AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 63-3-519, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO AUTHORIZE THE SHERIFF AND HIS DEPUTIES IN ANY COUNTY TO USE RADAR SPEED DETECTION EQUIPMENT UNITS UPON THE PUBLIC STREETS, ROADS AND HIGHWAYS OF THE COUNTY LYING OUTSIDE OF THE LIMITS OF ANY MUNICIPALITY, VILLAGE OR HAMLET; TO PRIORITIZE USAGE IN CERTAIN AREAS; TO LIMIT THE NUMBER OF RADAR SPEED DETECTION EQUIPMENT UNITS IN A COUNTY BASED ON POPULATION; TO DEFINE AND PROHIBIT SPEED TRAPS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
SB 2616 amends Mississippi’s radar-speed-enforcement statute to expand who may use radar speed detection equipment. In addition to existing authority for the Mississippi Highway Safety Patrol and certain municipal and campus police, the bill would allow sheriffs and sheriff’s deputies in any county to use radar on county-maintained public roads, streets, and highways located at least 1,000 feet outside the limits of a municipality, village, or hamlet. The bill directs sheriffs to prioritize enforcement in areas with documented speed-related crashes or fatalities, in school zones, or where adjacent property owners have complained about speeding.
The bill also caps the number of radar units a county may use under this new authority based on population, ranging from one unit in counties under 30,000 residents to five units in counties over 75,000 residents. It further defines and prohibits “speed traps,” while carving out exceptions for posted school zones and certain local residential streets or roads. The measure would take effect July 1, 2026, and the section would be known as “Ayden’s Law.”
This bill would amend Section 63-3-519 of the Mississippi Code, broadening radar enforcement authority beyond municipalities and the Highway Safety Patrol to include county sheriffs on qualifying county roads outside municipal boundaries. It would also add statutory limits on the number of radar units by county population, establish enforcement-priority criteria, and create a formal definition of prohibited speed traps with exceptions for school zones and certain local roads. The bill would affect sheriffs, deputies, municipal law enforcement, motorists on county roads, and local governments responsible for speed-limit setting and traffic enforcement.
Based on the bill text and caption, the measure appears to be framed as a public-safety bill focused on speed enforcement and crash reduction, with a sympathetic naming convention (“Ayden’s Law”) suggesting a response to a specific incident or concern. No committee transcripts or recorded votes were provided, so there is no documented debate to indicate broader support or opposition. The structure of the bill suggests an effort to balance expanded enforcement authority with limits and anti-abuse safeguards, which may appeal to both safety advocates and those concerned about over-enforcement.
The main points of contention are likely to be the expansion of radar enforcement authority to sheriffs in unincorporated areas, the potential for increased traffic citations, and the definition of what constitutes a prohibited speed trap. Supporters would likely emphasize crash prevention, school-zone safety, and local responsiveness to speeding complaints, while critics may argue that the bill could encourage revenue-driven enforcement or inconsistent local practices. The population-based cap on radar units and the speed-trap restrictions appear designed to address those concerns by limiting deployment and preventing abusive enforcement tactics.