Possession of a stolen firearm; exclude from youth court jurisdiction.

HB 973 amends Mississippi law to remove possession of a stolen firearm (when committed knowingly or intentionally) from the exclusive jurisdiction of youth courts. This change means minors charged with this specific offense would now be handled directly in circuit court, not youth court. The bill applies to cases where a minor knowingly possesses a firearm that was stolen, which would be a felony if committed by an adult. This policy shift affects minors accused of this particular offense by moving their cases to adult criminal court proceedings. The change takes effect July 1, 2026.