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To: Judiciary A;
Appropriations A
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026
By: Representative Karriem
HOUSE BILL NO. 404
AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 99-36-7, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO 1
AUTHORIZE AN ADDITIONAL VICTIM ASSISTANCE COORDINATOR FOR THE 2
SIXTEENTH CIRCUIT COURT DISTRICT; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 3
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 4
SECTION 1. Section 99-36-7, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 5
amended as follows: 6
99-36-7. (1) (a) In addition to the full-time legal 7
assistants to the district attorney authorized by Section 25-31-5, 8
the district attorney in each circuit court district in this state 9
shall, subject to the approval of and upon the order of the senior 10
circuit court judge of the district, employ one (1) person to 11
serve at the will and pleasure of the district attorney as a 12
"victim assistance coordinator" who shall not be considered to be 13
a state employee. 14
(b) The District Attorney of the First Circuit Court 15
District * * *, * * * the District Attorney of the Fourteenth 16
Circuit Court District and the District Attorney of the Sixteenth 17
Circuit Court District, upon the approval of the boards of 18
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supervisors, may appoint one (1) additional victim assistance 19
coordinator, subject to the approval of and upon the order of the 20
senior circuit court judge of the applicable district for a total 21
of two (2) victim assistance coordinators per district. 22
(2) The duty of the victim assistance coordinator is to 23
ensure that a victim, guardian of a victim, or close relative of a 24
deceased victim is afforded the rights granted victims, guardians 25
and relatives by Section 99-36-5. The victim assistance 26
coordinator shall work closely with appropriate law enforcement 27
agencies, prosecuting attorneys, the state and the judiciary in 28
fulfilling that duty. 29
(3) The salary of the victim assistance coordinator shall 30
not exceed the salary authorized for criminal investigators in 31
Section 25-31-10, and shall be paid jointly by the counties 32
comprising the circuit court district, with each county paying a 33
pro rata share of the salary as determined by the senior circuit 34
court judge. 35
(4) The board of supervisors of any county, with the 36
approval of and upon the order of the senior circuit court judge 37
of the district wherein such county lies, may, in addition to any 38
victim assistance coordinator provided for in subsection (1) of 39
this section, create the position of county victim assistance 40
coordinator. The duty of the county victim assistance coordinator 41
shall be to cooperate with local law enforcement agencies, the 42
county attorney and the district attorney in assuring that a 43
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ST: Victim Assistance Coordinator; authorize
additional for the 16th Circuit Court District.
victim, guardian or close relative is afforded the rights granted 44
by Section 99-36-5. Two (2) or more counties, by action of their 45
respective boards of supervisors, with the approval of and upon 46
the order of the senior circuit court judge of the district 47
wherein such counties lie, may join in establishing and 48
maintaining the position of victim assistance coordinator to serve 49
these counties. Any municipality, by action of its governing 50
authority, may participate in the establishment and maintenance of 51
a county victim assistance coordinator's office located within the 52
municipality. 53
(5) Any district attorney, county board of supervisors or 54
governing authority of a municipality which has established or is 55
participating in the maintenance of an office of victim assistance 56
coordinator may apply through the Governor's Office of State and 57
Federal Programs for a grant under the federal "Victims of Crimes 58
Act of 1984" (Public Law 98-473) to be used in the continued 59
operation of the victim assistance program. 60
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from 61
and after July 1, 2026. 62