MS HB1377

Amends Mississippi Code Section 99-19-81 to revise the definition of habitual offender by requiring felonies to be punishable by more than five (5) years imprisonment instead of any felony.

Requires prior convictions to have occurred when the offender was eighteen (18) years of age or older.

Requires the offender to have actually served separate terms of one (1) year or more in state and/or federal penal institutions, rather than just been sentenced to such terms.

Establishes a ten (10) year lookback period, prohibiting prior felony convictions from being considered for habitual offender sentencing if more than ten (10) years have elapsed between completion of the prior sentence and commission of the current offense.

Takes effect July 1, 2017.