MYCIDS; extend repealer on provisions of law that govern.

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To: Judiciary A
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Representative Hood

HOUSE BILL NO. 1218
(As Passed the House)

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTIONS 9-21-9, 93-31-3, 43-21-261, 1
43-21-351, 43-21-801 AND 45-33-61, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO 2
REQUIRE A REVISION OF THE MYCIDS PROGRAM; AND FOR RELATED 3
PURPOSES. 4
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 5
SECTION 1. Section 9-21-9, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 6
amended as follows: 7
9-21-9. (1) The Administrative Director of Courts shall 8
have the following duties and authority with respect to all courts 9
in addition to any other duties and responsibilities as may be 10
properly assigned by the Supreme Court and/or by law: 11
(a) To require the filing of reports, the collection 12
and compilation of statistical data and other information on the 13
judicial and financial operation of the courts and on the 14
operation of other offices directly related to and serving the 15
courts; 16
(b) To determine the state of the dockets and evaluate 17
the practices and procedures of the courts and make 18
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recommendations concerning the number of judges and other 19
personnel required for the efficient administration of justice; 20
(c) To prescribe uniform administrative and business 21
methods, systems, forms and records to be used in the offices of 22
the clerks of courts; 23
(d) To devise, promulgate and require the use of a 24
uniform youth court case tracking system, including a youth court 25
case filing form for filing with each individual youth court 26
matter, to be utilized by the Administrative Office of Courts and 27
the youth courts in order that the number of youthful offenders, 28
abused, neglected, truant and dependent children, as well as 29
children in need of special care and children in need of 30
supervision, may be tracked with specificity through the youth 31
court and adult justice systems; in support of the uniform case 32
docketing system, the director shall require that all youth courts 33
utilize the Mississippi Youth Court Information Delivery System 34
(MYCIDS); 35
(e) To develop, promulgate and require the use of a 36
statewide docket numbering system to be utilized by the youth 37
courts, which youth court docket numbers shall standardize and 38
unify the numbering system by which youth court docket numbers are 39
assigned, such that each docket number would, among other things, 40
identify the county and year in which a particular youth court 41
action was commenced; 42
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(f) To develop, promulgate and require the use of 43
uniform youth court orders and forms in all youth courts and youth 44
court proceedings; 45
(g) To prepare and submit budget recommendations for 46
state appropriations necessary for the maintenance and operation 47
of the judicial system and to authorize expenditures from funds 48
appropriated for these purposes as permitted or authorized by law; 49
(h) To develop and implement personnel policies for 50
nonjudicial personnel employed by the courts; 51
(i) To investigate, make recommendations concerning and 52
assist in the securing of adequate physical accommodations for the 53
judicial system; 54
(j) To procure, distribute, exchange, transfer and 55
assign such equipment, books, forms and supplies as are acquired 56
with state funds or grant funds or otherwise for the judicial 57
system; 58
(k) To make recommendations for the improvement of the 59
operations of the judicial system; 60
(l) To prepare and submit an annual report on the work 61
of the judicial system to the Supreme Court; 62
(m) To take necessary steps in the collection of unpaid 63
court costs, fines and forfeitures; 64
(n) To perform such additional administrative duties 65
relating to the improvement of the administration of justice as 66
may be assigned by the Supreme Court; 67
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(o) To promulgate standards, rules and regulations for 68
computer and/or electronic filing and storage of all court records 69
and court-related records maintained throughout the state in 70
courts and in offices of circuit and chancery clerks. 71
(p) To utilize the provisions of law that regulate 72
public purchasing in Sections 31-7-1 et seq., to contract with a 73
provider to effectuate the requirements of subsection (2) 74
paragraph ( * * *a) of this section for the Mississippi Youth 75
Court Information Delivery System (MYCIDS). 76
(2) (a) The Administrative Director of Courts shall * * * 77
implement the revised, updated Mississippi Youth Court Information 78
Delivery System (MYCIDS) in accordance with the recommendations from 79
the 2024 and 2025 audit in a manner that results in a fully, revised 80
and operational system by July 1, 2029. 81
(b) The Administrative Director of Courts shall 82
provide * * * an annual report to the Judiciary A Committees of 83
the Mississippi House of Representatives and the Senate by 84
September 1, * * * of years 2026, 2027, 2028 and 2029, that 85
includes: 86
(i) A copy of the * * * progress report for the 87
new MYCIDS system; 88
(ii) Recommendations and plans that resolve any 89
deficiencies in the system or improve the system; 90
(iii) Recommendations that outline the creation of 91
a new system which is to be in operation by July 1, * * * 2027. 92
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(iv) A list of the companies or agencies that have 93
submitted bids to resolve deficiencies, make improvements or 94
create a new system. 95
SECTION 2. Section 93-31-3, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 96
amended as follows: 97
93-31-3. (1) (a) A parent or legal custodian of a child, 98
by means of a properly executed power of attorney as provided in 99
Section 93-31-5, may delegate to another willing person or persons 100
as attorney-in-fact any of the powers regarding the care and 101
custody of the child other than the following: 102
(i) The power to consent to marriage or adoption 103
of the child; 104
(ii) The performance or inducement of an abortion 105
on or for the child; or 106
(iii) The termination of parental rights to the 107
child. 108
(b) A delegation of powers under this section does not: 109
(i) Change or modify any parental or legal rights, 110
obligations, or authority established by an existing court order; 111
(ii) Deprive any custodial or noncustodial parent 112
or legal guardian of any parental or legal rights, obligations, or 113
authority regarding the custody, visitation, or support of the 114
child; or 115
(iii) Affect a court's ability to determine the 116
best interests of a child. 117
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(c) If both parents are living and neither parent's 118
parental rights have been terminated, both parents must execute 119
the power of attorney. If a noncustodial parent is absent or 120
unknown, the custodial parent must complete the affidavit 121
contemplated under Section 93-31-5 and attach it to the power of 122
attorney. 123
(d) A power of attorney under this chapter must be 124
facilitated by either a child welfare agency that is licensed to 125
place children for adoption and that is operating under the Safe 126
Families for Children model or another charitable organization 127
that is operating under the Safe Families for Children model. A 128
full criminal history and child abuse and neglect background check 129
must be conducted on any person who is not a grandparent, aunt, 130
uncle, or sibling of the child if the person is: 131
(i) Designated or proposed to be designated as the 132
attorney-in-fact; or 133
(ii) Is a person over the age of fifteen (15) who 134
resides in the home of the designated attorney-in-fact. 135
(2) A power of attorney executed under this chapter shall 136
not be used for the sole purposes of enrolling a child in a school 137
to participate in the academic or interscholastic athletic 138
programs provided by that school or for any other unlawful 139
purposes, except as may be permitted by the federal Every Student 140
Succeeds Act (Public Law 114-95). 141
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(3) The parent or legal custodian of the child has the 142
authority to revoke or withdraw the power of attorney authorized 143
by this section at any time. Upon the termination, expiration, or 144
revocation of the power of attorney, the child must be returned to 145
the custody of the parent or legal custodian. 146
(4) Until the authority expires or is revoked or withdrawn 147
by the parent or legal custodian, the attorney-in-fact shall 148
exercise parental or legal authority on a continuous basis without 149
compensation for the duration of the power of attorney. 150
(5) The execution of a power of attorney by a parent or 151
legal custodian does not, in the absence of other evidence, 152
constitute abandonment, desertion, abuse, neglect, or any evidence 153
of unfitness as a parent unless the parent or legal custodian 154
fails to take custody of the child or execute a new power of 155
attorney after the one-year time limit, or after a longer time 156
period as allowed for a serving parent, has elapsed. Nothing in 157
this subsection prevents the Department of Child Protection 158
Services or law enforcement from investigating allegations of 159
abuse, abandonment, desertion, neglect or other mistreatment of a 160
child. 161
(6) When the custody of a child is transferred by a power of 162
attorney under this chapter, the child is not considered to have 163
been placed in foster care and the attorney-in-fact will not be 164
subject to any of the requirements or licensing regulations for 165
foster care or other regulations relating to out-of-home care for 166
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children and will not be subject to any statutes or regulations 167
dealing with the licensing or regulation of foster care homes. 168
(7) (a) "Serving parent" means a parent who is a member of 169
the Armed Forces of the United States, including any reserve 170
component thereof, or the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 171
Administration Commissioned Officer Corps or the Public Health 172
Service of the United States Department of Health and Human 173
Services detailed by proper authority for duty with the Armed 174
Forces of the United States, or who is required to enter or serve 175
in the active military service of the United States under a call 176
or order of the President of the United States or to serve on 177
state active duty. 178
(b) A serving parent may delegate the powers designated 179
in subsection (1) of this section for longer than one (1) year if 180
on active-duty service or if scheduled to be on active-duty 181
service. The term of delegation, however, may not exceed the term 182
of active-duty service plus thirty (30) days. 183
(8) (a) A power of attorney under this chapter must be 184
filed in the youth court of the county where the minor child or 185
children reside at the time the form is completed, and the clerk 186
of the youth court will not impose or collect a filing fee. The 187
filing is informational only, and no judicial intervention shall 188
result at the time of filing. 189
(b) The power of attorney must be entered into the 190
Mississippi Youth Court Information Delivery System (MYCIDS) under 191
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Section 43-21-351, and must be administratively reviewed by the 192
youth court judge or referee, or a person designated by the youth 193
court judge or referee, to ensure the safety of the child or 194
children who are the subjects of the power of attorney one (1) 195
year after the date of execution. 196
(9) The provisions of this section shall stand repealed on 197
July 1, * * * 2027. 198
SECTION 3. Section 43-21-261, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 199
amended as follows: 200
43-21-261. (1) Except as otherwise provided in this 201
section, records involving children shall not be disclosed, other 202
than to necessary staff or officials of the youth court, a 203
guardian ad litem appointed to a child by the court, or a 204
Court-Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) volunteer who may be 205
assigned in a dependency, abuse or neglect case, except pursuant 206
to an order of the youth court specifying the person or persons to 207
whom the records may be disclosed, the extent of the records which 208
may be disclosed and the purpose of the disclosure. Such court 209
orders for disclosure shall be limited to those instances in which 210
the youth court concludes, in its discretion, that disclosure is 211
required for the best interests of the child, the public safety, 212
the functioning of the youth court, or to identify a person who 213
knowingly made a false allegation of child abuse or neglect, and 214
then only to the following persons: 215
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(a) The judge of another youth court or member of 216
another youth court staff; 217
(b) The court of the parties in a child custody or 218
adoption cause in another court; 219
(c) A judge of any other court or members of another 220
court staff, including the chancery court that ordered a forensic 221
interview; 222
(d) Representatives of a public or private agency 223
providing supervision or having custody of the child under order 224
of the youth court; 225
(e) Any person engaged in a bona fide research purpose, 226
provided that no information identifying the subject of the 227
records shall be made available to the researcher unless it is 228
absolutely essential to the research purpose and the judge gives 229
prior written approval, and the child, through his or her 230
representative, gives permission to release the information; 231
(f) The Mississippi Department of Employment Security, 232
or its duly authorized representatives, for the purpose of a 233
child's enrollment into the Job Corps Training Program as 234
authorized by Title IV of the Comprehensive Employment Training 235
Act of 1973 (29 USCS Section 923 et seq.). However, no records, 236
reports, investigations or information derived therefrom 237
pertaining to child abuse or neglect shall be disclosed; 238
(g) Any person pursuant to a finding by a judge of the 239
youth court of compelling circumstances affecting the health, 240
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safety or well-being of a child and that such disclosure is in the 241
best interests of the child or an adult who was formerly the 242
subject of a youth court delinquency proceeding; 243
(h) A person who was the subject of a knowingly made 244
false allegation of child abuse or neglect which has resulted in a 245
conviction of a perpetrator in accordance with Section 97-35-47 or 246
which allegation was referred by the Department of Child 247
Protection Services to a prosecutor or law enforcement official in 248
accordance with the provisions of Section 43-21-353(4). 249
Law enforcement agencies may disclose information to the 250
public concerning the taking of a child into custody for the 251
commission of a delinquent act without the necessity of an order 252
from the youth court. The information released shall not identify 253
the child or his address unless the information involves a child 254
convicted as an adult. 255
(2) Any records involving children which are disclosed under 256
an order of the youth court or pursuant to the terms of this 257
section and the contents thereof shall be kept confidential by the 258
person or agency to whom the record is disclosed unless otherwise 259
provided in the order. Any further disclosure of any records 260
involving children shall be made only under an order of the youth 261
court as provided in this section. 262
(3) Upon request, the parent, guardian or custodian of the 263
child who is the subject of a youth court cause or any attorney 264
for such parent, guardian or custodian, shall have the right to 265
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inspect any record, report or investigation relevant to a matter 266
to be heard by a youth court, except that the identity of the 267
reporter shall not be released, nor the name of any other person 268
where the person or agency making the information available finds 269
that disclosure of the information would be likely to endanger the 270
life or safety of such person. The attorney for the parent, 271
guardian or custodian of the child, upon request, shall be 272
provided a copy of any record, report or investigation relevant to 273
a matter to be heard by a youth court, but the identity of the 274
reporter must be redacted and the name of any other person must 275
also be redacted if the person or agency making the information 276
available finds that disclosure of the information would be likely 277
to endanger the life, safety or well-being of the person. A 278
record provided to the attorney under this section must remain in 279
the attorney's control and the attorney may not provide copies or 280
access to another person or entity without prior consent of a 281
court with appropriate jurisdiction. 282
(4) Upon request, the child who is the subject of a youth 283
court cause shall have the right to have his counsel inspect and 284
copy any record, report or investigation which is filed with the 285
youth court or which is to be considered by the youth court at a 286
hearing. 287
(5) (a) The youth court prosecutor or prosecutors, the 288
county attorney, the district attorney, the youth court defender 289
or defenders, or any attorney representing a child shall have the 290
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right to inspect and copy any law enforcement record involving 291
children. 292
(b) The Department of Child Protection Services shall 293
disclose to a county prosecuting attorney or district attorney any 294
and all records resulting from an investigation into suspected 295
child abuse or neglect when the case has been referred by the 296
Department of Child Protection Services to the county prosecuting 297
attorney or district attorney for criminal prosecution. 298
(c) Agency records made confidential under the 299
provisions of this section may be disclosed to a court of 300
competent jurisdiction. 301
(d) Records involving children shall be disclosed to 302
the Division of Victim Compensation of the Office of the Attorney 303
General upon the division's request without order of the youth 304
court for purposes of determination of eligibility for victim 305
compensation benefits. 306
(6) Information concerning an investigation into a report of 307
child abuse or child neglect may be disclosed by the Department of 308
Child Protection Services without order of the youth court to any 309
attorney, physician, dentist, intern, resident, nurse, 310
psychologist, social worker, family protection worker, family 311
protection specialist, child caregiver, minister, law enforcement 312
officer, or a public or private school employee making that report 313
pursuant to Section 43-21-353(1) if the reporter has a continuing 314
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professional relationship with the child and a need for such 315
information in order to protect or treat the child. 316
(7) Information concerning an investigation into a report of 317
child abuse or child neglect may be disclosed without further 318
order of the youth court to any interagency child abuse task force 319
established in any county or municipality by order of the youth 320
court of that county or municipality. 321
(8) Names and addresses of juveniles twice adjudicated as 322
delinquent for an act which would be a felony if committed by an 323
adult or for the unlawful possession of a firearm shall not be 324
held confidential and shall be made available to the public. 325
(9) Names and addresses of juveniles adjudicated as 326
delinquent for murder, manslaughter, burglary, arson, armed 327
robbery, aggravated assault, any sex offense as defined in Section 328
45-33-23, for any violation of Section 41-29-139(a)(1) or for any 329
violation of Section 63-11-30, shall not be held confidential and 330
shall be made available to the public. 331
(10) The judges of the circuit and county courts, and 332
presentence investigators for the circuit courts, as provided in 333
Section 47-7-9, shall have the right to inspect any youth court 334
records of a person convicted of a crime for sentencing purposes 335
only. 336
(11) The victim of an offense committed by a child who is 337
the subject of a youth court cause shall have the right to be 338
informed of the child's disposition by the youth court. 339
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(12) A classification hearing officer of the State 340
Department of Corrections, as provided in Section 47-5-103, shall 341
have the right to inspect any youth court records, excluding abuse 342
and neglect records, of any offender in the custody of the 343
department who as a child or minor was a juvenile offender or was 344
the subject of a youth court cause of action, and the State Parole 345
Board, as provided in Section 47-7-17, shall have the right to 346
inspect such records when the offender becomes eligible for 347
parole. 348
(13) The youth court shall notify the Department of Public 349
Safety of the name, and any other identifying information such 350
department may require, of any child who is adjudicated delinquent 351
as a result of a violation of the Uniform Controlled Substances 352
Law. 353
(14) The Administrative Office of Courts shall have the 354
right to inspect any youth court records in order that the number 355
of youthful offenders, abused, neglected, truant and dependent 356
children, as well as children in need of special care and children 357
in need of supervision, may be tracked with specificity through 358
the youth court and adult justice system, and to utilize tracking 359
forms for such purpose. 360
(15) Upon a request by a youth court, the Administrative 361
Office of Courts shall disclose all information at its disposal 362
concerning any previous youth court intakes alleging that a child 363
was a delinquent child, child in need of supervision, child in 364
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need of special care, truant child, abused child or neglected 365
child, as well as any previous youth court adjudications for the 366
same and all dispositional information concerning a child who at 367
the time of such request comes under the jurisdiction of the youth 368
court making such request. 369
(16) The Administrative Office of Courts may, in its 370
discretion, disclose to the Department of Public Safety any or all 371
of the information involving children contained in the office's 372
youth court data management system known as Mississippi Youth 373
Court Information Delivery System or "MYCIDS." 374
(17) The youth courts of the state shall disclose to the 375
Joint Legislative Committee on Performance Evaluation and 376
Expenditure Review (PEER) any youth court records in order that 377
the number of youthful offenders, abused, neglected, truant and 378
dependent children, as well as children in need of special care 379
and children in need of supervision, may be tracked with 380
specificity through the youth court and adult justice system, and 381
to utilize tracking forms for such purpose. The disclosure 382
prescribed in this subsection shall not require a court order and 383
shall be made in sortable, electronic format where possible. The 384
PEER Committee may seek the assistance of the Administrative 385
Office of Courts in seeking this information. The PEER Committee 386
shall not disclose the identities of any youth who have been 387
adjudicated in the youth courts of the state and shall only use 388
the disclosed information for the purpose of monitoring the 389
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effectiveness and efficiency of programs established to assist 390
adjudicated youth, and to ascertain the incidence of adjudicated 391
youth who become adult offenders. 392
(18) In every case where an abuse or neglect allegation has 393
been made, the confidentiality provisions of this section shall 394
not apply to prohibit access to a child's records by any state 395
regulatory agency, any state or local prosecutorial agency or law 396
enforcement agency; however, no identifying information concerning 397
the child in question may be released to the public by such agency 398
except as otherwise provided herein. 399
(19) In every case of child abuse or neglect, if a child's 400
physical condition is medically labeled as medically "serious" or 401
"critical" or a child dies, the confidentiality provisions of this 402
section shall not apply. In such cases, the following information 403
may be released by the Mississippi Department of Child Protection 404
Services: the cause of the circumstances regarding the fatality 405
or medically serious or critical physical condition; the age and 406
gender of the child; information describing any previous reports 407
of child abuse or neglect investigations that are pertinent to the 408
child abuse or neglect that led to the fatality or medically 409
serious or critical physical condition; the result of any such 410
investigations; and the services provided by and actions of the 411
state on behalf of the child that are pertinent to the child abuse 412
or neglect that led to the fatality or medically serious or 413
critical physical condition. 414
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(20) Any member of a foster care review board designated by 415
the Department of Child Protection Services shall have the right 416
to inspect youth court records relating to the abuse, neglect or 417
child in need of supervision cases assigned to such member for 418
review. 419
(21) Information concerning an investigation into a report 420
of child abuse or child neglect may be disclosed without further 421
order of the youth court in any administrative or due process 422
hearing held, pursuant to Section 43-21-257, by the Department of 423
Child Protection Services for individuals whose names will be 424
placed on the central registry as substantiated perpetrators. 425
(22) The Department of Child Protection Services may 426
disclose records involving children to the following: 427
(a) A foster home, residential child-caring agency or 428
child-placing agency to the extent necessary to provide such care 429
and services to a child; 430
(b) An individual, agency or organization that provides 431
services to a child or the child's family in furtherance of the 432
child's permanency plan to the extent necessary in providing those 433
services; 434
(c) Health and mental health care providers of a child 435
to the extent necessary for the provider to properly treat and 436
care for the child; 437
(d) An educational institution or educational services 438
provider where the child is enrolled or where enrollment is 439
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anticipated to the extent necessary for the school to provide 440
appropriate services to the child; 441
(e) Any state agency or board that administers student 442
financial assistance programs. However, any records request under 443
this paragraph shall be initiated by the agency or board for the 444
purpose determining the child's eligibility for student financial 445
assistance, and any disclosure shall be limited to the 446
verification of the child's age during the period of time in which 447
the child was in the department's legal custody; and 448
(f) Any other state agency if the disclosure is 449
necessary to the department in fulfilling its statutory 450
responsibilities in protecting the best interests of the child. 451
(23) Nothing in this section or chapter shall require youth 452
court approval for disclosure of records involving children as 453
defined in Section 43-21-105(u), if the disclosure is made in a 454
criminal matter by a municipal or county prosecutor, a district 455
attorney or statewide prosecutor, pursuant to the Mississippi 456
Rules of Criminal Procedure and the records are disclosed under a 457
protective order issued by the Circuit Court presiding over the 458
criminal matter which incorporates the penalties stated in Section 459
43-21-267. 460
(24) The provisions of this section shall stand repealed on 461
July 1, * * * 2027. 462
SECTION 4. Section 43-21-351, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 463
amended as follows: 464
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43-21-351. (1) Any person or agency having knowledge that a 465
child residing or being within the county is within the 466
jurisdiction of the youth court may make a written report to the 467
intake unit alleging facts sufficient to establish the 468
jurisdiction of the youth court. The report shall bear a 469
permanent number that will be assigned by the court in accordance 470
with the standards established by the Administrative Office of 471
Courts pursuant to Section 9-21-9(d), and shall be preserved until 472
destroyed on order of the court. 473
(2) There shall be in each youth court of the state an 474
intake officer who shall be responsible for the accurate and 475
timely entering of all intake and case information into the 476
Mississippi Youth Court Information Delivery System (MYCIDS) for 477
the Department of Human Services - Division of Youth Services, 478
truancy matters, and the Department of Child Protection Services. 479
It shall be the responsibility of the youth court judge or referee 480
of each county to ensure that the intake officer is carrying out 481
the responsibility of this section. 482
(3) Each intake officer shall receive, at a minimum, six (6) 483
hours of annual training on MYCIDS provided by the Mississippi 484
Judicial College. The required training under this subsection 485
shall be in addition to technical training provided by the 486
Mississippi Supreme Court MYCIDS Information Technology 487
Department. 488
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(4) The Mississippi Judicial College, in conjunction with 489
the Administrative Office of Courts, shall develop training 490
materials on MYCIDS: 491
(a) To ensure the accurate and timely entrance of all 492
intake and case information throughout the state by intake 493
officers; 494
(b) To ensure that youth court judges are equipped to 495
oversee the functions of each intake officer. 496
(5) The provisions of this section shall stand repealed on 497
July 1, * * * 2027. 498
SECTION 5. Section 43-21-801, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 499
amended as follows: 500
43-21-801. (1) There is established the Youth Court Support 501
Program. The purpose of the program shall be to ensure that all 502
youth courts have sufficient support funds to carry on the 503
business of the youth court. The Administrative Office of Courts 504
shall establish a formula consistent with this section for 505
providing state support payable from the Youth Court Support Fund 506
for the support of the youth courts. 507
(a) (i) Each regular youth court referee is eligible 508
for youth court support funds so long as the senior chancellor 509
does not elect to employ a youth court administrator as set forth 510
in paragraph (b); a municipal youth court judge is also eligible. 511
The Administrative Office of Courts shall direct any funds to the 512
appropriate county or municipality. The funds shall be utilized 513
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to compensate an intake officer who shall be responsible for 514
ensuring that all intake and case information for the Department 515
of Human Services - Division of Youth Services, truancy matters, 516
and the Department of Child Protection Services is entered into 517
the Mississippi Youth Court Information Delivery System (MYCIDS) 518
in an accurate and timely manner. If the court already has an 519
intake officer responsible for entering all cases of the 520
Department of Human Services - Division of Youth Services, truancy 521
matters, and the Department of Child Protection Services into 522
MYCIDS, the regular youth court referee or municipal court judge 523
may certify to the Administrative Office of Courts that such a 524
person is already on staff. In such a case, each regular youth 525
court referee or municipal youth court judge shall have the sole 526
individual discretion to appropriate those funds as expense monies 527
to assist in hiring secretarial staff and acquiring materials and 528
equipment incidental to carrying on the business of the court 529
within the private practice of law of the referee or judge, or may 530
direct the use of those funds through the county or municipal 531
budget for court support supplies or services. The regular youth 532
court referee and municipal youth court judge shall be accountable 533
for assuring through private, county or municipal employees the 534
proper preparation and filing of all necessary tracking and other 535
documentation attendant to the administration of the youth court. 536
(ii) Title to all tangible property, excepting 537
stamps, stationery and minor expendable office supplies, procured 538
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with funds authorized by this section, shall be and forever remain 539
in the county or municipality to be used by the judge or referee 540
during the term of his office and thereafter by his successors. 541
(b) (i) When permitted by the Administrative Office of 542
Courts and as funds are available, the senior chancellor for 543
Chancery Districts One, Two, Three, Four, Six, Seven, Nine, Ten, 544
Thirteen, Fourteen, Fifteen and Eighteen may appoint a youth court 545
administrator for the district whose responsibility will be to 546
perform all reporting, tracking and other duties of a court 547
administrator for all youth courts in the district that are under 548
the chancery court system. Any chancery district listed in this 549
paragraph in which a chancellor appoints a referee or special 550
master to hear any youth court matter is ineligible for funding 551
under this paragraph (b). The Administrative Office of Courts may 552
allocate to an eligible chancery district a sum not to exceed 553
Thirty Thousand Dollars ($30,000.00) per year for the salary, 554
fringe benefits and equipment of the youth court administrator, 555
and an additional sum not to exceed One Thousand Nine Hundred 556
Dollars ($1,900.00) for the administrator's travel expenses. 557
(ii) The appointment of a youth court 558
administrator shall be evidenced by the entry of an order on the 559
minutes of the court. The person appointed shall serve at the 560
will and pleasure of the senior chancellor but shall be an 561
employee of the Administrative Office of Courts. 562
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(iii) The Administrative Office of Courts must 563
approve the position, job description and salary before the 564
position can be filled. The Administrative Office of Courts shall 565
not approve any plan that does not first require the expenditure 566
of the funds from the Youth Court Support Fund before expenditure 567
of county funds is authorized for that purpose. 568
(iv) Title to any tangible property procured with 569
funds authorized under this paragraph shall be and forever remain 570
in the State of Mississippi. 571
(c) (i) Each county court is eligible for youth court 572
support funds. The funds shall be utilized to provide 573
compensation to an intake officer who shall be responsible for 574
ensuring that all intake and case information for the Department 575
of Human Services - Division of Youth Services, truancy matters, 576
and the Department of Child Protection Services is entered into 577
the Mississippi Youth Court Information Delivery System (MYCIDS) 578
in an accurate and timely manner. If the county court already has 579
an intake officer or other staff person responsible for entering 580
all cases of the Department of Human Services - Division of Youth 581
Services, truancy matters and the Department of Child Protection 582
Services into MYCIDS, the senior county court judge may certify 583
that such a person is already on staff. In such a case, the 584
senior county court judge shall have discretion to direct the 585
expenditure of those funds in hiring other support staff to carry 586
on the business of the court. 587
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(ii) For the purposes of this paragraph, "support 588
staff" means court administrators, law clerks, legal research 589
assistants, secretaries, resource administrators or case managers 590
appointed by a youth court judge, or any combination thereof, but 591
shall not mean school attendance officers. 592
(iii) The appointment of support staff shall be 593
evidenced by the entry of an order on the minutes of the court. 594
The support staff so appointed shall serve at the will and 595
pleasure of the senior county court judge but shall be an employee 596
of the county. 597
(iv) The Administrative Office of Courts must 598
approve the positions, job descriptions and salaries before the 599
positions may be filled. The Administrative Office of Courts 600
shall not approve any plan that does not first require the 601
expenditure of funds from the Youth Court Support Fund before 602
expenditure of county funds is authorized for that purpose. 603
(v) The Administrative Office of Courts may 604
approve expenditure from the fund for additional equipment for 605
support staff appointed pursuant to this paragraph if the 606
additional expenditure falls within the formula. Title to any 607
tangible property procured with funds authorized under this 608
paragraph shall be and forever remain in the county to be used by 609
the youth court and support staff. 610
(2) (a) (i) The formula developed by the Administrative 611
Office of Courts for providing youth court support funds shall be 612
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devised so as to distribute appropriated funds proportional to 613
caseload and other appropriate factors as set forth in regulations 614
promulgated by the Administrative Office of Courts. The formula 615
will determine a reasonable maximum amount per judge or referee 616
per annum that will not be exceeded in allocating funds under this 617
section. 618
(ii) The formula shall be reviewed by the 619
Administrative Office of Courts every two (2) years to ensure that 620
the youth court support funds provided herein are proportional to 621
each youth court's caseload and other specified factors. 622
(iii) The Administrative Office of Courts shall 623
have wide latitude in the first two-year cycle to implement a 624
formula designed to maximize caseload data collection. 625
(b) Application to receive funds under this section 626
shall be submitted in accordance with procedures established by 627
the Administrative Office of Courts. 628
(c) Approval of the use of any of the youth court 629
support funds distributed under this section shall be made by the 630
Administrative Office of Courts in accordance with procedures 631
established by the Administrative Office of Courts. 632
(3) (a) There is created in the State Treasury a special 633
fund to be designated as the "Youth Court Support Fund," which 634
shall consist of funds appropriated or otherwise made available by 635
the Legislature in any manner and funds from any other source 636
designated for deposit into such fund. Unexpended amounts 637
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remaining in the fund at the end of a fiscal year shall not lapse 638
into the State General Fund, and any investment earnings or 639
interest earned on amounts in the fund shall be deposited to the 640
credit of the fund. Monies in the fund shall be distributed to 641
the youth courts by the Administrative Office of Courts for the 642
purposes described in this section. 643
(b) (i) During the regular legislative session held in 644
calendar year 2007, the Legislature may appropriate an amount not 645
to exceed Two Million Five Hundred Thousand Dollars 646
($2,500,000.00) to the Youth Court Support Fund. 647
(ii) During each regular legislative session 648
subsequent to the 2007 Regular Session, the Legislature shall 649
appropriate Two Million Five Hundred Thousand Dollars 650
($2,500,000.00) to the Youth Court Support Fund. 651
(c) No youth court judge or youth court referee shall 652
be eligible to receive funding from the Youth Court Support Fund 653
who has not received annual continuing education in the field of 654
juvenile justice in an amount to conform with the requirements of 655
the Rules and Regulations for Mandatory Continuing Judicial 656
Education promulgated by the Supreme Court or received at least 657
one (1) hour of annual continuing education concerning oversight 658
of youth court intake officers and MYCIDS. The Administrative 659
Office of Courts shall maintain records of all referees and youth 660
court judges regarding such training and shall not disburse funds 661
to any county or municipality for the budget of a youth court 662
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ST: MYCIDS; extend repealer on provisions of
law that govern.
judge or referee who is not in compliance with the judicial 663
training requirements. 664
(4) Any recipient of funds from the Youth Court Support Fund 665
shall not be eligible for continuing disbursement of funds if the 666
recipient is not in compliance with the terms, conditions and 667
reporting requirements set forth in the procedures promulgated by 668
the Administrative Office of Courts. 669
(5) The provisions of this section shall stand repealed on 670
July 1, * * * 2027. 671
SECTION 6. Section 45-33-61, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 672
amended as follows: 673
45-33-61. (1) A person convicted of a sex offense shall not 674
access the Administrative Office of Courts' youth court data 675
management system known as the Mississippi Youth Court Information 676
Delivery System or "MYCIDS." 677
(2) This section applies to all registered sex offenders 678
without regard to the date of conviction for a registrable 679
offense. 680
(3) The provisions of this section shall stand repealed on 681
July 1, * * * 2027. 682
SECTION 7. This act shall take effect and be in force from 683
and after July 1, 2026, and shall stand repealed on June 30, 2026. 684