Bill > HB525

This bill amends Mississippi Code Section 97-3-101 to establish mandatory minimum prison sentences for the crime of sexual battery, specifically for offenses outlined in Section 97-3-95(2). For a first offense under this subsection, individuals convicted of sexual battery will face a minimum of five years and a maximum of thirty years in the custody of the Mississippi Department of Corrections. For subsequent offenses under the same subsection, the mandatory minimum sentence increases to ten years, with a maximum of forty years. The bill also makes technical changes to the existing law regarding sexual battery penalties, including removing references to certain subsections and adding "or" to connect them, and clarifies that these new mandatory minimums apply to offenses under Section 97-3-95(2). The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2026.