Legislative Alert

TO:  Manufacturers, Distributors, Mississippi Installers

FROM:  Ben Ford, Legislative Committee Chairman

DATE:  January 29, 2004  

SUBJECT:   Mississippi Legislation HB 164                                                                              

Representative Woods has introduced HB 164, and it has been referred to the Transportation Committee. This bill           is similar to one that was introduced last year and was defeated.

This amendment:

(1)   Makes it illegal, effective July 1, 2005, for any person to drive a motor vehicle that is registered in       Mississippi with any window darkened or tinted unless each window has a label certifying that the         window:

o       Has a luminous reflectance not exceeding 20%

o       Has a light transmittance of 35% or more

(2)   Effective July 1, 2005, the Department of Public Safety shall issue labels to official motor vehicle           inspection stations to be affixed to each  window with tint applied certifying the film meets the        requirements.

(3)   The station shall conduct tests to determine compliance.

(4)   House Bill 164 amendments delete the requirements for film to be approved by the Department of Public     Safety and for decals to be provided by the manufacturer.

(5)   In conjunction with the amendments to 63-7-59, section 63-13-11 is amended to allow the official           inspection stations to charge a fee of $5.00 for inspecting window tint.  The inspection station retains             the fee.

(6)   Previously, we have been able to defeat the Mississippi amendments.  This year we need local           participation to achieve the same results. This is not a good bill: and if it passes, I anticipate real turmoil.

ADDITIONAL CONCERNS

·        The cards used by the inspection stations to measure light transmittance are inaccurate.

·        The meters are only accurate within two percent (2%)

·        No tolerance language is included in the bill

·        The additional $5.00 fee for inspecting the film will discourage use of film

·        This law gives no indication of how to measure reflectivity

·        Every state that includes the inspection of window film in the official inspection program has numerous complaints during implementation

The Mississippi House Transportation Committee members and their telephone numbers are listed below.

The Chairman and Vice-chairman of the committee are key contacts and can advise when the bill is going to be discussed. 

Thomas L. Woods, Sponsor                                            Michael W. Janus

twoods@mail.house.state.ms.us                                    mjanus@mail.house.state.ms.us

601-359-3466                                                                      601-359-2439

601-359-3467               

Transportation Committee:                                          

William Miles, Chairman

wmiles@mail.house.state.ms.us  

601-359-2433 

Henry Zuber III, Vice-chairman

hzuber@mail.house.state.ms.us

228-875-6673

Noal Akins

nakins@mail.house.state.ms.us

662-236-2473

Erik Fleming

efleming@mail.house.state.ms.us

601-359-2418

Daniel D. Guice, Jr.

601-359-3328