Mississippi legislation · 2026 Regular Session
Mississippi HB1546: Human Trafficking; exclude from expungement felony violations of.
Status: Signed into law, March 30, 2026
AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 99-19-71, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REVISE EXPUNCTION OF CRIMINAL RECORD BY REDUCING THE WAITING PERIOD FOR ELIGIBILITY; TO PROHIBIT THE EXPUNGEMENT OF THE FELONY CRIMES OF PROMOTING OR PROCURING PROSTITUTION; TO AMEND SECTION 97-3-54.1, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO CLARIFY THAT MINORS ARE NOT LIABLE FOR NONVIOLENT CRIMINAL ACTIVITY THAT TAKES PLACE DURING VICTIMIZATION; TO AMEND SECTION 97-3-54.6, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT VACATUR OF PROSTITUTION CONVICTIONS ALSO APPLIES TO ADJUDICATION OF DELINQUENCY; TO PROVIDE THAT VICTIMS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING MAY REQUEST THE COURT TO EXPUNGE MISDEMEANOR AND NONVIOLENT CONVICTIONS THAT WERE A DIRECT RESULT OF THEIR VICTIMIZATION; TO PROVIDE AN AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE TO CERTAIN CRIMINAL CHARGES THAT DIRECTLY RESULT FROM TRAFFICKING A VICTIM; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
What the bill says
An act to amend section 99-19-71, mississippi code of 1972, to revise expunction of criminal record by reducing the waiting period for eligibility; to prohibit the expungement of the felony crimes of promoting or procuring prostitution; to amend section 97-3-54.1, mississippi code of 1972, to clarify that minors are not liable for nonviolent criminal activity that takes place during victimization; to amend section 97-3-54.6, mississippi code of 1972, to provide that vacatur of prostitution convictions also applies to adjudication of delinquency…
From the enrolled text, March 23, 2026:
AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 99-19-71, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REVISE EXPUNCTION OF CRIMINAL RECORD BY REDUCING THE WAITING PERIOD FOR ELIGIBILITY; TO PROHIBIT THE EXPUNGEMENT OF THE FELONY CRIMES OF PROMOTING OR PROCURING PROSTITUTION; TO AMEND SECTION 97-3-54.1, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO CLARIFY THAT MINORS ARE NOT LIABLE FOR NONVIOLENT CRIMINAL ACTIVITY THAT TAKES PLACE DURING VICTIMIZATION; TO AMEND SECTION 97-3-54.6, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT VACATUR OF PROSTITUTION CONVICTIONS ALSO APPLIES TO ADJUDICATION OF DELINQUENCY; TO PROVIDE THAT VICTIMS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING MAY REQUEST THE COURT TO EXPUNGE MISDEMEANOR AND NONVIOLENT CONVICTIONS THAT WERE A DIRECT RESULT OF THEIR VICTIMIZATION; TO PROVIDE AN AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE TO CERTAIN CRIMINAL CHARGES THAT DIRECTLY RESULT FROM TRAFFICKING A VICTIM; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: SECTION 1. Section 99-19-71, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows: 99-19-71. (1) Any person who has been convicted of a misdemeanor that is not a traffic violation, and who is a first offender, may petition the justice, county, circuit or municipal court in which the conviction was had for an order to expunge any such conviction from all public records. (2) (a) Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, a person who has been convicted of a felony and who has …