KLS Keeping Law Simple Legislation in plain English

Straight-ahead summaries built from the official bill text. We keep the source links front and center and leave the decision up to you.

Back to Mississippi

SB2799 • 2026

Witness tampering; revise penalty for.

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 97-9-115, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REVISE THE CRIMINAL PENALTY FOR THE CRIME OF TAMPERING WITH A WITNESS TO BE A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE OF THE FINE AND IMPRISONMENT AUTHORIZED IN LAW FOR THE SUBJECT OFFENSE; TO DEFINE THE TERM "SUBJECT OFFENSE"; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

Crime
Did Not Pass

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

Sponsor
Hickman
Last action
2026-02-12
Official status
Dead
Effective date
July 1, 20

Plain English Breakdown

The exact percentage of the fine and imprisonment authorized in law for the subject offense is not specified in the provided official source material, only that it would be fifty percent of what is allowed by law for the main crime.

Changing the Penalty for Witness Tampering

This act changes how much time or money someone can be punished with if they try to influence a witness in a legal case.

What This Bill Does

  • Changes the law about punishing people who try to change what a witness says in court.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People who commit witness tampering
  • Courts that handle cases involving witness tampering

Terms To Know

Subject Offense
The main crime related to the case where witness tampering happens.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This bill did not pass and was not signed into law.
  • It is unclear how this change would affect current cases or future prosecutions.
  • The specific percentage of fine and imprisonment for the subject offense is not detailed in the provided official source material.

Bill History

  1. 2026-02-12 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System

    02/12 (S) Died On Calendar

  2. 2026-02-02 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System

    02/02 (S) Title Suff Do Pass Comm Sub

  3. 2026-01-19 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System

    01/19 (S) Referred To Judiciary, Division B

Official Summary Text

Witness tampering; revise penalty for.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
S. B. No. 2799 *SS36/R1122CS* ~ OFFICIAL ~ G1/2
26/SS36/R1122CS
PAGE 1

To: Judiciary, Division B
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Senator(s) Hickman

COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE
FOR
SENATE BILL NO. 2799

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 97-9-115, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, 1
TO REVISE THE CRIMINAL PENALTY FOR THE CRIME OF TAMPERING WITH A 2
WITNESS TO BE A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE OF THE FINE AND IMPRISONMENT 3
AUTHORIZED IN LAW FOR THE SUBJECT OFFENSE; TO DEFINE THE TERM 4
"SUBJECT OFFENSE"; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 5
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 6
SECTION 1. Section 97-9-115, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 7
amended as follows: 8
97-9-115. (1) A person commits the crime of tampering with 9
a witness if he: 10
(a) Intentionally or knowingly attempts to induce a 11
witness or a person he reasonably believes will be called as a 12
witness in any official proceeding to: 13
(i) Testify falsely or unlawfully withhold 14
testimony; 15
(ii) Absent himself from any official proceeding 16
to which he has been legally summoned; or 17
(b) Solicits, encourages, threatens, harasses or 18
intimidates or attempts to solicit, encourage, threaten, harass or 19
S. B. No. 2799 *SS36/R1122CS* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/SS36/R1122CS
PAGE 2
ST: Witness tampering; revise penalty for.
intimidate a witness in an effort to prevent or dissuade the 20
witness from testifying or to provide a false version of events 21
exonerating or incriminating another person of commission of a 22
crime. 23
(2) (a) A person convicted of tampering with a 24
witness * * * shall be guilty of a felony and shall be fined in an 25
amount equal to fifty percent (50%) of the fine authorized in law 26
for the subject offense or imprisoned for a term equal to fifty 27
percent (50%) of the term of imprisonment authorized in law for 28
the subject offense or by both such fine and imprisonment. 29
(b) Notwithstanding paragraph (a) of this subsection, 30
the term of imprisonment authorized under this subsection shall 31
not exceed a term of fifteen (15) years. 32
(3) It is not a defense to a prosecution under this section 33
if the actual completion of the threat, harassment or intimidation 34
was prevented from occurring. 35
(4) As used in this section, "subject offense" means either 36
the offense at issue in the official proceeding under subsection 37
(1)(a) of this section or the crime a person seeks exoneration 38
from or incrimination of under subsection (1)(b) of this section. 39
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from 40
and after July 1, 2026, and shall stand repealed on June 30, 2026. 41