TANF block grant; DHS shall transfer 30% of each year to CCDF for child care vouchers.

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To: Public Health and Human
Services; Appropriations A
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Representative Johnson

HOUSE BILL NO. 125

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 43-17-5, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO 1
DIRECT THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES TO TRANSFER 30% OF THE 2
TANF BLOCK GRANT RECEIVED BY THE STATE EACH FISCAL YEAR TO THE 3
CHILD CARE AND DEVELOPMENT FUND (CCDF), TO BE USED AS VOUCHERS TO 4
PAY FOR CHILD CARE FOR QUALIFYING CHILDREN UNDER THE CHILD CARE 5
PAYMENT PROGRAM (CCPP); AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 6
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 7
SECTION 1. Section 43-17-5, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 8
amended as follows: 9
43-17-5. (1) The amount of Temporary Assistance for Needy 10
Families (TANF) benefits which may be granted for any dependent 11
child and a needy caretaker relative shall be determined by the 12
county department with due regard to the resources and necessary 13
expenditures of the family and the conditions existing in each 14
case, and in accordance with the rules and regulations made by the 15
Department of Human Services which shall not be less than the 16
Standard of Need in effect for 1988, and shall be sufficient when 17
added to all other income (except that any income specified in the 18
federal Social Security Act, as amended, may be disregarded) and 19
support available to the child to provide such child with a 20
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reasonable subsistence compatible with decency and health. The 21
first family member in the dependent child's budget may receive an 22
amount not to exceed Two Hundred Dollars ($200.00) per month; the 23
second family member in the dependent child's budget may receive 24
an amount not to exceed Thirty-six Dollars ($36.00) per month; and 25
each additional family member in the dependent child's budget an 26
amount not to exceed Twenty-four Dollars ($24.00) per month. The 27
maximum for any individual family member in the dependent child's 28
budget may be exceeded for foster or medical care or in cases of 29
children with an intellectual disability or a physical disability. 30
TANF benefits granted shall be specifically limited only (a) to 31
children existing or conceived at the time the caretaker relative 32
initially applies and qualifies for such assistance, unless this 33
limitation is specifically waived by the department, or (b) to a 34
child born following a twelve-consecutive-month period of 35
discontinued benefits by the caretaker relative. 36
(2) TANF benefits in Mississippi shall be provided to the 37
recipient family by an online electronic benefits transfer system. 38
(3) The Department of Human Services shall deny TANF 39
benefits to the following categories of individuals, except for 40
individuals and families specifically exempt or excluded for good 41
cause as allowed by federal statute or regulation: 42
(a) Families without a minor child residing with the 43
custodial parent or other adult caretaker relative of the child; 44
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(b) Families which include an adult who has received 45
TANF assistance for sixty (60) months after the commencement of 46
the Mississippi TANF program, whether or not such period of time 47
is consecutive; 48
(c) Families not assigning to the state any rights a 49
family member may have, on behalf of the family member or of any 50
other person for whom the family member has applied for or is 51
receiving such assistance, to support from any other person, as 52
required by law; 53
(d) Families who fail to cooperate in establishing 54
paternity or obtaining child support, as required by law; 55
(e) Any individual who has not attained eighteen (18) 56
years of age, is not married to the head of household, has a minor 57
child at least twelve (12) weeks of age in his or her care, and 58
has not successfully completed a high school education or its 59
equivalent, if such individual does not participate in educational 60
activities directed toward the attainment of a high school diploma 61
or its equivalent, or an alternative educational or training 62
program approved by the department; 63
(f) Any individual who has not attained eighteen (18) 64
years of age, is not married, has a minor child in his or her 65
care, and does not reside in a place or residence maintained by a 66
parent, legal guardian or other adult relative or the individual 67
as such parent's, guardian's or adult relative's own home; 68
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(g) Any minor child who has been, or is expected by a 69
parent or other caretaker relative of the child to be, absent from 70
the home for a period of more than thirty (30) days; 71
(h) Any individual who is a parent or other caretaker 72
relative of a minor child who fails to notify the department of 73
the absence of the minor child from the home for the thirty-day 74
period specified in paragraph (g), by the end of the five-day 75
period that begins with the date that it becomes clear to the 76
individual that the minor child will be absent for the thirty-day 77
period; 78
(i) Any individual who fails to comply with the 79
provisions of the Employability Development Plan signed by the 80
individual which prescribe those activities designed to help the 81
individual become and remain employed, or to participate 82
satisfactorily in the assigned work activity, as authorized under 83
subsection (6)(c) and (d), or who does not engage in applicant job 84
search activities within the thirty-day period for TANF 85
application approval after receiving the advice and consultation 86
of eligibility workers and/or caseworkers of the department 87
providing a detailed description of available job search venues in 88
the individual's county of residence or the surrounding counties; 89
(j) A parent or caretaker relative who has not engaged 90
in an allowable work activity once the department determines the 91
parent or caretaker relative is ready to engage in work, or once 92
the parent or caretaker relative has received TANF assistance 93
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under the program for twenty-four (24) months, whether or not 94
consecutive, whichever is earlier; 95
(k) Any individual who is fleeing to avoid prosecution, 96
or custody or confinement after conviction, under the laws of the 97
jurisdiction from which the individual flees, for a crime, or an 98
attempt to commit a crime, which is a felony under the laws of the 99
place from which the individual flees, or who is violating a 100
condition of probation or parole imposed under federal or state 101
law; 102
(l) Aliens who are not qualified under federal law; 103
(m) For a period of ten (10) years following 104
conviction, individuals convicted in federal or state court of 105
having made a fraudulent statement or representation with respect 106
to the individual's place of residence in order to receive TANF, 107
food stamps or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) assistance under 108
Title XVI or Title XIX simultaneously from two (2) or more states; 109
(n) Individuals who are recipients of federal 110
Supplemental Security Income (SSI) assistance; and 111
(o) Individuals who are eighteen (18) years of age or 112
older who are not in compliance with the drug testing and 113
substance use disorder treatment requirements of Section 43-17-6. 114
(4) (a) Any person who is otherwise eligible for TANF 115
benefits, including custodial and noncustodial parents, shall be 116
required to attend school and meet the monthly attendance 117
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requirement as provided in this subsection if all of the following 118
apply: 119
(i) The person is under age twenty (20); 120
(ii) The person has not graduated from a public or 121
private high school or obtained a High School Equivalency Diploma 122
equivalent; 123
(iii) The person is physically able to attend 124
school and is not excused from attending school; and 125
(iv) If the person is a parent or caretaker 126
relative with whom a dependent child is living, child care is 127
available for the child. 128
The monthly attendance requirement under this subsection 129
shall be attendance at the school in which the person is enrolled 130
for each day during a month that the school conducts classes in 131
which the person is enrolled, with not more than two (2) absences 132
during the month for reasons other than the reasons listed in 133
paragraph (e)(iv) of this subsection. Persons who fail to meet 134
participation requirements in this subsection shall be subject to 135
sanctions as provided in paragraph (f) of this subsection. 136
(b) As used in this subsection, "school" means any one 137
(1) of the following: 138
(i) A school as defined in Section 37-13-91(2); 139
(ii) A vocational, technical and adult education 140
program; or 141
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(iii) A course of study meeting the standards 142
established by the State Department of Education for the granting 143
of a declaration of equivalency of high school graduation. 144
(c) If any compulsory-school-age child, as defined in 145
Section 37-13-91(2), to which TANF eligibility requirements apply 146
is not in compliance with the compulsory school attendance 147
requirements of Section 37-13-91(6), the superintendent of schools 148
of the school district in which the child is enrolled or eligible 149
to attend shall notify the county department of human services of 150
the child's noncompliance. The Department of Human Services shall 151
review school attendance information as provided under this 152
paragraph at all initial eligibility determinations and upon 153
subsequent report of unsatisfactory attendance. 154
(d) The signature of a person on an application for 155
TANF benefits constitutes permission for the release of school 156
attendance records for that person or for any child residing with 157
that person. The department shall request information from the 158
child's school district about the child's attendance in the school 159
district's most recently completed semester of attendance. If 160
information about the child's previous school attendance is not 161
available or cannot be verified, the department shall require the 162
child to meet the monthly attendance requirement for one (1) 163
semester or until the information is obtained. The department 164
shall use the attendance information provided by a school district 165
to verify attendance for a child. The department shall review 166
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with the parent or caretaker relative a child's claim that he or 167
she has a good cause for not attending school. 168
A school district shall provide information to the department 169
about the attendance of a child who is enrolled in a public school 170
in the district within five (5) working days of the receipt of a 171
written request for that information from the department. The 172
school district shall define how many hours of attendance count as 173
a full day and shall provide that information, upon request, to 174
the department. In reporting attendance, the school district may 175
add partial days' absence together to constitute a full day's 176
absence. 177
If a school district fails to provide to the department the 178
information about the school attendance of any child within 179
fifteen (15) working days after a written request, the department 180
shall notify the Department of Audit within three (3) working days 181
of the school district's failure to comply with that requirement. 182
The Department of Audit shall begin audit proceedings within five 183
(5) working days of notification by the Department of Human 184
Services to determine the school district's compliance with the 185
requirements of this subsection (4). If the Department of Audit 186
finds that the school district is not in compliance with the 187
requirements of this subsection, the school district shall be 188
penalized as follows: The Department of Audit shall notify the 189
State Department of Education of the school district's 190
noncompliance, and the Department of Education shall reduce the 191
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calculation of the school district's net enrollment that is used 192
to determine the allocation of total funding formula funds by the 193
number of children for which the district has failed to provide to 194
the Department of Human Services the required information about 195
the school attendance of those children. The reduction in the 196
calculation of the school district's net enrollment under this 197
paragraph shall be effective for a period of one (1) year. 198
(e) A child who is required to attend school to meet 199
the requirements under this subsection shall comply except when 200
there is good cause, which shall be demonstrated by any of the 201
following circumstances: 202
(i) The minor parent is the caretaker of a child 203
less than twelve (12) weeks old; or 204
(ii) The department determines that child care 205
services are necessary for the minor parent to attend school and 206
there is no child care available; or 207
(iii) The child is prohibited by the school 208
district from attending school and an expulsion is pending. This 209
exemption no longer applies once the teenager has been expelled; 210
however, a teenager who has been expelled and is making 211
satisfactory progress towards obtaining a High School Equivalency 212
Diploma equivalent shall be eligible for TANF benefits; or 213
(iv) The child failed to attend school for one or 214
more of the following reasons: 215
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1. Illness, injury or incapacity of the child 216
or the minor parent's child; 217
2. Court-required appearances or temporary 218
incarceration; 219
3. Medical or dental appointments for the 220
child or minor parent's child; 221
4. Death of a close relative; 222
5. Observance of a religious holiday; 223
6. Family emergency; 224
7. Breakdown in transportation; 225
8. Suspension; or 226
9. Any other circumstance beyond the control 227
of the child, as defined in regulations of the department. 228
(f) Upon determination that a child has failed without 229
good cause to attend school as required, the department shall 230
provide written notice to the parent or caretaker relative 231
(whoever is the primary recipient of the TANF benefits) that 232
specifies: 233
(i) That the family will be sanctioned in the next 234
possible payment month because the child who is required to attend 235
school has failed to meet the attendance requirement of this 236
subsection; 237
(ii) The beginning date of the sanction, and the 238
child to whom the sanction applies; 239
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(iii) The right of the child's parents or 240
caretaker relative (whoever is the primary recipient of the TANF 241
benefits) to request a fair hearing under this subsection. 242
The child's parent or caretaker relative (whoever is the 243
primary recipient of the TANF benefits) may request a fair hearing 244
on the department's determination that the child has not been 245
attending school. If the child's parents or caretaker relative 246
does not request a fair hearing under this subsection, or if, 247
after a fair hearing has been held, the hearing officer finds that 248
the child without good cause has failed to meet the monthly 249
attendance requirement, the department shall discontinue or deny 250
TANF benefits to the child thirteen (13) years old, or older, in 251
the next possible payment month. The department shall discontinue 252
or deny twenty-five percent (25%) of the family grant when a child 253
six (6) through twelve (12) years of age without good cause has 254
failed to meet the monthly attendance requirement. Both the child 255
and family sanction may apply when children in both age groups 256
fail to meet the attendance requirement without good cause. A 257
sanction applied under this subsection shall be effective for one 258
(1) month for each month that the child failed to meet the monthly 259
attendance requirement. In the case of a dropout, the sanction 260
shall remain in force until the parent or caretaker relative 261
provides written proof from the school district that the child has 262
reenrolled and met the monthly attendance requirement for one (1) 263
calendar month. Any month in which school is in session for at 264
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least ten (10) days during the month may be used to meet the 265
attendance requirement under this subsection. This includes 266
attendance at summer school. The sanction shall be removed the 267
next possible payment month. 268
(5) All parents or caretaker relatives shall have their 269
dependent children receive vaccinations and booster vaccinations 270
against those diseases specified by the State Health Officer under 271
Section 41-23-37 in accordance with the vaccination and booster 272
vaccination schedule prescribed by the State Health Officer for 273
children of that age, in order for the parents or caretaker 274
relatives to be eligible or remain eligible to receive TANF 275
benefits. Proof of having received such vaccinations and booster 276
vaccinations shall be given by presenting the certificates of 277
vaccination issued by any health care provider licensed to 278
administer vaccinations, and submitted on forms specified by the 279
State Board of Health. If the parents without good cause do not 280
have their dependent children receive the vaccinations and booster 281
vaccinations as required by this subsection and they fail to 282
comply after thirty (30) days' notice, the department shall 283
sanction the family's TANF benefits by twenty-five percent (25%) 284
for the next payment month and each subsequent payment month until 285
the requirements of this subsection are met. 286
(6) (a) If the parent or caretaker relative applying for 287
TANF assistance is work eligible, as determined by the Department 288
of Human Services, the person shall be required to engage in an 289
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allowable work activity once the department determines the parent 290
or caretaker relative is determined work eligible, or once the 291
parent or caretaker relative has received TANF assistance under 292
the program for twenty-four (24) months, whether or not 293
consecutive, whichever is earlier. No TANF benefits shall be 294
given to any person to whom this section applies who fails without 295
good cause to comply with the Employability Development Plan 296
prepared by the department for the person, or who has refused to 297
accept a referral or offer of employment, training or education in 298
which he or she is able to engage, subject to the penalties 299
prescribed in paragraph (e) of this subsection. A person shall be 300
deemed to have refused to accept a referral or offer of 301
employment, training or education if he or she: 302
(i) Willfully fails to report for an interview 303
with respect to employment when requested to do so by the 304
department; or 305
(ii) Willfully fails to report to the department 306
the result of a referral to employment; or 307
(iii) Willfully fails to report for allowable work 308
activities as prescribed in paragraphs (c) and (d) of this 309
subsection. 310
(b) The Department of Human Services shall operate a 311
statewide work program for TANF recipients to provide work 312
activities and supportive services to enable families to become 313
self-sufficient and improve their competitive position in the 314
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workforce in accordance with the requirements of the federal 315
Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 316
1996 (Public Law 104-193), as amended, and the regulations 317
promulgated thereunder, and the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 318
(Public Law 109-171), as amended. Within sixty (60) days after 319
the initial application for TANF benefits, the TANF recipient must 320
participate in a job search skills training workshop or a job 321
readiness program, which shall include resume writing, job search 322
skills, employability skills and, if available at no charge, the 323
General Aptitude Test Battery or its equivalent. All adults who 324
are not specifically exempt shall be referred by the department 325
for allowable work activities. An adult may be exempt from the 326
mandatory work activity requirement for the following reasons: 327
(i) Incapacity; 328
(ii) Temporary illness or injury, verified by 329
physician's certificate; 330
(iii) Is in the third trimester of pregnancy, and 331
there are complications verified by the certificate of a 332
physician, nurse practitioner, physician assistant, or any other 333
licensed health care professional practicing under a protocol with 334
a licensed physician; 335
(iv) Caretaker of a child under twelve (12) 336
months, for not more than twelve (12) months of the sixty-month 337
maximum benefit period; 338
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(v) Caretaker of an ill or incapacitated person, 339
as verified by physician's certificate; 340
(vi) Age, if over sixty (60) or under eighteen 341
(18) years of age; 342
(vii) Receiving treatment for substance abuse, if 343
the person is in compliance with the substance abuse treatment 344
plan; 345
(viii) In a two-parent family, the caretaker of a 346
severely disabled child, as verified by a physician's certificate; 347
or 348
(ix) History of having been a victim of domestic 349
violence, which has been reported as required by state law and is 350
substantiated by police reports or court records, and being at 351
risk of further domestic violence, shall be exempt for a period as 352
deemed necessary by the department but not to exceed a total of 353
twelve (12) months, which need not be consecutive, in the 354
sixty-month maximum benefit period. For the purposes of this 355
subparagraph (ix), "domestic violence" means that an individual 356
has been subjected to: 357
1. Physical acts that resulted in, or 358
threatened to result in, physical injury to the individual; 359
2. Sexual abuse; 360
3. Sexual activity involving a dependent 361
child; 362
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4. Being forced as the caretaker relative of 363
a dependent child to engage in nonconsensual sexual acts or 364
activities; 365
5. Threats of, or attempts at, physical or 366
sexual abuse; 367
6. Mental abuse; or 368
7. Neglect or deprivation of medical care. 369
(c) For all families, all adults who are not 370
specifically exempt shall be required to participate in work 371
activities for at least the minimum average number of hours per 372
week specified by federal law or regulation, not fewer than twenty 373
(20) hours per week (thirty-five (35) hours per week for 374
two-parent families) of which are attributable to the following 375
allowable work activities: 376
(i) Unsubsidized employment; 377
(ii) Subsidized private employment; 378
(iii) Subsidized public employment; 379
(iv) Work experience (including work associated 380
with the refurbishing of publicly assisted housing), if sufficient 381
private employment is not available; 382
(v) On-the-job training; 383
(vi) Job search and job readiness assistance 384
consistent with federal TANF regulations; 385
(vii) Community service programs; 386
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(viii) Vocational educational training (not to 387
exceed twelve (12) months with respect to any individual); 388
(ix) The provision of child care services to an 389
individual who is participating in a community service program; 390
(x) Satisfactory attendance at high school or in a 391
course of study leading to a high school equivalency certificate, 392
for heads of household under age twenty (20) who have not 393
completed high school or received such certificate; 394
(xi) Education directly related to employment, for 395
heads of household under age twenty (20) who have not completed 396
high school or received such equivalency certificate. 397
(d) The following are allowable work activities which 398
may be attributable to hours in excess of the minimum specified in 399
paragraph (c) of this subsection: 400
(i) Job skills training directly related to 401
employment; 402
(ii) Education directly related to employment for 403
individuals who have not completed high school or received a high 404
school equivalency certificate; 405
(iii) Satisfactory attendance at high school or in 406
a course of study leading to a high school equivalency, for 407
individuals who have not completed high school or received such 408
equivalency certificate; 409
(iv) Job search and job readiness assistance 410
consistent with federal TANF regulations. 411
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(e) If any adult or caretaker relative refuses to 412
participate in allowable work activity as required under this 413
subsection (6), the following full family TANF benefit penalty 414
will apply, subject to due process to include notification, 415
conciliation and a hearing if requested by the recipient: 416
(i) For the first violation, the department shall 417
terminate the TANF assistance otherwise payable to the family for 418
a two-month period or until the person has complied with the 419
required work activity, whichever is longer; 420
(ii) For the second violation, the department 421
shall terminate the TANF assistance otherwise payable to the 422
family for a six-month period or until the person has complied 423
with the required work activity, whichever is longer; 424
(iii) For the third violation, the department 425
shall terminate the TANF assistance otherwise payable to the 426
family for a twelve-month period or until the person has complied 427
with the required work activity, whichever is longer; 428
(iv) For the fourth violation, the person shall be 429
permanently disqualified. 430
For a two-parent family, unless prohibited by state or 431
federal law, Medicaid assistance shall be terminated only for the 432
person whose failure to participate in allowable work activity 433
caused the family's TANF assistance to be sanctioned under this 434
paragraph (e), unless an individual is pregnant, but shall not be 435
terminated for any other person in the family who is meeting that 436
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person's applicable work requirement or who is not required to 437
work. Minor children shall continue to be eligible for Medicaid 438
benefits regardless of the disqualification of their parent or 439
caretaker relative for TANF assistance under this subsection (6), 440
unless prohibited by state or federal law. 441
(f) Any person enrolled in a two-year or four-year 442
college program who meets the eligibility requirements to receive 443
TANF benefits, and who is meeting the applicable work requirements 444
and all other applicable requirements of the TANF program, shall 445
continue to be eligible for TANF benefits while enrolled in the 446
college program for as long as the person meets the requirements 447
of the TANF program, unless prohibited by federal law. 448
(g) No adult in a work activity required under this 449
subsection (6) shall be employed or assigned (i) when any other 450
individual is on layoff from the same or any substantially 451
equivalent job within six (6) months before the date of the TANF 452
recipient's employment or assignment; or (ii) if the employer has 453
terminated the employment of any regular employee or otherwise 454
caused an involuntary reduction of its workforce in order to fill 455
the vacancy so created with an adult receiving TANF assistance. 456
The Mississippi Department of Employment Security, established 457
under Section 71-5-101, shall appoint one or more impartial 458
hearing officers to hear and decide claims by employees of 459
violations of this paragraph (g). The hearing officer shall hear 460
all the evidence with respect to any claim made hereunder and such 461
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additional evidence as he may require and shall make a 462
determination and the reason therefor. The claimant shall be 463
promptly notified of the decision of the hearing officer and the 464
reason therefor. Within ten (10) days after the decision of the 465
hearing officer has become final, any party aggrieved thereby may 466
secure judicial review thereof by commencing an action, in the 467
circuit court of the county in which the claimant resides, against 468
the department for the review of such decision, in which action 469
any other party to the proceeding before the hearing officer shall 470
be made a defendant. Any such appeal shall be on the record which 471
shall be certified to the court by the department in the manner 472
provided in Section 71-5-531, and the jurisdiction of the court 473
shall be confined to questions of law which shall render its 474
decision as provided in that section. 475
(7) The Department of Human Services may provide child care 476
for eligible participants who require such care so that they may 477
accept employment or remain employed. The department may also 478
provide child care for those participating in the TANF program 479
when it is determined that they are satisfactorily involved in 480
education, training or other allowable work activities. The 481
department may contract with Head Start agencies to provide child 482
care services to TANF recipients. The department may also arrange 483
for child care by use of contract or vouchers, provide vouchers in 484
advance to a caretaker relative, reimburse a child care provider, 485
or use any other arrangement deemed appropriate by the department, 486
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and may establish different reimbursement rates for child care 487
services depending on the category of the facility or home. Any 488
center-based or group home child care facility under this 489
subsection shall be licensed by the State Department of Health 490
pursuant to law. When child care is being provided in the child's 491
own home, in the home of a relative of the child, or in any other 492
unlicensed setting, the provision of such child care may be 493
monitored on a random basis by the Department of Human Services or 494
the State Department of Health. Transitional child care 495
assistance may be continued if it is necessary for parents to 496
maintain employment once support has ended, unless prohibited 497
under state or federal law. Transitional child care assistance 498
may be provided for up to twenty-four (24) months after the last 499
month during which the family was eligible for TANF assistance, if 500
federal funds are available for such child care assistance. 501
(8) The Department of Human Services may provide 502
transportation or provide reasonable reimbursement for 503
transportation expenses that are necessary for individuals to be 504
able to participate in allowable work activity under the TANF 505
program. 506
(9) Medicaid assistance shall be provided to a family of 507
TANF program participants for up to twenty-four (24) consecutive 508
calendar months following the month in which the participating 509
family would be ineligible for TANF benefits because of increased 510
income, expiration of earned income disregards, or increased hours 511
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of employment of the caretaker relative; however, Medicaid 512
assistance for more than twelve (12) months may be provided only 513
if a federal waiver is obtained to provide such assistance for 514
more than twelve (12) months and federal and state funds are 515
available to provide such assistance. 516
(10) The department shall require applicants for and 517
recipients of public assistance from the department to sign a 518
personal responsibility contract that will require the applicant 519
or recipient to acknowledge his or her responsibilities to the 520
state. 521
(11) The department shall enter into an agreement with the 522
State Personnel Board and other state agencies that will allow 523
those TANF participants who qualify for vacant jobs within state 524
agencies to be placed in state jobs. State agencies participating 525
in the TANF work program shall receive any and all benefits 526
received by employers in the private sector for hiring TANF 527
recipients. This subsection (11) shall be effective only if the 528
state obtains any necessary federal waiver or approval and if 529
federal funds are available therefor. Not later than September 1, 530
2021, the department shall prepare a report, which shall be 531
provided to the Chairmen of the House and Senate Public Health 532
Committees and to any other member of the Legislature upon 533
request, on the history, status, outcomes and effectiveness of the 534
agreements required under this subsection. 535
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ST: TANF block grant; DHS shall transfer 30% of
each year to CCDF for child care vouchers.
(12) During each fiscal year, the department shall transfer 536
to the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) thirty percent (30%) 537
of the TANF block grant received by the state for that fiscal 538
year, to be used as vouchers to pay for child care for qualifying 539
children under the Child Care Payment Program (CCPP). Any unspent 540
TANF funds remaining from the prior fiscal year may be expended 541
for any TANF allowable activities. 542
(13) The Mississippi Department of Human Services shall 543
provide TANF applicants information and referral to programs that 544
provide information about birth control, prenatal health care, 545
abstinence education, marriage education, family preservation and 546
fatherhood. Not later than September 1, 2021, the department 547
shall prepare a report, which shall be provided to the Chairmen of 548
the House and Senate Public Health Committees and to any other 549
member of the Legislature upon request, on the history, status, 550
outcomes and effectiveness of the information and referral 551
requirements under this subsection. 552
(14) No new TANF program requirement or restriction 553
affecting a person's eligibility for TANF assistance, or allowable 554
work activity, which is not mandated by federal law or regulation 555
may be implemented by the Department of Human Services after July 556
1, 2004, unless such is specifically authorized by an amendment to 557
this section by the Legislature. 558
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from 559
and after July 1, 2026. 560