KLS Keeping Law Simple Legislation in plain English

Straight-ahead summaries built from the official bill text. We keep the source links front and center and leave the decision up to you.

Back to Mississippi

HB1469 • 2026

Boating; prohibit enforcement officers from performing vessel stops or boarding a vessel without probable cause.

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 59-21-127, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROHIBIT ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS OF THE MISSISSIPPI COMMISSION ON WILDLIFE, FISHERIES AND PARKS AND THE COMMISSION ON MARINE RESOURCES FROM PERFORMING VESSEL STOPS OR BOARDING A VESSEL WITHOUT PROBABLE CAUSE; TO PROHIBIT ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS FROM PERFORMING A VESSEL STOP OR BOARDING A VESSEL FOR THE SOLE PURPOSE OF PERFORMING A SAFETY OR MARINE SANITATION EQUIPMENT INSPECTION; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

Did Not Pass

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

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

Plain English Breakdown

The bill did not pass, so there are no further details on enforcement or consequences for violations.

Boating; Limiting Enforcement Stops

This bill changes the rules for when enforcement officers can stop or board boats to require probable cause and bans stops just for safety checks.

What This Bill Does

  • Changes Mississippi law to say that boat patrol officers need a good reason (probable cause) before they can stop or get on someone's boat.
  • Makes it against the rules for officers to stop boats only to check if they are safe or have proper waste disposal equipment.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Boat patrol officers from the Mississippi Commission on Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks and the Marine Resources Commission
  • People who own or use boats

Terms To Know

probable cause
A good reason based on facts that would make a reasonable person think someone has broken the law.
vessel stop
When an officer stops and checks a boat while it is in use.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill did not pass, so these changes would not have happened.
  • It does not say what happens if officers break the new rules.

Bill History

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

    03/03 (S) Died In Committee

  2. 2026-02-16 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System

    02/16 (S) Referred To Ports and Marine Resources;Accountability, Efficiency, Transparency

  3. 2026-02-05 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System

    02/05 (H) Transmitted To Senate

  4. 2026-02-04 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System

    02/04 (H) Passed

  5. 2026-01-28 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System

    01/28 (H) Title Suff Do Pass

  6. 2026-01-19 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System

    01/19 (H) Referred To Marine Resources

Official Summary Text

Boating; prohibit enforcement officers from performing vessel stops or boarding a vessel without probable cause.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
H. B. No. 1469 *HR26/R2029* ~ OFFICIAL ~ G1/2
26/HR26/R2029
PAGE 1 (RKM\KW)

To: Marine Resources
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Representative Barnett

HOUSE BILL NO. 1469

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 59-21-127, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, 1
TO PROHIBIT ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS OF THE MISSISSIPPI COMMISSION ON 2
WILDLIFE, FISHERIES AND PARKS AND THE COMMISSION ON MARINE 3
RESOURCES FROM PERFORMING VESSEL STOPS OR BOARDING A VESSEL 4
WITHOUT PROBABLE CAUSE; TO PROHIBIT ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS FROM 5
PERFORMING A VESSEL STOP OR BOARDING A VESSEL FOR THE SOLE PURPOSE 6
OF PERFORMING A SAFETY OR MARINE SANITATION EQUIPMENT INSPECTION; 7
AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 8
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 9
SECTION 1. Section 59-21-127, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 10
amended as follows: 11
59-21-127. (1) It shall be the duty of all enforcement 12
officers to enforce, and to obey and carry out all instructions, 13
directions, rules and regulations of the commission with respect 14
to the enforcement of the provisions of this chapter. Each 15
enforcement officer shall account for and pay over, pursuant to 16
law, all monies received by him or her under this chapter. 17
(2) * * * Subject to the provisions of subsections (3) and 18
(4) of this section, enforcement officers shall have the power, 19
and it shall be their duty, to: 20
H. B. No. 1469 *HR26/R2029* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R2029
PAGE 2 (RKM\KW)

(a) Execute all warrants for violations of the rules 21
and regulations of the commission and the provisions of this 22
chapter; 23
(b) Serve subpoenas issued for the examination and 24
investigation or trial of such violations; 25
(c) * * * Arrest, without warrant, any person 26
committing a violation of this chapter or the rules and 27
regulations of the commission in the presence of the enforcement 28
officers, and to take such person before a magistrate or court 29
having jurisdiction for trial or hearing; and 30
(d) Exercise such other powers of peace officers in the 31
enforcement of this chapter and the rules and regulations of the 32
commission or of a judgment for the violation thereof, as are not 33
herein specifically provided. 34
(3) An enforcement officer may not board a vessel or perform 35
a vessel stop in this state unless the officer has probable cause 36
to believe that a violation of this chapter or a rule or 37
regulation promulgated by the commission has occurred or is 38
occurring. 39
(4) An enforcement officer may not perform a vessel stop or 40
board a vessel for the sole purpose of performing a safety or 41
marine sanitation equipment inspection. A violation of safety or 42
marine sanitation requirements is a secondary offense rather than 43
a primary offense. 44
H. B. No. 1469 *HR26/R2029* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R2029
PAGE 3 (RKM\KW)
ST: Boating; prohibit enforcement officers from
performing vessel stops or boarding a vessel
without probable cause.
(5) No enforcement officers shall compromise or settle out 45
of court any violation of the provisions of this chapter or any 46
rule or regulation promulgated by the commission. 47
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from 48
and after July 1, 2026. 49