Bill Text: MS HC42 | 2026 | Regular Session | Introduced

Mississippi House Concurrent Resolution 42

Introduced

Bill Title: Constitution; amend to create State Suffrage Restoration Panel and add additional disenfranchising crimes.

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 1)

Status: (Failed) 2026-02-12 - Died On Calendar [HC42 Detail]

Download: Mississippi-2026-HC42-Introduced.html

MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

2026 Regular Session

To: Apportionment and Elections

By: Representative Sanford

House Concurrent Resolution 42

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO SECTION 253, MISSISSIPPI CONSTITUTION OF 1890, TO CREATE A STATE SUFFRAGE RESTORATION PANEL TO PROVIDE AN ALTERNATE METHOD FOR THE RIGHT TO VOTE TO BE RESTORED TO ELIGIBLE PERSONS CONVICTED OF A NONVIOLENT DISENFRANCHISING CRIME, AND TO SECTION 241, MISSISSIPPI CONSTITUTION OF 1890, TO INCLUDE HUMAN TRAFFICKING, ATTEMPTED MURDER AND SEXUAL BATTERY IN THE LIST OF DISENFRANCHISING CRIMES; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, That the following amendment to the Mississippi Constitution of 1890 is proposed to the qualified electors of the state:

Amend Section 253, Mississippi Constitution of 1890, to read as follows:

"Section 253. The right to suffrage may be restored to a person disqualified by reason of crime as follows:

(a) The Legislature may, by a two-thirds vote of both houses, of all members elected, restore the right of suffrage to any person disqualified by reason of crime; but the reasons therefor shall be spread upon the journals, and the vote shall be by yeas and nays.

(b) A State Suffrage Restoration Panel is created for the purpose of accepting applications and granting Certificates of Eligibility to Register to Vote to eligible persons disqualified by reason of any disenfranchising crime not classified as a crime of violence by the Legislature. The State Suffrage Restoration Panel shall exercise such authority and perform such duties as may be prescribed by general law."

II.

Amend Section 241, Mississippi Constitution of 1890, to read as follows:

"Section 241. Every inhabitant of this state, except idiots and insane persons, who is a citizen of the United States of America, eighteen (18) years old and upward, who has been a resident of this state for one (1) year, and for one (1) year in the county in which he offers to vote, and for six (6) months in the election precinct or in the incorporated city or town in which he offers to vote, and who is duly registered as provided in this article, and who has never been convicted of murder, rape, bribery, theft, arson, obtaining money or goods under false pretense, perjury, forgery, embezzlement, or bigamy, human trafficking, attempted murder or sexual battery is declared to be a qualified elector, except that he shall be qualified to vote for President and Vice President of the United States if he meets the requirements established by Congress therefor and is otherwise a qualified elector."

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the explanation of this proposed amendment for the ballot shall read as follows: "This proposed constitutional amendment adds human trafficking, attempted murder and sexual battery to the list of disenfranchising crimes."

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this proposed amendment shall be submitted by the Secretary of State to the qualified electors at an election to be held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday of November 2026, as provided by Section 273 of the Constitution and by general law.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the explanation of this proposed amendment for the ballot shall read as follows: "This proposed constitutional amendment provides for the creation of a State Suffrage Restoration Panel to provide an alternate method for the right to vote to be restored to eligible persons and adds human trafficking, attempted murder and sexual battery to the list of disenfranchising crimes."