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To: Public Health and Human
Services
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026
By: Representative Felsher
HOUSE BILL NO. 1321
AN ACT TO BRING FORWARD SECTION 43-27-2, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1
1972, WHICH PROVIDES THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES SHALL 2
BE THE DEPARTMENT OF YOUTH SERVICES, FOR PURPOSES OF POSSIBLE 3
AMENDMENT; TO BRING FORWARD SECTION 43-27-8, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 4
1972, WHICH PROVIDES THE DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE 5
DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES, FOR PURPOSES OF POSSIBLE AMENDMENT; 6
TO BRING FORWARD SECTION 43-27-10, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, WHICH 7
PERTAINS TO THE POWERS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES, FOR 8
PURPOSES OF POSSIBLE AMENDMENT; TO BRING FORWARD SECTION 43-27-11, 9
MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, WHICH PERTAINS TO THE CONTROL AND 10
MANAGEMENT OF CERTAIN FUNDS BY THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES, 11
FOR PURPOSES OF POSSIBLE AMENDMENT; TO BRING FORWARD SECTION 12
43-27-12, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, WHICH PROVIDES THAT THE 13
DEPARTMENT OF YOUTH SERVICES SHALL HAVE EXCLUSIVE CARE OF CHILDREN 14
COMMITTED TO ITS FACILITIES, FOR PURPOSES OF POSSIBLE AMENDMENT; 15
TO BRING FORWARD SECTION 43-27-14, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, WHICH 16
PROVIDES THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF YOUTH SERVICES IS AUTHORIZED TO 17
ACCEPT CERTAIN FUNDS, FOR PURPOSES OF POSSIBLE AMENDMENT; TO BRING 18
FORWARD SECTION 43-27-16, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, WHICH PERTAINS 19
TO DATA AND ASSISTANCE BY STATE AGENCIES AND DEPARTMENTS THAT MAY 20
BE PROVIDED TO HE DEPARTMENT OF YOUTH SERVICES, FOR PURPOSES 21
POSSIBLE AMENDMENT; TO BRING FORWARD SECTION 43-27-17, MISSISSIPPI 22
CODE OF 1972, WHICH PERTAINS TO THE COOPERATION OF OTHER 23
DEPARTMENTS, FOR PURPOSES OF POSSIBLE AMENDMENT; TO BRING FORWARD 24
SECTION 43-27-18, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, WHICH PROVIDES THAT 25
POSITIONS IN THE DEPARTMENT OF YOUTH SERVICES ARE TO BE INCLUDED 26
IN THE STATE CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM, FOR PURPOSES OF POSSIBLE 27
AMENDMENT; TO BRING FORWARD SECTION 43-27-19, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 28
1972, WHICH PERTAINS TO CERTAIN RECORDS AND REPORTS, FOR PURPOSES 29
OF POSSIBLE AMENDMENT; TO BRING FORWARD SECTION 43-27-20, 30
MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, WHICH PERTAINS TO THE OFFICE OF 31
COMMUNITY SERVICES, FOR PURPOSES OF POSSIBLE AMENDMENT; TO BRING 32
FORWARD SECTION 43-27-22, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, WHICH PERTAINS 33
TO THE OFFICE OF JUVENILE CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS, FOR PURPOSES 34
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OF POSSIBLE AMENDMENT; TO BRING FORWARD SECTION 43-27-23, 35
MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, WHICH RELATES TO LODGING OF 36
SUPERINTENDENTS, FOR PURPOSES OF POSSIBLE AMENDMENT; TO BRING 37
FORWARD SECTION 43-27-25, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, WHICH PERTAINS 38
TO THE PROHIBITION OF PERSONS HAVING MENTAL ILLNESS OR 39
INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES FROM BEING COMMITTED TO INSTITUTIONS 40
THAT UNDER THE CONTROL OF THE DEPARTMENT OF YOUTH SERVICES, FOR 41
PURPOSES OF POSSIBLE AMENDMENT; TO BRING FORWARD SECTION 43-27-27, 42
MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, WHICH PERTAINS TO THE TRANSFER OF 43
CHILDREN, FOR PURPOSES OF POSSIBLE AMENDMENT; TO BRING FORWARD 44
SECTION 43-27-29, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, WHICH PERTAINS TO 45
ACADEMIC AND VOCATIONAL TRAINING, FOR PURPOSES OF POSSIBLE 46
AMENDMENT; TO BRING FORWARD SECTION 43-27-33, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 47
1972, WHICH PERTAINS TO THE EFFECT ON OTHER LAWS, FOR PURPOSES OF 48
POSSIBLE AMENDMENT; TO BRING FORWARD SECTION 43-27-35, MISSISSIPPI 49
CODE OF 1972, WHICH PERTAINS TO THE ACQUISITION OF CERTAIN LAND, 50
FOR PURPOSES OF POSSIBLE AMENDMENT; TO BRING FORWARD SECTION 51
43-27-37, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, WHICH PERTAINS TO THE CREATION 52
OF THE STATEWIDE JUVENILE WORK PROGRAM, FOR PURPOSES OF POSSIBLE 53
AMENDMENT; TO BRING FORWARD SECTION 43-27-39, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 54
1972, WHICH PERTAINS TO THE USE OF COLUMBIA TRAINING SCHOOL AND 55
OAKLEY YOUTH DEVELOPMENT CENTER, FOR PURPOSES OF POSSIBLE 56
AMENDMENT; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 57
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 58
SECTION 1. Section 43-27-2, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 59
brought forward as follows: 60
43-27-2. The Department of Human Services shall be the 61
Department of Youth Services and shall retain all powers and 62
duties granted by law to the Department of Youth Services, and 63
wherever the term “Department of Youth Services” appears in any 64
law the same shall mean the Department of Human Services. The 65
executive director of the department may assign to appropriate 66
divisions such powers and duties as deemed appropriate to carry 67
out the functions of the department. The executive director of the 68
department may assign such powers and duties as deemed appropriate 69
to carry out the functions of the department. 70
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SECTION 2. Section 43-27-8, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 71
brought forward as follows: 72
43-27-8. The Department of Human Services shall administer 73
the following duties and responsibilities: 74
(a) To implement and administer laws and policy 75
relating to youth services and coordinate the efforts of the 76
department with those of the federal government and other state 77
departments and agencies, county governments, municipal 78
governments and private agencies concerned with providing youth 79
services. 80
(b) To establish standards, provide technical 81
assistance and exercise the requisite supervision as it relates to 82
youth service programs over all state-supported juvenile 83
correctional facilities. 84
(c) To promulgate and publish such rules, regulations 85
and policies of the department as are needed for the efficient 86
government and maintenance of all facilities and programs in 87
accord, insofar as possible, with currently accepted standards of 88
juvenile care and treatment. 89
SECTION 3. Section 43-27-10, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 90
brought forward as follows: 91
43-27-10. (1) The Mississippi Department of Human Services 92
shall exercise executive and administrative supervision over all 93
state-owned facilities used for the detention, training, care, 94
treatment and aftercare supervision of delinquent children 95
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properly committed to or confined in said facilities by a court on 96
account of such delinquency; provided, however, such executive and 97
administrative supervision under state-owned facilities shall not 98
extend to any institutions and facilities for which executive and 99
administrative supervision has been provided otherwise by law 100
through other agencies. 101
(2) Such facilities shall include, but not be limited to, 102
the Oakley Training School, which is now the Oakley Youth 103
Development Center, created by Chapter 205, Laws of 1942, and 104
those facilities authorized by Chapter 652, Laws of 1994. 105
(3) The department shall have the power as a corporate body 106
to receive, hold and use personal, real and mixed property donated 107
to them or property acquired under Section 43-27-35, and shall 108
have such other corporate authority as shall now or hereafter be 109
necessary for the operation of any such facility. The department 110
shall be responsible for the planning, development and 111
coordination of a statewide, comprehensive youth services program 112
designed to train and rehabilitate children in order to prevent, 113
control and retard juvenile delinquency. 114
(4) The department is authorized to develop and implement 115
diversified public, private, or contractual programs and 116
facilities to promote, enhance, provide and assure the 117
opportunities for the successful care, training and treatment of 118
delinquent children properly committed to or confined in any 119
facility under its control. Such programs and facilities may 120
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include, but not be limited to, training schools, foster homes, 121
halfway houses, forestry camps, regional assessment, 122
classification and diagnostic centers, detention centers, group 123
homes, regional and community-based juvenile intensive residential 124
treatment facilities, specialized and therapeutic programs and 125
facilities, and other state and local community-based programs and 126
facilities. 127
(5) The department is authorized to acquire whatever hazard, 128
casualty or workers' compensation insurance is necessary for any 129
property, real or personal, owned, leased or rented by the 130
department or for any employees or personnel hired by the 131
department and may acquire professional liability insurance on all 132
employees as deemed necessary and proper by the department. All 133
premiums due and payable on account thereof shall be paid out of 134
the funds of the department. 135
SECTION 4. Section 43-27-11, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 136
brought forward as follows: 137
43-27-11. The Mississippi Department of Human Services shall 138
succeed to the exclusive control of all records, books, papers, 139
equipment and supplies, and all lands, buildings and other real 140
and personal property now or hereafter belonging to or assigned to 141
the use and benefit or under the control of the Oakley Youth 142
Development Center, and shall have the exercise and control of the 143
use, distribution and disbursement of all funds, appropriations 144
and taxes now or hereafter in possession, levied, collected or 145
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received or appropriated for the use, benefit, support and 146
maintenance of these two (2) institutions, and the department 147
shall have general supervision of all the affairs of the two 148
(2)institutions herein named, and the care and conduct of all 149
buildings and grounds, business methods and arrangements of 150
accounts and records, the organization of the administrative plans 151
of each institution, and all other matters incident to the proper 152
functioning of the institutions. The department shall have full 153
authority over the operation of any and all farms at each of said 154
institutions and over the distribution of agricultural, dairy, 155
livestock and any and all other products therefrom and over all 156
funds received from the sale of hogs and livestock. All sums 157
realized from the sale of products manufactured and fabricated in 158
the shops of the vocational departments of such institutions shall 159
be placed in the revolving fund of the respective institutions in 160
which said products were manufactured, fabricated and sold. 161
The department shall be authorized to lease the lands for 162
oil, gas and mineral exploration, and for such other purposes as 163
the department deems to be appropriate, on such terms and 164
conditions as the department and lessee agree. The department may 165
contract with the State Forestry Commission for the proper 166
management of forest lands and the sale of timber, and the 167
department is expressly authorized to sell timber and forestry 168
products. The department is further authorized to expend the net 169
proceeds from incomes from all leases and timber sales exclusively 170
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for the instructional purposes or operational expenses, or both, 171
at the two (2) institutions under its jurisdiction. 172
The granting of any leases for oil, gas and mineral 173
exploration shall be on a public bid basis as prescribed by law. 174
SECTION 5. Section 43-27-12, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 175
brought forward as follows: 176
43-27-12. The Department of Youth Services shall have 177
exclusive supervisory care, custody and active control of all 178
children properly committed to or confined in its facilities and 179
included in its programs and shall have control of the grounds, 180
buildings and other facilities and properties of said facilities 181
and programs. 182
SECTION 6. Section 43-27-14, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 183
brought forward as follows: 184
43-27-14. The Department of Youth Services shall have the 185
authority to accept any allotments of federal funds and 186
commodities and shall manage and dispose of them in whatever 187
manner may be required by federal law, and may take advantage of 188
any federal programs, grants-in-aid, or other public or private 189
assistance which may be offered or available which will accomplish 190
or further the objectives of the department. Except as otherwise 191
authorized in Section 7-5-39, the Attorney General shall be the 192
legal representative of the department. 193
SECTION 7. Section 43-27-16, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 194
brought forward as follows: 195
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43-27-16. The Department of Youth Services is authorized to 196
request from any and all existing agencies, departments, 197
divisions, officers, employees, boards, bureaus, commissions and 198
institutions of the State of Mississippi, or any political 199
subdivision thereof, information, data and assistance as will 200
enable the department to fulfill its duties hereunder, and all 201
such agencies, departments, divisions, officers, employees, 202
boards, bureaus, commissions and institutions of the State of 203
Mississippi and its political subdivisions are hereby directed to 204
cooperate with the department and render such information, data, 205
aid and assistance as may be requested by the department. 206
SECTION 8. Section 43-27-17, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 207
brought forward as follows: 208
43-27-17. The Department of Human Services shall use the 209
services and resources of the state departments of education and 210
health, and of all other appropriate state departments, agencies 211
or institutions, as will aid in carrying out the purposes of this 212
chapter. It shall be the duty of all such state departments, 213
agencies and institutions to make available such services and 214
resources to the department. 215
SECTION 9. Section 43-27-18, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 216
brought forward as follows: 217
43-27-18. All positions in the Department of Youth Services 218
shall be included in the state classification system, but the 219
department is encouraged to establish an incentive program to 220
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motivate workers who deal directly with the children to obtain 221
master's degrees in the field of sociology, psychology or some 222
other related field. 223
SECTION 10. Section 43-27-19, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 224
brought forward as follows: 225
43-27-19. The Department of Human Services shall keep in a 226
suitable book a full and complete record of all of its actions 227
under this chapter, which shall be open at all times to the 228
inspection of the Governor and all persons whom he or either house 229
of the Legislature may designate, and any member of the 230
Legislature, to examine same. 231
SECTION 11. Section 43-27-20, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 232
brought forward as follows: 233
43-27-20. (a) Within the Division of Youth Services there 234
shall be an Office of Community Services, which shall be headed by 235
a director appointed by and responsible to the Director of the 236
Division of Youth Services. Each director shall hold a master's 237
degree in social work or a related field and shall have no less 238
than three (3) years' experience in social services, or in lieu of 239
such degree and experience, the director shall have a minimum of 240
eight (8) years' experience in social work or a related field. 241
Each director shall employ and assign the community workers to 242
serve in the various areas in the state and any other supporting 243
personnel necessary to carry out the duties of the Office of 244
Community Services. 245
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(b) The Director of the Office of Community Services shall 246
assign probation and aftercare workers to the youth court or 247
family court judges of the various court districts upon the 248
request of the individual judge on the basis of caseload and need, 249
when funds are available. The Director of the Office of Community 250
Services is authorized to assign a youth services counselor to 251
various court districts upon the approval of the appropriate judge 252
and the Director of the Division of Youth Services. 253
(c) Any counties or cities which, on July 1, 1973, have 254
court counselors or similar personnel may continue using this 255
personnel or may choose to come within the statewide framework. 256
(d) A probation and aftercare worker may be transferred by 257
the division from one (1) court to another after consultation with 258
the judge or judges in the court to which the employee is 259
currently assigned. 260
(e) The Office of Community Services shall have such duties 261
as the Division of Youth Services shall assign to it which shall 262
include, but not be limited to, the following: 263
(i) Preparing the social, educational and home-life 264
history and other diagnostic reports on the child for the benefit 265
of the court or the training school; however, this provision shall 266
not abridge the power of the court to require similar services 267
from other agencies, according to law. 268
(ii) Serving in counseling capacities with the youth or 269
family courts. 270
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(iii) Serving as probation agents for the youth or 271
family courts. 272
(iv) Serving, advising and counseling of children under 273
the control of the Division of Youth Services as may be necessary 274
to the placement of the children in their proper environment upon 275
release and the placement of children in suitable jobs where 276
necessary and proper. 277
(v) Supervising and guiding of children released or 278
conditionally released from institutions under the control of the 279
Division of Youth Services. 280
(vi) Coordinating the activities of supporting 281
community agencies which aid in the social adjustment of children 282
released from the institution and in an aftercare program. 283
(vii) Providing linkage and/or referral for services 284
leading to the rehabilitation of delinquents, either within the 285
division or through cooperative arrangements with other 286
appropriate agencies. 287
(viii) Providing counseling and supervision for any 288
child under ten (10) years of age who has been brought to the 289
attention of the court when other suitable personnel is not 290
available and upon request of the court concerned. 291
(ix) Supervising the completion of aftercare programs 292
and/or making revocation investigations at the request of the 293
court. 294
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(x) Implementing a Standardized Risk Assessment Tool 295
for use in the community. 296
(xi) Developing and implementing a graduated sanctions 297
policy for use within the community. 298
(e) This section shall stand repealed on July 1, 2026. 299
SECTION 12. Section 43-27-22, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 300
brought forward as follows: 301
43-27-22. (1) Within the Department of Human Services there 302
shall be an Office of Juvenile Correctional Institutions which 303
shall be headed by a Director of Juvenile Institutions, who shall 304
be appointed by the Director of the Division of Youth Services. 305
The Director of Juvenile Institutions shall appoint the individual 306
Division of Youth Services Institutional Administrators who, in 307
turn, shall have full power to select and employ personnel 308
necessary to operate the facility he directs, subject to the 309
approval of the Director of the Division of Youth Services. 310
(2) The Office of Juvenile Correctional Institutions shall 311
have such duties as the Director of the Division of Youth Services 312
shall assign to it including, but not limited to, the following: 313
(a) Operation and maintenance of training schools and 314
other facilities as may be needed to properly diagnose, care for, 315
train, educate and rehabilitate children and youths who have been 316
committed to or confined in the facilities or who are included in 317
the programs of the facilities. 318
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(b) Fulfillment of the objectives of rehabilitation and 319
reformation of the youths confined in the schools, being careful 320
to employ no discipline, training or utilization of time and 321
efforts of such youth that shall under any condition or in any way 322
interfere with such objectives. 323
(c) Grouping of the youths in the schools according to 324
age, sex and disciplinary needs with respect to their housing, 325
schooling, training, recreation and work, being careful to prevent 326
injury to the morals or interference with the training and 327
rehabilitation of the younger or correctable youths by those 328
considered to be less amenable to discipline and rehabilitation. 329
SECTION 13. Section 43-27-23, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 330
brought forward as follows: 331
43-27-23. The superintendents of the Mississippi training 332
schools may each receive free lodging in his respective 333
institution for himself and his family, but not free board nor 334
free supplies from the institution. Upon each superintendent’s 335
election to receive board for himself and family from the 336
institution, the Department of Human Services shall enter on the 337
minutes in advance the names and ages of the members of the family 338
and fix the charges for their board at the average cost of table 339
board in that community, but in no event at an amount less than 340
the cost of said board to said institution, and said board so 341
fixed shall be paid by the superintendent into the State Treasury 342
before his salary for the next succeeding month shall be paid. The 343
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department shall make a detailed and itemized statement thereof to 344
the Legislature. The same restrictions shall apply to all members 345
of the clerical force of the institutions. 346
SECTION 14. Section 43-27-25, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 347
brought forward as follows: 348
43-27-25. No person shall be committed to an institution 349
under the control of the Department of Youth Services who is 350
seriously handicapped by having mental illness or an intellectual 351
disability. If after a person is referred to the training schools 352
it is determined that he has mental illness or an intellectual 353
disability to an extent that he could not be properly cared for in 354
its custody, the director may institute necessary legal action to 355
accomplish the transfer of such person to such other state 356
institution as, in his judgment, is best qualified to care for him 357
in accordance with the laws of this state. The department shall 358
establish standards with regard to the physical and mental health 359
of persons which it can accept for commitment. 360
SECTION 15. Section 43-27-27, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 361
brought forward as follows: 362
43-27-27. Any child committed to an institution under the 363
provisions of this chapter may be transferred by the director of 364
the department of youth services, in his discretion, to any of the 365
schools or other facilities under his jurisdiction. 366
SECTION 16. Section 43-27-29, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 367
brought forward as follows: 368
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43-27-29. Academic and vocational training at all 369
institutions under the department of youth services shall meet 370
standards prescribed by the state department of education based 371
upon standards required for public schools. The department may 372
prescribe such additional requirements as it may from time to time 373
deem necessary. The state superintendent of education will 374
administer the standards related to the high school and elementary 375
school programs. Reports from the state department of education 376
evaluating the educational program at all juvenile correctional 377
institutions and indicating whether or not the program meets the 378
standards as prescribed shall be made directly to the director of 379
the division of juvenile correctional institutions at regularly 380
scheduled meetings. Such state department of education supervisory 381
personnel as deemed appropriate shall be utilized for evaluating 382
the programs and for reporting to the director of said division. 383
SECTION 17. Section 43-27-33, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 384
brought forward as follows: 385
43-27-33. Nothing in this chapter is intended to limit or 386
restrict the operation and effect of Title IV, federal Social 387
Security Act (Subchapter IV, Sections 601-604, Chapter 7, Title 388
42, U.S. Code Annotated) and Sections 43-15-1 through 43-15-9, 389
inclusive, 43-17-1 through 43-17-25, inclusive, 43-25-1 through 390
43-25-17, inclusive, and 93-11-1 through 93-11-63, inclusive, 391
Mississippi Code of 1972, which authorize the Department of Human 392
Services to expend appropriated state and available federal funds 393
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for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) child welfare 394
services, and administer the interstate compact on juveniles under 395
approved state-federal plans now in effect; this chapter being 396
cumulative and supplementary. Nothing in this chapter is intended 397
to limit or restrain the operation and effect of the Youth Court 398
Law of 1946, as amended (Chapter 21 of this Title), or the Family 399
Court Law of 1964, as amended (Chapter 23 of this Title), or the 400
power granted to the youth courts or family courts therein 401
outlined. The intent of this section is to insure that the final 402
responsibility for a delinquent youth resides with the court that 403
has jurisdiction and that the final responsibility for any and all 404
services provided by any and all personnel assigned to a youth or 405
family court resides with the responsible judge. 406
SECTION 18. Section 43-27-35, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 407
brought forward as follows: 408
43-27-35. (1) The Department of Finance and Administration, 409
for and on behalf of the Department of Human Services and the 410
State of Mississippi, may enter into a purchase contract, a 411
lease-purchase agreement or other similar contract for the 412
acquisition of land, buildings or equipment that would be suitable 413
for use by the Department of Human Services in providing housing 414
and facilities for youth under its jurisdiction regardless of the 415
ages of such youths and that would assist the Department of Human 416
Services in the performance of its duties under Chapter 27, Title 417
43, Mississippi Code of 1972. Before entering into any such 418
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contract or agreement, the Department of Finance and 419
Administration must first demonstrate to the Public Procurement 420
Review Board satisfactory evidence that the contract or agreement 421
would be economically advantageous to the Department of Human 422
Services. 423
(2) Acquisition of the property described in subsection (1) 424
of this section shall be made only as provided in subsection (3) 425
and upon legislative approval or upon approval of the State Bond 426
Commission in accordance with the manner and procedure prescribed 427
in Section 27-104-107. 428
(3) If Newton County is selected as a site to house a 429
facility under this section, the governing authorities of any 430
municipality in which all or part of the facility is to be located 431
and the Board of Supervisors of Newton County shall adopt 432
resolutions spread on their minutes requesting the location of the 433
facility in such municipality and the county. If such resolutions 434
are adopted, the qualified electors of the municipality, if all or 435
part of the facility is to be located in a municipality, shall 436
vote in an election to be set by the governing authorities to 437
determine if a facility shall be sited. If a majority of the 438
qualified electors voting in the election vote in favor of siting 439
a facility, a second election set by the board of supervisors 440
shall be held in the county. If a majority of the qualified 441
electors of the county voting in the election vote in favor of 442
siting a facility, a facility shall be sited. If a majority of 443
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the qualified electors of the municipality voting in the election 444
vote against siting a facility, a second election shall not be 445
held in the county and a facility shall not be sited. 446
SECTION 19. Section 43-27-37, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 447
brought forward as follows: 448
43-27-37. There is created in the Department of Human 449
Services, Division of Youth Services, a Statewide Juvenile Work 450
Program under the direction of a statewide coordinator. The 451
statewide coordinator shall assist the youth court judges in 452
implementing and administering the Juvenile Work Program as 453
established under this section. The statewide coordinator shall 454
establish standards and guidelines for juvenile work programs. 455
SECTION 20. Section 43-27-39, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 456
brought forward as follows: 457
43-27-39. (1) The purpose of this section is to ensure that 458
Mississippi's juvenile justice system is cost-efficient and 459
effective at reducing juvenile crime and to create a continuum of 460
options for Mississippi's youth court judges so that they are 461
better equipped to protect our communities and to care for our 462
children. 463
(2) The Columbia Training School shall no longer operate as 464
a secure training school for juvenile delinquents. All youth, 465
both male and female, committed to the custody of the Department 466
of Human Services and adjudicated to training school shall be 467
housed at the Oakley Youth Development Center. The Oakley Youth 468
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ST: Department of Human Services-Division of
Youth Services; bring forward provisions
pertaining to.
Development Center shall provide gender-specific treatment for 469
youth who are adjudicated delinquent. 470
(3) Any portion of Columbia Training School property and 471
facilities described in Section 1 of Chapter 553, Laws of 2012, 472
may be conveyed or transferred to the Board of Supervisors of 473
Marion County, Mississippi. 474
(4) Any portion of Columbia Training School property and 475
facilities described in Section 2 of Chapter 386, Laws of 2017, 476
may be conveyed or transferred to the Marion County Economic 477
Development District for the purposes prescribed under that 478
section. 479
(5) Any portion of Columbia Training School property and 480
facilities described in Section 1 of Chapter 412, Laws of 2022, 481
may be conveyed or transferred to the Marion County Economic 482
Development District. 483
SECTION 21. This act shall take effect and be in force from 484
and after July 1, 2026. 485