97-27-12 - Unlawful hoaxes intended to cause belief that exposure to certain harmful substances or devices has occurred; penalties; imposition of costs for individual or governmental response to unlaw - Mississippi Statutes

§ 97-27-12. Unlawful hoaxes intended to cause belief that exposure to certain harmful substances or devices has occurred; penalties; imposition of costs for individual or governmental response to unlawful hoax.
 

(1)  It shall be unlawful for any person to commit an act intended to cause another person or persons to falsely believe that said person or persons have been exposed to a harmful biological substance, harmful biological device, harmful chemical substance, harmful chemical device, harmful radioactive material or harmful radioactive device. 

(2)  Any person convicted of subsection (1) of this section shall be guilty of a felony, and, upon conviction, shall be punished by imprisonment in the State Penitentiary for not more than five (5) years or shall be fined not more than Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000.00), or both. 

(3)  In addition to any such imprisonment and/or fine which may be imposed upon a violation of subsection (1) of this section, the court shall also order that any person convicted for such violation shall reimburse any individual or governmental agency for the expenses incurred as a result of the violation. 
 

Sources: Laws, 2002, ch. 310, § 3, eff from and after passage (approved Mar. 14, 2002.)