SB 2313 Mississippi Senate · 2025 Regular Session

Sexual offense; provide immunity for reporting.

SB 2313 provides legal immunity for individuals who report sexual offenses or seek medical assistance for drug overdoses. It protects people from criminal charges or penalties related to minor drug violations (like possessing under 4 grams of a controlled substance) or alcohol offenses when they act in good faith to report a sexual assault or seek help for an overdose. The law ensures that such individuals cannot face arrest, prosecution, or loss of probation/parole for these minor violations, and it prohibits lawsuits against officers who follow the law. This applies to anyone reporting sexual abuse or seeking medical aid for an overdose, as defined in the bill. The law was scheduled to take effect July 1, 2024.

Bill status died 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2025

Committee Review

Feb 2025

Senate Passage

Feb 2025

House Passage

Governor

Introduced Feb 7, 2025 Last action Mar 4, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

As Introduced → Current version · 4 edits

MODERATE

This bill provides immunity from criminal prosecution for individuals who report sexual offenses or seek medical assistance for drug overdoses, even if they are under the influence of controlled substances. The changes clarify and expand the protections to include immunity from certain civil penalties and sanctions related to drug violations when seeking help for a sexual offense victim or experiencing a medical emergency.

Scope change

The bill now explicitly extends immunity protections to include not just arrest and prosecution, but also penalties for violating protective orders, sanctions for violating pretrial/probation/parole conditions, and property forfeiture, with specific exceptions for prima facie contraband.

ELIGIBILITY

Expanded immunity protections to cover more than just arrest and prosecution, now including civil penalties, sanctions for violating court orders, and property forfeiture when related to seeking medical assistance or reporting sexual offenses.

DEFINITION

Added new definition for 'Drug overdose' to include conditions like extreme physical illness, decreased consciousness, respiratory depression, coma, mania, or death from controlled substance use.

ENFORCEMENT

Modified enforcement provisions to clarify that immunity does not limit evidence admissibility for crimes committed by defendants who don't qualify for protection, nor does it limit seizure of contraband or law enforcement authority to detain suspects.

TIMELINE

Added effective date provision stating the act takes effect July 1, 2024.

Floor votes · Senate Feb 6, 2025

How they voted

51–0

Passed

Total votes 51

Feb 6, 2025

D Democratic16

16 Yea

100% Yea

R Republican35

35 Yea

100% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Feb 10, 2025

Committee

Referred To Judiciary B

lower

Feb 7, 2025

Introduced

Transmitted To House

upper

Feb 6, 2025

Upper · Passed

Passed

upper

Jan 30, 2025

Upper · Passed

Title Suff Do Pass

upper

Jan 20, 2025

Committee

Referred To Judiciary, Division B

upper

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors