House Bill 555 Summary

• Clarifies that violations under the Mississippi Implied Consent Law can only be nonadjudicated under Section 63-11-30, and persons charged with such offenses are ineligible for nonadjudication under the general criminal provisions of Section 99-15-26.

• Extends the timeline from 15 days to 30 days for the Department of Public Safety to suspend a driver's license following receipt of a court abstract for DUI convictions and violations.

• Permits persons undergoing nonadjudication for first-offense DUI to choose between installing an ignition-interlock device for 120 days or accepting a 120-day driver's license suspension.

• Excludes persons convicted of driving under the influence of drugs or controlled substances from using an interlock-restricted license, requiring full suspension instead.

• Adds court jurisdiction provisions for ignition-interlock device violations and requires the Mississippi Alcohol Safety Education Program to have access to the confidential nonadjudication registry for research purposes only.