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To: Judiciary, Division A;
Appropriations
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026
By: Senator(s) Michel
SENATE BILL NO. 2698
AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 9-12-3, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO 1
AUTHORIZE THE APPOINTMENT OF ONE ADDITIONAL ATTORNEY TO SERVE AS A 2
PROSECUTING ATTORNEY FOR ANY CAUSE OF ACTION WITHIN THE 3
JURISDICTION OF THE CAPITOL COMPLEX IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT INFERIOR 4
COURT; TO AUTHORIZE THE APPOINTMENT OF A FULL-TIME CRIMINAL 5
INVESTIGATOR WITHIN THE JURISDICTION OF THE CAPITOL COMPLEX 6
IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT INFERIOR COURT; TO AMEND SECTION 25-32-4, 7
MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO AUTHORIZE THE APPOINTMENT OF TWO 8
ADDITIONAL FULL-TIME ASSISTANT PUBLIC DEFENDERS WHO SHALL PERFORM 9
DUTIES IN CAPITOL COMPLEX IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT INFERIOR COURT; TO 10
AUTHORIZE SUPPORT STAFF FOR THE ADDITIONAL FULL-TIME ASSISTANT 11
PUBLIC DEFENDERS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 12
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 13
SECTION 1. Section 9-12-3, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 14
amended as follows: 15
9-12-3. (1) The Attorney General shall designate * * * 16
three (3) attorneys to serve as prosecuting attorneys for any 17
cause of action within the jurisdiction of the Capitol Complex 18
Improvement District (CCID) inferior court. The prosecuting 19
attorneys may be employees of the Office of the Attorney General 20
or contracted by the Attorney General for such purposes. The 21
attorneys shall prosecute cases in the court provided for the CCID 22
inferior court and also in the same manner and with the same 23
S. B. No. 2698 *SS08/R723* ~ OFFICIAL ~
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authority of law provided for district attorneys and county 24
prosecuting attorneys by filing an indictment or any other 25
criminal action that accrues or occurs, in whole or in part, in 26
the CCID. 27
(2) The Attorney General may appoint a full-time criminal 28
investigator to serve as an investigator for any cause of action 29
within the jurisdiction of the CCID inferior court. Under this 30
subsection, the Attorney General shall have the same 31
authorizations and requirements of the appointing authority under 32
Section 25-31-10. The full-time criminal investigator shall 33
receive compensation in an amount equal to the compensation paid 34
to full-time criminal investigators in the Seventh Circuit Court 35
District subject to available funds specifically appropriated by 36
the Legislature. 37
( * * *3) The * * * District Attorney for the Seventh 38
Circuit Court District shall be authorized to prosecute cases in 39
the CCID inferior court. The provisions of this section shall not 40
be construed to prohibit or in any way limit the * * * District 41
Attorney for the Seventh Circuit Court District from filing an 42
indictment or any other criminal action that occurred or accrued, 43
in whole or in part, within the boundaries of the CCID. 44
( * * *4) This section shall stand repealed on July 1, 2027. 45
SECTION 2. Section 25-32-4, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 46
amended as follows: 47
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ST: CCID inferior court; authorize additional
staff.
25-32-4. (1) The public defender of the Seventh Circuit 48
Court District may appoint three (3) full-time assistant public 49
defenders who shall perform duties in the Seventh Circuit Court 50
District and the Capitol Complex Improvement District (CCID) 51
Inferior Court. Such appointments shall be made in addition to 52
those authorized as of July 1, 2023 in Section 25-32-3. 53
(2) (a) The public defender of the Seventh Circuit Court 54
District may appoint two (2) full-time assistant public defenders 55
who shall perform duties in the CCID Inferior Court. 56
(b) The support staff for the full-time assistant 57
public defenders appointed under this subsection shall receive 58
compensation in an amount equal to the compensation paid to 59
support staff in the Seventh Circuit Court District subject to 60
available funds specifically appropriated by the Legislature. 61
(3) The full-time assistant public defenders appointed under 62
this section shall receive compensation in an amount equal to the 63
compensation paid to full-time assistant public defenders in the 64
Seventh Circuit Court District subject to available funds 65
specifically appropriated by the Legislature. 66
SECTION 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from 67
and after July 1, 2026. 68