Mississippi legislation · 2026 Regular Session
Mississippi HB377: The Missing Persons Reporting and Identification Act; create to require input of missing persons in NamUs.
Status: Signed into law, April 8, 2026
AN ACT TO PROVIDE CERTAIN PROCEDURES FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES CONCERNING THE INVESTIGATION INTO A MISSING OR UNIDENTIFIED PERSON; TO REQUIRE A LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY TO INITIATE CERTAIN PROCEDURES UPON THE RECEIPT OF A CREDIBLE REPORT OF A MISSING OR UNIDENTIFIED PERSON; TO REQUIRE CERTAIN INFORMATION ABOUT THE MISSING OR UNIDENTIFIED PERSON TO BE ENTERED INTO THE NATIONAL MISSING AND UNIDENTIFIED PERSONS SYSTEM; TO PROHIBIT A LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY FROM REQUIRING A DELAY BEFORE ACCEPTING A REPORT OR REQUIRING THE APPEARANCE OF A NEXT OF KIN BEFORE INITIATING A MISSING PERSONS INVESTIGATION; TO REQUIRE A LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY OR THE STATE MEDICAL EXAMINER TO ENTER A REPORT OF A MISSING CHILD INTO THE NATIONAL MISSING AND UNIDENTIFIED PERSONS SYSTEM WITHOUT DELAY; TO REQUIRE THE STATE MEDICAL EXAMINER TEST THE DNA OF UNIDENTIFIED HUMAN REMAINS USING FORENSIC GENETIC GENEALOGY TESTING; TO AMEND SECTION 41-61-53, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO DEFINE THE TERMS "UNCLAIMED HUMAN REMAINS" AND "UNIDENTIFIED HUMAN REMAINS"; TO AMEND SECTION 41-61-59, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT WHEN A BODY IS UNIDENTIFIED HUMAN REMAINS, THE BODY SHALL BE SUBMITTED TO THE STATE MEDICAL EXAMINER; TO AMEND SECTION 41-61-61, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT UPON DISCOVERY UNIDENTIFIED HUMAN REMAINS OR ANATOMICAL MATERIAL SUSPECTED OF BEING PART OF THE HUMAN BODY SHALL BE SUBMITTED TO THE STATE MEDICAL EXAMINER; TO PROVIDE THAT THE WILLFUL DESTRUCTION OF A BODY, BODY PART OR UNIDENTIFIED HUMAN REMAINS SHALL BE A FELONY; TO REQUIRE THE COUNTY MEDICAL EXAMINER INVESTIGATOR TO ENTER INTO THE NATIONAL MISSING AND UNIDENTIFIED PERSONS SYSTEM ALL UNCLAIMED HUMAN REMAINS CASES WITHIN A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF DAYS; TO AMEND SECTION 41-39-5, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REQUIRE ANY PHYSICIAN, HOSPITAL, FUNERAL DIRECTOR, EMBALMER, COUNTY MEDICAL EXAMINER OR OTHER PERSON ACQUIRING POSSESSION OF UNIDENTIFIED HUMAN REMAINS TO SUBMIT THE REMAINS TO THE STATE MEDICAL EXAMINER AND NOT SUBJE
What the bill says
An act to provide certain procedures for law enforcement agencies concerning the investigation into a missing or unidentified person; to require a law enforcement agency to initiate certain procedures upon the receipt of a credible report of a missing or unidentified person; to require certain information about the missing or unidentified person to be entered into the national missing and unidentified persons system…
From the enrolled text, April 2, 2026:
AN ACT TO PROVIDE CERTAIN PROCEDURES FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES CONCERNING THE INVESTIGATION INTO A MISSING OR UNIDENTIFIED PERSON; TO REQUIRE A LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY TO INITIATE CERTAIN PROCEDURES UPON THE RECEIPT OF A CREDIBLE REPORT OF A MISSING OR UNIDENTIFIED PERSON; TO REQUIRE CERTAIN INFORMATION ABOUT THE MISSING OR UNIDENTIFIED PERSON TO BE ENTERED INTO THE NATIONAL MISSING AND UNIDENTIFIED PERSONS SYSTEM; TO PROHIBIT A LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY FROM REQUIRING A DELAY BEFORE ACCEPTING A REPORT OR REQUIRING THE APPEARANCE OF A NEXT OF KIN BEFORE INITIATING A MISSING PERSONS INVESTIGATION; TO REQUIRE A LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY OR THE STATE MEDICAL EXAMINER TO ENTER A REPORT OF A MISSING CHILD INTO THE NATIONAL MISSING AND UNIDENTIFIED PERSONS SYSTEM WITHOUT DELAY; TO REQUIRE THE STATE MEDICAL EXAMINER TEST THE DNA OF UNIDENTIFIED HUMAN REMAINS USING FORENSIC GENETIC GENEALOGY TESTING; TO AMEND SECTION 41-61-53, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO DEFINE THE TERMS "UNCLAIMED HUMAN REMAINS" AND "UNIDENTIFIED HUMAN REMAINS"; TO AMEND SECTION 41-61-59, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT WHEN A BODY IS UNIDENTIFIED HUMAN REMAINS, THE BODY SHALL BE SUBMITTED TO THE STATE MEDICAL EXAMINER; TO AMEND SECTION 41-61-61, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT UPON DISCOVERY UNIDENTIFIED HUMAN REMAINS OR ANATOMICAL MATERIAL SUSPECTED OF BEING PART OF THE HUMAN BODY SHALL BE SUBMITTED TO THE STATE MEDICAL …
Sponsors
- McKnight, Jay (R, 95) · primary sponsor
- Shanks, Fred (R, 60)
Latest actions
- : Approved by Governor
- : Enrolled Bill Signed
- : Enrolled Bill Signed
- : Conference Report Adopted
- : Conference Report Filed
- : Conferees Named Fillingane,Barrett,Hickman
- : Conferees Named Horan,Grady,McKnight
- : Decline to Concur/Invite Conf
- : Returned For Concurrence
- : Passed As Amended
Votes
- Conference Report Adopted (March 31, 2026): 52 yea, 0 nay, passed
- Conference Report Adopted (March 31, 2026): 120 yea, 0 nay, passed
- Passed As Amended (March 11, 2026): 51 yea, 0 nay, passed
- Passed (February 12, 2026): 120 yea, 0 nay, passed
Subjects: The Missing Persons Reporting and Identification Act
Common questions
- What is HB377?
- HB377 is a bill in the Mississippi Legislature (2026 Regular Session): The Missing Persons Reporting and Identification Act; create to require input of missing persons in NamUs.
- What does HB377 do?
- In its own words: An act to provide certain procedures for law enforcement agencies concerning the investigation into a missing or unidentified person; to require a law enforcement agency to initiate certain procedures upon the receipt of a credible report of a missing or unidentified person; to require certain information about the missing or unidentified person to be entered into the national missing and unidentified persons system…
- What is the status of HB377?
- Signed into law as of April 8, 2026. Latest action: Approved by Governor (April 8, 2026).
- Who sponsored HB377?
- McKnight, Jay (R, 95), with 1 co-sponsor.
- Where is the official record for HB377?
- On the Mississippi Legislature website: http://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/2026/pdf/history/HB/HB0377.xml
Source: official Mississippi record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.