27-61-27 - Reciprocal agreements.
§ 27-61-27. Reciprocal agreements.
All reciprocal agreements entered into by the commission under the provisions of Section 27-19-143, Mississippi Code of 1972, shall be based upon the terms and provisions of this chapter insofar as such reciprocal agreements relate to common carriers of property, contract carriers of property, private commercial carriers of property, and common or contract carriers of passengers not liable for the gross receipts tax under Section 27-19-7, Mississippi Code of 1972, and full compliance with the provisions of this chapter shall be a condition precedent for the obtaining of the benefits of any such reciprocal agreement by any individual carrier of the classes herein specified. The commission shall from time to time, as it deems necessary, investigate such carriers of the classes herein specified which are known to make regular or frequent trips upon the highways of this state for the purpose of determining whether or not each of such carriers is complying with the provisions hereof, and, for the purpose of such investigation, the commission shall have the power and authority to examine the books and records of any such carrier as provided in Section 27-61-15 of this chapter. As the extension of reciprocity to any carrier is a matter of grace rather than a matter of right, the burden shall, in all cases, be upon the carrier in any such investigation to make proof sufficient to convince the commission of its full compliance with the provisions of this chapter, and unless the commission is so convinced, it shall cancel such reciprocal agreement, insofar as the specific carrier is concerned, for a period of at least sixty (60) days, and until such carrier presents proof sufficient to convince the commission that it is fully complying with this chapter, and, during such period, such carrier shall be denied the benefits of such agreement. If any carrier shall fail or refuse to produce any receipt, invoice, record, book, paper or other document relating to its tax liability under the provisions of this chapter when demanded by the commission, or shall fail or refuse to permit an inspection of its books and records as provided in Section 27-61-15 hereof, the commission shall forthwith cancel such reciprocal agreement, insofar as same applied to such carrier, for a period of at least one hundred twenty (120) days and until the book, record, or paper is produced or an inspection thereof permitted; and during such period such carrier shall be denied the benefits of such agreement. In all cases of the cancellation of any such reciprocal agreement as to any individual carrier, the commission shall immediately notify the carrier affected by such cancellation, in writing by registered mail, and it shall advise the carrier of the reason or reasons for such cancellation and the period thereof.
The commission is hereby vested and empowered with full, complete and final discretion to determine whether or not any reciprocal agreement shall be cancelled insofar as any carrier is concerned, and there shall be no appeal from its decision, it being hereby declared that no carrier has any vested rights in such reciprocal agreements.
Sources: Codes, 1942, § 10080-14; Laws, 1969 Ex Sess, ch. 60, § 14; Laws, 2001, ch. 596, § 53, eff from and after July 1, 2001.