Limits Vessel Stop Enforcement Without Probable Cause
Summary
Mississippi Governor signed SB2263 into law on April 6, 2026, amending Sections 59-21-127 and 59-23-5 of the Mississippi Code to prohibit enforcement officers from the Department of Marine Resources from performing vessel stops or boarding vessels without probable cause. The law also bans vessel stops conducted solely for safety or marine sanitation equipment inspections. The bill passed the Senate 51-1 and the House 119-0 with amendments.
What changed
Mississippi SB2263 amends state code to establish probable cause as the required standard for all vessel stops and boardings by Department of Marine Resources enforcement officers. The legislation specifically eliminates the ability to conduct stops for the sole purpose of safety inspections or marine sanitation equipment checks, removing a previously used enforcement mechanism. The bill was sponsored by Senators Jeremy England and Joseph Seymour and passed through conference committee before final passage.
The Department of Marine Resources must immediately update enforcement policies and training to align with the new probable cause requirement. Any vessel stop or boarding conducted without meeting the probable cause standard could result in suppressed evidence or civil liability. Vessel operators should understand that they cannot be stopped solely for routine inspections and that enforcement officers must now articulate specific probable cause for any vessel contact.
What to do next
- Update vessel enforcement policies to require probable cause documentation for all stops and boardings
- Retrain enforcement officers on probable cause standards and prohibited inspection-only stops
- Review and revise standard operating procedures for marine sanitation and safety inspections
Source document (simplified)
ChangeBridge / Mississippi / SB2263 Signed by Governor SB2263 Senate Bill Signed by Governor 2026-04-06
Boating; prohibit enforcement officers from performing vessel stops or boarding a vessel without probable cause.
An Act To Amend Sections 59-21-127 And 59-23-5, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Prohibit Enforcement Officers Of The Mississippi Department Of Marine Resources From Performing Vessel Stops Or Boarding A Vessel Without Probable Cause; To Prohibit Enforcement Officers From Performing A Vessel Stop Or Boarding A Vessel For The Sole Purpose Of Performing A Safety Or Marine Sanitation Equipment Inspection; And For Related Purposes.
Bill Details
State Mississippi
Session 2026 Regular Session
Chamber Senate
Official Source billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/2026/pdf/history...
LegiScan View on LegiScan
Sponsors
Jeremy England (Sen - R) Joseph Seymour (Sen - R)
Action History
2026-04-06 H Enrolled Bill Signed 2026-04-06 S Enrolled Bill Signed 2026-03-30 S Conference Report Adopted 2026-03-26 H Conference Report Adopted 2026-03-25 H Conference Report Filed 2026-03-25 S Conference Report Filed 2026-03-12 H Conferees Named Anderson (122nd),Grady,Fondren 2026-03-11 S Conferees Named DeLano,Thompson,England 2026-03-10 S Decline to Concur/Invite Conf 2026-03-05 H Returned For Concurrence 2026-03-04 H Passed As Amended 2026-03-04 H Amended 2026-03-03 H Title Suff Do Pass As Amended 2026-03-03 H DR - TSDPAA: AC To MR 2026-02-25 H DR - TSDPAA: MR To AC 2026-02-13 H Rereferred To Marine Resources;Accountability, Efficiency, Transparency 2026-02-10 S Transmitted To House 2026-02-09 S Passed 2026-01-30 S Title Suff Do Pass 2026-01-14 S Referred To Ports and Marine Resources
Votes
2026-02-09 Senate Passed Yea: 51 Nay: 1 2026-03-04 House Passed As Amended Yea: 119 Nay: 0 2026-03-26 House Conference Report Adopted Yea: 120 Nay: 0 2026-03-30 Senate Conference Report Adopted Yea: 52 Nay: 0
Committee Referrals
2026-01-14 S Ports and Marine Resources 2026-02-13 H Marine Resources
Amendments
0000-00-00 House Committee Amendment No 1
Bill Text Versions
2026-01-14 Introduced 2026-02-10 Engrossed 2026-04-06 Enrolled Legislative data powered by LegiScan (CC BY 4.0)
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