MS SB2225

Defines "juvenile offender" as a person under age 18 at the time of the offense and provides alternative sentencing options for juveniles convicted of first-degree murder, second-degree murder, or capital murder

Prohibits the death penalty for offenders who were under 18 at the time of the crime, requiring judges (not juries) to conduct sentencing proceedings for juvenile offenders

Establishes reduced sentencing ranges for juvenile offenders: 10-40 years for first-degree murder, 10-30 years for second-degree murder, and 20-50 years for capital murder if life imprisonment is deemed unjustified

Allows juvenile offenders sentenced to life or life without parole to be considered for parole after serving at least 20 years, regardless of when the conviction occurred

Applies retroactively to all arrests and convictions regardless of when the offense was committed, bringing Mississippi law into compliance with the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in Miller v. Alabama