Read the full stored bill text
S. B. No. 2040 *SS08/R175* ~ OFFICIAL ~ G1/2
26/SS08/R175
PAGE 1 (rdd\kr)
To: Corrections
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026
By: Senator(s) Johnson
SENATE BILL NO. 2040
AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 47-5-95, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO 1
AUTHORIZE THE MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS TO ESTABLISH A 2
PROCEDURE FOR APPROVED OFFENDER VISITATION APPLICATIONS ONLINE; TO 3
AUTHORIZE THE DEPARTMENT TO REQUEST CRIMINAL BACKGROUND 4
INFORMATION CHECKS OF VISITOR APPLICANTS PRIOR TO APPROVAL; TO 5
PROVIDE FOR ONLINE NOTIFICATION OF DECISION OF APPROVAL; TO 6
PROVIDE FOR SCHEDULING OF VISITATION; TO PROVIDE A CRIMINAL 7
PENALTY FOR MAKING FALSE STATEMENTS ON VISITATION APPLICATION 8
FORMS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 9
SECTION 1. Section 47-5-95, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 10
amended as follows: 11
47-5-95. (1) The members of the executive department, 12
except the Governor and Lieutenant Governor, and judicial 13
departments of the state and members of the Legislature, shall 14
with advance notice to the commissioner be admitted into the 15
correctional system or any facility thereof, and other places 16
where offenders are kept and worked, at all proper hours, for the 17
purpose of observing the conduct thereof, and may hold 18
conversations with the offenders apart from all correctional 19
system officials. Other persons may visit a correctional system 20
facility under such rules and regulations as may be established by 21
S. B. No. 2040 *SS08/R175* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/SS08/R175
PAGE 2 (rdd\kr)
the commissioner who shall be liable to the state on his bond for 22
negligence in security and in an amount to be determined by the 23
courts. 24
(2) The Mississippi Department of Corrections is authorized 25
and empowered to establish a procedure for approved offender 26
visitation applications online. The department is authorized to 27
develop and publish application and notification forms to 28
implement this procedure. Before an individual may visit an 29
inmate under the jurisdiction of the department, the individual 30
must become an approved visitor pursuant to the following: 31
(a) The individual shall complete the Visitation 32
Application Form for approval in English or Spanish. The 33
application must be completed by all visitors twelve (12) years of 34
age or older. The application must be filled out completely or it 35
will be denied. 36
(b) The Visitation Application may be mailed or emailed 37
to the inmate's current location. If the inmate is in the 38
reception process, an individual cannot apply for visitation until 39
the inmate is in his or her permanent facility. 40
(c) Once the application is processed or within thirty 41
(30) days, whichever is a longer period, a notice shall be given 42
to the inmate regarding the decision, and the inmate may notify 43
the individual either by phone or mail or email. 44
(d) After receiving confirmation that the individual is 45
an approved visitor, he or she may schedule a visit with the 46
S. B. No. 2040 *SS08/R175* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/SS08/R175
PAGE 3 (rdd\kr)
inmate. The Visitation Scheduling Form must be completed prior to 47
visiting each week, and it is only available and must be completed 48
between Monday and Wednesday. No walk-up appointments will be 49
allowed without a visitation scheduling form submission. The 50
department may establish an online procedure under which the 51
Visitation Scheduling Form may be accessed. If the inmate is 52
ineligible for visits or in a status that requires special 53
coordination by the facility, there shall be no approval online. 54
Inmates in reception status shall not be eligible for visitation. 55
(e) After the individual has successfully submitted a 56
Visitation Scheduling Form online, he or she will receive a 57
confirmation email with the details of the visit. This is not a 58
guarantee of visitation because circumstances for the inmate or 59
facility are subject to change. 60
(f) All visitors 16 years of age or older must present 61
a valid form of picture identification for visitation 62
registration. Acceptable forms of identification are 63
identification cards that contain a photograph, current address, 64
and date of birth and physical characteristics of the individual. 65
(g) In order to establish the individual's suitability 66
as a visitor, the department officials are authorized to send an 67
application to an appropriate law enforcement or crime information 68
agency for a criminal background check to ascertain whether or not 69
placing the individual on the visitation list would present a 70
management problem for the facility or have other adverse effects. 71
S. B. No. 2040 *SS08/R175* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/SS08/R175
PAGE 4 (rdd\kr)
ST: Visitors to correctional system facilities;
provide procedure for approved offender
visitation applications.
The information obtained will be used to determine the 72
acceptability of the individual as a visitor. The individual is 73
not required to supply the information requested. However, if the 74
individual does not furnish the information, the processing of the 75
request will be suspended, and the individual will receive no 76
further consideration. If the individual furnishes only part of 77
the information required, the processing of the request may be 78
significantly delayed. Although no penalties are authorized for 79
not supplying the information requested, failure to supply such 80
information may result in not being considered for admittance as a 81
visitor. 82
(h) Submitting false information in a visitor 83
application is a crime, upon conviction thereof, by a fine of not 84
more than Two Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars ($250,000.00) or 85
imprisonment for not more than five (5) years or both. 86
(i) The Mississippi Commissioner of Corrections is 87
authorized and empowered to promulgate rules and regulations to 88
implement this subsection (2). 89
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from 90
and after July 1, 2026. 91