Bill > SB2312

This bill amends the Mississippi Code to strengthen child protection laws by criminalizing chemical endangerment of children and expanding penalties for child endangerment. The legislation defines new terms like "chemical substance" and "controlled substance" and establishes specific criminal penalties for scenarios where parents, guardians, or caretakers knowingly expose children to harmful substances. The bill creates a new offense of "chemical endangerment of exposing a child" with graduated penalties based on the severity of harm: a base offense can result in up to ten years imprisonment, causing substantial harm increases penalties to one to twenty years, and if the exposure results in a child's death, the penalty ranges from five to thirty years in prison. The bill importantly exempts mothers who take prescription medications or FDA-approved medications as directed by a physician from criminal liability for exposing an unborn child. The legislation also provides definitions for key terms like "bodily harm" and "serious bodily harm" and maintains existing provisions for child abuse and neglect. The new law will take effect on July 1, 2025, and aims to protect children from dangerous environments involving controlled substances and chemical materials.

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https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/2025/pdf/history/SB/SB2312.xml