SB 2288 Mississippi Senate · 2025 Regular Session

Mississippi Prison Industries Act of 1990; bring forward.

SB 2288 is a procedural bill that reorganizes existing Mississippi prison industry laws by bringing forward Sections 47-5-531 through 47-5-579 of the Mississippi Code of 1972. It formally names these sections as the "Mississippi Prison Industries Act of 1990" and clarifies that a nonprofit corporation must be created to manage prison industry programs. The bill specifies that this corporation will operate under the exclusive authority of the state, using inmate labor to provide rehabilitative work opportunities while avoiding unfair competition with private businesses. It does not create new policy but reorganizes references to the existing 1990 law governing prison industries.

Issues: ✓ Criminal Justice

Bill status died 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2025

Committee Review

Feb 2025

Senate Passage

Feb 2025

House Passage

Governor

Introduced Feb 13, 2025 Last action Mar 4, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

As Introduced → Current version · 8 edits

MODERATE

This bill updates Mississippi's prison industry laws to modernize governance, expand workforce development programs, and improve reentry outcomes. Key changes include restructuring the nonprofit corporation's board composition, adding new workforce development requirements, updating facility lists, and establishing a new work initiative program with specific wage and fund distribution rules.

Scope change

The bill expands the scope by adding new workforce development requirements, updating the list of correctional facilities eligible for prison industry programs, and creating a new work initiative program with specific eligibility criteria and wage distribution requirements.

GOVERNANCE

Updated board composition requirements with specific term lengths and appointment methods for faith-based and business community representatives

REQUIREMENT

Added new workforce development requirements including inventory of current programs, partnerships with educational institutions, and comprehensive reviews of program effectiveness

Established new work initiative program with specific eligibility criteria (sentence length, prior convictions), wage distribution requirements (25% to dependents, 15% to corporation, 50% savings, 10% incidental expenses), and data reporting requirements

Added requirement for chief executive officer to have at least a bachelor's degree and eight years of professional experience in workforce development

Added requirement for semiannual data reporting to PEER committee including participant demographics, earnings distribution, and recidivism statistics

DEFINITION

Updated the list of correctional facilities included in the definition of 'Inmate' to include newer facilities like Alcorn County Regional and various county correctional facilities

TIMELINE

Updated effective date to July 1, 2025, and repealed the original act on June 30, 2025, replacing the previous July 1, 2027 repeal date

FISCAL

Added provisions for requesting general revenue fund appropriations for facility operations and renovation

Floor votes · Senate Feb 11, 2025

How they voted

51–0

Passed

Total votes 51

Feb 11, 2025

D Democratic16

16 Yea

100% Yea

R Republican35

35 Yea

100% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Feb 17, 2025

Committee

Referred To Corrections;Accountability, Efficiency, Transparency

lower

Feb 13, 2025

Introduced

Transmitted To House

upper

Feb 11, 2025

Upper · Passed

Passed As Amended

upper

Feb 11, 2025

Upper · Passed

Amended

upper

Feb 4, 2025

Upper · Passed

Title Suff Do Pass

upper

Jan 20, 2025

Committee

Referred To Economic and Workforce Development

upper

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors