Mississippi
Mississippi
Final grade: B
Exclusion Grade
D
Relevance Grade
A-
Due Process Grade
A+
Strengths
- Strong protections for due process.
- Bans agencies from using vague standards like “moral turpitude” and “good character” to disqualify applicants.
Areas of Improvement
- Prevent agencies from considering old convictions and arrest records.
- Extend state’s protections to all licenses.
Following wide-ranging reforms in 2019, Mississippi now has some of the best laws in the country for ex-offenders seeking licenses, earning a B for its final grade. It is also just one of two states that earns a perfect score in the Due Process category. However, the new law does not affect statutes that automatically deny licenses based on someone’s criminal record. As a result, multiple licenses, mainly in the medical, financial, and security sectors, remain unaffected.
Exclusion
| Overarching ban on blanket bans | Yes, but excludes many medical, financial, and security licenses |
| Ban on considering arrest records | No |
| Ban on considering post-conviction relief records | No |
| Time limit | No limit |
| Ban on vague, discretionary character standards | Yes |
Relevance
| Relationship between the crime and the license sought | "Specific and directly relate" |
| Required factors for consideration | |
| Rehabilitation | Yes |
| Time elapsed since crime was committed | Yes |
| Age when crime was committed | No |
| Employment History | No |
| Testimonials | No |
Due Process
| Petition Process | Yes |
| Burden of Proof | State bears burden of proof and requires clear and convincing evidence to deny |
| Right to appeal | Yes |
| Written notice requirement | Yes |