HB 297 Mississippi House · 2025 Regular Session

Homeless encampments; prohibit on public property and define as a public nuisance on private property.

This bill prohibits sleeping, sitting, or storing personal items on public streets or sidewalks within 1,000 feet of schools, parks, hospitals, or critical infrastructure (like bridges or power lines). It classifies such encampments as public nuisances on public property and requires local authorities to provide 48 hours' written notice before enforcement, including information about shelter services. For private property, the bill adds homeless encampments to the public nuisance law, allowing property owners to request removal (with humane enforcement) and imposing cleanup costs as a lien on the property. Violations on public property may be charged as misdemeanors punishable by fines up to $5,000 or six months in jail.
Bill status died 1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2025
Committee Review
Floor Vote
Governor
Introduced Jan 10, 2025 Last action Feb 4, 2025
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Total actions
2
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0
Committee
1
Jan 10, 2025
Committee
Referred To Judiciary A
lower
1 primary · 3 co-sponsors

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