Bill > HB1738

This bill mandates that the Mississippi Department of Corrections (MDOC) convene an "unexpected fatality review team" to investigate the deaths of incarcerated individuals that are not due to a known terminal or debilitating illness. The primary goal of these reviews is to identify the root causes of these unexpected deaths and develop recommendations for the MDOC and the state legislature to improve practices and enhance prisoner safety and health. The review team will include legislative committee chairs and a representative from the Mississippi Department of Health, and its members must not have been previously involved in the case. Within 120 days of a death, the MDOC must issue a report detailing the review's findings, which will be made public on a dedicated website, with confidential information redacted. Following the review, the MDOC is required to implement any recommendations and develop a corrective action plan within 10 days of the review's completion, with implementation also within 120 days, unless an extension is granted by the Governor. The bill also amends the Mississippi Public Records Act of 1983 to ensure that these review reports and corrective action plans are subject to public disclosure, while also clarifying certain exemptions for law enforcement and victim information.

Justice

https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/2026/pdf/history/HB/HB1738.xml