Capital rape; authorize life imprisonment or death penalty for crime of.

HB 1293 creates a new "capital rape" offense in Mississippi for individuals aged 18+ who sexually assault a child under 12 years old and cause damage to the child's sexual organs. This provision would subject offenders to mandatory death or life imprisonment sentences, replacing the existing statutory rape framework for this specific scenario. The bill directly affects individuals convicted of this aggravated child sexual assault, with penalties triggered only when physical damage to the child's sexual organs occurs during the crime. The legislation died in committee on February 3, 2026, and was never enacted.