Labor; Mississippi Minimum Wage Act.

SB 2441, the Mississippi Minimum Wage Act, establishes a state minimum wage of $12 per hour starting January 1, 2026, increasing to $15 per hour by January 1, 2028, with automatic adjustments tied to federal minimum wage changes. The bill covers most private-sector workers, excluding agricultural employees (with specific exemptions), certain family members working on farms, students, and some government employees. It empowers the Mississippi Department of Employment Security to enforce the law, impose civil penalties, and allows criminal penalties for violations, while permitting local governments to set higher minimum wages. The bill died in committee on February 4, 2025, and was never enacted into law.