MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2026 Regular Session
To: Judiciary B
By: Representative Hines
AN ACT TO CREATE THE MISSISSIPPI TASK FORCE ON GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION, CHILD SAFETY AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE; TO PRESCRIBE THE PURPOSE OF THE TASK FORCE; TO PROVIDE THE MEMBERS AND DUTIES OF THE TASK FORCE; TO PROVIDE CERTAIN REPORTING OF THE TASK FORCE REGARDING LEGISLATIVE AND POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:
SECTION 1. There is established the Mississippi Task Force on Gun Violence Prevention, Child Safety, and Domestic Violence, which may be referred to as "task force" throughout this act. The task force shall operate as a temporary but renewable advisory and action oriented body reporting that shall report to the Governor, Legislature and the Chief Justice of the Mississippi Supreme Court. The task force shall serve in an advisory capacity and shall not exercise regulatory, enforcement or judicial authority.
SECTION 2. (1) The purpose of the task force is as follows:
(a) To develop Mississippi specific, constitutionally sound strategies to reduce gun violence while protecting lawful firearm ownership;
(b) To address the intersections of gun violence, school age child safety, and domestic violence through coordinated, cross sector solutions;
(c) To improve prevention, enforcement, judicial response, and victim protection without unnecessary expansion of criminalization; and
(d) To align public safety, family stability, and community trust.
(2) The guiding principles of the task force are as follows:
(a) Constitutional fidelity as prescribed in the Second Amendment and the Mississippi Constitution;
(b) Public safety and prevention first orientation;
(c) Child centered and family protective approaches;
(d) Victim and survivor informed decision making;
(e) Local control with statewide coordination; and
(f) Data driven, outcome focused recommendations.
(3) The duties of the task force shall be to examine the following:
(a) Gun violence prevention and enforcement by:
(i) Reviewing patterns of firearm violence in Mississippi by geography, age group and relationship dynamic;
(ii) Identifying gaps in enforcement of existing laws;
(iii) Examining illegal firearm trafficking and repeat offender patterns; and
(iv) Recommending coordinated interagency responses.
(b) School age child safety by:
(i) Evaluating threats and risk factors in school and community settings.
(ii) Reviewing the effectiveness of:
1. Threat assessment teams; and
2. School based mental health supports.
(iii) Developing firearm safety education strategies for families; and
(iv) Preventing youth criminalization while improving safety.
(c) Domestic violence and firearm risk by:
(i) Examining firearm involvement in domestic violence cases;
(ii) Assessing judicial tools related to protective orders and offender monitoring;
(iii) Improving coordination between:
1. Courts;
2. Law enforcement; and
3. Victim service providers.
(iv) Strengthening survivor safety planning.
(d) Judicial and legal review by:
(i) Evaluating statutory clarity, judicial discretion, and court processes;
(ii) Identifying training needs for judges and prosecutors; and
(iii) Recommending court based best practices.
SECTION 3. (a) The task force shall be composed of the following forty-five (45) members:
(a) A business or employer association representative and an insurance or risk management representative, appointed by the Governor;
(b) A philanthropic foundation or grant making organization appointed by the Lieutenant Governor;
(c) A healthcare system representative, appointed by the Speaker of the House;
(d) The Chairpersons of the Judiciary B Committees of the House and Senate, or their designees;
(e) The Chairpersons of the Judiciary A Committees of the House and Senate, or their designees;
(f) The Chairpersons of the Education Committees of the House and Senate, or their designees;
(g) The Chairpersons of the Public Health and Human Services Committees of the House and Senate, or their designees;
(h) One (1) Mississippi Supreme Court Justice, or his designee;
(i) A court of appeals judge, appointed by the Governor;
(j) A circuit court judge, appointed by the Lieutenant Governor;
(k) A youth court judge, appointed by Speaker of the House of Representatives;
(l) President of the Mississippi Court Administrators Association;
(m) President of the Mississippi Prosecutors Association;
(n) President of the Mississippi Public Defenders Association;
(o) Commissioner of the Department of Public Safety;
(p) Director of the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation;
(q) President of the Mississippi Sheriffs' Association;
(r) President of the Mississippi Association of Chiefs of Police;
(s) President of the Mississippi Association of School Resource Officers;
(t) A probation and parole officer, appointed by the Commissioner of the Department of Corrections;
(u) Executive Director of the Mississippi Department of Education;
(v) A school district superintendent from a rural area of the state and a school district superintendent from an urban area of the state, both appointed by the State Superintendent of Education;
(w) President of the Magnolia State School Counselor Association;
(x) Executive Director of the Mississippi Community College Board;
(y) A youth representative, who shall serve in a nonvoting advisory role and who is appointed by Lieutenant Governor;
(z) A state domestic violence coalition representative, appointed by the Governor;
(aa) A shelter or crisis center director, appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives;
(bb) A survivor advocate, appointed by the Lieutenant Governor;
(cc) A legal aid or victim services attorney, appointed by the Governor;
(dd) Executive Director of the Mississippi State Department of Health;
(ee) President of the Mental Health Association of South Mississippi;
(ff) A substance abuse prevention representative, appointed by the Speaker of the House;
(gg) The president of the Mississippi Trauma Care System Foundation;
(hh) A faith based leader, appointed by the Lieutenant Governor;
(ii) A representative of a community based violence prevention organization, appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives;
(jj) A rural community representative, appointed by the Governor;
(kk) An urban community representative, appointed by the Lieutenant Governor;
(ll) A firearm safety instructor, appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives;
(mm) A lawful gun owner or sportsmen's association representative, appointed by the Lieutenant Governor; and
(nn) A firearm storage safety advocate, appointed by the Governor.
SECTION 4. (a) Appointments to the task force must be made within thirty (30) days after the effective date of this act. Within fifteen (15) days thereafter, the task force shall meet and organize and shall elect two (2) co-chairs, one (1) of whom shall be a youth or lived experience member. Task force members shall select from its membership a vice chair. The vice chair shall serve as the secretary and is responsible for keeping all records of the task force. A majority of the members of the task force constitutes a quorum. In the selection of its officers and the adoption of rules, resolutions and reports, an affirmative vote of a majority of the task force is required. Written notice of task force meetings shall be sent electronically to all members at least fifteen (15) days before the date on which a meeting is to be held.
(b) The task force shall meet at least once monthly.
(c) Members of the task force may not receive compensation for their service on the task force.
SECTION 5. To effectuate the purposes of this act, the Department of Public Safety shall provide administrative and logistical support and shall provide the facilities, assistance, information and data needed to enable the task force to carry out its duties.
SECTION 6. The task force shall submit an interim report every six months beginning December 1, 2027, to the Governor, Legislature and Chief Justice of the Mississippi Supreme Court with a final task report submitted on December 1, 2029, that provides the following:
(a) Policy and legislative recommendations;
(b) Model protocols for courts, schools, and law enforcement;
(c) Prevention and education strategies;
(d) Funding and sustainability options; and
(e) A public facing executive summary.
SECTION 7. This act shall be repealed from and after December 1, 2029.
SECTION 8. This act shall take effect from and after its passage.