MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2023 Regular Session
To: Judiciary, Division B
By: Senator(s) Blackwell
AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 99-1-5, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT THE GENERAL TWO-YEAR STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS ON CRIMES WILL NOT RUN AGAINST THE CRIME OF SEXUAL BATTERY; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:
SECTION 1. Section 99-1-5, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
99-1-5. The passage of time
shall never bar prosecution against any person for the offenses of murder,
manslaughter, aggravated assault, aggravated domestic violence, kidnapping,
arson, burglary, forgery, counterfeiting, robbery, larceny, rape, sexual battery,
embezzlement, obtaining money or property under false pretenses or by fraud,
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, * * * 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), Section 97-3-54.2, or Section 97-3-54.3. A
person shall not be prosecuted for conspiracy, as described in Section 97-1-1,
for felonious assistance-program fraud, as described in Section 97-19-71, or
for felonious abuse of vulnerable persons, as described in Sections 43-47-18
and 43-47-19, unless the prosecution for the
offense is commenced within five (5)
years next after the commission thereof. A person shall not be prosecuted for
larceny of timber as described in Section 97-17-59, unless the prosecution for the offense is
commenced within six (6) years next after the commission thereof. A person
shall not be prosecuted for any other offense not listed in this section unless
the prosecution for the offense is commenced within two (2) years next after
the commission thereof. Nothing contained in this section shall bar any
prosecution against any person who shall abscond or flee from justice, or shall
absent himself from this state or out of the jurisdiction of the court, or so
conduct himself that he cannot be found by the officers of the law, or that
process cannot be served upon him.
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2023.