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HB1027 • 2026

Stolen property; create crime for the sale of and require payment made to the owner of the property.

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 97-17-70, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO CREATE THE CRIME OF SELLING STOLEN PROPERTY; TO INCREASE THE PENALTIES FOR THE CRIME OF RECEIVING STOLEN PROPERTY; TO REQUIRE THE SELLER OF STOLEN PROPERTY TO PAY THE OWNER OF SUCH PROPERTY THE VALUE OF THE PROPERTY BEFORE ANY COURT FEES OR OTHER CRIMINAL PENALTIES; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

Crime
Did Not Pass

The latest official action shows that this bill did not move forward in that session.

Sponsor
Ladner
Last action
2026-02-03
Official status
Dead
Effective date
July 1, 20

Plain English Breakdown

The bill did not pass, so its provisions are not currently enforceable.

Stolen Property Law

This bill creates a new crime for selling stolen property, increases penalties for receiving or selling stolen property based on its value, and requires sellers of stolen property to pay the owner before paying court fees.

What This Bill Does

  • Creates a new law that makes it illegal to sell stolen items knowingly.
  • Increases fines and jail time for people who receive or sell stolen goods worth more than $1,000.
  • Requires someone convicted of selling stolen property to pay the original owner before paying court fees.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People who sell or receive stolen items
  • Courts that handle cases involving stolen goods

Terms To Know

Stolen property
Items taken without permission and not returned to their rightful owner.
Penalties
Punishments given by the court, such as fines or jail time.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill did not pass in its current session.
  • It does not specify what happens if someone cannot pay back the owner of stolen property.

Bill History

  1. 2026-02-03 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System

    02/03 (H) Died In Committee

  2. 2026-01-16 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System

    01/16 (H) Referred To Judiciary B

Official Summary Text

Stolen property; create crime for the sale of and require payment made to the owner of the property.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
H. B. No. 1027 *HR43/R581* ~ OFFICIAL ~ G1/2
26/HR43/R581
PAGE 1 (GT\KP)

To: Judiciary B
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Representative Ladner

HOUSE BILL NO. 1027

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 97-17-70, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, 1
TO CREATE THE CRIME OF SELLING STOLEN PROPERTY; TO INCREASE THE 2
PENALTIES FOR THE CRIME OF RECEIVING STOLEN PROPERTY; TO REQUIRE 3
THE SELLER OF STOLEN PROPERTY TO PAY THE OWNER OF SUCH PROPERTY 4
THE VALUE OF THE PROPERTY BEFORE ANY COURT FEES OR OTHER CRIMINAL 5
PENALTIES; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 6
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 7
SECTION 1. Section 97-17-70, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 8
amended as follows: 9
97-17-70. (1) (a) A person commits the crime of receiving 10
stolen property if he intentionally possesses, receives, retains 11
or disposes of stolen property knowing that it has been stolen or 12
having reasonable grounds to believe it has been stolen, unless 13
the property is possessed, received, retained or disposed of with 14
intent to restore it to the owner. 15
(b) A person commits the crime of selling stolen 16
property if he intentionally sells stolen property knowing that it 17
has been stolen or having reasonable grounds to believe it has 18
been stolen. 19
H. B. No. 1027 *HR43/R581* ~ OFFICIAL ~
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PAGE 2 (GT\KP)

(2) The fact that the person who stole the property has not 20
been convicted, apprehended or identified is not a defense to a 21
charge of receiving stolen property. 22
(3) (a) Evidence that the person charged under this section 23
stole the property that is the subject of the charge of receiving 24
stolen property is not a defense to a charge under this section; 25
however, dual charges of both stealing and receiving the same 26
property shall not be brought against a single defendant in a 27
single jurisdiction. 28
(b) Proof that a defendant stole the property that is 29
the subject of a charge under this section shall be prima facie 30
evidence that the defendant had knowledge that the property was 31
stolen. 32
(4) Any person who shall be convicted of receiving or 33
selling stolen property which exceeds One Thousand Dollars 34
($1,000.00) or more, but less than Five Thousand Dollars 35
($5,000.00) in value shall be punished by imprisonment in the 36
custody of the State Department of Corrections for a term not 37
exceeding * * * seven (7) years or by a fine of not more than Ten 38
Thousand Dollars ($10,000.00), or both. 39
(5) Any person who shall be convicted of receiving or 40
selling stolen property which exceeds Five Thousand Dollars 41
($5,000.00) or more, but less than Twenty-five Thousand Dollars 42
($25,000.00) in value shall be punished by imprisonment in the 43
custody of the State Department of Corrections for a term not 44
H. B. No. 1027 *HR43/R581* ~ OFFICIAL ~
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PAGE 3 (GT\KP)

exceeding * * * twelve (12) years or by a fine of not more than 45
Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000.00), or both. 46
(6) Any person who shall be convicted of receiving or 47
selling stolen property which exceeds Twenty-five Thousand Dollars 48
($25,000.00) in value shall be punished by imprisonment in the 49
custody of the State Department of Corrections for a term not 50
exceeding * * * twenty-two (22) years or by a fine of not more 51
than Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000.00), or both. 52
(7) Any person who shall be convicted of receiving or 53
selling stolen property which does not exceed One Thousand Dollars 54
($1,000.00) in value may be punished by imprisonment in the county 55
jail for not more than * * * nine (9) months or by a fine of not 56
more than One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00), or both, if the court 57
finds substantial and compelling reasons why the offender cannot 58
be safely and effectively supervised in the community, is not 59
amenable to community-based treatment, or poses a significant risk 60
to public safety. If such a finding is not made, the court shall 61
suspend the sentence of imprisonment and impose a period of 62
probation not exceeding one (1) year or a fine of not more than 63
One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00), or both. Any person convicted 64
of a third or subsequent offense under this subsection where the 65
value of the property is not less than Five Hundred Dollars 66
($500.00), shall be imprisoned in the Penitentiary for a term not 67
exceeding * * * five (5) years or fined an amount not exceeding 68
One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00), or both. 69
H. B. No. 1027 *HR43/R581* ~ OFFICIAL ~
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ST: Stolen property; create crime for the sale
of and require payment made to the owner of the
property.
(8) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the court 70
shall order a person convicted of selling stolen property to pay 71
the owner of the stolen property the total value of the stolen 72
property before paying any court fees or other criminal penalties. 73
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from 74
and after July 1, 2026. 75