Mississippi Code 1972 (2023) › Title 41 - PUBLIC HEALTH (§§ 41-1-1 — 41-149-NEW-003) › Chapter 29 - POISONS, DRUGS AND OTHER CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES (§§ 41-29-1 — 41-29-701) › Article 3 - UNIFORM CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES LAW (§§ 41-29-101 — 41-29-191) › Section 41-29-107.1 - Bureau of narcotics public website; requisite information to be maintained on website

(1)
The Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics shall establish and maintain a public website that is searchable by case numbers created by the bureau which tracks seized property from the time of seizure to final disposition of the property. The website shall be designed in a manner that allows the information required by this section to be uploaded to the website. The website shall include the following information regarding property that is seized by a law enforcement agency pursuant to Section
41-29-153
:
(a)
The name of the law enforcement agency that seized the property;
(b)
A description of each item seized, including the approximate value of the property;
(c)
A copy of the notice of intent to forfeit as described in Section
41-29-176
or the petition for forfeiture as described in Section
41-29-177
, whichever is applicable;
(d)
A copy of any petition to contest forfeiture filed as described in Section
41-29-176
;
(e)
If a forfeiture was obtained because no petition to contest forfeiture was timely filed as provided in Section
41-29-176
, a copy of the written declaration of forfeiture as required by Section
41-29-176
;
(f)
If a forfeiture is obtained under Section
41-29-177
, a copy of any final judgment or dispositive order regarding the merits of the petition for forfeiture; and
(g)
If the forfeiture was initiated under Section
41-29-176
and a petition to contest is filed, a copy of any final order or other dispositive order regarding the forfeiture.
(2)
(a)
Except as otherwise provided in this section for the bureau, upon seizure of any property by a law enforcement agency pursuant to Section
41-29-153
, the seizing law enforcement agency shall provide the applicable information required by subsection (1) of this section to the district attorney of the county in which the property was seized within thirty (30) days of such seizure. However, if the bureau is conducting the seizure of property on behalf of a law enforcement agency, the provisions of paragraph (b) of this subsection shall apply. Within thirty (30) days of receipt of notice of intent to forfeit as described in Section
41-29-176
or the filing of a petition for forfeiture as described in Section
41-29-177
in a court of competent jurisdiction, the district attorney shall upload the information required by this section to the bureau's website. Within thirty (30) days of service of a petition to contest forfeiture as described by Section
41-29-176
, the district attorney shall upload the information required by the section to the bureau's website. Within thirty (30) days of dispositive actions regarding any seized property, the district attorney shall upload the applicable information required by subsection (1) of this section to the bureau's website. The commander of a multijurisdictional taskforce may appoint one (1) agency to report its seizures to the district attorney of the county in which the property was seized. Any law enforcement agency that fails to provide the information required by this section shall be disqualified from applying for or receiving state grants.
(b)
Upon seizure of any property by the bureau pursuant to Section
41-29-153
or pursuant to a request by a law enforcement agency for the bureau to seize property on behalf of the law enforcement agency, the bureau shall upload the information required by this subsection on its website within thirty (30) days of the seizure, or from the time of the receipt of the request from the law enforcement agency.
(3)
Failure to upload the information required by this section shall not invalidate the seizure or otherwise preclude the same.
(4)
The Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics shall adopt rules and regulations that are necessary to implement this section.
(5)
For purposes of this section, the term "law enforcement agency" includes any person or entity having seizure authority under Section
41-29-159
.
(6)
Failure to substantially comply with the provisions of this section shall disqualify the seizing law enforcement agency from applying for or receiving federal or state grants until such time as in compliance with this section.
(7)
The provisions of this section shall be required only at such time as the Legislature has appropriated funds for the bureau to create and maintain the required website. The website shall be created and functionally operational, not more than twelve (12) months from the date that sufficient funds have been appropriated for that purpose. The bureau shall provide at least thirty (30) days notice in advance of the date when the website will be operational to each district attorney in the state.
Added by Laws, 2017, ch. 329, HB 812, 1, eff. 7/1/2017.