MS HB1359

Creates "The Mississippi Blue Lives Matter Act" to expand hate crime penalty enhancements in Mississippi Code sections 99-19-301, 99-19-305, and 99-19-307.

Adds law enforcement officers, firefighters, and emergency medical technicians to the protected class for hate crime enhancements, alongside existing protections based on race, color, ancestry, ethnicity, religion, national origin, or gender.

Defines "law enforcement officer" to include full-time and part-time officers, trainees, and federal law enforcement whose duties include arrests or custody of inmates; "firefighter" as those regularly employed by municipal or county fire departments; and "emergency medical technician" as those qualified under sections 41-59-33 and 41-59-35.

Allows courts to impose enhanced penalties up to twice the standard imprisonment term or fine (or both) when a crime is proven beyond a reasonable doubt to have been committed because of the victim's actual or perceived employment in these professions.

Takes effect July 1, 2017.