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HB973 • 2026

Possession of a stolen firearm; exclude from youth court jurisdiction.

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 43-21-151, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REVISE THE EXCLUSIVE ORIGINAL JURISDICTION OF THE YOUTH COURT BY EXCLUDING, FROM SUCH JURISDICTION, AN ACT OF A CHILD WHO KNOWINGLY OR INTENTIONALLY COMMITS POSSESSION OF A STOLEN FIREARM; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

Children Firearms
Did Not Pass

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

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

Plain English Breakdown

The bill did not pass and has no legal effect as of now.

Excluding Youth Court Jurisdiction for Stolen Firearm Possession

This bill changes the law so that youth court does not handle cases where a child knowingly or intentionally possesses a stolen firearm.

What This Bill Does

  • Changes the section of Mississippi Code that defines when youth court has jurisdiction over certain crimes.
  • Adds a new part to this section, stating that if a child is caught with a stolen gun, it will be handled by circuit court instead of youth court.
  • Specifies that possession of a stolen firearm must be intentional or knowing for the case to go to circuit court.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Children who possess a stolen firearm
  • Youth courts and circuit courts

Terms To Know

youth court
A special court that deals with young people who break the law.
circuit court
A regular court that handles serious crimes and civil cases.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill did not pass, so it has no legal effect.
  • It only applies to the possession of stolen firearms, not other types of theft or gun-related offenses.

Bill History

  1. 2026-02-03 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System

    02/03 (H) Died In Committee

  2. 2026-01-16 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System

    01/16 (H) Referred To Judiciary B

Official Summary Text

Possession of a stolen firearm; exclude from youth court jurisdiction.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
H. B. No. 973 *HR43/R66* ~ OFFICIAL ~ G1/2
26/HR43/R66
PAGE 1 (OM\KP)

To: Judiciary B
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Representative Mangold

HOUSE BILL NO. 973

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 43-21-151, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, 1
TO REVISE THE EXCLUSIVE ORIGINAL JURISDICTION OF THE YOUTH COURT 2
BY EXCLUDING, FROM SUCH JURISDICTION, AN ACT OF A CHILD WHO 3
KNOWINGLY OR INTENTIONALLY COMMITS POSSESSION OF A STOLEN FIREARM; 4
AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 5
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 6
SECTION 1. Section 43-21-151, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 7
amended as follows: 8
43-21-151. (1) The youth court shall have exclusive 9
original jurisdiction in all proceedings concerning a delinquent 10
child, a child in need of supervision, a neglected child, an 11
abused child or a dependent child except in the following 12
circumstances: 13
(a) Any act attempted or committed by a child, which if 14
committed by an adult would be punishable under state or federal 15
law by life imprisonment or death, will be in the original 16
jurisdiction of the circuit court; 17
(b) (i) Any act attempted or committed by a child with 18
the use of a deadly weapon, the carrying of which concealed is 19
H. B. No. 973 *HR43/R66* ~ OFFICIAL ~
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PAGE 2 (OM\KP)

prohibited by Section 97-37-1, or a shotgun or a rifle, which 20
would be a felony if committed by an adult, will be in the 21
original jurisdiction of the circuit court * * *. 22
(ii) The act of a child who knowingly or 23
intentionally committed possession of a stolen firearm, the 24
possession of which is prohibited by Section 97-37-35, which would 25
be a felony if committed by an adult, will be in the original 26
jurisdiction of the circuit court; and 27
(c) When a charge of abuse or neglect of a child first 28
arises in the course of a custody action between the parents of 29
the child already pending in the chancery court and no notice of 30
such abuse was provided prior to such chancery proceedings, the 31
chancery court may proceed with the investigation, hearing and 32
determination of such abuse or neglect charge as a part of its 33
hearing and determination of the custody issue as between the 34
parents, notwithstanding the other provisions of the Youth Court 35
Law. The proceedings in chancery court on the abuse or neglect 36
charge shall be confidential in the same manner as provided in 37
youth court proceedings. 38
When a child is expelled from the public schools, the youth 39
court shall be notified of the act of expulsion and the act or 40
acts constituting the basis for expulsion. 41
(2) Jurisdiction of the child in the cause shall attach at 42
the time of the offense, or at the time of the allegation of 43
abuse, neglect or exploitation, and shall continue thereafter for 44
H. B. No. 973 *HR43/R66* ~ OFFICIAL ~
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PAGE 3 (OM\KP)

that offense or the allegations of abuse, neglect or exploitation 45
until the child's twentieth birthday, unless sooner terminated by 46
order of the youth court. The youth court shall not have 47
jurisdiction over offenses committed by a child on or after his 48
eighteenth birthday, nor have jurisdiction of abuse, neglect, or 49
exploitation committed against a child after their eighteenth 50
birthday. 51
(3) No child who has not reached his thirteenth birthday 52
shall be held criminally responsible or criminally prosecuted for 53
a misdemeanor or felony; however, the parent, guardian or 54
custodian of such child may be civilly liable for any criminal 55
acts of such child. No child under the jurisdiction of the youth 56
court shall be held criminally responsible or criminally 57
prosecuted by any court for any act designated as a delinquent 58
act, unless jurisdiction is transferred to another court under 59
Section 43-21-157. 60
(4) The youth court shall also have jurisdiction of offenses 61
committed by a child which have been transferred to the youth 62
court by an order of a circuit court of this state having original 63
jurisdiction of the offense, as provided by Section 43-21-159. 64
(5) The youth court shall regulate and approve the use of 65
teen court as provided in Section 43-21-753. 66
(6) Nothing in this section shall prevent the circuit court 67
from assuming jurisdiction over a youth who has committed an act 68
H. B. No. 973 *HR43/R66* ~ OFFICIAL ~
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PAGE 4 (OM\KP)
ST: Possession of a stolen firearm; exclude
from youth court jurisdiction.
of delinquency upon a youth court's ruling that a transfer is 69
appropriate pursuant to Section 43-21-157. 70
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from 71
and after July 1, 2026. 72