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HB461 • 2026

"Jennifer's Law"; enact to prohibit state and local agencies from establishing traffic ticket quotas.

AN ACT TO CREATE "JENNIFER'S LAW" TO PROHIBIT ANY STATE OR LOCAL AGENCY THAT EMPLOYS PEACE OFFICERS OR PARKING ENFORCEMENT EMPLOYEES FROM ESTABLISHING ANY POLICY REQUIRING ANY SUCH OFFICERS OR EMPLOYEES TO MEET AN ARREST QUOTA CONCERNING TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS; TO PROHIBIT THE NUMBER OF ARRESTS OR CITATIONS ISSUED BY A PEACE OFFICER OR PARKING ENFORCEMENT EMPLOYEE AS THE SOLE CRITERION FOR EARNING ANY BENEFIT PROVIDED BY A STATE OR LOCAL AGENCY; TO PROVIDE CERTAIN DEFINITIONS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

Labor
Did Not Pass

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

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

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Jennifer's Law

This law stops state and local agencies from making rules that require police officers or parking enforcement workers to give out a certain number of traffic tickets or make arrests.

What This Bill Does

  • Creates 'Jennifer's Law' which bans state and local agencies from setting arrest quotas for traffic violations.
  • Forbids using the number of arrests or citations issued as the only way to decide on promotions, demotions, dismissals, or benefits for officers.

Who It Names or Affects

  • State and local agencies that employ peace officers and parking enforcement employees
  • Peace officers and parking enforcement employees

Terms To Know

Arrest quota
A requirement for police or parking enforcement workers to make a certain number of arrests or issue citations.
Citation
A notice given to someone who breaks traffic laws, telling them they must appear in court or pay a fine.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill did not pass and was stopped in committee.
  • It would have taken effect on July 1, 2026, but since it didn't pass, this date is no longer relevant.

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

Official Summary Text

"Jennifer's Law"; enact to prohibit state and local agencies from establishing traffic ticket quotas.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
H. B. No. 461 *HR26/R263* ~ OFFICIAL ~ G1/2
26/HR26/R263
PAGE 1 (OM\KW)

To: Judiciary B
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Representative Thompson

HOUSE BILL NO. 461

AN ACT TO CREATE "JENNIFER'S LAW" TO PROHIBIT ANY STATE OR 1
LOCAL AGENCY THAT EMPLOYS PEACE OFFICERS OR PARKING ENFORCEMENT 2
EMPLOYEES FROM ESTABLISHING ANY POLICY REQUIRING ANY SUCH OFFICERS 3
OR EMPLOYEES TO MEET AN ARREST QUOTA CONCERNING TRAFFIC 4
VIOLATIONS; TO PROHIBIT THE NUMBER OF ARRESTS OR CITATIONS ISSUED 5
BY A PEACE OFFICER OR PARKING ENFORCEMENT EMPLOYEE AS THE SOLE 6
CRITERION FOR EARNING ANY BENEFIT PROVIDED BY A STATE OR LOCAL 7
AGENCY; TO PROVIDE CERTAIN DEFINITIONS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 8
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 9
SECTION 1. (1) This section shall be referred to as 10
"Jennifer's Law." 11
(2) The words and phrases used in this section shall have 12
the meanings respectively ascribed to them as follows: 13
(a) "Arrest quota" means any requirement regarding the 14
number of arrests made, or the number of citations issued, by a 15
peace officer, or parking enforcement employee, or the proportion 16
of those arrests made and citations issued by a peace officer or 17
parking enforcement employee, relative to the arrests made and 18
citations issued by another peace officer or parking enforcement 19
employee, or group of officers or employees. 20
H. B. No. 461 *HR26/R263* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R263
PAGE 2 (OM\KW)

(b) "Citation" means a notice to appear, notice of 21
violation or notice of parking violation. 22
(c) "Peace officer" means any person appointed or 23
employed full time by the state or any political subdivision 24
thereof, who is duly sworn and vested with authority to bear arms 25
and make arrests, and whose primary responsibility is the 26
prevention and detection of crime, the apprehension of criminals 27
and the enforcement of criminal and traffic laws of this state 28
and/or the ordinances of any political subdivision thereof. 29
(d) "Agency" includes any governing authority that 30
employs peace officers within the State of Mississippi. 31
(2) No state or local agency employing peace officers or 32
parking enforcement employees engaged in the enforcement of Title 33
Code 63, Mississippi Code of 1972, or any local ordinance adopted 34
pursuant to Title 63, Mississippi Code of 1972, may establish any 35
policy requiring any peace officer or parking enforcement 36
employees to meet an arrest quota. 37
(3) No state or local agency employing peace officers or 38
parking enforcement employees engaged in the enforcement of Title 39
63, Mississippi Code of 1972, shall use the number of arrests or 40
citations issued by a peace officer or parking enforcement 41
employee as the sole criterion for promotion, demotion, dismissal, 42
or the earning of any benefit provided by the agency. Those 43
arrests or citations, and their ultimate dispositions, may only be 44
considered in evaluating the overall performance of a peace 45
H. B. No. 461 *HR26/R263* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R263
PAGE 3 (OM\KW)
ST: "Jennifer's Law"; enact to prohibit state
and local agencies from establishing traffic
ticket quotas.
officer or parking enforcement employees. An evaluation may 46
include, but shall not be limited to, criteria such as attendance, 47
punctuality, work safety, complaints by citizens, commendations, 48
demeanor, formal training and professional judgment. 49
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from 50
and after July 1, 2026. 51