HB1510 • 2026

Seventh Circuit Court District; bring forward section providing for number of assistant public defenders.

AN ACT TO BRING FORWARD SECTION 25-32-4, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, WHICH PROVIDES FOR THE NUMBER OF ASSISTANT PUBLIC DEFENDERS AND STAFF FOR THE SEVENTH CIRCUIT COURT DISTRICT, FOR THE PURPOSE OF POSSIBLE AMENDMENT; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

Did Not Pass

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

Sponsor: Bell (65th)
Last action: 2026-03-03
Official status: Dead
Effective date: July 1, 20

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Seventh Circuit Court District Public Defender Staff

This bill brings forward a section of the Mississippi Code to provide for the number of assistant public defenders and staff in the Seventh Circuit Court District, allowing possible future amendments.

What This Bill Does

Brings forward Section 25-32-4 of the Mississippi Code of 1972.
Allows the appointment of three full-time assistant public defenders for the Seventh Circuit Court District and CCID Inferior Court.
Requires these appointments to be in addition to those authorized as of July 1, 2023.
Specifies that the assistants will receive compensation equal to other full-time assistant public defenders based on available funds.

Who It Names or Affects

The Seventh Circuit Court District and CCID Inferior Court
Assistant public defenders appointed for these areas

Terms To Know

Public Defender: A lawyer who is paid by the government to represent people who cannot afford a lawyer in court.
CCID Inferior Court: The Capitol Complex Improvement District's lower-level court system.

Limits and Unknowns

This bill did not pass and was referred to committee where it died.
It only brings forward the section for possible future amendments, without making any changes itself.

Bill History

2026-03-03 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System
03/03 (S) Died In Committee
2026-02-19 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System
02/19 (S) Referred To Judiciary, Division A;Appropriations
2026-02-13 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System
02/13 (H) Transmitted To Senate
2026-02-12 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System
02/12 (H) Passed
2026-02-12 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System
02/12 (H) Committee Substitute Adopted
2026-02-11 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System
02/11 (H) Read the Third Time
2026-02-03 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System
02/03 (H) Title Suff Do Pass Comm Sub
2026-02-03 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System
02/03 (H) DR - TSDPCS: AP To JB
2026-02-03 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System
02/03 (H) DR - TSDP: JB To AP
2026-01-19 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System
01/19 (H) Referred To Judiciary B;Appropriations A

Official Summary Text

Seventh Circuit Court District; bring forward section providing for number of assistant public defenders.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

H. B. No. 1510 *HR43/R2211CS* ~ OFFICIAL ~ G1/2
26/HR43/R2211CS
PAGE 1 (RF\KP)
ST: Seventh Circuit Court District; bring
forward section providing for number of
assistant public defenders.
To: Judiciary B;
Appropriations A
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Representative Bell (65th)

COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE
FOR
HOUSE BILL NO. 1510

AN ACT TO BRING FORWARD SECTION 25-32-4, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1
1972, WHICH PROVIDES FOR THE NUMBER OF ASSISTANT PUBLIC DEFENDERS 2
AND STAFF FOR THE SEVENTH CIRCUIT COURT DISTRICT, FOR THE PURPOSE 3
OF POSSIBLE AMENDMENT; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 4
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 5
SECTION 1. Section 25-32-4, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 6
brought forward as follows: 7
25-32-4. The public defender of the Seventh Circuit Court 8
District may appoint three (3) full-time assistant public 9
defenders who shall perform duties in the Seventh Circuit Court 10
District and the Capitol Complex Improvement District (CCID) 11
Inferior Court. Such appointments shall be made in addition to 12
those authorized as of July 1, 2023 in Section 25-32-3. The 13
full-time assistant public defenders shall receive compensation in 14
an amount equal to the compensation paid to full-time assistant 15
public defenders in the Seventh Circuit Court District subject to 16
available funds specifically appropriated by the Legislature. 17
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from 18
and after July 1, 2026. 19