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HB1454 • 2026

"The Buyers Accountability Program"; create to educate those convicted of procuring prostitution.

AN ACT TO CREATE "THE BUYER ACCOUNTABILITY PROGRAM" TO EDUCATE PERSONS CONVICTED OF PROCURING PROSTITUTION; TO REQUIRE PAYMENT OF AN ASSESSMENT TO PARTICIPATE; TO REQUIRE THE ATTORNEY GENERAL TO MANAGE SUCH PROGRAMS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE OF COURTS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

Education Taxes
Did Not Pass

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

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

Plain English Breakdown

The bill did not pass, so its exact implementation details remain speculative.

The Buyers Accountability Program

This bill creates a program to educate people who have been convicted of procuring prostitution and requires them to pay an assessment to participate.

What This Bill Does

  • Creates the 'Buyer Accountability Program' for educating those convicted of procuring prostitution.
  • Requires courts to order offenders to attend this education program.
  • Makes it necessary for people participating in the program to pay a fee of $1,000.
  • Gives the Administrative Office of Courts and the Attorney General responsibility for managing the program.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People convicted of procuring prostitution.
  • Courts that handle cases involving these crimes.
  • The state's Administrative Office of Courts and the Attorney General.

Terms To Know

Procuring
Buying sex from someone who is a prostitute.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill did not pass and was stopped in committee.
  • It is unclear how many locations will offer the program throughout the state.

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

"The Buyers Accountability Program"; create to educate those convicted of procuring prostitution.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
H. B. No. 1454 *HR26/R2259* ~ OFFICIAL ~ G1/2
26/HR26/R2259
PAGE 1 (GT\KW)

To: Judiciary B
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Representative Butler-Washington

HOUSE BILL NO. 1454

AN ACT TO CREATE "THE BUYER ACCOUNTABILITY PROGRAM" TO EDUCATE 1
PERSONS CONVICTED OF PROCURING PROSTITUTION; TO REQUIRE PAYMENT OF 2
AN ASSESSMENT TO PARTICIPATE; TO REQUIRE THE ATTORNEY GENERAL TO 3
MANAGE SUCH PROGRAMS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE 4
OF COURTS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 5
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 6
SECTION 1. (1) In addition to any other penalty provided by 7
law for committing the offense of procuring, patronizing or 8
promoting prostitution or any offense of human trafficking, the 9
court shall order any person arrested to participate in the "Buyer 10
Accountability Program" established pursuant to this act. In 11
addition to any fine, fee, assessment, or other penalty provided by 12
law for any person convicted of procuring, patronizing or promoting 13
prostitution or any offense of human trafficking, the court shall 14
order any person participating in the "Buyer Accountability 15
Program," to pay an assessment of One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00). 16
(2) The Administrative Office of Courts shall establish an 17
education program to be known as the "Buyer Accountability Program," 18
which shall consist of an instructional program on prostitution and 19
H. B. No. 1454 *HR26/R2259* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R2259
PAGE 2 (GT\KW)

human trafficking schemes under the supervision and authority of the 20
Administrative Office of Courts that is offered in one (1) or more 21
locations throughout the State as follows: 22
(a) By a county or local governmental entity, alone or in 23
partnership with a nonprofit, pertaining to the proposed operation 24
of an instructional program by the county or local governmental 25
entity, or alternatively, by a nonprofit or other private provider 26
on behalf of the county or local governmental entity and the 27
Attorney General. If a county or local governmental entity 28
establishes and operates an instructional program, then all courts 29
operating within the jurisdiction of that county or local 30
governmental entity shall order a person convicted of an eligible 31
offense under this act to attend that county or local governmental 32
entity's program; provided, a court shall not be required to order a 33
person to attend that program until the first day of the month next 34
following the date on which the Administrative Office of the Courts 35
establishes the program; and 36
(b) To be established within six (6) months of the 37
effective date of this act. Any court in a jurisdiction that does 38
not have an approved county or local governmental entity 39
instructional program as established under act shall order a person 40
charged with an eligible offense under this act to attend the 41
approved State program established under act, unless there is an 42
extra-jurisdictional county or local governmental entity 43
instructional program within twenty-five (25) miles of the court, 44
H. B. No. 1454 *HR26/R2259* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R2259
PAGE 3 (GT\KW)
ST: "The Buyers Accountability Program"; create
to educate those convicted of procuring
prostitution.
and the court has been notified in accordance with this act, of the 45
availability of that program to accept participants from the court, 46
in which case the court may instead order a person to attend the 47
county or local governmental entity's instructional program. A 48
court shall not be required to order a person to attend a program 49
until the first day of the month next following the date on which 50
Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) approves the program. 51
(3) The program shall include information intended to increase 52
the person's awareness of: (a) the causes of prostitution and its 53
relationship to human trafficking;(b) the health and safety risks 54
connected with prostitution, including its impact on the community; 55
(c) the consequences of convictions for prostitution or human 56
trafficking, including penalties for subsequent convictions on both 57
patronizers and victims; and (d) the pervasiveness of human 58
trafficking as well as the long-term physical and psychological 59
harms of prostitution and human trafficking on its victims. 60
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from 61
and after July 1, 2026. 62