Bill > SB2346

This bill amends the Mississippi Uniform Post-Conviction Collateral Relief Act to modify several key provisions related to post-conviction legal proceedings. The bill introduces a one-year time limitation on two specific exceptions to the standard three-year statute of limitations for filing post-conviction relief motions: intervening court decisions and newly discovered evidence. Specifically, for these exceptions, petitioners now have one year from either the date of an intervening court decision's mandate or the date when new evidence could have been discovered through due diligence. The bill also significantly restricts potential grounds for post-conviction relief by explicitly stating that the ineffectiveness or incompetence of counsel during state post-conviction proceedings cannot be used as a basis for seeking relief. Additionally, the bill clarifies and slightly modifies existing language around DNA testing evidence, post-conviction motion procedures, and the circumstances under which previous convictions can be challenged. These changes aim to streamline post-conviction legal processes, reduce potentially repetitive or prolonged legal challenges, and provide more definitive timelines for when inmates can seek to overturn or modify their original convictions. The amendments will take effect on July 1, 2025.