MS SB2107

Raises the age of consent from 16 to 18 years old for statutory rape charges under Section 97-3-65(1)(a), requiring the accused to be at least 18 years old and the victim to be at least 14 but under 18 years old with a 36-month age difference.

Increases penalties for statutory rape convictions: offenders aged 18-20 face up to 5 years imprisonment; offenders 21+ face up to 30 years for first offense and up to 40 years for subsequent offenses.

Amends sexual battery statute (Section 97-3-95) to raise the age threshold from 16 to 18 years old for sexual battery charges when the person is 36 or more months older than the child.

Updates sexual battery sentencing provisions to impose up to 5 years imprisonment for offenders aged 18-20, and up to 30 years for offenders 21+ on first offense or 40 years for subsequent offenses.

Effective date is July 1, 2019, and updates statutory language to reference the Department of Corrections instead of the State Penitentiary.