The family of Ayden Stockstill is visiting counties across Mississippi urging local leaders to support legislation that would allow sheriffs and deputies to use radar guns to enforce speed limits.
The effort is aimed at building support for Senate Bill 2614, which would give county law enforcement the authority to use radar for speed enforcement.
The bill, sponsored by Sen. Mike Thompson, R-District 48, was tabled by the Mississippi Senate on Feb. 12, halting it for the current legislative session.
A separate proposal known as “Ayden’s Law,” Senate Bill 2616, was introduced by Sen. Angela Burks Hill, R-District 40, and named in honor of Stockstill. That bill also sought to address speeding enforcement but died earlier in committee.
Despite inaction at the Capitol, local governments have continued passing resolutions supporting the proposal. Forrest County recently became one of 19 counties in Mississippi to approve a resolution backing the legislation.
The bill is named after Ayden Stockstill, a 14-year-old Picayune High School freshman who died in a crash last year.
During a recent Forrest County Board of Supervisors meeting, members of the Stockstill family presented supervisors and Sheriff Charlie Sims with “You Can’t Spell Team Without Ayden” challenge coins, symbolizing Ayden’s love of team sports and teamwork.
Supporters say allowing sheriffs to use radar could help reduce speeding and serious crashes across Mississippi. They also argue stronger enforcement could lower auto insurance costs and reduce the economic impact of crashes. Estimates show the societal cost of traffic crashes in Mississippi exceeded $14 billion in 2024.
State law restricts radar enforcement to the Mississippi Highway Patrol and municipal police departments, preventing county sheriff’s offices from using radar, according to previous reporting by the Roy Howard Community Journalism Center.
Opponents say expanding radar authority could lead to revenue-driven ticketing and inconsistent enforcement between counties.
The Stockstill family asked Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann to bring SB 2614 back for a roll call vote. Similar proposals allowing sheriffs to use radar have repeatedly failed to advance in the Mississippi Legislature.
This report was produced by the Roy Howard Community Journalism Center at the University of Southern Mississippi.