House Bill 1550 Summary

• Creates the "Mississippi Minimum Wage Act" establishing a state minimum wage of $8.50 per hour for public employers (state, city, and county), effective July 1, 2025.

• Exempts tipped employees from the $8.50 minimum wage requirement, instead requiring employers to pay tipped employees at least $3.62 per hour (employees receiving over $30 monthly in tips).

• Requires overtime compensation at 1.5 times the regular rate for employees earning $455 or less per week, and mandates overtime eligibility for manual laborers, law enforcement, and employees whose primary duties are not management, business operations, or specialized intellectual/creative work.

• Brings forward nine existing Mississippi Code sections (including provisions on State Auditor internships, local wage preemption, poll manager training, school employee leave, and human trafficking definitions) for potential amendment.

• Prohibits counties and municipalities from establishing their own minimum wage or mandatory leave policies, centralizing such decisions with the state legislature.