Secretary of State; authorize investigative staff to carry firearms.

HB 1471 would have authorized employees of the Mississippi Secretary of State who perform investigative or regulatory functions to carry firearms while on duty. This would have applied specifically to non-sworn staff, requiring them to obtain a permit under existing state firearm carry rules. Key requirements included completing an approved weapons training course, passing background checks (including fingerprinting and FBI checks), and paying standard permit fees. The bill amended Mississippi Code Section 97-37-7 to explicitly include these Secretary of State staff in the list of authorized firearm carriers, aligning them with other permitted groups like wildlife officers and fraud investigators. The bill died in committee and was never enacted.