MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2012 Regular Session
To: Constitution
By: Representatives Zuber, Barton, Bennett, Bell, Boyd, Busby, Byrd, Carpenter, Chism, Howell, Moore, Staples
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO SECTION 124, MISSISSIPPI CONSTITUTION OF 1890, TO REQUIRE THAT THE GOVERNOR MAY NOT GRANT A PARDON TO A PERSON CONVICTED OF A FELONY CRIME UNTIL THE STATE PAROLE BOARD HAS RECOMMENDED THAT THE PARDON BE GRANTED AND HAS PROVIDED A COPY OF THE RECOMMENDATION TO ANY VICTIM OF THE FELONY CRIME; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, That the following amendment to the Mississippi Constitution of 1890 is proposed to the qualified electors of the state:
Amend Section 124, Mississippi Constitution of 1890, to read as follows:
"Section 124. In all criminal and penal cases, excepting those of treason and impeachment, the Governor shall have power to grant reprieves and pardons, to remit fines, and in cases of forfeiture, to stay the collection until the end of the next session of the Legislature, and by and with the consent of the Senate to remit forfeitures. In cases of treason he shall have power to grant reprieves, and by and with consent of the Senate, but may respite the sentence until the end of the next session of the Legislature; but no pardon shall be granted before conviction; and in cases of felony * * * after conviction, no pardon shall be granted until (a) the applicant therefor shall have published for thirty (30) consecutive days, in some newspaper in the county where the crime was committed, and in case there be no newspaper published in said county, then in an adjoining county, his petition for pardon, setting forth therein the reasons why such pardon should be granted, and (b) the State Parole Board has submitted to the Governor a written report recommending that the pardon should be granted, and the board has provided a copy of the report to any victim of the felony crime that the person committed, or to the victim's next of kin in the case where a victim is dead."
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this proposed amendment shall be submitted by the Secretary of State to the qualified electors at an election to be held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday of November 2012, as provided by Section 273 of the Constitution and by general law.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the explanation of this proposed amendment for the ballot shall read as follows: "This proposed constitutional amendment requires that the Governor may not grant a pardon to a person convicted of a felony crime until the State Parole Board has recommended that the pardon be granted and has provided a copy of the recommendation to any victim of the felony crime."
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Attorney General of the State of Mississippi shall submit this resolution, immediately upon adoption by the Legislature of the State of Mississippi, to the Attorney General of the United States or to the United States District Court for the District of Columbia in accordance with the provisions of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, as amended and extended.