Four months after Gov. Tate Reeves approved the third new state homeless law — that passed during the 2025 regular session — and nearly two months since they took effect, Jackson law enforcement agencies are still finalizing enforcement policies.

Three laws went into effect on July 1: House Bill 1197, the "Safe Solicitation Act," which requires those panhandling to obtain a permit that can cost up to $25 per day; HB 1200, the "Real Property Owners Protection Act", which expedites the process of removing squatters ; and HB 1203, which prohibits camping on public property.

Violating the policies could result in hundreds of dollars in fines and months-long jail sentences, raising concerns among police officials about worsening the already critical overcrowding at the county jail.

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