House Bill 135 - Ban-the-Box Act

• Prohibits public employers from inquiring about an applicant's criminal history until the applicant has signed a release waiver, is being considered for a specific position, and has received an interview.

• Requires public employers to consider five criteria when evaluating applicants with criminal histories: nature and gravity of offense, time elapsed since offense, applicant's age at time of offense, relevance to job duties, and evidence of rehabilitation.

• Prevents arrests that did not result in conviction from being used as grounds for disqualification from public employment.

• Requires public employers to inform applicants of adverse employment decisions based on background checks and provide opportunity to contest inaccurate information before final decision is made.

• Exempts positions requiring criminal history checks under state or federal law, private employers, and appointments subject to Mississippi Senate confirmation; effective July 1, 2024.