Mississippi Bill Regarding the Chemical Endangerment of a Fetus (SB 2518)

SB 2518 would create the crime of chemical endangerment of a child or fetus. The bill states that a person commits the crime of chemical endangerment of a child or chemical endangerment of a fetus if the person knowingly, recklessly, or intentionally causes or permits a child or a fetus to be exposed to, to ingest or inhale, or to have contact with a controlled substance or precursor drug or chemical.

The bill includes criminal penalties. The penalty would have been up to five years in prison if the child or fetus suffered serious physical injury, and up to twenty years in prison if the child or fetus died.

It would be an affirmative defense to a violation of this provision that (1) the drug was provided by lawful prescription for the child and administered in accordance with the prescription instructions or (2) the drug was provided by lawful prescription to the pregnant woman and administered in accordance with the prescription instructions.

STATUS

Similar to SB 2797, which failed to pass in 2015.

People