Bill > SB2322

This bill amends Mississippi's expungement law to provide additional relief for victims of human trafficking by allowing them to have prostitution convictions expunged, with some important limitations. Specifically, the bill adds an exception to the existing felony expungement rules that would permit courts to expunge all prostitution convictions for individuals who can be legally defined as "trafficked persons" (as outlined in Section 97-3-54.4(g)). At the same time, the bill explicitly prohibits expungement for felony crimes related to promoting prostitution. The bill maintains the existing framework that generally allows only one felony expungement per person, but creates a special provision for trafficking victims that gives courts more discretion in clearing prostitution-related records. The changes aim to provide additional legal recourse for individuals who may have been coerced into prostitution as a result of human trafficking, recognizing that such individuals often commit crimes under duress. The new provisions will take effect on July 1, 2025, giving state agencies time to prepare for implementing the changes. This modification represents a compassionate approach to addressing the complex legal challenges faced by human trafficking survivors.

Justice

https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/2025/pdf/history/SB/SB2322.xml