2-5-02 - HB99 died in committee.

1/14/02-When Mississippi's legislature convened its 2002 session on Jan. 8, lawmakers wasted no time jumping back on the radar bandwagon. The House of Representatives is considering two bills to allow county law enforcement to use radar in counties with large populations.

Currently, Mississippi restricts the purchase and use of radar speed detection equipment to the Mississippi Highway Safety Patrol and certain municipal law enforcement agencies in cities with more than 2,000 people or college and university campuses with more than 2,000 students enrolled.

Now sheriff's offices in Mississippi's larger counties are demanding radar for use on rural highways. HB99, proposed by Rep. Roger Ishee (R-Harrison County), would allow the sheriff and his deputies in any county having a population of 60,000 or more to use radar on public streets, roads and highways of the county lying outside the limits of any incorporated city. Rep. Tom Cameron (I-Washington), Issaque and Sharkey counties, proposed a similar bill (HB308) for counties with a population of more than 50,000. If passed, either bill could take effect July 1, 2002.

Last year, lawmakers failed to pass a radar bill that would have allowed radar in counties with populations of 42,000 or more. For information about these bills, contact the House of Representatives general information office at (601) 359-3358, or visit www.ls.state.ms.us/.

7/01/2001 -- Mississippi's motor carrier fuel tax laws have been changed to conform to the International Fuel Tax Agreement (IFTA) after the governor signed HB757. The bill easily passed the legislature back in February and was signed by the governor March 5. Under the new law, the length of time drivers must keep records increased from three years to four years. The legislative session ended April 1.

2/12/01 - Both of Rep. Henry Zuber's bills died in late January in committee. Zuber introduced HB219 that would lower truck speed limits by 5 mph on highways with currently posted limits of 65 and 70 mph. Zuber also wanted trucks restricted to the right lane on multi-lane highways (HB917).