Read the full stored bill text
H. B. No. 843 *HR26/R474* ~ OFFICIAL ~ G1/2
26/HR26/R474
PAGE 1 (GT\KW)
To: Judiciary B
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026
By: Representative Sanford
HOUSE BILL NO. 843
AN ACT TO AMEND SECTIONS 45-33-25, 45-33-27, 45-33-29, 1
45-33-32 AND 45-33-35, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REQUIRE A SEX 2
OFFENDER REGISTRANT TO PROVIDE ALL REQUIRED INFORMATION FOR 3
REGISTRATION AND RE-REGISTRATION TO THE SHERIFF OF THE COUNTY IN 4
WHICH HE OR SHE RESIDES WITHIN A CERTAIN TIME FRAME; AND FOR 5
RELATED PURPOSES. 6
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 7
SECTION 1. Section 45-33-25, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 8
amended as follows: 9
45-33-25. (1) (a) Any person having a permanent or 10
temporary residence in this state or who is employed or attending 11
school in this state who has been convicted of a registrable 12
offense in this state or another jurisdiction or who has been 13
acquitted by reason of insanity of a registrable offense in this 14
state or another jurisdiction shall register with the sheriff of 15
the county in which he or she resides, the responsible agency and 16
the Mississippi Department of Public Safety. Registration shall 17
not be required for an offense that is not a registrable sex 18
offense or for an offender who is under fourteen (14) years of 19
age. The department shall provide the initial registration 20
H. B. No. 843 *HR26/R474* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R474
PAGE 2 (GT\KW)
information as well as every change of name, change of address, 21
change of status at a school, or other change of information as 22
required by the department to the sheriff of the county of the 23
residence address of the registrant, the sheriff of the county of 24
the employment address, and the sheriff of the county of the 25
school address, if applicable, and any other jurisdiction of the 26
registrant through either written notice, electronic or telephone 27
transmissions, or online access to registration information. 28
Further, the department shall provide this information to the 29
Federal Bureau of Investigation. Additionally, upon notification 30
by the registrant that he intends to reside outside the State of 31
Mississippi, the department shall notify the appropriate state law 32
enforcement agency of any state to which a registrant is moving or 33
has moved. 34
(b) Any person having a permanent or temporary 35
residence or who is employed or attending school in this state who 36
has been adjudicated delinquent for a registrable sex offense 37
listed in this paragraph that involved use of force against the 38
victim shall register as a sex offender with the responsible 39
agency and shall personally appear at a facility designated by the 40
Mississippi Department of Public Safety, or in a manner of the 41
Department of Public Safety's choosing, including by electronic 42
means, within three (3) business days of registering with the 43
responsible agency: 44
H. B. No. 843 *HR26/R474* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R474
PAGE 3 (GT\KW)
(i) Section 97-3-71 relating to rape and assault 45
with intent to ravish; 46
(ii) Section 97-3-95 relating to sexual battery; 47
(iii) Section 97-3-65 relating to statutory rape; 48
or 49
(iv) Conspiracy to commit, accessory to the 50
commission of, or attempt to commit any offense listed in this 51
paragraph. 52
(2) Any person required to register under this chapter shall 53
submit the following information at the time of registration: 54
(a) Name, including a former name which has been 55
legally changed; 56
(b) Street address of all current permanent and 57
temporary residences within state or out of state at which the sex 58
offender resides or habitually lives, including dates of temporary 59
lodgings. There is a presumption that a registrant owes a duty of 60
updating registration information if the registrant remains away 61
from a registered address for seven (7) or more aggregate days in 62
a six (6) month period; 63
(c) Date, place and address of employment, including as 64
a volunteer or unpaid intern or as a transient or day laborer; 65
(d) Crime for which charged, arrested or convicted; 66
(e) Date and place of conviction, adjudication or 67
acquittal by reason of insanity; 68
H. B. No. 843 *HR26/R474* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R474
PAGE 4 (GT\KW)
(f) Aliases used or nicknames, ethnic or tribal names 69
by which commonly known; 70
(g) Social security number and any purported social 71
security number or numbers; 72
(h) Date and place of birth and any purported date and 73
place of birth; 74
(i) Age, race, sex, height, weight, hair and eye 75
colors, and any other physical description or identifying factors; 76
(j) A brief description of the offense or offenses for 77
which the registration is required; 78
(k) Driver's license or state or other jurisdiction 79
identification card number, which license or card may be 80
electronically accessed by the Department of Public Safety; 81
(l) Anticipated future residence; 82
(m) If the registrant's residence is a motor vehicle, 83
trailer, mobile home or manufactured home, the registrant shall 84
also provide vehicle identification number, license tag number, 85
registration number and a description, including color scheme, of 86
the motor vehicle, trailer, mobile home or manufactured home; if 87
the registrant's place of residence is a vessel or houseboat, the 88
registrant shall also provide the hull identification number, 89
manufacturer's serial number, name of the vessel or houseboat, 90
registration number and a description, including color scheme, of 91
the vessel or houseboat, including permanent or frequent locations 92
H. B. No. 843 *HR26/R474* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R474
PAGE 5 (GT\KW)
where the motor vehicle, trailer, mobile home, manufactured home, 93
vessel or houseboat is kept; 94
(n) Vehicle make, model, color and license tag number 95
for all vehicles owned or operated by the sex offender, whether 96
for work or personal use, and the permanent or frequent locations 97
where a vehicle is kept; 98
(o) Offense history; 99
(p) Photograph; 100
(q) Fingerprints and palm prints; 101
(r) Documentation of any treatment received for any 102
mental abnormality or personality disorder of the person; 103
(s) Biological sample; 104
(t) Name of any public or private educational 105
institution, including any secondary school, trade or professional 106
institution or institution of higher education at which the 107
offender is employed, carries on a vocation (with or without 108
compensation) or is enrolled as a student, or will be enrolled as 109
a student, and the registrant's status; 110
(u) Copy of conviction or sentencing order for the sex 111
offense for which registration is required; 112
(v) The offender's parole, probation or supervised 113
release status and the existence of any outstanding arrest 114
warrants; 115
(w) Every online identity, screen name or username 116
used, registered or created by a registrant; 117
H. B. No. 843 *HR26/R474* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R474
PAGE 6 (GT\KW)
(x) Professional licensing information which authorizes 118
the registrant to engage in an occupation or carry out a trade or 119
occupation; 120
(y) Information from passport and immigration 121
documents; 122
(z) All telephone numbers, including, but not limited 123
to, permanent residence, temporary residence, cell phone and 124
employment phone numbers, whether landlines or cell phones; and 125
(aa) Any other information deemed necessary. 126
(3) For purposes of this chapter, a person is considered to 127
be residing in this state if he maintains a permanent or temporary 128
residence as defined in Section 45-33-23, including students, 129
temporary employees and military personnel on assignment. 130
(4) (a) A person required to register under this chapter 131
shall not reside within three thousand (3,000) feet of the real 132
property comprising a public or nonpublic elementary or secondary 133
school, a child care facility, a residential child-caring agency, 134
a children's group care home or any playground, ballpark or other 135
recreational facility utilized by persons under the age of 136
eighteen (18) years. 137
(b) A person residing within three thousand (3,000) 138
feet of the real property comprising a public or nonpublic 139
elementary or secondary school or a child care facility does not 140
commit a violation of this subsection if any of the following 141
apply: 142
H. B. No. 843 *HR26/R474* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R474
PAGE 7 (GT\KW)
(i) The person is serving a sentence at a jail, 143
prison, juvenile facility or other correctional institution or 144
facility. 145
(ii) The person is subject to an order of 146
commitment under Title 41, Mississippi Code of 1972. 147
(iii) The person established the subject residence 148
before July 1, 2006. 149
(iv) The school or child care facility is 150
established within three thousand (3,000) feet of the person's 151
residence subsequent to the date the person established residency. 152
(v) The person established the subject residence 153
between July 1, 2006, and January 1, 2014, in a location at least 154
one thousand five hundred (1,500) feet from the school or child 155
care facility. 156
(vi) The person is a minor or a ward under a 157
guardianship. 158
(c) A person residing within three thousand (3,000) 159
feet of the real property comprising a residential child-caring 160
agency, a children's group care home or any playground, ballpark 161
or other recreational facility utilized by persons under the age 162
of eighteen (18) years does not commit a violation of this 163
subsection if any of the following apply: 164
(i) The person established the subject residence 165
before July 1, 2008. 166
H. B. No. 843 *HR26/R474* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R474
PAGE 8 (GT\KW)
(ii) The residential child-caring agency, 167
children's group care home, playground, ballpark or other 168
recreational facility utilized by persons under the age of 169
eighteen (18) years is established within three thousand (3,000) 170
feet of the person's residence subsequent to the date the person 171
established residency. 172
(iii) The person established the subject residence 173
between July 1, 2008, and January 1, 2014, in a location at least 174
one thousand five hundred (1,500) feet from the residential 175
child-caring agency, children's group care home, playground, 176
ballpark or other recreational facility utilized by persons under 177
the age of eighteen (18) years. 178
(iv) Any of the conditions described in subsection 179
(4)(b)(i), (ii) or (vi) exist. 180
(5) The Department of Public Safety is required to obtain 181
the text of the law defining the offense or offenses for which the 182
registration is required. 183
SECTION 2. Section 45-33-27, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 184
amended as follows: 185
45-33-27. (1) A person required to register on the basis of 186
a conviction, adjudication of delinquency or acquittal by reason 187
of insanity entered shall register with the responsible agency 188
within three (3) business days of the date of judgment unless the 189
person is immediately confined or committed, in which case the 190
person shall register before release in accordance with the 191
H. B. No. 843 *HR26/R474* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R474
PAGE 9 (GT\KW)
procedures established by the department. The responsible agency 192
shall immediately forward the registration information to the 193
Department of Public Safety. The person is also required to 194
personally appear at a facility designated by the Department of 195
Public Safety, or in a manner of the Department of Public Safety's 196
choosing, including by electronic means, within three (3) days of 197
registration with the responsible agency and to obtain a sex 198
offender registration card. In addition to the requirements of 199
this section, if the responsible agency is not the sheriff of the 200
county in which the person resides, the person shall also register 201
with the sheriff of the county in which he or she resides within 202
three (3) business days after first residing in or returning to 203
the county. 204
(2) If a person who is required to register under this 205
section is released from prison or placed on parole or supervised 206
release or in a restitution center or community work center, the 207
Department of Corrections shall perform the registration duties 208
before placement in a center or before release and immediately 209
forward the registration information to the Department of Public 210
Safety. The person is also required to personally appear at a 211
facility designated by the Department of Public Safety, or in a 212
manner of the Department of Public Safety's choosing, including by 213
electronic means, within three (3) days of release or placement in 214
a restitution center or community work center. 215
H. B. No. 843 *HR26/R474* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R474
PAGE 10 (GT\KW)
(3) If a person required to register under this section is 216
placed on probation, the court, at the time of entering the order, 217
shall register the person and immediately forward the registration 218
information to the Department of Public Safety. The person is 219
also required to personally appear at a facility designated by the 220
Department of Public Safety, or in a manner of the Department of 221
Public Safety's choosing, including by electronic means, within 222
three (3) days of the entry of the order. In addition to the 223
requirements of this section, the person shall also register with 224
the sheriff of the county in which he or she resides within three 225
(3) business days after first residing in or returning to a county 226
of this state. 227
(4) Any person required to register who is neither 228
incarcerated, detained nor committed at the time the requirement 229
to register attaches shall present himself to the * * * sheriff of 230
the county in which he or she resides to register within three (3) 231
business days, and shall personally appear at a facility 232
designated by the Department of Public Safety, or in a manner of 233
the Department of Public Safety's choosing, including by 234
electronic means, within three (3) days of the time the 235
requirement to register attaches. 236
(5) An offender moving to or returning to this state from 237
another jurisdiction shall notify the Department of Public Safety 238
ten (10) days before the person first resides in or returns to 239
this state and shall present himself to the sheriff of the county 240
H. B. No. 843 *HR26/R474* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R474
PAGE 11 (GT\KW)
of his residence within three (3) business days after first 241
residing in or returning to a county of this state to provide the 242
required registration information. The person is also required to 243
register by personally appearing at a facility designated by the 244
Department of Public Safety, or in a manner of the Department of 245
Public Safety's choosing, including by electronic means, within 246
three (3) days after first residing in or moving to a county of 247
this state. If the offender fails to appear for registration as 248
required in this state, the department shall notify the other 249
jurisdiction of the failure to register. 250
(6) A person, other than a person confined in a correctional 251
or juvenile detention facility or involuntarily committed on the 252
basis of mental illness, who is required to register on the basis 253
of a sex offense for which a conviction, adjudication of 254
delinquency or acquittal by reason of insanity was entered shall 255
register with the sheriff of the county in which he resides no 256
later than * * * three (3) business days of first residing in or 257
returning to a county of this state. 258
(7) Every person required to register shall show proof of 259
domicile. The commissioner shall promulgate any rules and 260
regulations necessary to enforce this requirement and shall 261
prescribe the means by which such person may show domicile. 262
(8) Any driver's license photograph, I.D. photograph, sex 263
offender photograph, fingerprint, driver's license application 264
and/or anything submitted to the Department of Public Safety by a 265
H. B. No. 843 *HR26/R474* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R474
PAGE 12 (GT\KW)
known convicted sex offender, registered or not registered, can be 266
used by the Department of Public Safety or any other authorized 267
law enforcement agency for any means necessary in registration, 268
identification, investigation regarding their tracking or 269
identification. 270
(9) The department * * * shall assist local law enforcement 271
agencies in the effort to conduct address and other verifications 272
of registered sex offenders and will assist in the location and 273
apprehension of noncompliant sex offenders. 274
SECTION 3. Section 45-33-29, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 275
amended as follows: 276
45-33-29. (1) Upon any change of address, including 277
temporary lodging, an offender required to register under this 278
chapter is required to personally appear at a facility designated 279
by the Department of Public Safety, or in a manner of the 280
Department of Public Safety's choosing, including by electronic 281
means, not less than ten (10) days before he intends to first 282
reside at the new address. 283
(2) Upon any change in the status of a registrant's 284
enrollment, employment or vocation at any public or private 285
educational institution, including any secondary school, trade or 286
professional institution or institution of higher education, the 287
offender is required to personally appear at a facility designated 288
by the Department of Public Safety, or in a manner of the 289
H. B. No. 843 *HR26/R474* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R474
PAGE 13 (GT\KW)
Department of Public Safety's choosing, including by electronic 290
means, within three (3) business days of the change. 291
(3) Upon any change of employment or change of name, a 292
registrant is required to personally appear at a facility 293
designated by the Department of Public Safety, or in a manner of 294
the Department of Public Safety's choosing, including by 295
electronic means, within three (3) business days of the change. 296
(4) Upon any change of vehicle information, a registrant is 297
required to report the change on an appropriate form supplied by 298
the department within three (3) business days of the change. 299
(5) Upon any change of e-mail address or addresses, instant 300
message address or addresses, or any other designation used in 301
Internet communications, postings or telephone communications, a 302
registrant is required to report the change on an appropriate form 303
supplied by the department within three (3) business days of the 304
change. 305
(6) Upon any change of information deemed by the department 306
to be necessary to the state's policy to assist local law 307
enforcement agencies' efforts to protect their communities, a 308
registrant is required to report the change on an appropriate form 309
supplied by the department within three (3) business days of the 310
change. 311
(7) Upon change of any information described in subsections 312
(1) through (6) of this section, the person shall also provide the 313
same applicable information from subsections (1) through (6) of 314
H. B. No. 843 *HR26/R474* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R474
PAGE 14 (GT\KW)
this section to the sheriff of the county in which he or she 315
resides within three (3) business days of the change. 316
SECTION 4. Section 45-33-32, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 317
amended as follows: 318
45-33-32. (1) A person convicted of a sex offense who 319
volunteers for an organization in which volunteers have direct, 320
private and unsupervised contact with minors under the age of 321
eighteen (18) shall notify the organization of the person's 322
conviction * * * no less than three (3) business days before the 323
time of volunteering. Such notification must be in writing to the 324
organization. Any organization which accepts volunteers must 325
notify volunteers of this disclosure requirement upon application 326
of the volunteer to serve or prior to acceptance of any of the 327
volunteer's service, whichever occurs first. 328
(2) If the organization, after notification by the offender 329
as provided in subsection (1), accepts the offender as a 330
volunteer, the organization shall make reasonable attempts to 331
notify the parents or guardians of any minors under the age of 332
eighteen (18) involved in the organization of the offender's 333
criminal record. 334
(3) This section applies to all registered sex offenders 335
regardless of the date of conviction. 336
(4) Any person previously registered as a sex offender and 337
who has a continuing obligation to be registered as a sex offender 338
shall be notified of the person's duty under this section with the 339
H. B. No. 843 *HR26/R474* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R474
PAGE 15 (GT\KW)
first reregistration form to be sent to the person after July 1, 340
2004. 341
(5) If the registered sex offender is currently volunteering 342
for such an organization, the sex offender must resign or notify 343
the organization immediately upon receipt of notice or be subject 344
to the penalties of this chapter. 345
(6) An organization acting in good faith in making the 346
notification to parents or guardians under this section, or who 347
fails in good faith to make such notification, shall not be liable 348
in any civil or criminal action as a result of the notification or 349
failure to notify. 350
SECTION 5. Section 45-33-35, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 351
amended as follows: 352
45-33-35. (1) The Mississippi Department of Public Safety 353
shall maintain a central registry of sex offender information as 354
defined in Section 45-33-25 and shall adopt rules and regulations 355
necessary to carry out this section. The responsible agencies 356
shall provide the information required in Section 45-33-25 on a 357
form developed by the department to ensure accurate information is 358
maintained. 359
(2) Upon conviction, adjudication or acquittal by reason of 360
insanity of any sex offender, if the sex offender is not 361
immediately confined or not sentenced to a term of imprisonment, 362
the clerk of the court which convicted and sentenced the sex 363
offender shall inform the person of the duty to register, 364
H. B. No. 843 *HR26/R474* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R474
PAGE 16 (GT\KW)
including the duty to personally appear at a facility designated 365
by the Department of Public Safety, or in a manner of the 366
Department of Public Safety's choosing, including by electronic 367
means, and shall perform the registration duties as described in 368
Section 45-33-23 and forward the information to the department. 369
(3) Before release from prison or placement on parole, 370
supervised release or in a work center or restitution center, the 371
Department of Corrections shall inform the person of the duty to 372
register, including the duty to personally appear at a facility 373
designated by the Department of Public Safety, or in a manner of 374
the Department of Public Safety's choosing, including by 375
electronic means, and shall perform the registration duties as 376
described in Section 45-33-23 and forward the information to the 377
Department of Public Safety. 378
(4) Before release from a community regional mental health 379
center or from confinement in a mental institution following an 380
acquittal by reason of insanity, the director of the facility 381
shall inform the offender of the duty to register, including the 382
duty to personally appear at a facility designated by the 383
Department of Public Safety, or in a manner of the Department of 384
Public Safety's choosing, including by electronic means, and shall 385
perform the registration duties as described in Section 45-33-23 386
and forward the information to the Department of Public Safety. 387
(5) Before release from a youthful offender facility, the 388
director of the facility shall inform the person of the duty to 389
H. B. No. 843 *HR26/R474* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R474
PAGE 17 (GT\KW)
register, including the duty to personally appear at a facility 390
designated by the Department of Public Safety, or in a manner of 391
the Department of Public Safety's choosing, including by 392
electronic means, and shall perform the registration duties as 393
described in Section 45-33-23 and forward the information to the 394
Department of Public Safety. 395
(6) In addition to performing the registration duties, the 396
responsible agency shall: 397
(a) Inform the person having a duty to register that: 398
(i) The person is required to personally appear at 399
a facility designated by the Department of Public Safety, or in a 400
manner of the Department of Public Safety's choosing, including by 401
electronic means, at least ten (10) days before changing address. 402
(ii) Any change of address to another jurisdiction 403
shall be reported to the department by personally appearing at a 404
facility designated by the Department of Public Safety, or in a 405
manner of the Department of Public Safety's choosing, including by 406
electronic means, not less than ten (10) days before the change of 407
address. The offender shall comply with any registration 408
requirement in the new jurisdiction. 409
(iii) The person must register in any jurisdiction 410
where the person is employed, carries on a vocation, is stationed 411
in the military or is a student. 412
(iv) Address verifications shall be made by 413
personally appearing at a facility designated by the Department of 414
H. B. No. 843 *HR26/R474* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R474
PAGE 18 (GT\KW)
Public Safety, or in a manner of the Department of Public Safety's 415
choosing, including by electronic means, within the required time 416
period. 417
(v) Notification or verification of a change in 418
status of a registrant's enrollment, employment or vocation at any 419
public or private educational institution, including any secondary 420
school, trade or professional institution, or institution of 421
higher education shall be reported to the department by personally 422
appearing at a facility designated by the Department of Public 423
Safety, or in a manner of the Department of Public Safety's 424
choosing, including by electronic means, within three (3) business 425
days of the change. 426
(vi) If the person has been convicted of a sex 427
offense, the person shall notify any organization for which the 428
person volunteers in which volunteers have direct, private or 429
unsupervised contact with minors that the person has been 430
convicted of a sex offense as provided in Section 45-33-32(1). 431
(vii) Upon any change of name or employment, a 432
registrant is required to personally appear at a facility 433
designated by the Department of Public Safety, or in a manner of 434
the Department of Public Safety's choosing, including by 435
electronic means, within three (3) business days of the change. 436
(viii) Upon any change of vehicle information, a 437
registrant is required to report the change on an appropriate form 438
H. B. No. 843 *HR26/R474* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R474
PAGE 19 (GT\KW)
supplied by the department within three (3) business days of the 439
change. 440
(ix) Upon any change of e-mail address or 441
addresses, instant message address or addresses or any other 442
designation used in Internet communications, postings or telephone 443
communications, a registrant is required to report the change on 444
an appropriate form supplied by the department within three (3) 445
business days of the change. 446
(x) Upon any change of information deemed to be 447
necessary to the state's policy to assist local law enforcement 448
agencies' efforts to protect their communities, a registrant is 449
required to report the change on an appropriate form supplied by 450
the department within three (3) business days of the change. 451
(xi) Any change of information required to be 452
reported to the Department of Public Safety shall also be required 453
to be reported to the sheriff of the county in which he or she 454
resides within three (3) business days of the change. 455
(b) Require the person to read and sign a form stating 456
that the duty of the person to register under this chapter has 457
been explained. 458
(c) Obtain or facilitate the obtaining of a biological 459
sample from every registrant as required by this chapter if such 460
biological sample has not already been provided to the Mississippi 461
Forensics Laboratory. 462
H. B. No. 843 *HR26/R474* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R474
PAGE 20 (GT\KW)
ST: Sex offender registry; require registration
with the sheriff of the county of residence in
addition to under requirements.
(d) Provide a copy of the order of conviction or 463
sentencing order to the department at the time of registration. 464
SECTION 6. This act shall take effect and be in force from 465
and after July 1, 2026. 466