Statute of limitations; except sexual battery from.

SB 2078 removes the standard two-year statute of limitations for prosecuting sexual battery in Mississippi, meaning prosecutors can file charges at any time regardless of when the crime occurred. This directly affects victims of sexual battery, prosecutors, and defendants in such cases, particularly when the accused's identity is later discovered through DNA evidence from biological samples. The bill amends Mississippi Code § 99-1-5 to explicitly exempt sexual battery from the general two-year limitation period, aligning it with other serious offenses like murder and rape. The bill died in committee on February 3, 2026, and was never enacted.