(1) The Mississippi Fire Prevention Code shall be enforced by the State Fire Marshal and such other persons as authorized thereby, including for this reason any county or municipal fire prevention personnel, pertaining to the prevention, inspection or investigation of fires. The State Chief Deputy Fire Marshal and deputy fire marshals shall have the status and powers of a law enforcement officer in performing their duties under the Mississippi Fire Prevention Code as authorized by standards set by Section 45-11-103, Mississippi Code of 1972. The State Chief Deputy Fire Marshal and deputy fire marshals serving under permanent appointment on January 1, 1992, shall not be required to meet any requirements of Section 45-6-11 of the Mississippi Code of 1972. The State Fire Marshal is authorized and empowered to promulgate rules and regulations for the enforcement of the Mississippi Fire Prevention Code.

(2) Applications for fire safety inspections shall be filed with the Office of the State Fire Marshal. An inspection fee of not less than One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) and reasonable and necessary travel expenses as provided under Section 25-3-41, Mississippi Code of 1972, shall be assessed for each inspection conducted by the Office of the State Fire Marshal and shall be paid to the Office of the State Fire Marshal.

(3) The inspection fee and expenses authorized under subsection (2) shall not be assessed for the inspection of buildings owned by the State of Mississippi or its political subdivisions or for inspections conducted by local fire departments or other local agencies with authority to conduct inspections or for the inspection of buildings used for religious assemblies.