Bill > HB799

This bill expands the legal authority of School Resource Officers (SROs) in Mississippi to conduct searches of students when they have reasonable suspicion of unlawful activity. Specifically, the bill allows SROs acting within their official law enforcement capacity to detain and search a student's person and possessions if they reasonably suspect the student is engaged in unlawful activities occurring within a school facility or on educational property. The search must be reasonable in scope and not excessively intrusive, taking into account the student's age, sex, and the nature of the suspected unlawful activity. The bill emphasizes that any such search must comply with constitutional protections under the Fourth Amendment of the United States Constitution. Unlawful activities are defined broadly and include serious offenses such as possession of weapons or controlled substances, assault, sexual crimes, murder, and kidnapping. The bill amends existing sections of the Mississippi Code related to school safety and law enforcement in educational settings, and will take effect on July 1, 2025, providing school resource officers with clearer guidelines for conducting searches while attempting to maintain student rights and safety.

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https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/2025/pdf/history/HB/HB0799.xml