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SB2816 • 2026

Criminal penalties; authorize enhancement for crime against employees of the Department of Child Protection Services.

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 99-19-301, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO INCLUDE AN EMPLOYEE OF THE MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT OF CHILD PROTECTION SERVICES WITHIN THE CLASS OF PERSONS FOR WHICH THE PENALTY FOR ANY FELONY OR MISDEMEANOR SHALL BE SUBJECT TO ENHANCEMENT; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

Children Crime Labor
Did Not Pass

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

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

Plain English Breakdown

The bill did not pass during the session, so it will not be effective from July 1, 2026.

Criminal Penalties for Crimes Against Child Protection Services Employees

This bill would increase the punishment for crimes committed against employees of the Mississippi Department of Child Protection Services.

What This Bill Does

  • Adds child protection services employees to a list of people who, if targeted specifically because of their job, can have their criminal penalties increased.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Employees of the Mississippi Department of Child Protection Services
  • People who commit crimes against these employees

Terms To Know

Mississippi Department of Child Protection Services Employee
Any person employed by MDCPS.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill did not pass during the session.
  • It is unclear how many employees this would affect or what specific crimes it would cover.

Bill History

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

    03/03 (H) Died In Committee

  2. 2026-02-16 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System

    02/16 (H) Referred To Judiciary B;Accountability, Efficiency, Transparency

  3. 2026-02-12 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System

    02/12 (S) Transmitted To House

  4. 2026-02-11 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System

    02/11 (S) Passed

  5. 2026-02-03 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System

    02/03 (S) Title Suff Do Pass

  6. 2026-01-19 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System

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

Official Summary Text

Criminal penalties; authorize enhancement for crime against employees of the Department of Child Protection Services.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
S. B. No. 2816 *SS08/R803.1* ~ OFFICIAL ~ G1/2
26/SS08/R803.1
PAGE 1 (ens\tb)

To: Judiciary, Division B
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Senator(s) England

SENATE BILL NO. 2816

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 99-19-301, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, 1
TO INCLUDE AN EMPLOYEE OF THE MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT OF CHILD 2
PROTECTION SERVICES WITHIN THE CLASS OF PERSONS FOR WHICH THE 3
PENALTY FOR ANY FELONY OR MISDEMEANOR SHALL BE SUBJECT TO 4
ENHANCEMENT; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 5
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 6
SECTION 1. Section 99-19-301, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 7
amended as follows: 8
99-19-301. (1) The penalty for any felony or misdemeanor 9
shall be subject to enhancement as provided in Sections 99-19-301 10
through 99-19-307 if the felony or misdemeanor was committed 11
because of the actual or perceived race, color, ancestry, 12
ethnicity, religion, national origin or gender of the victim. 13
(2) The penalty for any felony or misdemeanor shall be 14
subject to enhancement as provided in Sections 99-19-301 through 15
99-19-307 if the felony or misdemeanor was committed with the 16
specific intent to target an individual or group because of actual 17
or perceived employment as a law enforcement officer, 18
S. B. No. 2816 *SS08/R803.1* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/SS08/R803.1
PAGE 2 (ens\tb)
ST: Criminal penalties; authorize enhancement
for crime against employees of the Department of
Child Protection Services.
firefighter * * *, emergency medical technician or the Mississippi 19
Department of Child Protection Services employee. 20
(3) As used in Sections 99-19-301 through 99-19-307: 21
(a) "Law enforcement officer" means any law enforcement 22
officer, part-time law enforcement officer or law enforcement 23
trainee as defined in Section 45-6-3, as well as any reserve or 24
volunteer law enforcement officer and any federal law enforcement 25
officer or employee whose permanent duties include making arrests, 26
performing search and seizures, execution of criminal arrest 27
warrants, execution of civil seizure warrants, or the care, 28
custody, control or supervision of inmates. 29
(b) "Firefighter" means any firefighter regularly 30
employed by a fire department of any municipality, county, or fire 31
protection district of the State of Mississippi and includes a 32
volunteer firefighter. 33
(c) "Emergency medical technician" means a person 34
qualified under Sections 41-59-33 and 41-59-35. 35
(d) "Mississippi Department of Child Protection 36
Services Employee" means any person employed by MDCPS. 37
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from 38
and after July 1, 2026. 39