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HB387 • 2026

Mississippi Center for Legal Services Corporation Fund; create and provide for a new fee on expungement petitions to be deposited into.

AN ACT TO CREATE THE MISSISSIPPI CENTER FOR LEGAL SERVICES CORPORATION FUND; TO AMEND SECTION 99-19-72, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REVISE THE FILING FEE FOR A PETITION TO EXPUNGE AN OFFENSE AND PROVIDE THAT A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF THE FEE SHALL BE DEPOSITED INTO THE FUND; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

Did Not Pass

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

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

Plain English Breakdown

The bill did not pass and was stopped in committee. Therefore, it is uncertain how much money will actually be collected for the new fund.

Mississippi Center for Legal Services Corporation Fund Act

This bill creates a new fund to support legal services and changes the expungement petition filing fee in Mississippi.

What This Bill Does

  • Creates a special fund called the Mississippi Center for Legal Services Corporation Fund.
  • Changes the filing fee for people who want to have their criminal records cleared (expunged).
  • Requires part of this new fee to go into the newly created fund.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People who file expungement petitions in Mississippi.
  • The state government and legal service centers throughout Mississippi.

Terms To Know

Expungement
A process that clears or removes criminal records from public view.
Filing fee
Money paid when submitting a legal document to the court.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill did not pass and was stopped in committee.
  • It is unclear how much money will be collected for the new fund.

Bill History

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

    02/03 (H) Died In Committee

  2. 2026-01-12 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System

    01/12 (H) Referred To Judiciary B;Appropriations A

Official Summary Text

Mississippi Center for Legal Services Corporation Fund; create and provide for a new fee on expungement petitions to be deposited into.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
H. B. No. 387 *HR43/R1410* ~ OFFICIAL ~ G3/5
26/HR43/R1410
PAGE 1 (ELS\KP)

To: Judiciary B;
Appropriations A
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Representative Watson

HOUSE BILL NO. 387

AN ACT TO CREATE THE MISSISSIPPI CENTER FOR LEGAL SERVICES 1
CORPORATION FUND; TO AMEND SECTION 99-19-72, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 2
1972, TO REVISE THE FILING FEE FOR A PETITION TO EXPUNGE AN 3
OFFENSE AND PROVIDE THAT A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF THE FEE SHALL BE 4
DEPOSITED INTO THE FUND; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 5
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 6
SECTION 1. There is created in the State Treasury a special 7
fund designated as the Mississippi Center for Legal Services 8
Corporation Fund. The fund shall be administered by the 9
Mississippi Center for Legal Services Corporation, and monies in 10
the fund shall be distributed to the various legal service centers 11
throughout the state upon appropriation by the Legislature. The 12
fund shall consist of monies deposited into the fund as provided 13
in Section 99-19-72, monies from any private or public source, and 14
monies from any other source made available for the purpose of the 15
fund. Money remaining in the fund at the end of the fiscal year 16
shall not lapse into the State General Fund, and any interest 17
earned from the investment of monies in the fund shall be 18
deposited to the credit of the fund. 19
H. B. No. 387 *HR43/R1410* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR43/R1410
PAGE 2 (ELS\KP)
ST: Mississippi Center for Legal Services
Corporation Fund; create and provide for a new
fee on expungement petitions to be deposited
into.
SECTION 2. Section 99-19-72, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 20
amended as follows: 21
99-19-72. (1) A filing fee of * * * One Hundred Fifty-two 22
Dollars ($152.00) is * * * levied on each petition to expunge an 23
offense under Section 99-19-71 to be collected by the circuit 24
clerk and distributed as follows: 25
(a) One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) to be deposited into 26
the Judicial System Operation Fund; 27
(b) Forty Dollars ($40.00) to be deposited into the 28
District Attorneys Operation Fund; * * * 29
(c) Ten Dollars ($10.00) to be retained by the circuit 30
clerk collecting the fee for administration purposes * * *; and 31
(d) Two Dollars ($2.00) to be deposited into the 32
Mississippi Center for Legal Services Corporation Fund. 33
(2) From and after July 1, 2016, the expenses of district 34
attorneys shall be defrayed by appropriation from the State 35
General Fund and all user charges and fees authorized by 36
paragraphs (a) and (b) of subsection (1) of this section shall be 37
deposited into the State General Fund as authorized by law and as 38
determined by the State Fiscal Officer, and charges and fees 39
authorized by paragraph (c) of subsection (1) of this section 40
shall be retained by the circuit clerks for expenditures 41
authorized by law. 42
SECTION 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from 43
and after July 1, 2026. 44