Rock Festivals

Miss. Code Ann. tit. 45, ch. 21
in effect

Miss. Code Ann. § 45-21-1 Rock festival defined.

For the purposes of this chapter, the terms “rock festival” and “such event” mean, unless the context clearly indicates a different meaning, an actual, or a reasonably foreseeable, assembly of one thousand (1,000) or more people which does or did continue, or can reasonably be expected to continue, for a period of eighteen (18) or more consecutive hours upon private property which does not contain an established place of worship and at which the principal source of entertainment is, was or will be musical in nature.

Miss. Code Ann. § 45-21-3 Permit to be obtained from sheriff.

Any individual, organization, corporation or other entity desiring to hold a rock festival in this state shall obtain, at least ten (10) or more days prior to the date upon which such event shall commence or be held, a written permit from the sheriff of the county in which such event is sought to be held. No rock festival shall be held in this state without a valid permit from the sheriff of such county.

Miss. Code Ann. § 45-21-5 Permit to be obtained from sheriff; conditions of issuance.

The sheriff of such county shall issue such written permit upon presentation by the applicant of the following: A cash bond in the amount of Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000.00) conditioned to provide security that the applicant shall assume financial responsibility for any damages to public or privately owned real or personal property, for any fine assessed for the failure to comply with the specifications and plans presented to and certified by the state board of health and with any pertinent regulations of the state board of health about which the applicant had written notice prior to certification, and for the costs of any additional law enforcement personnel or equipment reasonably expended by any political subdivision of this state, if any of these occur as a direct result of such event; A written certification by the state board of health that the written specifications and plans, proposed by the applicant, for the establishment of health and safety precautions and facilities in connection with such event for the purpose of assuring that the public health and safety will not be endangered; and Written proof of the payment of the state amusement tax as provided in Section 27-11-5, Mississippi Code of 1972.

Miss. Code Ann. § 45-21-7 Amenability to lawsuit.

Any individual, organization, corporation or other entity applying for a permit to hold a rock festival in this state shall be deemed to be doing business in this state. If such applicant is a nonresident of this state, the applying for such permit shall be deemed equivalent to the appointment by such nonresident of the Secretary of State of the State of Mississippi, or his successor or successors in office, to be the true and lawful attorney or agent of such nonresident upon whom all lawful process may be served in any action or proceeding accrued or accruing from such event. Such applicant is thereby further deemed to be subject to the laws of this state, the jurisdiction of the courts of this state and the fines, damages, penalties or other rulings and decrees of such courts regardless of whether the proceeds of the cash bond have been depleted.

Miss. Code Ann. § 45-21-9 Sheriff to obtain additional surety bond.

Upon the posting by such applicant of the cash bond pursuant to Section 45-21-5, the sheriff of such county shall secure a surety bond in the amount of Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000.00). Such surety bond shall be in addition to the official bond of such sheriff. The premium for such surety bond shall be paid by the applicant.

Miss. Code Ann. § 45-21-11 Health and safety regulations; approval of state board of health.

The state board of health is hereby directed to establish for rock festivals health and safety regulations which shall assure that the public health and safety is not endangered hereby and which shall provide for the furnishing of adequate undertakings to secure full compliance with the sanitary code and other applicable law, adequate and satisfactory water supply and sewerage facilities, adequate drainage, adequate toilet and lavatory facilities, adequate refuse storage and disposal facilities, adequate sleeping areas and facilities, wholesome food and sanitary food service, adequate medical facilities, insect and noxious weed control, adequate fire protection and such other matters as may be appropriate for security of life or health. The state board of health is hereby authorized and empowered to approve and certify in writing the written specifications and plans proposed by any individual, organization, corporation or other entity desiring to hold a rock festival in this state. Such specifications and plans shall be submitted to the state board of health at least eighteen (18) days prior to the commencement of such event and shall conform to the health and safety regulations promulgated pursuant to this section. The state board of health shall grant such certification or deny such certification, with reasons for such denial, within eight (8) days of the submission of such specifications and plans. Such specifications and plans may be altered, with the approval of the state board of health, to conform with the health and safety regulations promulgated pursuant to this section. In the review of the specifications and plans proposed by any individual, organization, corporation or other entity desiring to hold a rock festival in this state, the state board of health may require such specific written specifications, plans and reports as are necessary for reasonable and proper review and determination in the light of the various factors therein involved, including but not limited to the probable number of people that will be in attendance at such event. The state board of health shall specify in the certification the number of tickets which may be sold or distributed within seventy-two (72) hours of the commencement of such event. Such specifications and plans may contain reasonable alternative requirements based upon different numbers of tickets having been sold and distributed.

Miss. Code Ann. § 45-21-13 Restriction as to sale of tickets.

In order that the state board of health may establish criteria for implementing the pertinent health and safety regulations and that certification may be granted with a sufficient degree of certainty as to the probable number of people that will be in attendance at such event, no tickets of admission thereto shall be distributed or sold seventy-two (72) hours prior to the commencement of such event; provided, however, that tickets of admission may be distributed or sold within such seventy-two-hour period as specifically established by the state board of health in the certification or as approved, in writing, by the local board of health, if such additional sale or distribution of tickets can be permitted within the pertinent health and safety regulations promulgated pursuant to Section 45-21-11.

Miss. Code Ann. § 45-21-15 Inspection of site; notification of noncompliance.

The county board of health of the county in which such event is to be held shall inspect, within seventy-two (72) and at a time no later than forty-eight (48) hours before the commencement of such event, the location or site of such event to determine whether the holder of the permit has complied with the specifications and plans certified by the state board of health. After notifying the holder of such permit of the specific items with which substantial compliance does not exist and if the holder of such permit fails to comply within twenty-four (24) hours with those items specified in the inspection as not in substantial compliance with the specifications and plans certified by the state board of health, such county board of health shall notify the sheriff of such county of the lack of substantial compliance.

Miss. Code Ann. § 45-21-17 Revocation of permit.

Upon notification by the county board of health that the holder of a permit for such event has not substantially complied, within twenty-four (24) hours of the commencement of such event with the specifications and plans certified by the state board of health or any pertinent regulation of the state board of health about which the holder of the permit had written notice prior to such certification, the sheriff of such county shall thereupon revoke such permit.

Miss. Code Ann. § 45-21-19 Penalties.

Any individual, organization, corporation or other entity, holding or sponsoring a rock festival in this state without having obtained a written permit for such event from the sheriff of the county in which such event is held, shall be subject to a fine of no more than Twenty Thousand Dollars ($20,000.00). This subsection shall not apply to a holder of a permit which has been revoked by the sheriff upon notification by the county board of health of such county of the lack of substantial compliance with the specifications and plans certified by the state board of health. Any individual, organization, corporation or other entity, holding or sponsoring a rock festival in this state with a permit which has been revoked by the sheriff upon notification by the county board of health of such county of the lack of compliance with the specifications and plans certified by the state board of health, shall be subject to a fine of no more than Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000.00). In addition to the penalties authorized in subsections (1) and (2) of this section, any individual, organization, corporation or entity holding or sponsoring a rock festival in this state in violation of the certification of the state board of health or any pertinent regulation of the state board of health about which the applicant had written notice prior to such certification, shall be subject to a fine of not more than One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00) for each violation thereof.

Miss. Code Ann. § 45-21-21 Recovery or other disposition of bond.

If no court action or proceeding has been instituted against the holder of such permit to recover property damage incurred as a direct result of such event, if no fine assessed against the holder of such permit for failure to substantially comply with the specifications and plans certified by the state board of health or any pertinent regulation of the state board of health about which the holder of the permit had written notice prior to such certification remains unpaid and if no additional law enforcement expense remains unpaid, then sixty (60) days after the conclusion of such event the sheriff shall return the full amount of the cash bond to the party posting it thereof. If a court action or proceeding has been instituted against the holder of such permit, then the sheriff shall place such cash bond with such court where such action or proceeding has been instituted to be placed in escrow. If no such court action or proceeding has been instituted but a fine assessed against the holder of such permit for failure to comply with the health and safety regulations remains unpaid, or if any additional law enforcement expense remains unpaid, then the sheriff shall reimburse the political subdivision reasonably incurring such legitimate additional law enforcement expenses, the sheriff shall forward to the court assessing such fine portions of the cash bond to meet such obligations and the sheriff shall forward the remainder of such cash bond returned to the party posting. If the cash bond is insufficient to meet such obligations, then the cash bond shall be apportioned equally among such court and such political subdivision.

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