# Mississippi HB 377: The Missing Persons Reporting and Identification Act; create to require input of missing persons in NamUs. Mississippi HB 377, The Missing Persons Reporting and Identification Act; create to require input of missing persons in NamUs., is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Jay McKnight (Republican); status signed, last action 2026-04-08 (Approved by Governor) (as of 2026-10-27). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MS-HB377-2026 - As of: 2026-10-27 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Mississippi HB 377 - State: Mississippi - Session: 2026 Regular Session - Title: The Missing Persons Reporting and Identification Act; create to require input of missing persons in NamUs. - Status: signed - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2026-01-09 - Last action: 2026-04-08, Approved by Governor - Sponsor: Jay McKnight (Republican) - Cosponsors: 1 - Subjects: Judiciary B, Judiciary, Division B - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 4 (343 yes, 0 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 4 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Faster action on missing-person reports: benefit, low. Mississippi law enforcement cannot make people wait to report someone missing or require next of kin to appear first. For credible reports, agencies must start identification steps as soon as possible and within 10 days. Missing children must be entered in NamUs without delay. Agencies must share c… - New safeguards for unidentified remains: benefit, low. Unidentified remains and material suspected to be human must be reported and sent to the State Medical Examiner. Anyone who takes possession of unidentified remains must send them there immediately; the remains cannot be cremated, embalmed, or otherwise destroyed. After holding unidentified remains… - Counties pay to transport bodies: cost, low. When a body is transported for an autopsy, it must go directly to an autopsy facility in a secure conveyance approved by the State Medical Examiner. The county receiving the service pays the transport cost. If transport is delayed, the county must store the body in an environment that supports pres… - Felony penalty for destroying remains: cost, low. A person who willfully destroys a body, body part, or unidentified remains in violation of the law commits a felony. The penalty is a fine of up to $5,000, up to two years in prison, or both. ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Jay McKnight (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Fred Shanks (Republican), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-03-31 | Senate | Conference Report Adopted | pass | 52 | 0 | | | 2026-03-31 | House | Conference Report Adopted | pass | 120 | 0 | | | 2026-03-11 | Senate | Passed As Amended | pass | 51 | 0 | | | 2026-02-12 | House | Passed | pass | 120 | 0 | | ## Actions (21) - 2026-04-08: Approved by Governor (legislature) - 2026-04-06: Enrolled Bill Signed (Senate) - 2026-04-02: Enrolled Bill Signed (House) - 2026-03-31: Conference Report Adopted (Senate) - 2026-03-31: Conference Report Adopted (House) - 2026-03-30: Conference Report Filed (Senate) - 2026-03-30: Conference Report Filed (House) - 2026-03-23: Conferees Named Fillingane,Barrett,Hickman (Senate) - 2026-03-23: Conferees Named Horan,Grady,McKnight (House) - 2026-03-18: Decline to Concur/Invite Conf (House) - 2026-03-12: Returned For Concurrence (Senate) - 2026-03-11: Passed As Amended (Senate) - 2026-03-11: Amended (Senate) - 2026-03-03: Title Suff Do Pass As Amended (Senate) - 2026-02-17: Referred To Judiciary, Division B (Senate) - 2026-02-13: Transmitted To Senate (House) - 2026-02-12: Passed (House) - 2026-02-12: Committee Substitute Adopted (House) - 2026-02-11: Read the Third Time (House) - 2026-02-03: Title Suff Do Pass Comm Sub (House) - 2026-01-09: Referred To Judiciary B (House) ## Bill text - As Introduced: [HTML](https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2026/html/HB/0300-0399/HB0377IN.htm), [PDF](https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2026/pdf/HB/0300-0399/HB0377IN.pdf) - As Passed: [HTML](https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2026/html/HB/0300-0399/HB0377PS.htm), [PDF](https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2026/pdf/HB/0300-0399/HB0377PS.pdf) - Committee Amendment No 1 (Replaced by Substitute): [HTML](https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2026/html/sam/HB0377_S_Cmte_Amend_01.htm), [PDF](https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2026/pdf/sam/HB0377_S_Cmte_Amend_01.pdf) - Committee Substitute: [HTML](https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2026/html/HB/0300-0399/HB0377CS.htm), [PDF](https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2026/pdf/HB/0300-0399/HB0377CS.pdf) - Enrolled: [HTML](https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2026/html/HB/0300-0399/HB0377SG.htm), [PDF](https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2026/pdf/HB/0300-0399/HB0377SG.pdf) - Substitute No 1 for Committee Amendment No 1 (Adopted): [HTML](https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2026/html/sam/HB0377_S_Subst_1_for_Cmte_Amend_01.htm), [PDF](https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2026/pdf/sam/HB0377_S_Subst_1_for_Cmte_Amend_01.pdf) ## Related bills - HB 1653: Local Improvements Project Fund and IHL Capital Improvements Fund; revise certain projects funded with monies from. (signed) - HB 1924: Appropriation; Attorney General. (signed) - SB 3051: Appropriation; Finance and Administration, Department of. (signed) - SB 3110: Tax credits; authorize for contributions by certain taxpayers to certain hospitals. (signed) - SB 2917: Budget; provide for various transfers of funds, and create various special funds. (signed) - SB 3071: Appropriation; Gulf Coast Restoration Funds to the Mississippi Development Authority. (signed) ## Sources - [As Introduced (HTML)](https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2026/html/HB/0300-0399/HB0377IN.htm) - [As Introduced (PDF)](https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2026/pdf/HB/0300-0399/HB0377IN.pdf) - [As Passed (HTML)](https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2026/html/HB/0300-0399/HB0377PS.htm) - [As Passed (PDF)](https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2026/pdf/HB/0300-0399/HB0377PS.pdf) - [Committee Amendment No 1 (Replaced by Substitute) (HTML)](https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2026/html/sam/HB0377_S_Cmte_Amend_01.htm) - [Committee Amendment No 1 (Replaced by Substitute) (PDF)](https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2026/pdf/sam/HB0377_S_Cmte_Amend_01.pdf) - [Committee Substitute (HTML)](https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2026/html/HB/0300-0399/HB0377CS.htm) - [Committee Substitute (PDF)](https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2026/pdf/HB/0300-0399/HB0377CS.pdf) - [Enrolled (HTML)](https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2026/html/HB/0300-0399/HB0377SG.htm) - [Enrolled (PDF)](https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2026/pdf/HB/0300-0399/HB0377SG.pdf) - [Substitute No 1 for Committee Amendment No 1 (Adopted) (HTML)](https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2026/html/sam/HB0377_S_Subst_1_for_Cmte_Amend_01.htm) - [Substitute No 1 for Committee Amendment No 1 (Adopted) (PDF)](https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2026/pdf/sam/HB0377_S_Subst_1_for_Cmte_Amend_01.pdf) ## Related - [HB 1653: Local Improvements Project Fund and IHL Capital Improvements Fund; revise certa…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MS-HB1653-2026) - [HB 1924: Appropriation; Attorney General.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MS-HB1924-2026) - [SB 3051: Appropriation; Finance and Administration, Department of.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MS-SB3051-2026) - [SB 3110: Tax credits; authorize for contributions by certain taxpayers to certain hospit…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MS-SB3110-2026) - [SB 2917: Budget; provide for various transfers of funds, and create various special fund…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MS-SB2917-2026) - [SB 3071: Appropriation; Gulf Coast Restoration Funds to the Mississippi Development Auth…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MS-SB3071-2026) - [Mississippi bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/mississippi/bills) - [Mississippi state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/mississippi) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MS-HB377-2026 (as of 2026-10-27).