Vehicles; prohibit false or secret compartments and establish criminal penalties for violations.

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To: Judiciary B
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Representative Ford (73rd)

HOUSE BILL NO. 1058

AN ACT TO PROHIBIT FALSE OR SECRET COMPARTMENTS IN VEHICLES; 1
TO ESTABLISH CRIMINAL PENALTIES FOR PERSONS OWNING OR OPERATING A 2
VEHICLE CONTAINING A FALSE OR SECRET COMPARTMENT; AND FOR RELATED 3
PURPOSES. 4
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 5
SECTION 1. (1) As used in this section, the following words 6
and phrases have the meanings ascribed in this subsection unless 7
the context clearly requires otherwise: 8
(a) "False or secret compartment" means any enclosure 9
that is integrated into or attached to a vehicle, the purpose of 10
which is to conceal, hide or prevent discovery by law enforcement 11
officers of: 12
(i) A person concealed for an unlawful purpose; 13
(ii) Controlled substances possessed in violation 14
of the Uniform Controlled Substances Law; or 15
(iii) Other contraband. 16
Examples of a false or secret compartment include, but are 17
not limited to: false, altered or modified fuel tanks; original 18
factory equipment on a vehicle which has been modified; or any 19
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compartment, space or box that is added or attached to existing 20
compartments, spaces or boxes of the vehicle. 21
(b) "Vehicle" includes, but is not limited to, cars, 22
trucks, buses, motorcycles, bicycles, aircraft, helicopters, 23
boats, ships, yachts and other vessels. 24
(2) It may be inferred that an accused person intended to 25
use a false or secret compartment if the person knowingly has a 26
false or secret compartment that: 27
(a) Is concealing a person for an unlawful purpose; 28
(b) Is concealing a controlled substance in violation 29
of the Uniform Controlled Substances Law; 30
(c) Is concealing other contraband; 31
(d) Shows evidence of the previous concealment of a 32
person for an unlawful purpose; 33
(e) Shows evidence of the previous concealment of 34
controlled substances in violation of the Uniform Controlled 35
Substances Law; or 36
(f) Shows evidence of the previous concealment of other 37
contraband. 38
(3) (a) It is unlawful for a person to knowingly own or 39
operate a vehicle containing a false or secret compartment. 40
(b) It is unlawful for a person to knowingly install, 41
create, build or fabricate a false or secret compartment in a 42
vehicle. 43
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(c) It is unlawful for a person to knowingly sell, 44
trade or otherwise dispose of a vehicle that is in violation of 45
this section. 46
(4) (a) Upon conviction of a violation of this section, a 47
person must be punished by a fine of not more than Ten Thousand 48
Dollars ($10,000.00) or by confinement in the custody of the 49
Mississippi Department of Corrections for not less than one (1) 50
nor more than two (2) years, or both. 51
(b) Upon the arrest of a person who owns or is 52
operating a vehicle that is required to display a license tag and 53
which is in violation of this section, if the vehicle is not 54
otherwise subject to forfeiture under other provisions of law, or 55
not determined to be needed to be held as evidence, the law 56
enforcement officer shall seize the license tag and registration 57
for the vehicle and shall issue a citation for violation of this 58
section and a temporary license tag for the vehicle. The 59
temporary license tag must be on a form prescribed by the 60
Department of Revenue. A temporary license tag is valid for a 61
period of thirty (30) days from the date of issuance or until the 62
owner of the vehicle provides verification that the vehicle is no 63
longer in violation of this section, whichever occurs first. The 64
vehicle must be subject to inspection by law enforcement, and if 65
it is determined that the vehicle has been repaired, the license 66
tag and registration must be returned to the owner at that time. 67
H. B. No. 1058 *HR26/R909* ~ OFFICIAL ~
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ST: Vehicles; prohibit false or secret
compartments and establish criminal penalties
for violations.
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from 68
and after July 1, 2026. 69