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To: Judiciary B
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026
By: Representative Clark
HOUSE BILL NO. 7
AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 25-31-10, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, 1
TO ADD TWO ADDITIONAL CRIMINAL INVESTIGATORS TO THE 22ND CIRCUIT 2
COURT DISTRICT; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 3
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 4
SECTION 1. Section 25-31-10, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 5
amended as follows: 6
[Until January 1, 2031, this section shall read as follows:] 7
25-31-10. (1) Any district attorney may appoint a full-time 8
criminal investigator. 9
(2) The district attorneys of the Fifth, Ninth, Tenth, 10
Eleventh, Twelfth, Thirteenth, Fourteenth, Fifteenth, Sixteenth, 11
Seventeenth * * * and Twentieth * * * Circuit Court Districts may 12
appoint one (1) additional full-time criminal investigator for a 13
total of two (2) full-time criminal investigators. 14
(3) The district attorneys of the First, Second, Third, 15
Fourth, Nineteenth * * *, Twenty-first and Twenty-second Circuit 16
Court Districts may appoint two (2) additional full-time criminal 17
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investigators for a total of three (3) full-time criminal 18
investigators. 19
(4) The district attorney of the Seventh Circuit Court 20
District may appoint one (1) additional full-time criminal 21
investigator for a total of four (4) full-time criminal 22
investigators. 23
(5) No district attorney or assistant district attorney 24
shall accept any private employment, civil or criminal, in any 25
matter investigated by such criminal investigators. 26
(6) The full and complete compensation for all public duties 27
rendered by the criminal investigators shall be not more than 28
Seventy-five Thousand Dollars ($75,000.00) per annum, to be 29
determined at the discretion of the district attorney based upon 30
the qualifications, education and experience of the criminal 31
investigator, plus necessary travel and other expenses, to be paid 32
in accordance with Section 25-31-8. However, the maximum salary 33
under this subsection for a criminal investigator who has a law 34
degree may be supplemented by the district attorney from other 35
available funds, but not to exceed the maximum salary for a legal 36
assistant to a district attorney. 37
(7) Any criminal investigator may be designated by the 38
district attorney to attend the Law Enforcement Officers Training 39
Program set forth in Section 45-6-1 et seq. The total expenses 40
associated with attendance by criminal investigators at the Law 41
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Enforcement Officers Training Program shall be paid out of the 42
funds of the appropriate district attorney. 43
(8) The district attorney shall be authorized to assign the 44
duties of criminal investigators regardless of the source of 45
funding for such criminal investigators. 46
[From and after January 1, 2031, this section shall read as 47
follows:] 48
25-31-10. (1) Any district attorney may appoint a full-time 49
criminal investigator. 50
(2) The district attorneys of the Fifth, Ninth, Tenth, 51
Eleventh, Twelfth, Thirteenth, Fourteenth, Fifteenth, Sixteenth, 52
Seventeenth, and Twentieth Circuit Court Districts may appoint one 53
(1) additional full-time criminal investigator for a total of two 54
(2) full-time criminal investigators. 55
(3) The district attorneys of the First, Second, Third, 56
Fourth, Nineteenth and Twenty-first Circuit Court Districts may 57
appoint two (2) additional full-time criminal investigators for a 58
total of three (3) full-time criminal investigators. 59
(4) The district attorney of the Seventh Circuit Court 60
District may appoint one (1) additional full-time criminal 61
investigator for a total of four (4) full-time criminal 62
investigators. 63
(5) No district attorney or assistant district attorney 64
shall accept any private employment, civil or criminal, in any 65
matter investigated by such criminal investigators. 66
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ST: Criminal investigators; add to the 22nd
Circuit Court District.
(6) The full and complete compensation for all public duties 67
rendered by the criminal investigators shall be not more than 68
Seventy-five Thousand Dollars ($75,000.00) per annum, to be 69
determined at the discretion of the district attorney based upon 70
the qualifications, education and experience of the criminal 71
investigator, plus necessary travel and other expenses, to be paid 72
in accordance with Section 25-31-8. However, the maximum salary 73
under this subsection for a criminal investigator who has a law 74
degree may be supplemented by the district attorney from other 75
available funds, but not to exceed the maximum salary for a legal 76
assistant to a district attorney. 77
(7) Any criminal investigator may be designated by the 78
district attorney to attend the Law Enforcement Officers Training 79
Program set forth in Section 45-6-1 et seq. The total expenses 80
associated with attendance by criminal investigators at the Law 81
Enforcement Officers Training Program shall be paid out of the 82
funds of the appropriate district attorney. 83
(8) The district attorney shall be authorized to assign the 84
duties of criminal investigators regardless of the source of 85
funding for such criminal investigators. 86
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from 87
and after July 1, 2026. 88