HB 277 Summary

• Establishes Mississippi state minimum wage at $8.25 per hour, effective July 1, 2019.

• Exempts employers with tipped employees from minimum wage requirement; tipped employees receive minimum of $3.62 per hour.

• Requires overtime pay at 1.5 times regular rate for employees earning $455 or less per week, including manual laborers, law enforcement, and certain other categories regardless of salary.

• Prohibits counties and municipalities from establishing mandatory minimum wage or paid leave requirements; reserves wage policy decisions for the state legislature.

• Brings forward nine existing Mississippi Code sections for possible amendment related to state salaries, election administration, school employee leave, and criminal sentencing.