HC 23 Mississippi House · 2026 Regular Session

Constitution; amend to restore voting rights to certain qualified electors once meeting sentencing requirements.

This bill proposes changing Mississippi's constitution to automatically restore voting rights for people convicted of certain non-violent crimes (like voter fraud, theft, arson, or embezzlement) once they complete all sentencing requirements, including parole. It directly affects individuals convicted of these specific offenses who are otherwise qualified voters (e.g., meeting age, residency, and citizenship requirements), excluding murder and rape convictions. The bill would replace the current system - where the legislature could restore voting rights via a two-thirds vote - with an automatic restoration process after sentencing ends. It also removes the existing constitutional provision allowing legislative restoration of voting rights for those disqualified by crime.
Bill status died 1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2026
Committee Review
Floor Vote
Governor
Introduced Jan 16, 2026 Last action Feb 3, 2026