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HB827 • 2026

Rick Kennedy Act; create.

AN ACT TO CREATE THE RICK KENNEDY ACT; TO PROVIDE THAT IF A PERSON, WHILE TAKING ANY BIRD OR MAMMAL, WHO KILLS OR INJURES ANOTHER PERSON BY THE USE OF A FIREARM, BOW AND ARROW, OR OTHER WEAPON OR DEVICE USED IN SUCH TAKING, AND HE OR SHE IS SUBJECT TO CRIMINAL CHARGES AND CHARGED AS A RESULT OF SUCH KILLING OR INJURY, THE PERSON SHALL HAVE HIS OR HER HUNTING LICENSE SUSPENDED UNTIL ALL SUCH CRIMINAL CHARGES HAVE BEEN WITHDRAWN, DROPPED, OR OTHERWISE DISMISSED, OR UNTIL HE OR SHE HAS BEEN ACQUITTED OR FOUND NOT GUILTY OF ALL CRIMINAL CHARGES; TO PROVIDE THAT IN ORDER FOR SUCH PERSON TO HAVE HIS OR HER HUNTING LICENSE REINSTATED DUE TO NEGLIGENCE, HE OR SHE MUST HAVE BEEN ISSUED CERTIFICATION OF SATISFACTORY COMPLETION OF A HUNTER EDUCATION COURSE APPROVED BY THE DEPARTMENT, AND MUST APPEAR BEFORE THE COMMISSION TO HAVE HIS OR HER HUNTING LICENSE REINSTATED AFTER A ONE YEAR PROBATION PERIOD HAS ENDED; TO BRING FORWARD SECTION 49-4-31, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, FOR PURPOSES OF POSSIBLE AMENDMENT; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

Education Firearms
Did Not Pass

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

Sponsor
Keen, Harris, Kinkade, Tubb, Remak
Last action
2026-02-12
Official status
Dead
Effective date
July 1, 20

Plain English Breakdown

The official summary and text do not provide specific details on how the Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks will handle notifications from law enforcement.

Rick Kennedy Act

The Rick Kennedy Act proposes suspending hunting licenses for hunters who kill or injure another person while hunting and are charged with criminal offenses.

What This Bill Does

  • If a hunter kills or injures another person during hunting activities using firearms, bows, arrows, or other weapons, their hunting license will be suspended until all criminal charges have been resolved.
  • After being acquitted of charges, the hunter must complete an approved hunter education course and appear before the commission to get their license reinstated after a one-year probation period.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Hunters who kill or injure another person while hunting will have their licenses suspended.
  • Law enforcement agencies are required to notify the Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks within 48 hours if a hunter is charged with killing or injuring someone during hunting.

Terms To Know

Hunter education course
A training program that teaches hunters about safety rules and how to avoid accidents.
Probation period
The time a person must wait before they can get their hunting license back after it has been suspended.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This bill did not pass during the session and will not take effect.
  • It only applies to hunters who are charged with killing or injuring someone while hunting, not those involved in other types of accidents.

Bill History

  1. 2026-02-12 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System

    02/12 (H) Died On Calendar

  2. 2026-02-02 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System

    02/02 (H) Title Suff Do Pass Comm Sub

  3. 2026-01-16 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System

    01/16 (H) Referred To Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks

Official Summary Text

Rick Kennedy Act; create.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
H. B. No. 827 *HR26/R59CS* ~ OFFICIAL ~ G1/2
26/HR26/R59CS
PAGE 1 (MCL\KW)

To: Wildlife, Fisheries and
Parks
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Representatives Keen, Harris, Kinkade,
Tubb, Remak

COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE
FOR
HOUSE BILL NO. 827

AN ACT TO CREATE THE RICK KENNEDY ACT; TO PROVIDE THAT IF A 1
PERSON, WHILE TAKING ANY BIRD OR MAMMAL, WHO KILLS OR INJURES 2
ANOTHER PERSON BY THE USE OF A FIREARM, BOW AND ARROW, OR OTHER 3
WEAPON OR DEVICE USED IN SUCH TAKING, AND HE OR SHE IS SUBJECT TO 4
CRIMINAL CHARGES AND CHARGED AS A RESULT OF SUCH KILLING OR 5
INJURY, THE PERSON SHALL HAVE HIS OR HER HUNTING LICENSE SUSPENDED 6
UNTIL ALL SUCH CRIMINAL CHARGES HAVE BEEN WITHDRAWN, DROPPED, OR 7
OTHERWISE DISMISSED, OR UNTIL HE OR SHE HAS BEEN ACQUITTED OR 8
FOUND NOT GUILTY OF ALL CRIMINAL CHARGES; TO PROVIDE THAT IN ORDER 9
FOR SUCH PERSON TO HAVE HIS OR HER HUNTING LICENSE REINSTATED DUE 10
TO NEGLIGENCE, HE OR SHE MUST HAVE BEEN ISSUED CERTIFICATION OF 11
SATISFACTORY COMPLETION OF A HUNTER EDUCATION COURSE APPROVED BY 12
THE DEPARTMENT, AND MUST APPEAR BEFORE THE COMMISSION TO HAVE HIS 13
OR HER HUNTING LICENSE REINSTATED AFTER A ONE YEAR PROBATION 14
PERIOD HAS ENDED; TO BRING FORWARD SECTION 49-4-31, MISSISSIPPI 15
CODE OF 1972, FOR PURPOSES OF POSSIBLE AMENDMENT; AND FOR RELATED 16
PURPOSES. 17
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 18
SECTION 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the 19
Rick Kennedy Act. 20
SECTION 2. If a person, while taking any bird or mammal, who 21
kills or injures another person by the use of a firearm, bow and 22
arrow, or other weapon or device used in such taking, and he or 23
she is subject to criminal charges and charged as a result of such 24
killing or injury, the person shall have his or her hunting 25
H. B. No. 827 *HR26/R59CS* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R59CS
PAGE 2 (MCL\KW)

license suspended until all such criminal charges have been 26
withdrawn, dropped, or otherwise dismissed, or until he or she has 27
been acquitted or found not guilty of all criminal charges. When 28
a person becomes subject to criminal charges as a result of such 29
killing or injury, the appropriate law enforcement department or 30
entity shall immediately, within forty-eight (48) hours, notify 31
the Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks. 32
If such person is acquitted or found not guilty of all 33
criminal charges, or such charges have been withdrawn, dropped, or 34
otherwise dismissed, then in order to have his or her hunting 35
license reinstated due to negligence, the person must have been 36
issued certification of satisfactory completion of a hunter 37
education course approved by the department, and must appear 38
before the commission to have his or her hunting license 39
reinstated after a one (1) year probation period has ended. 40
SECTION 3. Section 49-4-31, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 41
brought forward as follows: 42
49-4-31. (1) Upon notification by a duly authorized law 43
enforcement officer of a death or injury that occurred by use of a 44
weapon by any person engaged in hunting, a hunter safety officer 45
of the department shall immediately initiate an investigation of 46
the incident and shall submit a report to the executive director 47
of the department. The executive director shall submit the report 48
to the commission. If the commission determines there is probable 49
cause to believe that the incident occurred as a result of 50
H. B. No. 827 *HR26/R59CS* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R59CS
PAGE 3 (MCL\KW)
ST: Rick Kennedy Act; create.
culpable negligence on the part of the person causing the death or 51
injury, the commission shall notify the district attorney of the 52
circuit court district in which the incident occurred. 53
(2) A law enforcement officer may request that the person 54
who causes serious bodily injury or death to another person by use 55
of a weapon submit to a chemical test for determining the presence 56
of alcohol or other drugs. 57
SECTION 4. This act shall take effect and be in force from 58
and after July 1, 2026. 59