MS HB799

Authorizes school resource officers (SROs) acting within their official law enforcement capacity to detain and search a student's person and possessions based on reasonable suspicion of unlawful activity to establish probable cause.

Requires searches to be reasonable in scope and not excessively intrusive considering the student's age, sex, and nature of suspected unlawful activity, and must comply with Fourth Amendment constitutional protections.

Defines "unlawful activity" to include weapons possession, controlled substances, assault, rape, sexual battery, murder, kidnapping, and child fondling/molestation.

Adds these search authority provisions to both the Mississippi Community Oriented Policing Services in Schools (MCOPS) grant program requirements and general school safety reporting laws.

Takes effect July 1, 2025.