MS HB508

Establishes a $5.00 electronic citation fee charged to defendants upon plea of guilty, judgment of guilty, or grant of supervision for traffic, misdemeanor, municipal ordinance, or conservation citations filed electronically.

Allocates fee revenue with 60% deposited into a Court Clerk Electronic Citation Fund established by each clerk within 60 days and 40% disbursed to the arresting agency to defray electronic citation establishment and maintenance expenses.

Allows boards of supervisors or municipal governing authorities to opt out of the fee through ordinance; any collected fees prior to opt-out ordinance take effect are disbursed to the Department of Public Safety.

Amends Mississippi Code Section 63-9-21 to permit law enforcement officers to file traffic tickets and misdemeanor affidavits electronically while maintaining substantive compliance with uniform ticket requirements and providing defendants paper copies.

Takes effect July 1, 2017.