A new Mississippi law commemorating the life of a young Wesson man who died in a Mississippi River boating accident allows persons to petition a court of competent jurisdiction, prove by clear and convincing evidence that a loved one is deceased and obtain a death certificate accordingly.
Before the new Zeb Hughes Law, recently signed by Governor Reeves, issuing a death certificate when the body of a deceased person cannot be found could not be considered for at least two years. After the law, which Lincoln/Copiah County State Representative Becky Currie had proposed in a stand-alone bill, died in committee, Lincoln County Senator Jason Barrett successfully attached it as an amendment to another bill that passed both the State House and Senate.
Hughes’ mother pushed for bill after the legal problems she faced following her son’s accident after which he could not be found.