Bill Text: MS HB1517 | 2026 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: "Mississippi Second Chance Act"; enact.

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2)

Status: (Failed) 2026-02-03 - Died In Committee [HB1517 Detail]

Download: Mississippi-2026-HB1517-Introduced.html

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MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

2026 Regular Session

To: Judiciary B

By: Representative Taylor

House Bill 1517

AN ACT TO BE KNOWN AS THE "MISSISSIPPI SECOND CHANCE ACT"; TO AMEND SECTION 47-7-3, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REVISE PAROLE ELIGIBILITY FOR PERSONS SENTENCED FOR CRIMES OF VIOLENCE; TO PROVIDE THAT PERSONS SENTENCED FOR CERTAIN VIOLENT OFFENSES SHALL BE ELIGIBLE FOR PAROLE AFTER SERVING FIFTY PERCENT OR FIFTEEN YEARS, WHICHEVER IS LESS, OF THE SENTENCE OR SENTENCES IMPOSED; TO PROVIDE PAROLE ELIGIBILITY FOR PERSONS SENTENCED FOR MURDER IN THE FIRST DEGREE AFTER SERVING TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AND FOR PERSONS SENTENCED FOR MURDER IN THE SECOND DEGREE AFTER SERVING TWENTY YEARS; TO AMEND SECTION 47-7-3.2, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO DECREASE THE NUMBER OF YEARS SERVED FOR COMMITTING CERTAIN CRIMES OF VIOLENCE BEFORE BEING RELEASED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS; TO AMEND SECTIONS 99-19-81, 99-19-83, AND 99-19-87, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE PAROLE ELIGIBILITY FOR PERSONS SENTENCED AS HABITUAL OFFENDERS AFTER SERVING TEN YEARS; TO PROVIDE THAT THESE AMENDMENTS SHALL APPLY RETROACTIVELY; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

     BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

     SECTION 1.  This act shall be known and may be cited as the "Mississippi Second Chance Act".

     SECTION 2.  Section 47-7-3, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

     47-7-3.  (1)  Every prisoner who has been convicted of any offense against the State of Mississippi, and is confined in the execution of a judgment of such conviction in the Mississippi Department of Corrections for a definite term or terms of one (1) year or over, or for the term of his or her natural life, whose record of conduct shows that such prisoner has observed the rules of the department, and who has served the minimum required time for parole eligibility, may be released on parole as set forth herein:

          (a)  Habitual offenders.  Except as otherwise provided * * *by Sections 99‑19‑81 through 99‑19‑87 in this section and as prescribed under the Mississippi Second Chance Act, no person sentenced as a * * *confirmed and habitual * * *criminal offender shall be eligible for parole;

          (b)  Sex offenders.  Any person who has been sentenced for a sex offense as defined in Section 45-33-23(h) shall not be released on parole except * * *for a person under the age of nineteen (19) who has been convicted under Section 97‑3‑67 as otherwise provided by law;

          (c)  Capital offenders.  No person sentenced for the following offenses shall be eligible for parole:

              (i)  Capital murder committed on or after July 1, 1994, as defined in Section 97-3-19(2);

              (ii)  Any offense to which an offender is sentenced to life imprisonment * * *under the provisions of Section 99‑19‑101 without  eligibility for parole; or

              (iii)  Any offense to which an offender is sentenced to life imprisonment without eligibility for parole * * *under the provisions of Section 99‑19‑101, whose crime was committed on or after July 1, 1994;

          (d)  Murder.  * * *No (i)  A person sentenced for murder in the first degree * * *, whose crime was committed on or after June 30, 1995, or murder in the second degree, as defined in Section 97‑3‑19, shall be eligible for parole shall be eligible for parole only after having served twenty-five (25) years of the sentence imposed;

     (ii)  A person sentenced for murder in the second degree shall be eligible for parole only after having served twenty (20) years of the sentence imposed;

          (e)  Human trafficking.  No person sentenced for human trafficking, as defined in Section 97-3-54.1, * * *whose crime was committed on or after July 1, 2014, shall be eligible for parole, except as otherwise expressly provided by an act of the Legislature;

          (f)  Drug trafficking.  No person sentenced for trafficking and aggravated trafficking, as defined in Section 41-29-139(f) through (g), shall be eligible for parole only after having served fifteen (15) years of the sentence imposed;

          (g)  Offenses specifically prohibiting parole release.  No person shall be eligible for parole who is convicted of any offense that specifically prohibits parole release, except as otherwise expressly provided by an act of the Legislature;

          (h)  * * * (i) Offenders eligible for parole consideration for offenses committed after June 30, 1995.  * * *Except as provided in paragraphs (a) through (g) of this subsection, Offenders may be considered eligible for parole release as follows:

               * * *1.(i)  Nonviolent crimes.  All persons sentenced for a nonviolent offense shall be eligible for parole only after they have served twenty-five percent (25%) or ten (10) years, whichever is less, of the sentence or sentences imposed by the trial court. * * * For purposes of this paragraph, "nonviolent crime" means a felony not designated as a crime of violence in Section 97‑3‑2.

               * * *2.(ii)  Violent crimes.  A person who is sentenced for a violent offense as defined in Section 97-3-2, * * *except including robbery with a deadly weapon as defined in Section 97-3-79, drive-by shooting as defined in Section 97-3-109, and carjacking as defined in Section 97-3-117, shall be eligible for parole only after having served fifty percent (50%) or * * *twenty (20) fifteen (15) years, whichever is less, of the sentence or sentences imposed by the trial court. * * * Those persons sentenced for robbery with a deadly weapon as defined in Section 97‑3‑79, drive‑by shooting as defined in Section 97‑3‑109, and carjacking as defined in Section 97‑3‑117, shall be eligible for parole only after having served sixty percent (60%) or twenty‑five (25) years, whichever is less, of the sentence or sentences imposed by the trial court.

               * * *3.(iii)  Nonviolent * * *and nonhabitual drug offenses.  A person who has been sentenced to a drug offense pursuant to Section 41-29-139(a) through (d), whose crime was committed after June 30, 1995, shall be eligible for parole only after he has served twenty-five percent (25%) or ten (10) years, whichever is less, of the sentence or sentences imposed.

               * * *(ii)(iv)  Parole hearing required.  All persons eligible for parole under this section * * *subparagraph (i) of this paragraph (h) who are serving a sentence or sentences for a crime of violence, as defined in Section 97-3-2, shall be required to have a parole hearing before the parole board * * *pursuant to Section 47‑7‑17, prior to parole release.

 * * *   (iii)  Geriatric parole.  Notwithstanding the provisions in subparagraph (i) of this paragraph (h), a person serving a sentence who has reached the age of sixty (60) or older and who has served no less than ten (10) years of the sentence or sentences imposed by the trial court shall be eligible for parole.  Any person eligible for parole under this subparagraph (iii) shall be required to have a parole hearing before the board prior to parole release.  No inmate shall be eligible for parole under this subparagraph (iii) of this paragraph (h) if:

    1.  The inmate is sentenced as a habitual offender under Sections 99‑19‑81 through 99‑19‑87;

    2.  The inmate is sentenced for a crime of violence under Section 97‑3‑2;

    3.  The inmate is sentenced for an offense that specifically prohibits parole release;

    4.  The inmate is sentenced for trafficking in controlled substances under Section 41‑29‑139(f);

    5.  The inmate is sentenced for a sex crime; or

    6.  The inmate has not served one‑fourth (1/4) of the sentence imposed by the court.

   (iv)  Parole consideration as authorized by the trial court.  Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (a) of this subsection, any offender who has not committed a crime of violence under Section 97‑3‑2 and has served twenty‑five percent (25%) or more of his sentence may be paroled by the State Parole Board if, after the sentencing judge or if the sentencing judge is retired, disabled or incapacitated, the senior circuit judge authorizes the offender to be eligible for parole consideration; or if the senior circuit judge must be recused, another circuit judge of the same district or a senior status judge may hear and decide the matter.  A petition for parole eligibility consideration pursuant to this subparagraph (iv) shall be filed in the original criminal cause or causes, and the offender shall serve an executed copy of the petition on the District Attorney.  The court may, in its discretion, require the District Attorney to respond to the petition.

(2)  The State Parole Board shall, by rules and regulations, establish a method of determining a tentative parole hearing date for each eligible offender taken into the custody of the Department of Corrections.  The tentative parole hearing date shall be determined within ninety (90) days after the department has assumed custody of the offender.  Except as provided in Section 47‑7‑18, the parole hearing date shall occur when the offender is within thirty (30) days of the month of his parole eligibility date.  Any parole eligibility date shall not be earlier than as required in this section.

(3)  Notwithstanding any other provision of law, an inmate shall not be eligible to receive earned time, good time or any other administrative reduction of time which shall reduce the time necessary to be served for parole eligibility as provided in subsection (1) of this section.

(4)  Any inmate within forty‑eight (48) months of his parole eligibility date and who meets the criteria established by the classification board shall receive priority for placement in any educational development and job‑training programs that are part of his or her parole case plan.  Any inmate refusing to participate in an educational development or job‑training program, including, but not limited to, programs required as part of the case plan, shall be in jeopardy of noncompliance with the case plan and may be denied parole.

(5)  In addition to other requirements, if an offender is convicted of a drug or driving under the influence felony, the offender must complete a drug and alcohol rehabilitation program prior to parole, or the offender shall be required to complete a postrelease drug and alcohol program as a condition of parole.

(6)  Except as provided in subsection (1)(a) through (h) of this section, all other persons shall be eligible for parole after serving twenty‑five percent (25%) of the sentence or sentences imposed by the trial court, or, if sentenced to thirty (30) years or more, after serving ten (10) years of the sentence or sentences imposed by the trial court.

(7)  The Corrections and Criminal Justice Oversight Task Force established in Section 47‑5‑6 shall develop and submit recommendations to the Governor and to the Legislature annually on or before December 1st concerning issues relating to juvenile and habitual offender parole reform and to review and monitor the implementation of Chapter 479, Laws of 2021.

(8)  The amendments contained in Chapter 479, Laws of 2021, shall apply retroactively from and after July 1, 1995.

(9)  Notwithstanding provisions to the contrary in this section, a person who was sentenced before July 1, 2021, may be considered for parole if the person's sentence would have been parole eligible before July 1, 2021.

(10)  This section shall stand repealed on July 1, 2027.

     SECTION 3.  Section 47-7-3.2, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

     47-7-3.2.  (1)  Notwithstanding * * * Section 47‑5‑138, 47‑5‑139, 47‑5‑138.1 or 47‑5‑142 any other provision of law, no person convicted of a criminal offense * * *on or after July 1, 2014, shall be released by the Department of Corrections until he or she has served no less than the * * *percentage of the sentence or sentences imposed by the court as set forth below following minimum portion of the sentence or sentences imposed by the court:

          (a)  Twenty-five percent (25%) or ten (10) years, whichever is less, for a nonviolent crime;

          (b)  Fifty percent (50%) or * * *twenty (20) fifteen (15) years, whichever is less, for a crime of violence * * *pursuant to as defined in Section 97-3-2 * * *, except for robbery with a deadly weapon as defined in Section 97‑3‑79, drive‑by shooting as defined in Section 97‑3‑109, or carjacking as defined in Section 97‑3‑117;.

 * * *(c)  Sixty percent (60%) or twenty‑five (25) years, whichever is less, for robbery with a deadly weapon as defined in Section 97‑3‑79, drive‑by shooting as defined in Section 97‑3‑109, or carjacking as defined in Section 97‑3‑117.

     (2)  This section shall not apply to:

          (a)  Offenders sentenced to life imprisonment without parole;

          (b)  Offenders convicted * * * as habitual offenders pursuant to Sections 99‑19‑81 through 99‑19‑87;

  (c)  Offenders serving a sentence for a sex offense; or

  (d)  Offenders serving a sentence for trafficking pursuant to Section 41‑29‑139(f) of a sex offense for which parole is otherwise prohibited by law.

     SECTION 4.  Section 99-19-81, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

     99-19-81.  * * *Every person convicted in this state of a felony who shall have been convicted twice previously of any felony or federal crime upon charges separately brought and arising out of separate incidents at different times and who shall have been sentenced to separate terms of one (1) year or more in any state and/or federal penal institution, whether in this state or elsewhere, shall be sentenced to the maximum term of imprisonment prescribed for such felony unless the court provides an explanation in its sentencing order setting forth the cause for deviating from the maximum sentence, and such sentence shall not be reduced or suspended nor shall such person be eligible for parole or probation. Any person sentenced as a habitual offender under this section shall be eligible for parole only after having served ten (10) years of the sentence imposed.  

     SECTION 5.  Section 99-19-83, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

     99-19-83.  * * *Every person convicted in this state of a felony who shall have been convicted twice previously of any felony or federal crime upon charges separately brought and arising out of separate incidents at different times and who shall have been sentenced to and served separate terms of one (1) year or more, whether served concurrently or not, in any state and/or federal penal institution, whether in this state or elsewhere, and where any one (1) of such felonies shall have been a crime of violence, as defined by Section 97‑3‑2, shall be sentenced to life imprisonment, and such sentence shall not be reduced or suspended nor shall such person be eligible for parole, probation or any other form of early release from actual physical custody within the Department of Corrections. Any person sentenced under this section shall be eligible for parole consideration only after having served twenty (20) years of the sentence imposed.

     SECTION 6.  Section 99-19-87, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

     99-19-87.  Except as otherwise provided under the Mississippi Second Chance Act as prescribed under Sections 47-7-3, 47-7-3.2,99-19-81 and 99-19-83, nothing in Sections 99-19-81 through 99-19-87 shall abrogate or affect punishment by death in any and all crimes now or hereafter punishable by death.

     SECTION 7.  (1)  The amendments contained under the Mississippi Second Chance Act shall apply retroactively from and after July 1, 1995.

     (2)  The Mississippi Department of Corrections and the State Parole Board shall recalculate parole eligibility dates for all persons affected by this act.

     (3)  No person shall lose parole eligibility as a result of this act.

     SECTION 8.  The Department of Corrections and the State Parole Board shall promulgate any rules or regulations necessary to implement the Mississippi Second Chance Act.

     SECTION 9. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2026.

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