Suffrage; restore to April Pace-Brooks of Coahoma County.

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Daryl Porter

Restores the voting rights of April Pace-Brooks, reversing a 2003 embezzlement-related disqualification.

Died In Committee

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Purpose and intent

HB 4119 seeks to restore the right of suffrage (the right to vote) to April Pace-Brooks of Coahoma County, Mississippi.

The bill retroactively restores voting rights to someone previously disqualified due to a criminal conviction (embezzlement) in Tunica County, with the conviction date and probation details specified.

Key provisions and changes

Section 1: Restoration of suffrage

The bill states that the right of suffrage is “fully and completely restored” to April Pace-Brooks.
The disqualification that previously applied to her because of a 2003 embezzlement conviction is reversed.
It notes her original sentence: 60 months on probation under the supervision of the Mississippi Department of Corrections.
It notes her probation discharge date: June 23, 2008.
A legislative finding accompanies the restoration, indicating she has since lived as a law-abiding and honorable citizen.

Section 2: Effective date

The act is to take effect upon passage.

Who/what is affected

Individual: April Pace-Brooks of Coahoma County, Mississippi.

Broader legal impact: The restoration implies reinstatement of voting eligibility for Pace-Brooks and, by extension, clarifies or reinforces criteria for when Mississippi may restore voting rights to individuals with prior felony convictions, at least in this specific case.

Procedural and timeline aspects

Sponsor: Representative Daryl Porter (House Bill 4119 appears to be introduced by Porter; co-sponsor listed as Daryl Porter).

Status timeline (as provided):

Referred to Judiciary B (March 10, 2026).
Passed the House (March 19, 2026; Title Suff Do Pass on March 18, 2026).
Transmitted to Senate (March 20, 2026).
Assigned to Judiciary, Division B (March 20, 2026).
Died in Committee (April 15, 2026) — indicating the bill did not advance to a final floor vote in the Senate.

Effective date: If enacted, the act would take effect upon passage (as typical for emergency or immediate-effect measures, though no separate delay provision is stated).

Additional observations

The bill is narrowly tailored to a single individual rather than establishing a general policy or procedure for restoring voting rights to all offenders. It creates a discrete, case-specific restoration of suffrage.

There is no accompanying fiscal impact or administrative mechanism described within the provided text; the key content is the restoration of rights for April Pace-Brooks.

Bottom line

HB 4119 proposes restoring the voting rights of April Pace-Brooks, a Coahoma County resident, who was previously disqualified due to a 2003 embezzlement conviction and probation. While it passed the House, the bill did not progress beyond committee in the Senate, and it would have taken effect upon passage if enacted.

Bill