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HC29 • 2026

Constitution; amend to require Governor and every person selected to office in Mississippi to be a natural-born U.S. citizen.

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION PROPOSING AMENDMENTS TO SECTION 117 AND SECTION 250, MISSISSIPPI CONSTITUTION OF 1890, TO REQUIRE THE GOVERNOR AND EVERY PERSON SELECTED FOR OFFICE IN THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI AFTER JANUARY 1, 2027, TO BE A NATURAL-BORN CITIZEN OF THE UNITED STATES; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

Did Not Pass

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

Sponsor
Ladner
Last action
2026-02-03
Official status
Dead
Effective date
No Effecti

Plain English Breakdown

The official source does not specify the exact number of people who would be affected by this change.

Amend Constitution to Require Natural-Born U.S. Citizenship for Elected Officials

This resolution proposes changing parts of the Mississippi Constitution to require that the Governor and all elected officials in Mississippi must be natural-born citizens of the United States starting January 1, 2027.

What This Bill Does

  • Changes Section 117 of the Mississippi Constitution to add a requirement for the Governor to be a natural-born U.S. citizen as of January 1, 2027.
  • Amends Section 250 of the Mississippi Constitution to require all elected officials in Mississippi to be natural-born citizens of the United States after January 1, 2027.

Who It Names or Affects

  • The Governor and other elected officials in Mississippi starting from January 1, 2027.
  • Qualified electors who will vote on the proposed constitutional amendment.

Terms To Know

Natural-born citizen
A person born within a country to parents who are citizens of that country.
Constitutional amendment
A change or addition to the rules and principles set out in a constitution.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill did not pass during its session.
  • It is unclear how many people would be affected by this change since it only applies after January 1, 2027.

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 Constitution

Official Summary Text

Constitution; amend to require Governor and every person selected to office in Mississippi to be a natural-born U.S. citizen.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
H. C. R. No. 29 *HR43/R1728* ~ OFFICIAL ~ G2/3
26/HR43/R1728
PAGE 1 (RKM\KP)

To: Constitution
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Representative Ladner

HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 29

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION PROPOSING AMENDMENTS TO SECTION 117 1
AND SECTION 250, MISSISSIPPI CONSTITUTION OF 1890, TO REQUIRE THE 2
GOVERNOR AND EVERY PERSON SELECTED FOR OFFICE IN THE STATE OF 3
MISSISSIPPI AFTER JANUARY 1, 2027, TO BE A NATURAL-BORN CITIZEN OF 4
THE UNITED STATES; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 5
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF 6
MISSISSIPPI, That the following amendments to the Mississippi 7
Constitution of 1890 are proposed to the qualified electors of the 8
state: 9
I. 10
Amend Section 117, Mississippi Constitution of 1890, to read 11
as follows: 12
"Section 117. The Governor shall be at least thirty (30) 13
years of age, and beginning on January 1, 2027, shall * * * be a 14
natural-born citizen of the United States * * *, and shall have 15
resided in this state five (5) years next preceding the day of his 16
election." 17
II. 18
H. C. R. No. 29 *HR43/R1728* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR43/R1728
PAGE 2 (RKM\KP)
ST: Constitution; amend to require Governor and
every person selected to office in Mississippi
to be a natural-born U.S. citizen.
Amend Section 250, Mississippi Constitution of 1890, to read 19
as follows: 20
"Section 250. All natural-born citizens of the United States 21
who are qualified electors and no others shall be eligible to 22
office * * *; however, that as to an office where no other 23
qualification than that of being a natural-born citizen of the 24
United States who is a qualified elector is provided by this 25
Constitution, the Legislature may, by law, fix additional 26
qualifications for such office. The requirement that a person be 27
a natural-born citizen of the United States as a qualification for 28
holding office applies to all persons selected for office after 29
January 1, 2027." 30
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That these proposed amendments shall 31
be submitted by the Secretary of State to the qualified electors 32
at an election to be held on the first Tuesday after the first 33
Monday of November 2026, as provided by Section 273 of the 34
Constitution and by general law, with the amendments in this 35
resolution being voted on as one (1) amendment since the proposed 36
amendments pertain to one (1) subject. 37
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the explanation of this proposed 38
amendment for the ballot shall read as follows: "This proposed 39
constitutional amendment provides that the Governor and every 40
person who is selected for office in the State of Mississippi 41
after January 1, 2027, must be a natural-born citizen of the 42
United States." 43