JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) – Gov. Tate Reeves signed a House bill that would hold landlords accountable for unpaid utility bills. House Bill 1404 criminalizes landlords who are not paying the bills on time after being paid by tenants.
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Recently, some tenants living in Jackson apartments had their water shut off, even after paying their landlord. In 2025, Jackson Mayor John Horhn said the city wanted to look at avenues to hold landlords responsible for failure to pay utility bills.
According to the bill, landlords who owe $25,000 or more could face up to 20 years in prison and could be fined up to $50,000. Those who owe between $5,000 and $25,000 could serve up to 10 years in prison and could be fined up to $10,000.
Landlords who owe between $1,000 and $5,000 could serve up to five years and could be fined up to $3,000. Landlords with a late payment of less than $1,000 could serve up to six months in prison and could be fined up to $1,000.
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Lawmakers said based on a judge’s ruling, landlords could possible serve time and pay a fee…