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H. B. No. 477 *HR43/R471* ~ OFFICIAL ~ G1/2
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To: Judiciary A
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026
By: Representative Sanford
HOUSE BILL NO. 477
AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 93-19-13, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, 1
TO CLARIFY THE AUTHORITY OF ANY PERSON AGE 18 YEARS OR OLDER TO 2
ENTER INTO A BINDING CONTRACTUAL RELATIONSHIP TO CONVEY AND/OR 3
ENCUMBER PERSONAL PROPERTY, MORTGAGES AND REAL PROPERTY; TO BRING 4
FORWARD SECTION 93-19-1, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, WHICH 5
AUTHORIZES A CHANCERY COURT IN WHICH A MINOR RESIDES TO REMOVE 6
DISABILITY OF A MINOR, FOR PURPOSES OF AMENDMENT; AND FOR RELATED 7
PURPOSES. 8
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 9
SECTION 1. Section 93-19-13, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 10
amended as follows: 11
93-19-13. (1) All persons eighteen (18) years of age or 12
older, if not otherwise disqualified, or prohibited by law, shall 13
have the capacity to enter into binding contractual relationships 14
affecting personal property, mortgages and real property and to 15
convey and/or encumber personal property, mortgages and real 16
property. In addition, all persons eighteen (18) years of age or 17
older shall have the capacity to enter into binding contractual 18
relationships for the purpose of investing in mutual funds, 19
stocks, bonds and any other publicly traded equities. Nothing in 20
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this section shall be construed to affect any contracts entered 21
into prior to July 1, 1976. 22
(2) Any person who, upon attaining eighteen (18) years of 23
age, but not having reached the age of majority, if not otherwise 24
disqualified or prohibited by law, shall have the capacity to 25
enter into binding agreements to lease real property to be 26
occupied by the person as the actual place of residence, and to 27
secure the necessary utility services necessary to make such place 28
of residence habitable, including, but not limited to, 29
electricity, natural gas, propane, water, sewage, garbage disposal 30
and Internet services. 31
(3) In any legal action founded on a contract entered into 32
by a person eighteen (18) years of age or older, the said person 33
may sue in his own name as an adult and be sued in his own name as 34
an adult and be served with process as an adult. 35
SECTION 2. Section 93-19-1, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 36
brought forward as follows: 37
93-19-1. The chancery court of the county in which a minor 38
resides, or the chancery court of a county in which a resident 39
minor owns real estate in matters pertaining to such real estate, 40
may remove the disability of minority of such minor. In cases of 41
married minors, the residence of the husband shall be the 42
residence of the parties. The chancery court of a county in which 43
a nonresident minor of the State of Mississippi owns real estate 44
or any interest in real estate may remove the disability of 45
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ST: Real property conveyance; authorize 18 year
olds to contract for.
minority of such minor as to such real estate, so as to enable 46
said minor to do and perform all acts with reference to such real 47
estate, to sell and convey, to mortgage, to lease, and to make 48
deeds of trust and contracts, including promissory notes, 49
concerning said real estate, or any interest therein which may be 50
owned by such minor, as fully and effectively as if said minor 51
were eighteen (18) years of age. The jurisdiction thus exercised 52
shall be that of a court of general equity jurisdiction, and all 53
presumptions in favor of that adjudged shall be accorded at all 54
times. 55
SECTION 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from 56
and after July 1, 2026. 57