AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 93-19-13, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO CLARIFY THE AUTHORITY OF ANY PERSON AGE 18 YEARS OR OLDER TO ENTER INTO A BINDING CONTRACTUAL RELATIONSHIP TO CONVEY AND/OR ENCUMBER PERSONAL PROPERTY, MORTGAGES AND REAL PROPERTY; TO BRING FORWARD SECTION 93-19-1, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, WHICH AUTHORIZES A CHANCERY COURT IN WHICH A MINOR RESIDES TO REMOVE DISABILITY OF A MINOR, FOR PURPOSES OF AMENDMENT; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
HB477 amends Mississippi law governing the contractual and property rights of young adults. The bill clarifies that any person age 18 or older, if not otherwise disqualified by law, has the capacity to enter binding contracts involving personal property, mortgages, and real property, and to convey or encumber those interests. It also expressly confirms that adults 18 and older may enter contracts to invest in mutual funds, stocks, bonds, and other publicly traded equities.
The bill further specifies that a person who has turned 18 but has not yet reached the age of majority may enter binding agreements to lease real property for their residence and to obtain essential utility services, including electricity, gas, water, sewage, garbage disposal, and internet service. It also states that in any lawsuit based on such a contract, the person may sue and be sued in their own name as an adult and be served with process as an adult. Section 93-19-1, which allows a chancery court to remove the disability of minority for certain minors, is carried forward without substantive change for amendment purposes. The act takes effect July 1, 2026.
HB477 would update and clarify Mississippi Code Section 93-19-13 to align property and contract authority with age 18, particularly for real estate transactions, mortgages, leases, utility agreements, and investment contracts. It would affect minors who have reached 18 but are still below the state age of majority, as well as lenders, landlords, utilities, and parties to real property and investment transactions. The bill does not appear to create a new program or regulatory scheme; rather, it refines existing law and preserves the chancery court process for removing the disability of minority in Section 93-19-1.
The available legislative history shows strong support for the bill. HB477 passed the House unanimously, 118-0, indicating broad agreement that the statute should be clarified. No committee transcript or recorded debate is provided, so there is no evidence of organized opposition in the materials supplied. The overall sentiment appears favorable and largely procedural, focused on updating and clarifying existing authority rather than making a controversial policy change.
The main issue addressed by the bill is the legal distinction between being 18 years old and reaching the age of majority, and whether 18-year-olds should be expressly empowered to contract for real property and related services. Any potential point of contention would likely center on the scope of those rights for individuals who are 18 but still not at the age of majority under Mississippi law, especially in housing, utilities, mortgages, and investment transactions. However, the bill’s unanimous House passage suggests little visible disagreement in the chamber, and no specific objections are reflected in the available record.