House Bill 997 Summary

• Establishes Mississippi state minimum wage at $10.00 per hour, effective July 1, 2019, with exemption for tipped employees who must receive minimum $3.62 per hour.

• Requires overtime pay at 1.5 times regular wage rate for employees earning $455 or less weekly, and mandates overtime eligibility for manual laborers, law enforcement, and other specified categories regardless of salary.

• Prohibits counties and municipalities from setting their own minimum wage or mandatory vacation/sick leave requirements, reserving such authority for the state legislature.

• Brings forward multiple existing code sections related to state auditor internships, election administration, school employee leave policies, economic development projects, wage garnishment, human trafficking definitions, and criminal fine payment options for possible amendment.