House Bill 1179

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 15-1-59, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REMOVE THE CIVIL STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS FOR ABUSE COMMITTED AGAINST A PERSON DURING SUCH PERSON'S INFANCY OR UNSOUNDNESS OF MIND; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. Section 15-1-59, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

15-1-59. (1) If any person entitled to bring any of the personal actions mentioned, except as otherwise provided in subsection (2) of this section, shall, at the time at which the cause of action accrued, be under the disability of infancy or unsoundness of mind, he may bring the actions within the times in this chapter respectively limited, after his disability shall be removed as provided by law. However, the saving in favor of persons under disability of unsoundness of mind shall never extend longer than twenty-one (21) years.

(2) If any person entitled to bring any personal action of felonious abuse or battery of a child as described in Section 97-5-39, touching or handling a child for lustful purposes as described in Section 97-5-23, sexual battery of a child as described in Section 97-3-95(1)(c), (d) or (2), exploitation of children as described in Section 97-5-33, promoting prostitution under Section 97-29-51(2) when the person involved is a minor, or any human trafficking offense as described in Section 97-3-54.1(1)(a), (1)(b) or (1)(c), 97-3-54.2 or 97-3-54.3 shall, at the time at which the cause of action accrued, be under the disability of infancy or unsoundness of mind, the passage of time shall not limit any action.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2020.