Keywords: Judiciary, Division B - Room 409, 25 February, 2026; 9:00 A.M., 925, all

Summary: The committee first took up House Bill 611, which would require the Mississippi Board of Law Enforcement Standards and Training to provide discovery to an officer facing suspension of certification. Representative Burch said officers currently may receive only a brief notice of alleged misconduct without access to the underlying information, and the bill would give them the materials related to the infraction. There were no questions, and the committee approved the motion by voice vote. The next measure, House Bill 1142, would modernize notice requirements for judgment nisi and bench warrants by allowing clerks to notify bail agents electronically or by personal notice instead of certified mail. Representative Owen said the change would reduce county costs, align bail-agent notice with the electronic notice already used for attorneys, and had support from the clerks’ association. Senators asked whether notice would still appear on MEC, and Owen said attorneys already receive notice there and bail agents could receive it electronically as well. The committee then adopted the motion by voice vote. The committee then heard House Bill 1404, sponsored by Representative Yates, creating the crime of fraudulent utility conversion. Yates explained the bill was aimed at apartment complexes and other landlords that collect utility payments from tenants as part of rent but fail to remit those funds to the utility provider, citing large unpaid water bills and similar legislation in Louisiana. Senators raised concerns about intent, possible criminal liability for landlords or LLCs when utility bills are delayed, faulty, or disputed, and the severity of penalties, which could reach 20 years in prison for higher amounts. Yates said she was open to adding intentional-conduct language and clarified the bill targets those who collect tenant utility money and do not remit it, not tenants themselves. Members discussed possible amendments, including adding mens rea language and a defense for disputed bills, but no final action on the bill was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Code. Right?
• The DACA, um, and I don’t know all the U.S. codes. Asylum under 8 U.S.C. 1158.
• Um the codes. asylum under 8 USC 1158.
• But we are creating a new statute under the Mississippi Code.
• And so, do under the Mississippi code.

Keywords: Judiciary, Division B - Room 409, 3 February, 2026; 9:00 A.M., 925, all

Summary: The committee took up several criminal justice and public safety bills. Senator Sparks explained SB 2416, which would let a law enforcement officer who tests positive on an initial drug screen obtain a more invasive follow-up test at the officer’s expense; if the second test is negative, the first result would be treated as a false positive and the officer’s certification would not be put at risk. The committee also heard SB 2228, which would reduce the waiting period for certain felony expungements from five years to three years, following a recommendation from the criminal justice task force. Members discussed how expungement remains discretionary with the court and does not change which offenses are eligible; the bill passed committee after a motion and voice vote. The committee then considered a committee substitute for SB 21108, a combined bail bill. Counsel said it would require suspension of a bail agent’s license when there is a civil judgment, exclude credit card transaction fees from authorized bail fees, clarify requirements for cash deposits in lieu of surety or property bonds, bar unsecured judicial release for bail-restricted offenses, and allow courts to assess service-of-process costs against bail agents in certain failure-to-appear cases. A reverse repealer was added, and the committee voted to pass the committee substitute. Finally, the committee heard SB 2114, which would expand state immigration enforcement efforts by allowing DPS to collect information on illegal aliens, codifying participation in the federal 287(g) program, and creating state penalties for certain unlawful entry and criminal conduct by undocumented persons, including enhanced penalties for violent or sex offenses. The sponsor and counsel said the bill is intended to work with federal law and includes exemptions for certain federal immigration statuses and a provision allowing some nonviolent defendants to agree to deportation in lieu of prosecution. Members raised concerns about enforcement, probable cause, and unintended consequences, but the sponsor said the bill would require proof of entry through the Gulf of Mexico for the new entry offense and that the measure would enhance cooperation with federal authorities.

Keywords: Judiciary, Division B - Room 409, 29 January, 2026; 9:30 A.M., 925, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, the violations of the chapter don't go into the driving record.
• Uh, the violations of the chapter don't go into the driving record.
• session that was that particular code session that was set<00:21:06.320> to<00:21:06.640>
• Um, and then lastly, section five, we're just bringing forth the code section.
• You are penalized at victim in this way.

Keywords: Judiciary, Division B - Room 409, 28 January, 2026; 9:00 A.M., 925, all

Summary: The committee first took up Senate Bill 21104, a Gaming Commission criminal penalties bill presented by Commissioner Jay McDaniel. He said the measure is essentially the same as a bill passed by the Senate last year and would keep penalties low for people merely playing gaming, but make it a felony for operators of illegal online gaming platforms, with a $100,000 fine per conviction and forfeiture authority for funds tied to the crime. The committee substitute was described as clarifying that the penalties target the operator rather than the platform being used. After no questions, the committee moved and adopted the bill. The committee then heard three Department of Public Safety bills from Commissioner Tindle. Senate Bill 2232 would raise seat belt fines from $25 to $100 and direct the additional revenue into existing driver education-related funds, with the stated goal of supporting driver education programs and improving teen road safety. Members asked about the revenue impact and whether the money would be appropriated back to the department and schools; Tindle said the funds would still be subject to legislative appropriation. The bill was moved and adopted, though some members raised concerns about redirecting local fine revenue. Senate Bill 2314 was described as a cleanup bill for driver’s license statutes, updating outdated references, removing obsolete paperwork requirements, allowing first-class mail and optional digital notice through mobile ID, and reflecting the department’s move from Jackson to Pearl. Members questioned whether first-class mail could shorten response time for suspension notices and how mobile ID notices would work; Tindle said the change was intended to save money and allow electronic notice if users opt in. The committee also adopted this bill. Senate Bill 2817 would reorganize DPS by consolidating several divisions into a new Mississippi State Bureau of Investigations, combine equipment and software purchases, raise autopsy fees from $1,000 to $1,200, increase salvage title inspection fees from $75 to $125, and open a broader discussion about the Highway Patrol’s future role. It was also moved and adopted. The committee then heard Senate Bill 2230 from Senator Hill, which would extend electronic warrants to misdemeanors; members discussed efficiency, warrant databases, and Fourth Amendment concerns, but no final action on that bill was shown in the excerpt.

Keywords: Universities and Colleges - Room 216, December 11, 2025; 9:00 AM, 925, all

Keywords: Capital City Revitalization - Room 113, Dec. 11, 2025; 9:30 AM, 925, all

Keywords: Judiciary, Division A - Room 216, October 23, 2025; 9:00 AM, 925, all

Keywords: Insurance Study Committee - Room 216, October 9, 2025; 10:00 AM, 925, all

Keywords: Local and Private - Room 210; 26 March, 2025: 9:00 AM, 925, all

Keywords: Universities and Colleges - Room 409, 20 March, 2025; 9:00 A.M., 925, all

Keywords: Accountability, Efficiency, Transparency - Room 210; 19 March, 2025: 9:00 AM, 925, all

Keywords: Local and Private - Room 409, 18 March, 2025; 9:30 A.M., 925, all

Keywords: Judiciary, Division B - Room 409, 13 March, 2025; 9:30 AM., 925, all

Keywords: Judiciary, Division B - Room 409, 4 March, 2025; 9:00 A.M., 925, all

Keywords: Highways and Transportation - Room 216, 28 February, 2025; 9:30 AM, 925, all

Keywords: Judiciary, Division B - Room 409, 4 February, 2025; 9:00 A.M., 925, all

Keywords: Judiciary, Division B - Room 409, 29 January, 2025; 9:30 A.M., 925, all

Keywords: Universities and Colleges - Room 216, 14 January, 2025; 9:00 AM, 925, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And then the second one, it adds a new code section that allows utilities to be able to donate to rural
• So, all of that still has this does nothing to do away with them building to the code.
• That's the architect is going to design this to be within the code.
• So, the compliance piece, it to code.
• If not, what are we it to code? If not, what are we catching?

Bills: HB245, SB16, SB59, SB62, SB79, SB88

Keywords: inhalants, controlled substances, butyl nitrite, nitrous oxide, amyl nitrite, health, public safety, SB16, four-point restraint, hog-tie, hog tie, prone restraint, law enforcement, police, sheriff, use of force, restraint techniques, positional asphyxia, arrest procedures, detention

Transcript Highlights:

• It's not intended to penalize normal landowners who sell their land, and it's meant to penalize a change
• You're going to use either the delimited field code or the JSON code.
• , and every vendor can still have their code.
• is going to decide whether to use delimited field code or the JSON code.
• Thank you so much. 7-9 is left pending.

Bills: HB485, HB1367, HB1370, HB1827, HB1879, HB2032, HB2133, HB2357, HB3581, HB3830, HB4060, HB4085, HB4270, HB4979, HB5217, HB5268, HB5478, HJR96, HJR97, HJR119, HJR195, HJR209, SB4, SB23, SJR2, SJR85, SB 4, SB 23, SJR 2

Keywords: healthcare, insurance, access, affordability, public health, emergency services district, sales tax, gas and electricity, residential use, tax exemption, emergency services, gas, electricity, HB 485, ESD, use tax, residential utilities, utility tax, local option tax, Texas Health and Safety Code