Loading chat...

MS HB1059

Bill

Status

Failed

2/3/2026

Primary Sponsor

Jill Ford

Click for details

Origin

House of Representatives

2026 Regular Session

AI Summary

  • Establishes mandatory minimum sentences for felony child abuse: 5 years to life for burning, torture, strangulation, poisoning, starvation, or use of deadly weapons; 2-10 years for acts causing bodily harm; life imprisonment for second or subsequent convictions
  • Requires law enforcement to arrest suspected child abusers within 48 hours when a child has been burned, tortured, mutilated, or otherwise physically abused causing serious bodily harm
  • Changes sentencing for knowingly permitting continuing physical or sexual abuse of a child from discretionary ("may") to mandatory ("shall") imprisonment up to 10 years and/or fines up to $10,000
  • Increases penalties for convicted parental child sex abusers who contact victims: 1-5 years imprisonment for unauthorized contact, 5-7 years for harassment or intimidation
  • Excludes felony child abuse from parole eligibility under the nonviolent crimes provision and extends the parole statute's repeal date from July 1, 2027 to July 1, 2029

Legislative Description

Child abuse; require mandatory minimums and arrests for severe child abuse.

Last Action

Died In Committee

2/3/2026

Committee Referrals

Judiciary B1/16/2026

Full Bill Text

No bill text available