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SB 3399

Suffrage; restore to Gerald Laird.

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Rod Hickman

Restores Gerald Laird’s voting rights in full after a felony disqualification, effective upon passage, with no general policy changes for others.

Died In Committee
#judiciary #divisionb
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Bill Summary · SB 3399

Summary: Senate Bill 3399 (2026) – Restore Right of Suffrage to Gerald Laird (Mississippi)

Purpose

  • Restore the right to vote (suffrage) to Gerald Laird of Jefferson Davis County, Mississippi, who was previously disqualified due to a felony conviction.

Key Provisions

  • Section 1: Reinstatement of suffrage

    • The right of suffrage is “fully and completely restored” to Gerald Laird.
    • Laird was disqualified as an elector on September 25, 2003, in Lauderdale County for robbery.
    • Sentence: 5 years imprisonment; 36 months of supervised probation under the Mississippi Department of Corrections.
    • Release details: Earned Released Supervision on November 5, 2005; probation discharged on May 7, 2009.
    • The act notes Laird has since behaved as a law-abiding and honorable citizen.

  • Section 2: Effective date

    • The act takes effect from and after its passage.

Affected Parties and Scope

  • Primary beneficiary: Gerald Laird (individual restoration of voting rights).
  • Indirectly, it concerns the restoration process for individuals with prior felony disqualifications and may signal legislative intent regarding the restoration of voting rights on a case-by-case basis.
  • The bill does not alter general suffrage laws or broad eligibility criteria; it explicitly applies to Gerald Laird.

Procedural/Timeline Details

  • Status: Died in Committee (April 15, 2026) after referral to Judiciary, Division B (March 12, 2026).
  • Sponsor: Senator Rod Hickman (co-sponsor), with committee action noted as final disposition prior to floor action.
  • Effective date: If enacted, becomes law upon passage (no retroactive or prospective beyond passage).

Potential Impact

  • Individual impact: Restores the right to vote for Gerald Laird, enabling him to participate in future elections.
  • Precedential impact: The bill represents a specific, individualized clemency-like action rather than a general policy change to Mississippi’s suffrage restoration framework. It does not lay out a general process for restoring voting rights to other individuals with prior felony convictions.
  • Administrative impact: No new administrative procedures are outlined beyond the restoration itself; no changes to probation, parole, or offender governance are proposed.

Notes

  • The bill’s final disposition shows it died in committee, meaning it did not advance to the full Senate or House for debate in its current session. If reintroduced, it would need to again pass through the legislative process.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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