Rep. Earle Banks

Maddy summaryThis bill designates June 19, known as Juneteenth, as a legal holiday in Mississippi, adding it to the state's list of official public holidays. The change would allow state and local government employees, as well as private businesses that follow state holiday schedules, to observe the day off on June 19. Juneteenth commemorates the date in 1865 when enslaved people in Texas learned they were free, marking the effective end of slavery in the United States. The legislation amends the Mississippi Code to include this date alongside other existing holidays such as Independence Day and Thanksgiving.

Maddy summaryHB 1007 proposes designating the last Monday of April as "Civil Rights Memorial Day" in Mississippi state law, to be observed alongside the existing "Confederate Memorial Day" on that date. This bill would amend Mississippi Code Section 3-3-7 to include this holiday designation, affecting state government operations and public school observances on that day. The change would not create a new legal holiday but rather add a specific commemorative name to an existing date. The bill died in committee and did not become law.

Maddy summaryHB 898 establishes Mississippi's minimum wage at $10.00 per hour for most workers, while allowing tipped employees to be paid $3.62 per hour if their tips bring their total earnings to at least $10.00. It requires overtime pay at 1.5 times the regular rate for employees earning $455 or less per week and explicitly prohibits employers from denying overtime to manual laborers, police, firefighters, and other first responders. The bill also clarifies that non-management workers and those in specialized roles must receive overtime pay. This replaces Mississippi's current minimum wage with the new $10 rate and updates overtime eligibility rules.

Maddy summaryHB 1014 would require Mississippi inmates convicted of nonviolent crimes after July 1, 1995, to serve at least 25% of their sentence (or 10 years, whichever is less) before release, and those convicted of violent crimes to serve 50% (or 20 years, whichever is less), expanding the scope from a previous 2014 cutoff date. The bill excludes life sentences, habitual offenders, sex offense convicts, and drug traffickers. It would have taken effect July 1, 2025, but died in committee on February 4, 2025, and never became law. This changes release eligibility for certain offenders without altering initial sentence lengths.

Maddy summaryHB 678, the Mississippi Doxxing Prevention Act, prohibits intentionally sharing restricted personal information (like home addresses, phone numbers, or email) of specific protected individuals with the intent to harass or threaten them. It directly affects law enforcement officers, government employees, jurors, witnesses, and informants (defined as "covered persons") by creating criminal penalties: first offenses are misdemeanors (up to 6 months jail or $2,000 fine), while repeat offenses or cases involving violence become felonies (up to 10 years in prison or $10,000 fine). The bill also amends Mississippi’s public records law to exempt the restricted personal information of these covered persons from public disclosure. The bill was referred to the Judiciary Committee but died there on February 4, 2025, and did not become law.

Maddy summaryHB 1224 would have changed the property classification of Alcorn State University's president's residence from commercial to residential. This would have allowed licensed residential builders (not restricted by typical height or size limits for residential projects) to perform construction or capital improvements on the property. The bill amended Mississippi Code Sections 73-59-1 and 73-59-19 to enable this change. The bill died in committee on February 4, 2025, and was never enacted.

Maddy summaryThis bill restricts the sale of copper materials to scrap metal dealers in Mississippi, allowing such transactions only when the seller is a licensed plumber, electrician, contractor, or holds a specific demolition permit. It requires scrap metal dealers to keep scanned copies of sellers' licenses or permits and maintain detailed records of each transaction, including the seller's name, address, and age. The legislation also brings existing rules about air conditioner evaporator coils under the same regulatory framework for potential future amendments. These changes aim to increase oversight of the scrap metal industry by limiting who can sell certain valuable metals and ensuring better documentation of sales.

Maddy summaryHB 1015 would have required Mississippi's Department of Corrections to create detailed case plans for nonviolent inmates within 90 days of admission. These plans must include at least two of four specific rehabilitative programs: criminal thinking, substance abuse treatment, life skills, or behavioral health. The bill aimed to improve post-release outcomes by ensuring inmates had structured rehabilitation opportunities, with progress reviewed every 8 weeks and quarterly reports submitted to the Parole Board. However, the bill died in committee on February 4, 2025, and never became law.

Maddy summaryHB 1013 would require Mississippi's Secretary of State to create rules enabling overseas military voters to cast early ballots for all elections, including special elections and run-offs. The bill specifies that uniformed services voters would receive information about absentee voting procedures under federal law, and it expands options for receiving ballots via mail, email, or fax. Key provisions include allowing voters to use federal postcard applications to request ballots or register, and permitting election officials to receive completed ballots electronically without requiring a signature on envelopes. The bill died in committee in February 2025 and was never enacted into law.

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes adding a new constitutional right to Mississippi's 1890 Constitution, establishing a fundamental right to privacy for personal reproductive decisions. It would directly affect all Mississippi residents by prohibiting the state from interfering with abortions before fetal viability or when necessary to protect a person's life or health. The amendment, if approved by voters in 2026, would require the state to respect these abortion access protections. However, the bill died in committee on February 4, 2025, and will not advance to a voter referendum.