potential locations for redevelopment.

(b) Brownfields development and redevelopment is impaired by the potential liability associated with the actual or perceived risk of contamination.

(c) The safe development or redevelopment of brownfields will benefit the citizens of Mississippi in many ways, including improving the tax base of local governments and creating job opportunities for citizens in the vicinity of brownfields.

(d) The reduction of public health and environmental hazards on existing brownfield sites is essential to creating a better quality of life for the citizens of this state.

(e) This article will provide incentives for the voluntary cleanup of brownfield property without use of taxpayer funds.
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-23-19 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 9 / Section 23-19
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-23-19
Status: in_force

Any advertising device or outdoor advertising erected which is contrary to the provisions of Sections 49-23-1 through 49-23-29 or regulations lawfully adopted hereunder is hereby declared to be a public nuisance. The State Highway Commission shall give thirty (30) days' notice by certified mail to the owner of such advertising device and landowner to remove same if it is a prohibited device or cause it to conform to regulations if it is an authorized device. Failure to receive the notice shall not prohibit the state highway commission from removing the unlawful outdoor advertising device. If the owner of the outdoor advertising device fails or refuses to remove same within thirty (30) days as required in the notice, the State Highway Commission may proceed to secure the removal of same as authorized in Section 49-23-21 .
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-7-31.4 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 1 / Section 7-31.4
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-7-31.4
Status: in_force

(1) The commission may fix the open season on fur-bearing animals between November 1 and March 15 next following and fix the open season for hunting opossums, raccoons and bobcats with dogs and guns by licensed hunters from October 1 to March 15 next following; but raccoons and bobcats may be run, hunted, chased or pursued throughout the year with dogs by licensed hunters.

(2) The commission may establish an additional open season on raccoon from July 1 through October 1, and the bag limit on raccoon during the additional open season shall be one (1) per party, per night.

(3) When the open season on fur-bearing animals, including any additional open season on raccoon, ends on a Friday, the commission shall have the authority to extend the season until thirty (30) minutes after sunset on the following Sunday.
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-27-39 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 18 / Section 27-39
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-27-39
Status: in_force

(a) An appeal may be taken by the applicant, or any person or corporation, municipal corporation, county or interested community group who has been aggrieved by such order, from the denial, suspension or revocation of a permit or the issuance of a permit or conditional permit and who has filed written protest or objection as specified in Sections 49-27-9 through 49-27-21 , within thirty (30) days after the mailing to the parties of the order of issuance, denial, suspension or revocation of any such permit, to the chancery court of any county having jurisdiction over the property which may be affected by any such proposed activity to be authorized by such permit.

(b) If the court finds that the order appealed from is supported by substantial evidence, consistent with the public policy set forth in this chapter, is not arbitrary or capricious and does not violate constitutional rights, it shall affirm the council's order.
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-15-17 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 8 / Section 15-17
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-15-17
Status: in_force

(1)(a) All monies received or obtained by the department under the provisions of this chapter shall be paid over by the department to the State Treasurer and shall be deposited into the fund known as the “Seafood Fund.” All revenues collected through the department, to include, but not limited to, commercial saltwater licenses and taxes, permits, fines and penalties, and confiscated catches, shall be deposited into the department operating account (Seafood Fund) and expended for the operation of the department, as authorized by the Legislature.

(b) There is established a special account to be known as the “Artificial Reef Program Account” within the Seafood Fund. Any funds received from any public or private source for the purpose of promoting, constructing, monitoring or maintaining artificial reefs in the marine waters of the state or in federal waters adjacent to the marine waters of the state shall be credited to the account. Any unexpended funds remaining in the account at the end of the fiscal year shall not lapse into the Seafood Fund, but shall remain in the account. The department may expend any funds in the account, subject to appropriation by the Legislature, to accomplish the purpose of the account.

(c) There is established a special account to be known as the “Coastal Preserve Account” within the Seafood Fund. Any funds received from any public or private source for the purpose of management, improvement and acquisition of coastal preserves in the state and money required to be deposited pursuant to Sections 27-19-56.10 and 27-19-56.27 , shall be credited to the account. Any unexpended funds remaining in the account at the end of the fiscal year shall not lapse into the Seafood Fund, but shall remain in the account. The department may expend any funds in the account, subject to appropriation by the Legislature, for the management, improvement and acquisition of coastal preserves.

(d) There is established a special account to be known as the “Mississippi Seafood Marketing Program Account” within the Seafood Fund. Monies required to be deposited into the account under Section 27-19-56.27 and any funds received from any public or private source for the purpose of promoting the Mississippi seafood industry must be credited to the account. Any unexpended funds remaining in the account at the end of the fiscal year do not lapse into the Seafood Fund, but remain in the account. The department may expend any funds in the account, subject to appropriation by the Legislature, to accomplish the purposes of this account, including, but not limited to, providing funds for cobia stock enhancement programs.

(e) There is established a special account to be known as the “Oyster Production Preserve Account” within the Seafood Fund. Monies required to be deposited from oyster leasing and licensing payments under Section 49-15-27 , sack fees, and any funds received from any public or private source for the purpose of oyster production and propagation in this state, which includes plantings of oysters and cultch materials, shall be credited to the account. Any unexpended funds remaining in the account at the end of the fiscal year shall not lapse into the Seafood Fund, but shall remain in the account. The department may expend any funds in the account, subject to specific appropriation by the Legislature, for the management, improvement and acquisition of permittable property for oyster production and propagation in the state, which includes plantings of oysters and cultch materials. The Department of Marine Resources shall develop an annual report to the Legislature which describes the annual expenditures from this fund for the purpose of furthering oyster production and propagation in this state to be included in the department's annual budget request to the Legislative Budget Office and to be transmitted to the Chairmen of the Senate and House Committees on Ports and Marine Resources.

(2) The fund shall be treated as a special trust fund and interest earned on the principal shall be credited to the fund.

(3) The department shall keep accurate reports of monies handled as a part of the permanent records of the department, and the State Treasurer shall furnish the department such forms as may be needed, and the department shall account for such forms in reports to the Treasurer.
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-27-3 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 25 / Section 27-3
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-27-3
Status: in_force

It is declared to be the public policy of this state to favor the preservation of the natural state of the coastal wetlands and their ecosystems and to prevent the despoliation and destruction of them, except where a specific alteration of specific coastal wetlands would serve a higher public interest in compliance with the public purposes of the public trust in which coastal wetlands are held.
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-28-13 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 21 / Section 28-13
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-28-13
Status: in_force

Any party having an interest in the subject matter and aggrieved or prejudiced by the findings and adjudication of the board of supervisors may appeal to the circuit court of the county in the manner provided by law for appeals from orders of the board of supervisors. However, if no appeal is taken within fifteen (15) days after the date of the adoption of the resolution creating the district, the creation of the district shall be final and shall not be subject to attack in any court after that time.
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-35-7 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 35 / Section 35-7
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-35-7
Status: in_force

(1)(a) Any brownfield party shall provide the department, in an application as prescribed by the commission, information necessary to demonstrate that:

(i) As a result of the proposed remediation, the brownfield property will be suitable for the use or uses specified in the application while fully protecting public health and the environment;

(ii) The brownfield party has or can obtain the financial, managerial, and technical resources to implement fully and complete the proposed remediation and assure the safe use of the brownfield property;

(iii) The current owner of the brownfield property that is the subject of the application is an applicant or has given written approval for submission of the application; and

(iv) The brownfield party will comply with all applicable procedural requirements.

(b) The commission or the department may require the brownfield party to provide other information that is reasonably related to the application or to the brownfield party.

(2) Within thirty (30) days after submission of the application, the commission shall establish, by order, a written schedule, including time for the identification of other brownfield property (i) for which the source of contamination is environmental contamination or activities on or under the brownfield property that is the subject of the application, and (ii) concerning which the commission determines that remediation is necessary, for the processing of the application by the department.

(3) If brownfield property other than that property which is the subject of the original application is identified, the applicant shall obtain written approval from that brownfield property owner for inclusion of that brownfield property in the brownfield agreement site.

(4) Following the review of the application and any other information available to the department, the department shall prepare a proposed brownfield agreement. In preparation of the agreement, the department shall consult with the applicant brownfield party.

(5) A brownfield agreement shall contain a description of the brownfield agreement site sufficient to serve as a legal description of that site and, as applicable, a statement providing:

(a) A description of all remediation to be conducted on or under the brownfield agreement site, including:

(i) A description of specific areas where remediation is to be conducted;

(ii) The remediation method or methods to be employed;

(iii) The financial, technical and managerial resources that the brownfield party will make available;

(iv) A schedule of remediation activities;

(v) Remediation requirements that are based on public health and environmental risks specific to the brownfield agreement site as established under subsection (6) of this section;

(vi) A schedule for implementation and completion of the remediation; and

(vii) Any land-use restrictions or engineering controls constituting any part of the remediation required by the commission in the brownfield agreement.

(b) The proposed uses of the brownfield agreement site after all remediation required by the commission is completed.

(c) A schedule for administration of the brownfield agreement by the department.

(d) Requirements, as deemed appropriate by the commission, for reporting on the progress of remediation conducted on or under the brownfield agreement site.

(e) Any other provisions necessary to implement the brownfield agreement.

(6) A brownfield agreement shall establish remediation requirements that are based on public health and environmental risks specific to the brownfield agreement site. In establishing the risk-based remediation requirements in a brownfield agreement, the commission shall consider the use of appropriate land-use restrictions or engineering controls or both proposed by the brownfield party. The commission may determine that permanent engineering controls in conjunction with appropriate land-use restrictions satisfy the remediation required by the commission in the brownfield agreement. These risk-based remediation requirements may include contaminant-specific, state-specific, site-specific and/or likelihood of risk methodologies for the implementation of these risk-based remediation requirements. Any party to a brownfield agreement who complies with the requirements of a brownfield agreement may rely on these risk-based remediation requirements, land-use restrictions and engineering controls as governing the extent of remediation required to be performed by the brownfield party on or under the brownfield agreement site for all purposes of this article, including liability protection, subject to the limitations in Section 49-35-15(5) . Any risk-based remediation requirements, land-use restrictions and engineering controls implemented under a brownfield agreement shall be conducted in a cost-effective manner, consistent with projected future uses of the brownfield agreement site.

(7) During the remediation process, the commission may modify a brownfield agreement after appropriate public participation, if the commission receives new information demonstrating that a contaminant on or under the brownfield agreement site poses less risk than the risk that formed a basis for the remediation requirements.

(8) The applicant brownfield party and the commission may agree to remediation of a brownfield property which is not the subject of the application to a risk level of unrestricted use.
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-7-79 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 7 / Section 7-79
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-7-79
Status: in_force

(1) It shall be unlawful for any person to knowingly enter the lands of another without the permission of, or without being accompanied by, the landowner or the lessee of the land, or the agent of such landowner or lessee, to hunt, fish, shoot, or trap on the lands or leases of another.

(2) Any person convicted of violating subsection (1) of this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction, shall be punished for the first offense by a fine of not less than Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00), nor more than One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00). Upon conviction of any person for a second or subsequent offense, with the offenses being committed within five (5) years of the last offense, such person shall be punished by a fine of not less than One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00), nor more than One Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($1,500.00).

(3) Any person convicted of a second or subsequent offense under subsection (1) of this section, the offenses being committed within a five-year period, shall also forfeit all hunting, trapping, and fishing privileges for a period of one-year. Such person shall pay a reinstatement fee of Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) to have his or her privileges restored.

(4) Any animal, bird, fish, or parts thereof, that have been unlawfully taken or possessed in violation of subsection (1) of this section shall be seized by a law enforcement officer and disposed of by the department, or under its direction.

(5) In addition to any fine or penalty assessed due to a violation of this section, a person convicted of violating subsection (1) of this section shall also pay restitution to the landowner of not less than One Hundred Dollars ($100.00), nor more than Two Hundred Fifty Dollars ($250.00), for each animal, bird, fish, or parts thereof, taken or possessed in violation of this section. The total amount of restitution authorized by this paragraph shall be paid to the landowner; and shall not exceed an aggregate total of One Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($1,500.00) regardless of the number of animals unlawfully taken or possessed in violation of this section.
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-27-11 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 2 / Section 27-11
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-27-11
Status: in_force

(1) A complete application shall include the following:

(a) The name and address of the applicant;

(b) The names and addresses of the present owners of record of adjacent land, as determined by current tax assessment rolls and of known claimants of riparian or water rights in or immediately adjacent to the coastal wetland, or a certification that after diligent search and inquiry the names and addresses could not be found;

(c) A detailed description of the proposed activity and a map, drawn to an appropriate and uniform scale showing by section, township and range, or by latitudinal and longitudinal coordinator, the location and area of the coastal wetlands to be affected, indicating the location and area of existing and proposed fill, excavation or other regulated activities; showing the location, width, depth and length of any proposed channel and dredge spoil disposal site; showing all existing and proposed structures, sewage collection and treatment facilities, utility installations, roadways and related appurtenances or facilities, including those on adjacent uplands; describing the type of equipment to be used and the means of equipment access to the activity site;

(d) An estimate of the cost of the activity;

(e) The primary and secondary purposes of the project, including contemplated future projects;

(f) A description of any public benefit to be derived from the proposed project dependent upon the proposed activity;

(g) A complete description of measures to be taken to reduce detrimental off-site effects to the coastal wetlands during and after the proposed activity;

(h) The completion date of the proposed activity and of the project dependent upon the activity;

(i) An appropriate written report or statement of the environmental impact of the proposed regulated activity and of the final project dependent on it upon the affected coastal wetlands and the life dependent upon them, provided that an environmental impact statement treating the same activity in the same area and supplied to another federal or state agency for considering a permit shall satisfy this requirement if submitted by the applicant; and

(j) A certification that a permit from the Mississippi Commission on Environmental Quality has been applied for or that such permit is not required; that a permit from the United States Corps of Engineers has been applied for or that such permit is not required; that permits or other certificates of compliance with applicable municipal or county building codes and zoning ordinances have been applied for or are not required.

(2) If the applicant alters or amends the information provided in compliance with paragraph (c) of subsection (1) of this section, the review periods provided for in Sections 49-27-15 and 49-27-37 shall begin on the date that the new information is provided to the department. The date of receipt for a completed application begins on the date of the last amendment made in accordance to paragraph (c) of subsection (1) of this section.

(3) Any person filing an application to dredge an existing channel for navigational purposes shall complete an application for such activities in accordance with application procedures required in this section.
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-35-1 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 21 / Section 35-1
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-35-1
Status: in_force

This article shall be known and may be cited as the “Mississippi Brownfields Voluntary Cleanup and Redevelopment Act.”
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-17-705 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 2 / Section 17-705
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-17-705
Status: in_force

Words and phrases used in this act shall have meanings as follows:

(a) “ Act ” means the Mississippi Gulf Coast Region Utility Act.

(b) “ Bonds ” mean interim notes having a maturity of three (3) years or less, revenue bonds and other certificates of indebtedness of the authority issued under the provisions of this act.

(c) “ County authority ” means a county utility authority created in the Gulf Coast Region under this act.

(d) “ Fiscal year ” means the period of time beginning on October 1 of each year and ending on September 30 of each year.

(e) “ Gulf Coast Region ” means the areas encompassed by the Counties of George, Hancock, Harrison, Jackson, Pearl River and Stone.

(f) “ Municipality ” means any incorporated city, town or village of the State of Mississippi, whether operating under general law or under special charter, lying wholly or partly within the Gulf Coast Region.

(g) “ Person ” means the State of Mississippi, a county, a municipality, any public agency, or any other city, town, village or political subdivision or governmental agency, governmental instrumentality of the State of Mississippi or of the United States of America, or any private utility, individual, co-partnership, association, firm, trust, estate or any other entity whatsoever.

(h) “ Project ” means the construction, development or acquisition by the county authority or county authorities of any infrastructure for water, wastewater and storm water systems or services and includes upgrading or repair of existing systems.

(i) “ Public agency ” means any county, municipality, state board or commission owning or operating properties, district created pursuant to the general laws or local and private laws of the State of Mississippi, or other political subdivision of the State of Mississippi having the power to own and operate waterworks, water supply systems, sewerage systems, sewage treatment systems or other facilities or systems for the collection, transportation and treatment of water, wastewater and storm water.

(j) “ Storm water ” means any flow occurring during or following any form of natural precipitation and resulting from that precipitation.

(k) “ System ” or “ systems ” means any plants, structures, facilities and other real and personal property, used or useful in the generation, storage, transportation or supply of water, and the collection, transportation, treatment or disposal of wastewater and storm water, including, but not limited to, tanks, lakes, streams, ponds, pipes, trunk lines, mains, sewers, conduits, pipelines, pumping and ventilating stations, plants and works, connections and any other real and personal property and rights therein necessary, useful or convenient for the purposes of the utility board or authorities in connection therewith.

(l) “ Wastewater ” means water being disposed of by any person and which is contaminated with waste or sewage, including industrial, municipal and any other wastewater that may cause impairment of the quality of the waters in the state.

(m) “ Water ” means potable water, service water and groundwater.

(n) “ Utility board ” means the Mississippi Gulf Coast Region Utility Board.
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-35-17 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 15 / Section 35-17
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-35-17
Status: in_force

(1) A brownfield party entering into a brownfield agreement shall submit to the department for its approval a proposed notice of brownfield agreement site before execution of the brownfield agreement as provided in Section 49-35-11 .

(2) A notice of brownfield agreement site (a) shall be entitled “Notice of Brownfield Agreement Site”, (b) shall include a survey plat of the brownfield agreement site described in the brownfield agreement that has been prepared and certified by a professional land surveyor, (c) shall include a legal description of the brownfield agreement site, and (d) shall identify the following:

(i) The location and dimensions of the areas of potential environmental contamination with respect to permanently surveyed benchmarks;

(ii) The type, location, and quantity of contaminants known to exist on or under the brownfield agreement site;

(iii) All land-use restrictions on the current or future use of the brownfield agreement site. These land-use restrictions may apply to activities on or under the brownfield agreement site, including, but not limited to, use of groundwater, building, filling, grading, excavating, and mining; and

(iv) All engineering controls included in the brownfield agreement.

(3)(a) Within fifteen (15) days after the brownfield agreement is executed, the brownfield party shall file a certified copy of the brownfield agreement and the notice of the brownfield agreement site in the office of the chancery clerk of the county in which the site is located. The chancery clerk shall record and enter the notice of the brownfield agreement site and the brownfield agreement in the land records in accordance with Section 89-5-33 and collect the fees provided in Section 25-7-9 . Any deed or other instrument conveying an interest in brownfield property shall state in the deed or instrument that the property is brownfield property and subject to a brownfield agreement, unless the notice is canceled under subsection (4) of this section.

(b) If the notice has not been canceled under subsection (4) of this section, the seller of brownfield property shall disclose in the contract for the purchase of the brownfield property that the property is brownfield property and subject to a brownfield agreement.

(4) If a brownfield party remediates a brownfield agreement site to a risk level of unrestricted use, the brownfield party may petition the commission to cancel the notice of brownfield agreement site. If the commission issues an order canceling the notice, the current owner of the brownfield agreement site shall file a statement issued by the executive director in accordance with the commission's order canceling the notice in the office of the chancery clerk in any county in which the brownfield agreement site is located. The executive director's statement shall contain the names of the owners of the brownfield agreement site as shown in the notice of brownfield agreement site and reference the book and page where the notice is recorded. After collecting the proper fee fixed in Section 25-7-9 , the chancery clerk shall record the executive director's statement as provided in subsection (3) of this section. The chancery clerk shall make a marginal entry on the notice of brownfield agreement site showing the date of cancellation and the book and page where the executive director's statement is recorded, and the chancery clerk shall sign the entry.
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-15-100.3 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 11 / Section 15-100.3
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-15-100.3
Status: in_force

The possession of a gill net, trammel net or like contrivance, or any other equipment prohibited for use in the taking or harvesting of seafood under this chapter on a vessel on the marine waters of this state where the use of the net, contrivance or equipment is prohibited, shall constitute prima facie evidence that an offense has been committed to take or harvest seafood with nets, contrivances or equipment prohibited by this chapter, unless the vessel is:

(a) Anchored or moored at a permanent facility intended for the mooring of vessels;

(b) Traveling directly between a marina, harbor or public boat launching facility and a United States Coast Guard marked and maintained navigation channel; or

(c) Traveling within a United States Coast Guard marked and maintained navigation channel.
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-25-3 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 10 / Section 25-3
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-25-3
Status: in_force

For the purpose of promoting the public safety, health, welfare, convenience and enjoyment of public travel, to protect the public investment in public highways, and to preserve and enhance the scenic beauty of lands bordering public highways, it is hereby declared to be in the public interest to regulate and restrict the establishment, operation, and maintenance of junkyards in areas adjacent to the interstate and primary highway systems within this state. The legislature hereby finds and declares that junkyards which do not conform to the requirements of this chapter are public nuisances.
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-7-90 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 7 / Section 7-90
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-7-90
Status: in_force

(1) Any person who takes or possesses a paddlefish or parts thereof, whether coming from within or from outside the state, in violation of law or regulation is guilty of a Class I violation and may be punished as provided in Section 49-7-141 , and upon conviction, shall forfeit all hunting, trapping and fishing privileges and paddlefish permits for a period of not less than one (1) year from the date of conviction. A violator shall pay a reinstatement fee of Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) to have his or her privileges restored.

(2) The commission may promulgate rules and regulations, establish and issue permits and establish and collect fees for permits for the harvest and sale of paddlefish and paddlefish parts.

(3) Any person engaged in selling or peddling nonnative fish taken from public waters must possess a commercial fishing license.

(4) Any person required to purchase a commercial fishing license must report his catch and/or other activities as required by regulation of the commission.
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-33-9 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 5 / Section 33-9
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-33-9
Status: in_force

(1) Right of action: Any action by the State of Mississippi that constitutes an inverse condemnation of forest or agricultural land, timber, wood or forest products, including nongame species or personal property rights associated with conducting forestry or agricultural activities, shall give the owner a cause of action under Section 11-46-1 et seq. for the payment of awards against the entity or entities causing the inverse condemnation, notwithstanding any provision of this chapter to the contrary. The owner shall have the right to file an inverse condemnation action before any court having jurisdiction over the county in which the forest or agricultural land is located. A determination that a use is noxious in fact or possesses a demonstrable harm to the public health and safety is not binding upon a court of law and a judicial review of the action shall be de novo.

(2) Subsequent repeal or rescission by the state: The entity sued in any inverse condemnation action shall have the right to repeal the action complained of in the suit before a decision becoming final. Such repeal shall entitle the owner to recover its damages arising out of the action before the repeal, and, in the discretion of the court, its costs of litigation (including reasonable attorney and expert witness fees). Subsequent repeal of the action by the state after a decision has become final shall not entitle the state to refuse payment, obtain a return of payment (if made) or result in ownership in the property by the state (absent a taking of one hundred percent (100%) of the property).

(3) Payment of awards for inverse condemnation: Payment of awards for inverse condemnation shall be made by the entity or entities as determined by the court subject to applicable limits provided in Section 11-46-15 . Payment shall not result in ownership in the property by the state (absent a taking of one hundred percent (100%) of the property). If more than one (1) entity is involved, the payment shall be made in the percentage of liability as allocated by the trier of fact in the inverse condemnation action. If any county, municipality, or political subdivision of the state whose actions constitute inverse condemnation as defined in this chapter are unable to pay the costs awarded, then the action causing the inverse condemnation shall be rescinded within sixty (60) days after the judgment of the court.
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-27-1 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 13 / Section 27-1
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-27-1
Status: in_force

This chapter is to be known as the “Coastal Wetlands Protection Act” and may also be cited by its common or popular name of “Wetlands Act.”
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-23-5 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 11 / Section 23-5
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-23-5
Status: in_force

(1) No outdoor advertising shall be erected or maintained within six hundred sixty (660) feet of the nearest edge of the right-of-way and visible from the main-traveled way of a state controlled route, except the following:

(a) Directional and other official signs and notices, which signs and notices shall include, but not be limited to, signs and notices pertaining to natural wonders, scenic and historic attractions, as authorized or required by law;

(b) Signs, displays and devices advertising the sale or lease of property upon which they are located;

(c) Signs, displays and devices advertising the principal activities conducted on the property upon which they are located;

(d) Outdoor advertising signs, displays and devices located in areas which are zoned industrial or commercial as defined in Section 49-23-3 ;

(e) Outdoor advertising signs, displays and devices located in unzoned commercial or industrial areas as defined in Section 49-23-3 ; and

(f) Signs, displays and devices which locate, identify, mark or warn of the presence of pipelines, utility lines or rail lines and appurtenances thereto, including, but not limited to, markers used in maintenance, operation, observation and safety.

(2) No outdoor advertising shall be erected at or beyond six hundred sixty (660) feet of the nearest edge of the right-of-way outside of urban areas, with the purpose of their message being read from the main-traveled ways of state controlled routes, except the following:

(a) Directional and other official signs and notices, which signs and notices shall include, but not be limited to, signs and notices, pertaining to natural wonders, scenic and historic attractions, as authorized or required by law;

(b) Signs, displays and devices advertising the sale or lease of property upon which they are located;

(c) Signs, displays and devices advertising the principal activities conducted on the property upon which they are located.

(3) Signs lawfully in existence on October 22, 1965, as determined by the commission, subject to the concurrence of the United States Secretary of Transportation, to be landmark signs of historic or artistic significance, including signs on farm structures or natural surfaces, the preservation of which would be consistent with the purposes of this section, are not required to be removed.

(4) No outdoor advertising shall be erected along or adjacent to a scenic byway as defined in Section 49-23-3 .

(5) No outdoor advertising shall be erected contrary to the restrictions in SECTION 7 of Section 65-3-137 .

(6) The board of supervisors of the county, for an outdoor advertising sign that is located outside the corporate limits of any incorporated municipality, and the governing authorities of a municipality, for an outdoor advertising sign that is located within the corporate limits of the municipality, may prohibit any outdoor advertising sign that contains any message or depiction of a sexually explicit nature.
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-27-17 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 26 / Section 27-17
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-27-17
Status: in_force

The following parties shall be notified of a hearing by the commission by mail prior to the date set for the hearing, but a failure to meet this requirement shall not invalidate any permit granted thereafter:

(a) All of those parties who are entitled to receive a copy of such application in accordance with Section 47-27-13 1 of this chapter; and

(b) All known present owners of record of adjacent land as reflected by current tax assessment rolls and all known claimants to water or riparian rights in or adjacent to the coastal wetlands affected.
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-17-87 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 6 / Section 17-87
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-17-87
Status: in_force

(1) A political subdivision which receives a loan from the revolving fund or emergency fund is required to and authorized to pledge for the repayment of such loan (a) any part of the sales tax reimbursement to which it may be entitled under Section 27-65-75 , and (b) any part of the homestead exemption annual tax loss reimbursement to which it may be entitled under Section 27-33-77 , to meet a repayment schedule set forth in a loan agreement. The loan agreement shall provide for (i) monthly payments, (ii) semiannual payments or (iii) other periodic payments, the annual total of which shall not exceed the annual total for any other year of the loan by more than fifteen percent (15%). The loan agreement shall provide for the repayment of all funds received from the revolving fund within the maximum time allowed by federal law after project completion and repayment of all funds received from the emergency fund within not more than ten (10) years from the date of project completion. The Department of Revenue shall pay to the revolving fund or emergency fund monthly, or as often as is practicable, from the amount, which would otherwise be remitted to a political subdivision from its sales tax reimbursement or homestead exemption annual tax loss reimbursement, the amounts set forth in such loan agreement.

(2) Before any political subdivision shall receive any loan from the revolving fund or the emergency fund, it shall have executed with the Department of Revenue and the commission a loan agreement evidencing that loan. The loan agreement hereinabove provided for shall not be construed to prohibit any recipient from prepaying any part or all of the funds received.

(3) As determined by the commission, any political subdivision desiring to construct a project approved by the department and which receives a loan from the state for that purpose may be required to pledge as security for the repayment of that loan, all or any part of the revenues of any project constructed, improved, repaired, replaced, purchased or refinanced with the proceeds of such loan. Whenever any project is a part of a system or combined system, then all or any portion of the revenues of that system or combined system may be pledged to secure repayment of a loan as determined by the commission.

The loan agreement shall provide for periodic payments, the annual total of which shall not exceed the annual total for any other year of the loan by more than fifteen percent (15%). The repayment schedule shall provide for the repayment of all funds received from the revolving fund within the maximum time allowed by federal law after project completion and repayment of all funds received from the emergency fund within not more than ten (10) years from the date of project completion. Payments under the loan agreement shall be made prior to the payments of principal or interest on any bonds issued by the political subdivision in connection with the project or projects to which loans from the revolving fund or emergency fund are made.

The State Auditor, upon the request of the commission, shall audit the receipts and expenditures of each district whose monthly payments are to be received by the department, and if the State Auditor should find the political subdivision in arrears, the Auditor shall immediately begin withholding from funds due the taxing district in which the political subdivision is located, under Section 27-33-41 , an amount equal to the payment due plus accrued interest, late charges and expenses incurred in the audit and issue a warrant for that amount to the revolving fund or emergency fund as directed below.

The loan agreement hereinabove provided for shall not be construed to prohibit any recipient from prepaying any part or all of the funds received.

(4) Loans or any bonds or other evidences of indebtedness which are incurred or issued either pursuant to this chapter or Section 31-25-1 et seq. , in relation to this chapter, or pursuant to any other law as evidence of any loan made or indebtedness incurred pursuant to this chapter, shall not be deemed indebtedness within the meaning specified in Section 21-33-303 , with regard to cities or incorporated towns, in Section 19-9-5 , with regard to counties, and in any other state law establishing a similar indebtedness limitation with regard to political subdivisions other than cities, incorporated towns and counties.
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-35-27 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 5 / Section 35-27
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-35-27
Status: in_force

(1) Before January 1 of each year, the department shall report to the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Chairman of the Senate Environmental Protection, Conservation and Water Resources Committee and the Chairman of the House Conservation and Water Resources Committee on the status of the implementation of the Mississippi Brownfields Voluntary Cleanup and Redevelopment Program. The report shall include a list of all brownfield parties and brownfield agreement sites participating in the program, a map showing the location of sites, a brief description of the brownfield agreement for each site, including the location of the site, the agreement implementation status of each site and to the extent practicable, information on the redevelopment or reuse of each site. The report annually shall highlight those sites included in the program since the last annual report. If determined more practicable, the department may include the contents of this report in its annual report.

(2) Before January 1, 1999, the department shall conduct a survey of incentive programs in other states for cleanup of contaminated sites. Based on the survey, the department shall make recommendations regarding programs which it believes would be beneficial to encourage the cleanup of uncontrolled sites in this state. The department shall include the results of its survey and its recommendations in the report required under subsection (1) of this section.
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-17-105 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 9 / Section 17-105
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-17-105
Status: in_force

All bonds issued by a municipality under authority of Sections 49-17-101 through 49-17-123 shall be limited obligations of such municipality. The principal, interest and redemption premium, if any, shall be payable solely out of the moneys to be derived by the municipality pursuant to the agreements specified in subsections (d) and (e) of Section 49-17-103 . Bonds and interest coupons issued under authority of Sections 49-17-101 through 49-17-123 shall never constitute an indebtedness of such municipality within the meaning of any state constitutional provision or statutory limitation and shall never constitute nor give rise to a pecuniary liability of the municipality, or a charge against its general credit or taxing powers, and such fact shall be plainly stated on the face of each bond. Such bonds may be executed and delivered at any time as a single issue or from time to time as several issues, may be in such form and denominations, may be of such tenor, may be in registered or bearer form either as to principal or interest or both, may be payable in such installments and at such time or times not exceeding forty (40) years from their date, may be subject to such terms of redemption, may be payable at such place or places, may bear interest at such rate or rates as the governing board and the industry shall agree upon, provided that the bonds of any issue shall not bear a greater overall maximum interest rate to maturity than that allowed in Section 75-17-103 ; and may contain such other provisions not inconsistent herewith, as the municipality may determine, all of which shall be provided in the proceedings authorizing the bonds. Any bonds issued under the authority of Sections 49-17-101 through 49-17-123 may be sold at public or private sale at such price and in such manner and from time to time as may be determined by the governing board to be most advantageous, and the governing board may pay, as a part of the cost of acquiring any pollution control facility, and out of the bond proceeds, all expenses, premiums and commissions with the authorization, sale and issuance thereof. All bonds issued under the authority of Sections 49-17-101 through 49-17-123 , except registered bonds which are registered otherwise than to bearer, and all interest coupons appurtenant thereto shall be construed to be negotiable instruments, despite the fact that they are payable solely from a specified source. The proceedings authorizing the issuance of bonds may provide for the issuance, in the future, of further bonds on a parity with those initially issued.

Bonds issued hereunder shall be validated in the chancery court in which the municipality is located.
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-15-30 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 4 / Section 15-30
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-15-30
Status: in_force

(1) The department may promulgate rules and regulations for nonresident permits in order to promote reciprocal agreements with other states.

(2) Except as otherwise provided in Section 49-15-46 , the department shall provide that residents of other states bordering on the Gulf of Mexico who are applicants for a commercial fishing license of any type as provided for in this chapter shall pay the same fee or fees that a resident of this state pays in this state for that license if the respective applicant's domicile state does not charge a greater fee or fees for a Mississippi resident than for a resident of any other state to engage in a like activity in the other state. If the applicant's domicile state does charge a greater fee or fees for residents of Mississippi than for a resident of the applicant's domicile state, then that applicant shall pay the same fee or fees that the applicant's domicile state charges residents of Mississippi.

(3) The department shall require a nonresident to purchase the same type and number of licenses and pay the same fees that are required of Mississippi residents to engage in like activity in the nonresident's state.

(4)(a) If an applicant applies for a nonresident commercial fishing license to engage in a certain activity and the applicant's state does not issue a nonresident commercial fishing license for that activity, then the department shall not issue such license to the applicant.

(b) If the applicant's domicile state has additional mandatory licensing requirements, the applicant must meet those requirements before receiving a nonresident commercial fishing license.

(5) Any nonresident who engages in the commercial taking of seafood within the territorial waters of Mississippi without having the required nonresident commercial license is guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be fined Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00) and shall forfeit any equipment, gear or nets used in the offense.
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-28-35 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 23 / Section 28-35
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-28-35
Status: in_force

The resolution declaring the intent of the board of commissioners to proceed with the special improvement projects of the district may direct that all of the expenses of the property, structures or facilities of the district, or the part of the expenses that the board of commissioners shall charge upon the property in the district shall be assessed according to the frontage rule or area rule, as outlined in this section. Bonds may be issued for one or more projects, and the area and method of assessment for each project shall be specified in the resolution declaring the intent of the board of commissioners of the district to proceed with that project. The resolution declaring the intent of the board of commissioners to proceed with any special improvement shall:

(a) Define the properties in the area to be benefited by each improvement, with each improvement being designated as a project;

(b) Fix the amount or percentage of the charge to be levied upon the property benefited;

(c) Designate the minimum and maximum number of years between the date of issuance of the bonds and the maturity of those bonds;

(d) Delineate the method of determining the amount of special assessments to be levied on each lot or parcel of land in the benefited area; and

(e) Designate the minimum and maximum number of equal approximately equal annual installments that the board of commissioners may later allow for the payment of assessments with interest on those assessments.

If the board of commissioners determines that the front foot rule is the most equitable method of distributing the cost among the properties, then the resolution shall direct that the cost to be assessed against each lot or parcel of land shall be determined by dividing the entire cost to be assessed by the total number of front feet of real property abutting upon the shoreline on which the project is located and which will be subject to the special assessment, and multiplying the quotient by the total number of front feet in any particular lot or parcel of land fronting in the beach on which the project is located. The result of this formula shall be assessed against each lot or parcel of land for the owner's part of the cost of the entire improvement to be paid through special assessments.

If the board of commissioners determines that the area rule is the most equitable method of distributing the cost among the properties, then the resolution shall direct that the cost to be assessed against each lot or parcel of land shall be determined by dividing the entire cost to be assessed by the total number of acres or square feet in the area being benefited and that is subject to the special assessment, and multiplying the quotient by the total number of acres or square feet in any particular lot or parcel of land. The result of this formula shall be assessed against each lot or parcel of land for the owner's part of the cost of the entire improvement to be paid through special assessments.
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-11-13 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 7 / Section 11-13
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-11-13
Status: in_force

The season for shooting preserves shall be for a period of seven (7) months beginning October 1 and ending April 30, except as further restricted by the operator.
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-6-1 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 5 / Section 6-1
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-6-1
Status: in_force

For the purposes of this chapter, the following words are defined as follows:

(a) “Commission” means the Mississippi Commission on Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks.

(b) “Department” means the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks.

(c) “Executive director” means the chief officer of the department.

(d) “Motor vehicle” means passenger automobiles, trucks, heavy trucks, tractors, graders, other heavy motor-driven equipment, and all-terrain vehicles.
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-17-751 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 3 / Section 17-751
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-17-751
Status: in_force

(1) Notwithstanding the provisions of Sections 77-3-21 and 77-3-23, Mississippi Code of 1972 , the certificate of public convenience and necessity held by any municipality, public agency, district, public utility or other person authorized by law to provide water, sewer and wastewater services may be cancelled and its powers, duties and responsibilities transferred to the county authority in the manner provided by this section.

(2) Any entity described in subsection (1) of this section desiring to have its certificate of public convenience and necessity cancelled and its powers, duties and responsibilities transferred to the county authority shall make a determination to that effect on its official minutes if a public entity, or by affidavit if not a public entity, and transmit such determination to the county authority.

(3) Upon receipt of the document evidencing such determination from an entity to transfer its powers, duties and responsibilities to the county authority, the county authority shall, by resolution, declare whether it is willing and able to accept such transfer from the entity.

(4) Upon completion of the requirements of subsections (2) and (3) herein and agreement by both parties to the transfer, the holder of the certificate of public convenience and necessity and the county authority shall jointly petition the Public Service Commission to cancel the certificate of public convenience and necessity. The petition must be accompanied by copies of the official minutes, affidavit or resolution, as the case may be, reflecting the actions of the petitioners. After review of the petition and any other evidence as the Public Service Commission deems necessary, the commission may issue an order canceling the certificate and transferring to the county authority the powers, duties and responsibilities granted by the certificate, including all assets and debts of the transferor petitioner related to such certificated services, real or personal, or both, if it finds that:

(a) Subsections (2) and (3) of this section have been complied with; and

(b) Such action is in the public interest.

(5) The county authority and providers of water, sewer, wastewater and storm water services that are not holders of a certificate of a public convenience and necessity from the Public Service Commission may enter into agreements for the provision of such services, including, but not limited to, the transfer to the county authority of such provider's powers, duties, responsibilities, assets and debts.
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-27-11 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 19 / Section 27-11
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-27-11
Status: in_force

(1) A complete application shall include the following:

(a) The name and address of the applicant;

(b) The names and addresses of the present owners of record of adjacent land, as determined by current tax assessment rolls and of known claimants of riparian or water rights in or immediately adjacent to the coastal wetland, or a certification that after diligent search and inquiry the names and addresses could not be found;

(c) A detailed description of the proposed activity and a map, drawn to an appropriate and uniform scale showing by section, township and range, or by latitudinal and longitudinal coordinator, the location and area of the coastal wetlands to be affected, indicating the location and area of existing and proposed fill, excavation or other regulated activities; showing the location, width, depth and length of any proposed channel and dredge spoil disposal site; showing all existing and proposed structures, sewage collection and treatment facilities, utility installations, roadways and related appurtenances or facilities, including those on adjacent uplands; describing the type of equipment to be used and the means of equipment access to the activity site;

(d) An estimate of the cost of the activity;

(e) The primary and secondary purposes of the project, including contemplated future projects;

(f) A description of any public benefit to be derived from the proposed project dependent upon the proposed activity;

(g) A complete description of measures to be taken to reduce detrimental off-site effects to the coastal wetlands during and after the proposed activity;

(h) The completion date of the proposed activity and of the project dependent upon the activity;

(i) An appropriate written report or statement of the environmental impact of the proposed regulated activity and of the final project dependent on it upon the affected coastal wetlands and the life dependent upon them, provided that an environmental impact statement treating the same activity in the same area and supplied to another federal or state agency for considering a permit shall satisfy this requirement if submitted by the applicant; and

(j) A certification that a permit from the Mississippi Commission on Environmental Quality has been applied for or that such permit is not required; that a permit from the United States Corps of Engineers has been applied for or that such permit is not required; that permits or other certificates of compliance with applicable municipal or county building codes and zoning ordinances have been applied for or are not required.

(2) If the applicant alters or amends the information provided in compliance with paragraph (c) of subsection (1) of this section, the review periods provided for in Sections 49-27-15 and 49-27-37 shall begin on the date that the new information is provided to the department. The date of receipt for a completed application begins on the date of the last amendment made in accordance to paragraph (c) of subsection (1) of this section.

(3) Any person filing an application to dredge an existing channel for navigational purposes shall complete an application for such activities in accordance with application procedures required in this section.
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-17-703 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 17 / Section 17-703
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-17-703
Status: in_force

In the spirit of the report of the Governor's Commission on Recovery, Rebuilding and Renewal, the Legislature finds that there is a need for consolidation of water, wastewater and storm water services in order to reduce costs, promote resilience in the event of a disaster, improve the quality of the natural environment, and improve the planning and delivery of quality water, wastewater and storm water services within the areas of the Counties of George, Hancock, Harrison, Jackson, Pearl River and Stone. It is further declared that there is the need for the planning, acquisition, construction, maintenance, operation and coordination of water, wastewater and storm water services in order to ensure protection of the waters of the state and to ensure the delivery of water, wastewater and storm water services to citizens of the Gulf Coast Region. The creation of the Mississippi Gulf Coast Region Utility Act is determined to be necessary and essential to the accomplishment of these purposes. To facilitate the purposes of the act, the Gulf Coast Region Utility Board, the George County Utility Authority, the Hancock County Utility Authority, the Harrison County Utility Authority, the Jackson County Utility Authority, the Pearl River County Utility Authority and the Stone County Utility Authority are created herein.
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-26-1 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 4 / Section 26-1
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-26-1
Status: in_force

This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the “Channel Maintenance Act.”
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-11-23 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 6 / Section 11-23
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-11-23
Status: in_force

The operator shall furnish and issue a consecutively numbered certificate to any hunter or person leaving with harvested game. The certificate shall bear the license number and name of the shooting preserve or commercial wildlife enclosure or its licensed operator. The certificate shall contain the person's name, address, date of issuance and number and species of harvested game in possession. The certificate must remain with the harvested game until the game is prepared for consumption.
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-31-21 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 18 / Section 31-21
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-31-21
Status: in_force

(1) The department shall require waste minimization plans to be provided by each generator of hazardous waste who is regulated as a large quantity generator or a small quantity generator under Mississippi hazardous waste management regulations and each facility operator required to file a report under Section 313 of EPCRA. The generators and facility operators shall provide a plan for each site where waste is generated or chemicals are released.

(2) Waste minimization plans for large quantity generators and for facility operators required to file a report under Section 313 of EPCRA, shall include, at a minimum:

(a) A written policy describing ownership and management support for pollution prevention and waste minimization and implementation of the plan;

(b) The scope and objectives of the plan, including the evaluation of technologies, procedures and personnel training programs to ensure waste minimization;

(c) An explanation and documentation of waste minimization efforts completed or in progress before the first reporting date;

(d) An analysis of waste streams, and identification of opportunities to eliminate waste generation. The analysis shall include review of individual processes and facilities and other activities where wastes may be generated, evaluation of data on the types, amounts and hazardous and toxic constituents of waste generated, and potential waste minimization techniques applicable to those wastes;

(e) An identification of waste management costs;

(f) An identification of employee awareness and training programs to involve employees in waste minimization planning and implementation to the maximum extent feasible;

(g) The establishment of performance goals for the minimization of wastes which shall be expressed in numeric terms, to the extent practicable.

(3) The department shall develop appropriate, but less stringent, requirements for waste minimization plans to be prepared by small quantity generators.

(4) All generators and facility operators required to prepare a waste minimization plan shall update annually their waste minimization plan. The annual update shall include at a minimum:

(a) An analysis and quantification of progress made, if any, in waste minimization, relative to each performance goal established under subsection (2)(g) of this section; and

(b) Any amendments to the waste minimization plan and an explanation of the need for the amendments.

(5) For purposes of this section, a generator or facility operator shall permit the department or its designee to review the waste minimization plan.

(6) From the waste minimization plan and each annual update, the generator or facility operator shall submit to the department a certified report of the types and quantities of wastes generated, and the types and quantities of wastes minimized. To the extent practicable, the department shall coordinate the submission of this certified report with other reporting requirements placed on large quantity and small quantity hazardous waste generators and facility operators.

(7) The certified report shall include a narrative summary explaining the waste generation and minimization data, a description of goals and progress made in minimizing the generation of wastes, and a description of any impediments to the minimization of wastes.
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-17-729 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 17 / Section 17-729
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-17-729
Status: in_force

(1) All powers of the Harrison County Utility Authority shall be exercised by a consolidated board consisting of the Board of Directors of the Harrison County Wastewater and Solid Waste Management District and the additional director provided under this section for a total of seven (7) directors. Upon consolidation, the Board of Supervisors of Harrison County shall appoint one (1) additional director who shall be a resident of the unincorporated area from the county. The director shall serve at the will and pleasure of the board of supervisors. The consolidated board shall consist of the mayor of each city participating in the authority and the directors appointed by the board of supervisors. Each director may appoint a delegate to represent him at a meeting of the board.

(2) All business of the Harrison County Utility Authority shall be transacted as provided in Section 49-17-741 , except that all actions affecting rates, bonds or capital improvements must be by unanimous vote of all members of the board.

(3) In addition to any other powers and rights conferred upon such board of directors, the board is granted and may exercise all powers and rights granted pursuant to Sections 49-17-739 through 49-17-773 to promote the health, welfare and prosperity of the general public, including the power and right to regulate and control solid waste within its jurisdictional boundaries.
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-35-33 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 15 / Section 35-33
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-35-33
Status: in_force

The Legislature finds:

(a) There are properties in Mississippi, often referred to as “brownfields,” that were contaminated or were perceived to have been contaminated by past activities, but are attractive locations for redevelopment.

(b) The safe development or redevelopment of brownfields would benefit the citizens of Mississippi in many ways, including improving the tax base of local governments and creating job opportunities for citizens in the vicinity of brownfields.

(c) Owners and prospective developers and redevelopers of brownfields, local governments in which brownfields are located and federal and state government agencies should be encouraged to provide capital and labor to improve brownfields so that the property can be determined to be safe or made safe for appropriate future use.

(d) The reduction of public health and environmental hazards on existing brownfield sites is essential to creating a better quality of life for the citizens of this state.

(e) Section 49-35-27, Mississippi Code of 1972 , requires the Department of Environmental Quality to conduct a survey of incentive programs in other states for cleanup of contaminated sites by January 1, 1999. The department has conducted its survey and filed its report showing incentives provided in other states.
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-15-64 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 6 / Section 15-64
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-15-64
Status: in_force

Any operator, firm or corporation engaged in commercial shrimping during the closed season shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, shall be punished by a fine of not less than Two Thousand Dollars ($2,000.00) nor more than Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00).

Upon an arrest for a violation of this section, catch and nets may be confiscated. Any catch may be sold by the law enforcement agency making the arrest at the average wholesale price being paid for shrimp. The monies derived from the sale shall be held in escrow pending disposition of the charge. If a conviction is obtained, the monies held in escrow shall be forfeited. The monies so forfeited shall be paid to the department, to be paid into the seafood fund. If the operator, firm or corporation is acquitted of the charge or if the charge is dismissed, then the monies obtained from the sale shall be paid to the proper operator, firm or corporation. Forfeiture of confiscated nets and paraphernalia shall be instituted under Sections 49-7-251 through 49-7-257 . If the person in possession of or using the nets in the violation is not the owner or licensee of the nets, the department shall notify the owner or licensee of the nets. The nets shall be subject to forfeiture unless the nets were stolen and prosecution for the theft is initiated.

The commission may issue special permits for the purpose of catching shrimp prior to the official opening of shrimp season, to those nonprofit organizations that are tax exempt under Section 501(c) of the United States Internal Revenue Code and which have on file with the State Tax Commission a tax exemption letter issued by the United States Internal Revenue Service. However, until January 1, 1992, the requirement that a nonprofit organization have on file with the State Tax Commission a tax exemption letter issued by the United States Internal Revenue Service shall be considered as having been met if the organization has actually made application for such exemption and has on file with the State Tax Commission a copy of its application.

The commission shall promulgate rules and regulations governing the taking of shrimp by the nonprofit organization and shall issue such regulations to all organizations upon request and at the issuance of the special permit.
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-19-215 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 17 / Section 19-215
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-19-215
Status: in_force

(1) The commission shall actively and diligently encourage all eligible owners to use their own resources or to employ the resources of private vendors to implement approved practices.

(2) The commission shall not enter into active competition with eligible owners or private vendors for the on-the-ground job of implementing any approved practice as it is the intent of the Legislature to encourage private business, forest industries and the forestry community to participate in the economic development which will be provided by Sections 49-19-201 through 49-19-227 .
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-7-143 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 3 / Section 7-143
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-7-143
Status: in_force

Any person who has been convicted of a Class II violation shall be punished 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 less than sixty (60) days nor more than six (6) months, or by both such fine and imprisonment.
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-15-201 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 8 / Section 15-201
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-15-201
Status: in_force

(1) Except as otherwise provided in Section 49-15-207 , when any property is seized pursuant to Section 49-15-21 or 59-21-33, Mississippi Code of 1972 , proceedings under this section shall be instituted promptly. The seizing law enforcement agency may, in the sound exercise of discretion, decide not to bring a forfeiture action if the interests of bona fide lien holders or secured creditors equal or exceed the value of the seized property, or if other factors would produce a negative economic result. No property shall be subject to forfeiture which has been stolen from its owner if the owner can be identified and prosecution for the theft has been initiated.

(2) A petition for forfeiture shall be filed promptly in the name of the State of Mississippi, the county or the municipality and may be filed in the county in which the seizure is made, the county in which the criminal prosecution is brought or the county in which the owner of the seized property is found. Forfeiture proceedings may be brought in the circuit court or the county court if a county court exists in the county and the value of the seized property is within the jurisdictional limits of the county court as set forth in Section 9-9-21, Mississippi Code of 1972 . A copy of such petition shall be served upon the following persons by service of process in the same manner as in civil cases:

(a) The owner of the property, if address is known;

(b) Any secured party who has registered his lien or filed a financing statement as provided by law, if the identity of such secured party can be ascertained by the Department of Marine Resources or the local law enforcement agency by making a good faith effort to ascertain the identity of such secured party as described in subsections (3), (4), (5), (6) and (7) of this section;

(c) Any other bona fide lien holder or secured party or other person holding an interest in the property in the nature of a security interest of whom the Department of Marine Resources or the local law enforcement agency has actual knowledge; and

(d) Any person in possession of property subject to forfeiture at the time that it was seized.

(3) If the property is a motor vehicle susceptible of titling under the Mississippi Motor Vehicle Title Law and if there is any reasonable cause to believe that the vehicle has been titled, the Department of Marine Resources or the local law enforcement agency shall make inquiry of the State Tax Commission as to what the records of the State Tax Commission show as to who is the record owner of the vehicle and who, if anyone, holds any lien or security interest which affects the vehicle.

(4) If the property is a motor vehicle and is not titled in the State of Mississippi, then the Department of Marine Resources or the local law enforcement agency shall attempt to ascertain the name and address of the person in whose name the vehicle is licensed, and if the vehicle is licensed in a state which has in effect a certificate of title law, the Department of Marine Resources or the local law enforcement agency shall make inquiry of the appropriate agency of that state as to what the records of the agency show as to who is the record owner of the vehicle and who, if anyone, holds any lien, security interest or other instrument in the nature of a security device which affects the vehicle.

(5) If the property is of a nature that a financing statement is required by the laws of this state to be filed to perfect a security interest affecting the property and if there is any reasonable cause to believe that a financing statement covering the security interest has been filed under the laws of this state, the Department of Marine Resources or the local law enforcement agency shall make inquiry of the appropriate office designated in Section 75-9-501, Mississippi Code of 1972 , as to what the records show as to who is the record owner of the property and who, if anyone, has filed a financing statement affecting the property.

(6) If the property is an aircraft or part thereof and if there is any reasonable cause to believe that an instrument in the nature of a security device affects the property, then the Department of Marine Resources or the local law enforcement agency shall make inquiry as to what the records of the Federal Aviation Administration show as to who is the record owner of the property and who, if anyone, holds an instrument in the nature of a security device which affects the property.

(7) In the case of all other personal property subject to forfeiture, if there is any reasonable cause to believe that an instrument in the nature of a security device affects the property, then the Department of Marine Resources or the local law enforcement agency shall make a good faith inquiry to identify the holder of any such instrument.

(8) If the answer to an inquiry states that the record owner of the property is any person other than the person who was in possession of it when it was seized, or states that any person holds any lien, encumbrance, security interest, other interest in the nature of a security interest, mortgage or deed of trust which affects the property, the Department of Marine Resources or the local law enforcement agency shall cause any record owner and also any lien holder, secured party, other person who holds an interest in the property in the nature of a security interest which affects the property to be named in the petition of forfeiture and to be served with process in the same manner as in civil cases.

(9) If the owner of the property cannot be found and served with a copy of the petition of forfeiture, or if no person was in possession of the property subject to forfeiture at the time that it was seized and the owner of the property is unknown, the Department of Marine Resources or the local law enforcement agency shall file with the clerk of the court in which the proceeding is pending an affidavit to such effect, whereupon the clerk of the court shall publish notice of the hearing addressed to “the Unknown Owner of __________,” filling in the blank space with a reasonably detailed description of the property subject to forfeiture. Service by publication shall contain the other requisites prescribed in Section 11-33-41, Mississippi Code of 1972 , and shall be served as provided in Section 11-33-37, Mississippi Code of 1972 , for publication of notice for attachments at law.

(10) No proceedings instituted pursuant to the provisions of this section shall proceed to hearing unless the judge conducting the hearing is satisfied that this section has been complied with. Any answer received from an inquiry required by subsections (3) through (7) of this section shall be introduced into evidence at the hearing.
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-23-23 — MS Code / Title 49 / Chapter 5 / Section 23-23
Miss. Code Ann. § 49-23-23
Status: in_force

Nothing in Sections 49-23-1 through 49-23-29 , shall be construed to abrogate or affect the provisions of any lawful ordinance, regulation or resolution, which are more restrictive than the provisions of such sections.