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2001 Mississippi Legislative
Update
Craig Pake 3L
The following is a summary of coastal, fisheries, marine, and
water resources related legislation enacted by the Mississippi
Legislature during the 2001 session.
2001 Mississippi Laws 346. (S.B. 2442)
Approved March 12, 2001 Effective March 12, 2001
Designates the portion of the Tangipahoa River from the Mississippi-Louisiana
state line to U.S. Highway 51 in Pike County, as a state scenic
stream. That portion of the Tangipahoa River is now included
in the state scenic stream stewardship program.
2001 Mississippi Laws 426. (H.B. 1427)
Approved March 13, 2001 Effective July 1, 2001
Amends § 53-9-3 to begin a state program for abandoned
mine reclamation, which is in accord with the Federal Surface
Mining Control and Reclamation Act. Under this amendment “abandoned
mine lands” are those lands and waters that are affected
by the mining of coal, sand, gravel, clay, and soil, before
August 3, 1977. The abandoned mine must be left in a condition
where there is no beneficial use, or there is no continuing
responsibility under state or federal law to clean up the area,
and the mine prevents beneficial use of the land or it is a
danger to the health and safety of the public. This amendment
gives the state government the power to take these lands over
and clean them up for the public use.
2001 Mississippi Law 466. (H.B. 862)
Approved March 3, 2001 Effective July 1, 2001
Amends § 49-15-80 to require all vessels and individuals
that are engaged in commercial gig fishing to an annual commercial
fishing license. Under the amendment all resident commercial
gig fishing vessels shall be issued an annual license for $100,
all nonresident commercial gig fishing vessels shall be issued
an annual license for $400. Every individual on a commercial
gig fishing vessel must have an individual fishing license.
The fees for the individual fishing licenses are the same as
for vessels, $100 for residents and $400 for non residents.
2001 Mississippi Laws 496. (S.B. 2659)
Approved March 3, 2001 Effective July 1, 2001
Amends § 59-21-81 for the purpose of defining all Jet Skis
as a “personal watercraft” and requiring all persons
who are on board a Jet Ski to wear a personal flotation device
approved by the United States Coast Guard. Also requires that
every vessel, 26 feet in length or less, have a personal flotation
device approved by the United States Coast Guard for every person
under the age of 12 or less and must be worn at all times while
the vessel is under way.
2001 Mississippi Laws 499. (S.B. 2851)
Approved March 3, 2001 Effective July 1, 2001
Provides for regulation and the protection of paddlefish. The
new law prohibits the fishing for paddlefish and disposal of
any parts of a paddlefish into the waters of Mississippi. Violation
of this law is considered a Class I violation.
2001 Mississippi Laws 553. (S.B. 2593)
Approved April 7, 2001 Effective April 7, 2001
Amends § 49-5-7 to conform with the Federal Migratory Bird
Treaty Act. Under this amendment no person may interfere with
a wild bird, nest, or eggs of the wild bird. However, landowners
are not prohibited from controlling certain bird species on
land under their control. This section does not authorize the
killing of any migratory bird protected under the Migratory
Bird Treaty. 2001 Mississippi Laws 560. (S.B. 2772)
Approved April 7, 2001 Effective July 1, 2001
Protects drinking water, by making discharges of hazardous waste
from the manufacture of controlled substances a felony. This
law targets the hazardous waste that is produced by the illegal
crystal methamphetamine labs. |
