Mississippi 2026 Regular Session Status: Enacted 1 R cosponsors

HB 377 — The Missing Persons Reporting and Identification Act; create to require input of missing persons in NamUs.

Last action — 04/08 Approved by Governor

  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. ✓
    In Committee
  3. ✓
    Passed House
  4. ✓
    Passed Senate
  5. ✓
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced January 09, 2026. Enacted.

Signed by Governor Tate Reeves (Republican) on April 06, 2026.

Odds of enactment

High chance

Based on the sponsor, cosponsors, and committee posture, this bill has a high chance of becoming law.

Upgrade to see the exact probability and what's driving it.

A statistical estimate from our own model of past outcomes — an insight, not a guarantee. Policymaking is volatile.

Prognosis

Likely to advance 72% · moderate confidence

  • Enacted

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 1 sponsor

    1 primary, 0 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Single-party support

    Sponsorship is currently within one party (1 R).

  • Cleared a recorded vote

    Passed 3 recorded votes so far.

Based on stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes, and cross-state momentum — a description of the observable signals, not a prediction.

Summary

AN ACT TO PROVIDE CERTAIN PROCEDURES FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES CONCERNING THE INVESTIGATION INTO A MISSING OR UNIDENTIFIED PERSON; TO REQUIRE A LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY TO INITIATE CERTAIN PROCEDURES UPON THE RECEIPT OF A CREDIBLE REPORT OF A MISSING OR UNIDENTIFIED PERSON; TO REQUIRE CERTAIN INFORMATION ABOUT THE MISSING OR UNIDENTIFIED PERSON TO BE ENTERED INTO THE NATIONAL MISSING AND UNIDENTIFIED PERSONS SYSTEM; TO PROHIBIT A LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY FROM REQUIRING A DELAY BEFORE ACCEPTING A REPORT OR REQUIRING THE APPEARANCE OF A NEXT OF KIN BEFORE INITIATING A MISSING PERSONS INVESTIGATION; TO REQUIRE A LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY OR THE STATE MEDICAL EXAMINER TO ENTER A REPORT OF A MISSING CHILD INTO THE NATIONAL MISSING AND UNIDENTIFIED PERSONS SYSTEM WITHOUT DELAY; TO REQUIRE THE STATE MEDICAL EXAMINER TEST THE DNA OF UNIDENTIFIED HUMAN REMAINS USING FORENSIC GENETIC GENEALOGY TESTING; TO AMEND SECTION 41-61-53, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO DEFINE THE TERMS "UNCLAIMED HUMAN REMAINS" AND "UNIDENTIFIED HUMAN REMAINS"; TO AMEND SECTION 41-61-59, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT WHEN A BODY IS UNIDENTIFIED HUMAN REMAINS, THE BODY SHALL BE SUBMITTED TO THE STATE MEDICAL EXAMINER; TO AMEND SECTION 41-61-61, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT UPON DISCOVERY UNIDENTIFIED HUMAN REMAINS OR ANATOMICAL MATERIAL SUSPECTED OF BEING PART OF THE HUMAN BODY SHALL BE SUBMITTED TO THE STATE MEDICAL EXAMINER; TO PROVIDE THAT THE WILLFUL DESTRUCTION OF A BODY, BODY PART OR UNIDENTIFIED HUMAN REMAINS SHALL BE A FELONY; TO REQUIRE THE COUNTY MEDICAL EXAMINER INVESTIGATOR TO ENTER INTO THE NATIONAL MISSING AND UNIDENTIFIED PERSONS SYSTEM ALL UNCLAIMED HUMAN REMAINS CASES WITHIN A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF DAYS; TO AMEND SECTION 41-39-5, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REQUIRE ANY PHYSICIAN, HOSPITAL, FUNERAL DIRECTOR, EMBALMER, COUNTY MEDICAL EXAMINER OR OTHER PERSON ACQUIRING POSSESSION OF UNIDENTIFIED HUMAN REMAINS TO SUBMIT THE REMAINS TO THE STATE MEDICAL EXAMINER AND NOT SUBJECT THE REMAINS TO CREMATION, EMBALMING OR OTHER DESTRUCTIVE TREATMENT; TO AMEND SECTION 45-6-7, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REQUIRE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TRAINING RELATED TO THE INVESTIGATION OF UNIDENTIFIED AND MISSING PERSONS FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

Bill Text

Action History

  1. 04/08 Approved by Governor

  2. 04/06 (S) Enrolled Bill Signed

  3. 04/02 (H) Enrolled Bill Signed

  4. 03/31 (S) Conference Report Adopted

  5. 03/31 (H) Conference Report Adopted

  6. 03/30 (S) Conference Report Filed

  7. 03/30 (H) Conference Report Filed

  8. 03/23 (S) Conferees Named Fillingane,Barrett,Hickman

  9. 03/23 (H) Conferees Named Horan,Grady,McKnight

  10. 03/18 (H) Decline to Concur/Invite Conf

  11. 03/12 (S) Returned For Concurrence

  12. 03/11 (S) Passed As Amended

  13. 03/11 (S) Amended

  14. 03/03 (S) Title Suff Do Pass As Amended

  15. 02/17 (S) Referred To Judiciary, Division B

  16. 02/13 (H) Transmitted To Senate

  17. 02/12 (H) Passed

  18. 02/12 (H) Committee Substitute Adopted

  19. 02/11 (H) Read the Third Time

  20. 02/03 (H) Title Suff Do Pass Comm Sub

  21. 01/09 (H) Referred To Judiciary B

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

Export CSV (upgrade) →

1 sponsors · 0 co-sponsors · 174 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (0)

None.

Not signed on (174)

174 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 174 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Votes

Floor vote

Passed 52 Yea · 0 Nay
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Unaffiliated 14000
Republican 27000
Democrat 11000
Total 52000
% of votes cast 100%0%0%0%
How each member voted (52)
Member Party Vote
Barnett — Yea
Blackmon — Yea
Blackwell — Yea
Boyd — Yea
Gillespie Isom — Yea
Jackson — Yea
Johnson — Yea
Ladner — Yea
Simmons D. T. (12th) — Yea
Simmons S. (13th) — Yea
Taylor — Yea
Thompson — Yea
Turner-Ford — Yea
Williams — Yea
Albert Butler Democrat Yea
David Blount Democrat Yea
Gary Brumfield Democrat Yea
Hillman Terome Frazier Democrat Yea
Hob Bryan Democrat Yea
Johnny DuPree Democrat Yea
Joseph Thomas Democrat Yea
Justin Pope Democrat Yea
Kamesha Mumford Democrat Yea
Rod Hickman Democrat Yea
Sollie B. Norwood Democrat Yea
Andy Berry Republican Yea
Angela Burks Hill Republican Yea
Benjamin Suber Republican Yea
Brian Rhodes Republican Yea
Brice Wiggins Republican Yea
Briggs Hopson Republican Yea
Chad McMahan Republican Yea
Chuck Younger Republican Yea
Daniel H. Sparks Republican Yea
Dean Kirby Republican Yea
Dennis DeBar, Jr. Republican Yea
Don Hartness Republican Yea
J. Walter Michel Republican Yea
Jason Barrett Republican Yea
Jeff Tate Republican Yea
Jeremy England Republican Yea
Joel R. Carter, Jr. Republican Yea
Joey Fillingane Republican Yea
Joseph M. Seymour Republican Yea
Josh Harkins Republican Yea
Kathy L. Chism Republican Yea
Lydia Graves Chassaniol Republican Yea
Michael McLendon Republican Yea
Neil S. Whaley Republican Yea
Rita Potts Parks Republican Yea
Scott DeLano Republican Yea
Tyler McCaughn Republican Yea

Official roll call →

On motion of Senator Fillingane, the rules were suspended, the bill considered engrossed, read the third time and, the yeas and nays being taken, it passed as amended, title standing as stated,

Passed 51 Yea · 0 Nay · 1 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Unaffiliated 15000
Republican 25001
Democrat 11000
Total 51001
% of votes cast 98%0%0%2%
How each member voted (52)
Member Party Vote
Barnett — Yea
Blackmon — Yea
Blackwell — Yea
Boyd — Yea
Gillespie Isom — Yea
Jackson — Yea
Johnson — Yea
Ladner — Yea
Simmons D. T. (12th) — Yea
Simmons S. (13th) — Yea
Taylor — Yea
Thompson — Yea
Turner-Ford — Yea
Williams — Yea
Younger. Total — Yea
Albert Butler Democrat Yea
David Blount Democrat Yea
Gary Brumfield Democrat Yea
Hillman Terome Frazier Democrat Yea
Hob Bryan Democrat Yea
Johnny DuPree Democrat Yea
Joseph Thomas Democrat Yea
Justin Pope Democrat Yea
Kamesha Mumford Democrat Yea
Rod Hickman Democrat Yea
Sollie B. Norwood Democrat Yea
Andy Berry Republican Yea
Angela Burks Hill Republican Yea
Benjamin Suber Republican Yea
Brian Rhodes Republican Yea
Brice Wiggins Republican Yea
Briggs Hopson Republican Yea
Chad McMahan Republican Yea
Daniel H. Sparks Republican Yea
Dean Kirby Republican Yea
Dennis DeBar, Jr. Republican Yea
Don Hartness Republican Yea
J. Walter Michel Republican Yea
Jason Barrett Republican Yea
Jeff Tate Republican Yea
Jeremy England Republican Yea
Joel R. Carter, Jr. Republican Yea
Joey Fillingane Republican Yea
Joseph M. Seymour Republican Yea
Josh Harkins Republican Not Voting
Kathy L. Chism Republican Yea
Lydia Graves Chassaniol Republican Yea
Michael McLendon Republican Yea
Neil S. Whaley Republican Yea
Rita Potts Parks Republican Yea
Scott DeLano Republican Yea
Tyler McCaughn Republican Yea

Official roll call →

H. B. No. 377 passed

Passed 121 Yea · 0 Nay · 2 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Republican 66001
Unaffiliated 26000
Democrat 27001
Independent 2000
Total 121002
% of votes cast 98%0%0%2%
How each member voted (123)
Member Party Vote
Anderson (110th) — Yea
Anderson (122nd) — Yea
Bailey (23rd) — Yea
Bailey (49th) — Yea
Barnett — Yea
Bell (21st) — Yea
Bell (65th) — Yea
Blackmon — Yea
Blackwell — Yea
Boyd (19th) — Yea
Boyd (37th) — Yea
Washington — Yea
Ford (54th) — Yea
Ford (73rd) — Yea
Gibbs (36th) — Yea
Gibbs (72nd) — Yea
Holloway (27th) — Yea
Holloway (76th) — Yea
Jackson (11th) — Yea
Jackson (45th) — Yea
Johnson — Yea
Ladner — Yea
Taylor — Yea
Thompson — Yea
Williams — Yea
Mr. Speaker. Total — Yea
Albert Butler Democrat Yea
Bo Brown Democrat Yea
Bob Evans Democrat Yea
Bryant W. Clark Democrat Yea
Carl Mickens Democrat Yea
Cedric Burnett Democrat Yea
Daryl Porter Democrat Yea
Earle S. Banks Democrat Yea
Fabian Nelson Democrat Yea
Gregory Elliott Democrat Yea
Hester Jackson McCray Democrat Yea
Jeffery Harness Democrat Yea
Jeffrey Hulum III Democrat Yea
John G. Faulkner Democrat Yea
John W. Hines, Sr. Democrat Yea
Justin Crosby Democrat Not Voting
Kabir Karriem Democrat Yea
Omeria Scott Democrat Yea
Oscar Denton Democrat Yea
Otis Anthony Democrat Yea
Percy W. Watson Democrat Yea
Robert L. Sanders Democrat Yea
Ronnie C. Crudup Democrat Yea
Solomon C. Osborne Democrat Yea
Stephanie Foster Democrat Yea
Timaka James-Jones Democrat Yea
Tracey T. Rosebud Democrat Yea
Zakiya Summers Democrat Yea
Angela Cockerham Independent Yea
Shanda Yates Independent Yea
Becky Currie Republican Yea
Beth Luther Waldo Republican Yea
Bill Kinkade Republican Yea
Bill Pigott Republican Yea
Billy Adam Calvert Republican Yea
Brad Mattox Republican Yea
Brent Powell Republican Yea
C. Scott Bounds Republican Yea
Carolyn Crawford Republican Yea
Casey Eure Republican Yea
Celeste Hurst Republican Yea
Clay Deweese Republican Yea
Clay Mansell Republican Yea
Dan Eubanks Republican Yea
Dana McLean Republican Yea
Donnie Scoggin Republican Yea
Elliot Burch Republican Yea
Fred Shanks Republican Yea
Gene Newman Republican Yea
Greg Haney Republican Yea
Henry Zuber III Republican Yea
Jansen Owen Republican Yea
Jay McKnight Republican Yea
Jeff Hale Republican Yea
Jeffrey S. Guice Republican Yea
Jerry R. Turner Republican Yea
Jim Estrada Republican Yea
Jimmy Fondren Republican Yea
Jody Steverson Republican Not Voting
Joey Hood Republican Yea
John Read Republican Yea
John Thomas "Trey" Lamar, III Republican Yea
Jonathan McMillan Republican Yea
Joseph Tubb Republican Yea
Josh Hawkins Republican Yea
Justin Keen Republican Yea
Karl Oliver Republican Yea
Ken Morgan Republican Yea
Kent McCarty Republican Yea
Kevin Felsher Republican Yea
Kevin Horan Republican Yea
Kimberly Remak Republican Yea
Lance Varner Republican Yea
Larry Byrd Republican Yea
Lee Yancey Republican Yea
Lester Carpenter Republican Yea
Manly Barton Republican Yea
Mark Tullos Republican Yea
Missy McGee Republican Yea
Noah Sanford Republican Yea
Price Wallace Republican Yea
Randy Rushing Republican Yea
Richard Bennett Republican Yea
Rob Roberson Republican Yea
Rodney Hall Republican Yea
Sam C. Mims, V Republican Yea
Sam Creekmore IV Republican Yea
Shane Aguirre Republican Yea
Stacey Hobgood-Wilkes Republican Yea
Stephen A. Horne Republican Yea
Steve Lott Republican Yea
Steve Massengill Republican Yea
Troy Smith Republican Yea
Vince Mangold Republican Yea
W.I. "Doc" Harris Republican Yea
William Tracy Arnold Republican Yea
Zachary Grady Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Subjects

public-safety
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

What does HB 377 do?
AN ACT TO PROVIDE CERTAIN PROCEDURES FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES CONCERNING THE INVESTIGATION INTO A MISSING OR UNIDENTIFIED PERSON; TO REQUIRE A LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY TO INITIATE CERTAIN PROCEDURES UPON THE RECEIPT OF A CREDIBLE REPORT OF A MISSING OR UNIDENTIFIED PERSON; TO REQUIRE CERTAIN INFORMATION ABOUT THE MISSING OR UNIDENTIFIED PERSON TO BE ENTERED INTO THE NATIONAL MISSING AND UNIDENTIFIED PERSONS SYSTEM; TO PROHIBIT A LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY FROM REQUIRING A DELAY BEFORE ACCEPTING A REPORT OR REQUIRING THE APPEARANCE OF A NEXT OF KIN BEFORE INITIATING A MISSING PERSONS INVESTIGATION; TO REQUIRE A LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY OR THE STATE MEDICAL EXAMINER TO ENTER A REPORT OF A MISSING CHILD INTO THE NATIONAL MISSING AND UNIDENTIFIED PERSONS SYSTEM WITHOUT DELAY; TO REQUIRE THE STATE MEDICAL EXAMINER TEST THE DNA OF UNIDENTIFIED HUMAN REMAINS USING FORENSIC GENETIC GENEALOGY TESTING; TO AMEND SECTION 41-61-53, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO DEFINE THE TERMS "UNCLAIMED HUMAN REMAINS" AND "UNIDENTIFIED HUMAN REMAINS"; TO AMEND SECTION 41-61-59, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT WHEN A BODY IS UNIDENTIFIED HUMAN REMAINS, THE BODY SHALL BE SUBMITTED TO THE STATE MEDICAL EXAMINER; TO AMEND SECTION 41-61-61, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT UPON DISCOVERY UNIDENTIFIED HUMAN REMAINS OR ANATOMICAL MATERIAL SUSPECTED OF BEING PART OF THE HUMAN BODY SHALL BE SUBMITTED TO THE STATE MEDICAL EXAMINER; TO PROVIDE THAT THE WILLFUL DESTRUCTION OF A BODY, BODY PART OR UNIDENTIFIED HUMAN REMAINS SHALL BE A FELONY; TO REQUIRE THE COUNTY MEDICAL EXAMINER INVESTIGATOR TO ENTER INTO THE NATIONAL MISSING AND UNIDENTIFIED PERSONS SYSTEM ALL UNCLAIMED HUMAN REMAINS CASES WITHIN A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF DAYS; TO AMEND SECTION 41-39-5, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REQUIRE ANY PHYSICIAN, HOSPITAL, FUNERAL DIRECTOR, EMBALMER, COUNTY MEDICAL EXAMINER OR OTHER PERSON ACQUIRING POSSESSION OF UNIDENTIFIED HUMAN REMAINS TO SUBMIT THE REMAINS TO THE STATE MEDICAL EXAMINER AND NOT SUBJECT THE REMAINS TO CREMATION, EMBALMING OR OTHER DESTRUCTIVE TREATMENT; TO AMEND SECTION 45-6-7, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REQUIRE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TRAINING RELATED TO THE INVESTIGATION OF UNIDENTIFIED AND MISSING PERSONS FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
Who sponsors HB 377?
HB 377 is sponsored by Jay McKnight (Republican).
What is the current status of HB 377?
This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced January 09, 2026. Enacted.
Where can I track HB 377?
Track HB 377 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.

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