Bill
Bill > HB38
summary
Introduced
01/07/2026
01/07/2026
In Committee
01/07/2026
01/07/2026
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
02/03/2026
02/03/2026
Introduced Session
2026 Regular Session
Bill Summary
An Act To Restore The Right Of Suffrage To Certain Persons Disqualified By Reason Of Conviction Of A Disenfranchising Crime; To Provide That Such Persons Shall Be Enfranchised After Completing The Term Of Incarceration And Parole Or Upon The Imposition Of A Probation-only Sentence For Such Crimes; To Amend Section 23-15-11, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Conform; To Amend Section 23-15-19, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Prohibit The Removal Of A Person's Name From The Statewide Elections Management System Unless The Person Is Serving A Term Of Incarceration Or Parole For A Disenfranchising Crime At The Time Of Removal; To Provide That A Court's Certification Of A Conviction For Purposes Of Removal From The Statewide Elections Management System Must Indicate The Type Of Sentence Imposed; To Amend Section 23-15-151, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Provide That The Circuit Clerk's Enrollment Book Listing The Names Of Persons Convicted Of Disenfranchising Crimes Must Be Updated To Exclude The Names Of Those Persons Enfranchised Under This Act; To Amend Sections 23-15-125 And 23-15-153, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Provide That The Voter Roll And Pollbooks Must Be Updated In A Manner Consistent With This Act; To Amend Section 23-15-47, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Require The Secretary Of State To Adopt Voter Registration Applications That State That A Person Restored The Right Of Suffrage Under This Act Is Not Disqualified From Registering To Vote; To Amend Section 23-15-213, 23-15-223 And 23-15-239, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Require The Secretary Of State To Develop And Implement Training For Election Commissioners, Registrars And Poll Managers That Instructs Them On Their Duties With Regard To Persons Restored The Right Of Suffrage Under This Act; To Amend Section 23-15-165, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Require The Secretary Of State To Update The Statewide Elections Management System In A Manner That Allows Local Election Officials To Verify Whether A Person Has A Disqualifying Conviction; And For Related Purposes.
AI Summary
This bill restores voting rights to individuals who have been convicted of certain crimes, specifically vote fraud or any crime listed in Section 241 of the Mississippi Constitution of 1890, often referred to as "disenfranchising crimes." The right to vote is automatically restored upon completion of their prison sentence and any parole, or immediately if they are sentenced only to probation. The bill also mandates updates to the Statewide Elections Management System, which is a centralized database of all registered voters, to reflect these restored rights and to ensure that individuals are not removed from voter rolls solely based on a conviction if their rights have been restored. Furthermore, it requires training for election officials on how to handle these restored voting rights and updates voter registration forms to inform applicants that having their suffrage restored under this act does not disqualify them from registering to vote.
Committee Categories
Justice
Sponsors (1)
Last Action
Died In Committee (on 02/03/2026)
Official Document
bill text
bill summary
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bill summary
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bill summary
| Document Type | Source Location |
|---|---|
| State Bill Page | https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/2026/pdf/history/HB/HB0038.xml |
| BillText | https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2026/html/HB/0001-0099/HB0038IN.htm |
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