Nursing education; unspent TANF funds shall be spent to pay expenses of persons enrolled as part of workforce training.

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

By: Representative Scott

HOUSE BILL NO. 178

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 43-17-5, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO 1
PROVIDE THAT ANY UNSPENT TANF FUNDS REMAINING FROM THE PRIOR 2
FISCAL YEAR SHALL BE EXPENDED FIRST TO PAY FOR THE 3
EDUCATION-RELATED EXPENSES OF PERSONS WHO ARE ENROLLED IN NURSING 4
EDUCATION COURSES AS PART OF WORKFORCE TRAINING AND PAY FOR THE 5
CHILD CARE EXPENSES OF THOSE PERSONS WHILE THEY ARE TAKING THE 6
NURSING EDUCATION COURSES; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 7
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 8
SECTION 1. Section 43-17-5, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 9
amended as follows: 10
43-17-5. (1) The amount of Temporary Assistance for Needy 11
Families (TANF) benefits which may be granted for any dependent 12
child and a needy caretaker relative shall be determined by the 13
county department with due regard to the resources and necessary 14
expenditures of the family and the conditions existing in each 15
case, and in accordance with the rules and regulations made by the 16
Department of Human Services which shall not be less than the 17
Standard of Need in effect for 1988, and shall be sufficient when 18
added to all other income (except that any income specified in the 19
federal Social Security Act, as amended, may be disregarded) and 20
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support available to the child to provide such child with a 21
reasonable subsistence compatible with decency and health. The 22
first family member in the dependent child's budget may receive an 23
amount not to exceed Two Hundred Dollars ($200.00) per month; the 24
second family member in the dependent child's budget may receive 25
an amount not to exceed Thirty-six Dollars ($36.00) per month; and 26
each additional family member in the dependent child's budget an 27
amount not to exceed Twenty-four Dollars ($24.00) per month. The 28
maximum for any individual family member in the dependent child's 29
budget may be exceeded for foster or medical care or in cases of 30
children with an intellectual disability or a physical disability. 31
TANF benefits granted shall be specifically limited only (a) to 32
children existing or conceived at the time the caretaker relative 33
initially applies and qualifies for such assistance, unless this 34
limitation is specifically waived by the department, or (b) to a 35
child born following a twelve-consecutive-month period of 36
discontinued benefits by the caretaker relative. 37
(2) TANF benefits in Mississippi shall be provided to the 38
recipient family by an online electronic benefits transfer system. 39
(3) The Department of Human Services shall deny TANF 40
benefits to the following categories of individuals, except for 41
individuals and families specifically exempt or excluded for good 42
cause as allowed by federal statute or regulation: 43
(a) Families without a minor child residing with the 44
custodial parent or other adult caretaker relative of the child; 45
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(b) Families which include an adult who has received 46
TANF assistance for sixty (60) months after the commencement of 47
the Mississippi TANF program, whether or not such period of time 48
is consecutive; 49
(c) Families not assigning to the state any rights a 50
family member may have, on behalf of the family member or of any 51
other person for whom the family member has applied for or is 52
receiving such assistance, to support from any other person, as 53
required by law; 54
(d) Families who fail to cooperate in establishing 55
paternity or obtaining child support, as required by law; 56
(e) Any individual who has not attained eighteen (18) 57
years of age, is not married to the head of household, has a minor 58
child at least twelve (12) weeks of age in his or her care, and 59
has not successfully completed a high school education or its 60
equivalent, if such individual does not participate in educational 61
activities directed toward the attainment of a high school diploma 62
or its equivalent, or an alternative educational or training 63
program approved by the department; 64
(f) Any individual who has not attained eighteen (18) 65
years of age, is not married, has a minor child in his or her 66
care, and does not reside in a place or residence maintained by a 67
parent, legal guardian or other adult relative or the individual 68
as such parent's, guardian's or adult relative's own home; 69
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(g) Any minor child who has been, or is expected by a 70
parent or other caretaker relative of the child to be, absent from 71
the home for a period of more than thirty (30) days; 72
(h) Any individual who is a parent or other caretaker 73
relative of a minor child who fails to notify the department of 74
the absence of the minor child from the home for the thirty-day 75
period specified in paragraph (g), by the end of the five-day 76
period that begins with the date that it becomes clear to the 77
individual that the minor child will be absent for the thirty-day 78
period; 79
(i) Any individual who fails to comply with the 80
provisions of the Employability Development Plan signed by the 81
individual which prescribe those activities designed to help the 82
individual become and remain employed, or to participate 83
satisfactorily in the assigned work activity, as authorized under 84
subsection (6)(c) and (d), or who does not engage in applicant job 85
search activities within the thirty-day period for TANF 86
application approval after receiving the advice and consultation 87
of eligibility workers and/or caseworkers of the department 88
providing a detailed description of available job search venues in 89
the individual's county of residence or the surrounding counties; 90
(j) A parent or caretaker relative who has not engaged 91
in an allowable work activity once the department determines the 92
parent or caretaker relative is ready to engage in work, or once 93
the parent or caretaker relative has received TANF assistance 94
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under the program for twenty-four (24) months, whether or not 95
consecutive, whichever is earlier; 96
(k) Any individual who is fleeing to avoid prosecution, 97
or custody or confinement after conviction, under the laws of the 98
jurisdiction from which the individual flees, for a crime, or an 99
attempt to commit a crime, which is a felony under the laws of the 100
place from which the individual flees, or who is violating a 101
condition of probation or parole imposed under federal or state 102
law; 103
(l) Aliens who are not qualified under federal law; 104
(m) For a period of ten (10) years following 105
conviction, individuals convicted in federal or state court of 106
having made a fraudulent statement or representation with respect 107
to the individual's place of residence in order to receive TANF, 108
food stamps or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) assistance under 109
Title XVI or Title XIX simultaneously from two (2) or more states; 110
(n) Individuals who are recipients of federal 111
Supplemental Security Income (SSI) assistance; and 112
(o) Individuals who are eighteen (18) years of age or 113
older who are not in compliance with the drug testing and 114
substance use disorder treatment requirements of Section 43-17-6. 115
(4) (a) Any person who is otherwise eligible for TANF 116
benefits, including custodial and noncustodial parents, shall be 117
required to attend school and meet the monthly attendance 118
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requirement as provided in this subsection if all of the following 119
apply: 120
(i) The person is under age twenty (20); 121
(ii) The person has not graduated from a public or 122
private high school or obtained a High School Equivalency Diploma 123
equivalent; 124
(iii) The person is physically able to attend 125
school and is not excused from attending school; and 126
(iv) If the person is a parent or caretaker 127
relative with whom a dependent child is living, child care is 128
available for the child. 129
The monthly attendance requirement under this subsection 130
shall be attendance at the school in which the person is enrolled 131
for each day during a month that the school conducts classes in 132
which the person is enrolled, with not more than two (2) absences 133
during the month for reasons other than the reasons listed in 134
paragraph (e)(iv) of this subsection. Persons who fail to meet 135
participation requirements in this subsection shall be subject to 136
sanctions as provided in paragraph (f) of this subsection. 137
(b) As used in this subsection, "school" means any one 138
(1) of the following: 139
(i) A school as defined in Section 37-13-91(2); 140
(ii) A vocational, technical and adult education 141
program; or 142
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(iii) A course of study meeting the standards 143
established by the State Department of Education for the granting 144
of a declaration of equivalency of high school graduation. 145
(c) If any compulsory-school-age child, as defined in 146
Section 37-13-91(2), to which TANF eligibility requirements apply 147
is not in compliance with the compulsory school attendance 148
requirements of Section 37-13-91(6), the superintendent of schools 149
of the school district in which the child is enrolled or eligible 150
to attend shall notify the county department of human services of 151
the child's noncompliance. The Department of Human Services shall 152
review school attendance information as provided under this 153
paragraph at all initial eligibility determinations and upon 154
subsequent report of unsatisfactory attendance. 155
(d) The signature of a person on an application for 156
TANF benefits constitutes permission for the release of school 157
attendance records for that person or for any child residing with 158
that person. The department shall request information from the 159
child's school district about the child's attendance in the school 160
district's most recently completed semester of attendance. If 161
information about the child's previous school attendance is not 162
available or cannot be verified, the department shall require the 163
child to meet the monthly attendance requirement for one (1) 164
semester or until the information is obtained. The department 165
shall use the attendance information provided by a school district 166
to verify attendance for a child. The department shall review 167
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with the parent or caretaker relative a child's claim that he or 168
she has a good cause for not attending school. 169
A school district shall provide information to the department 170
about the attendance of a child who is enrolled in a public school 171
in the district within five (5) working days of the receipt of a 172
written request for that information from the department. The 173
school district shall define how many hours of attendance count as 174
a full day and shall provide that information, upon request, to 175
the department. In reporting attendance, the school district may 176
add partial days' absence together to constitute a full day's 177
absence. 178
If a school district fails to provide to the department the 179
information about the school attendance of any child within 180
fifteen (15) working days after a written request, the department 181
shall notify the Department of Audit within three (3) working days 182
of the school district's failure to comply with that requirement. 183
The Department of Audit shall begin audit proceedings within five 184
(5) working days of notification by the Department of Human 185
Services to determine the school district's compliance with the 186
requirements of this subsection (4). If the Department of Audit 187
finds that the school district is not in compliance with the 188
requirements of this subsection, the school district shall be 189
penalized as follows: The Department of Audit shall notify the 190
State Department of Education of the school district's 191
noncompliance, and the Department of Education shall reduce the 192
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calculation of the school district's net enrollment that is used 193
to determine the allocation of total funding formula funds by the 194
number of children for which the district has failed to provide to 195
the Department of Human Services the required information about 196
the school attendance of those children. The reduction in the 197
calculation of the school district's net enrollment under this 198
paragraph shall be effective for a period of one (1) year. 199
(e) A child who is required to attend school to meet 200
the requirements under this subsection shall comply except when 201
there is good cause, which shall be demonstrated by any of the 202
following circumstances: 203
(i) The minor parent is the caretaker of a child 204
less than twelve (12) weeks old; or 205
(ii) The department determines that child care 206
services are necessary for the minor parent to attend school and 207
there is no child care available; or 208
(iii) The child is prohibited by the school 209
district from attending school and an expulsion is pending. This 210
exemption no longer applies once the teenager has been expelled; 211
however, a teenager who has been expelled and is making 212
satisfactory progress towards obtaining a High School Equivalency 213
Diploma equivalent shall be eligible for TANF benefits; or 214
(iv) The child failed to attend school for one or 215
more of the following reasons: 216
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1. Illness, injury or incapacity of the child 217
or the minor parent's child; 218
2. Court-required appearances or temporary 219
incarceration; 220
3. Medical or dental appointments for the 221
child or minor parent's child; 222
4. Death of a close relative; 223
5. Observance of a religious holiday; 224
6. Family emergency; 225
7. Breakdown in transportation; 226
8. Suspension; or 227
9. Any other circumstance beyond the control 228
of the child, as defined in regulations of the department. 229
(f) Upon determination that a child has failed without 230
good cause to attend school as required, the department shall 231
provide written notice to the parent or caretaker relative 232
(whoever is the primary recipient of the TANF benefits) that 233
specifies: 234
(i) That the family will be sanctioned in the next 235
possible payment month because the child who is required to attend 236
school has failed to meet the attendance requirement of this 237
subsection; 238
(ii) The beginning date of the sanction, and the 239
child to whom the sanction applies; 240
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(iii) The right of the child's parents or 241
caretaker relative (whoever is the primary recipient of the TANF 242
benefits) to request a fair hearing under this subsection. 243
The child's parent or caretaker relative (whoever is the 244
primary recipient of the TANF benefits) may request a fair hearing 245
on the department's determination that the child has not been 246
attending school. If the child's parents or caretaker relative 247
does not request a fair hearing under this subsection, or if, 248
after a fair hearing has been held, the hearing officer finds that 249
the child without good cause has failed to meet the monthly 250
attendance requirement, the department shall discontinue or deny 251
TANF benefits to the child thirteen (13) years old, or older, in 252
the next possible payment month. The department shall discontinue 253
or deny twenty-five percent (25%) of the family grant when a child 254
six (6) through twelve (12) years of age without good cause has 255
failed to meet the monthly attendance requirement. Both the child 256
and family sanction may apply when children in both age groups 257
fail to meet the attendance requirement without good cause. A 258
sanction applied under this subsection shall be effective for one 259
(1) month for each month that the child failed to meet the monthly 260
attendance requirement. In the case of a dropout, the sanction 261
shall remain in force until the parent or caretaker relative 262
provides written proof from the school district that the child has 263
reenrolled and met the monthly attendance requirement for one (1) 264
calendar month. Any month in which school is in session for at 265
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least ten (10) days during the month may be used to meet the 266
attendance requirement under this subsection. This includes 267
attendance at summer school. The sanction shall be removed the 268
next possible payment month. 269
(5) All parents or caretaker relatives shall have their 270
dependent children receive vaccinations and booster vaccinations 271
against those diseases specified by the State Health Officer under 272
Section 41-23-37 in accordance with the vaccination and booster 273
vaccination schedule prescribed by the State Health Officer for 274
children of that age, in order for the parents or caretaker 275
relatives to be eligible or remain eligible to receive TANF 276
benefits. Proof of having received such vaccinations and booster 277
vaccinations shall be given by presenting the certificates of 278
vaccination issued by any health care provider licensed to 279
administer vaccinations, and submitted on forms specified by the 280
State Board of Health. If the parents without good cause do not 281
have their dependent children receive the vaccinations and booster 282
vaccinations as required by this subsection and they fail to 283
comply after thirty (30) days' notice, the department shall 284
sanction the family's TANF benefits by twenty-five percent (25%) 285
for the next payment month and each subsequent payment month until 286
the requirements of this subsection are met. 287
(6) (a) If the parent or caretaker relative applying for 288
TANF assistance is work eligible, as determined by the Department 289
of Human Services, the person shall be required to engage in an 290
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allowable work activity once the department determines the parent 291
or caretaker relative is determined work eligible, or once the 292
parent or caretaker relative has received TANF assistance under 293
the program for twenty-four (24) months, whether or not 294
consecutive, whichever is earlier. No TANF benefits shall be 295
given to any person to whom this section applies who fails without 296
good cause to comply with the Employability Development Plan 297
prepared by the department for the person, or who has refused to 298
accept a referral or offer of employment, training or education in 299
which he or she is able to engage, subject to the penalties 300
prescribed in paragraph (e) of this subsection. A person shall be 301
deemed to have refused to accept a referral or offer of 302
employment, training or education if he or she: 303
(i) Willfully fails to report for an interview 304
with respect to employment when requested to do so by the 305
department; or 306
(ii) Willfully fails to report to the department 307
the result of a referral to employment; or 308
(iii) Willfully fails to report for allowable work 309
activities as prescribed in paragraphs (c) and (d) of this 310
subsection. 311
(b) The Department of Human Services shall operate a 312
statewide work program for TANF recipients to provide work 313
activities and supportive services to enable families to become 314
self-sufficient and improve their competitive position in the 315
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workforce in accordance with the requirements of the federal 316
Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 317
1996 (Public Law 104-193), as amended, and the regulations 318
promulgated thereunder, and the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 319
(Public Law 109-171), as amended. Within sixty (60) days after 320
the initial application for TANF benefits, the TANF recipient must 321
participate in a job search skills training workshop or a job 322
readiness program, which shall include resume writing, job search 323
skills, employability skills and, if available at no charge, the 324
General Aptitude Test Battery or its equivalent. All adults who 325
are not specifically exempt shall be referred by the department 326
for allowable work activities. An adult may be exempt from the 327
mandatory work activity requirement for the following reasons: 328
(i) Incapacity; 329
(ii) Temporary illness or injury, verified by 330
physician's certificate; 331
(iii) Is in the third trimester of pregnancy, and 332
there are complications verified by the certificate of a 333
physician, nurse practitioner, physician assistant, or any other 334
licensed health care professional practicing under a protocol with 335
a licensed physician; 336
(iv) Caretaker of a child under twelve (12) 337
months, for not more than twelve (12) months of the sixty-month 338
maximum benefit period; 339
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(v) Caretaker of an ill or incapacitated person, 340
as verified by physician's certificate; 341
(vi) Age, if over sixty (60) or under eighteen 342
(18) years of age; 343
(vii) Receiving treatment for substance abuse, if 344
the person is in compliance with the substance abuse treatment 345
plan; 346
(viii) In a two-parent family, the caretaker of a 347
severely disabled child, as verified by a physician's certificate; 348
or 349
(ix) History of having been a victim of domestic 350
violence, which has been reported as required by state law and is 351
substantiated by police reports or court records, and being at 352
risk of further domestic violence, shall be exempt for a period as 353
deemed necessary by the department but not to exceed a total of 354
twelve (12) months, which need not be consecutive, in the 355
sixty-month maximum benefit period. For the purposes of this 356
subparagraph (ix), "domestic violence" means that an individual 357
has been subjected to: 358
1. Physical acts that resulted in, or 359
threatened to result in, physical injury to the individual; 360
2. Sexual abuse; 361
3. Sexual activity involving a dependent 362
child; 363
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4. Being forced as the caretaker relative of 364
a dependent child to engage in nonconsensual sexual acts or 365
activities; 366
5. Threats of, or attempts at, physical or 367
sexual abuse; 368
6. Mental abuse; or 369
7. Neglect or deprivation of medical care. 370
(c) For all families, all adults who are not 371
specifically exempt shall be required to participate in work 372
activities for at least the minimum average number of hours per 373
week specified by federal law or regulation, not fewer than twenty 374
(20) hours per week (thirty-five (35) hours per week for 375
two-parent families) of which are attributable to the following 376
allowable work activities: 377
(i) Unsubsidized employment; 378
(ii) Subsidized private employment; 379
(iii) Subsidized public employment; 380
(iv) Work experience (including work associated 381
with the refurbishing of publicly assisted housing), if sufficient 382
private employment is not available; 383
(v) On-the-job training; 384
(vi) Job search and job readiness assistance 385
consistent with federal TANF regulations; 386
(vii) Community service programs; 387
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(viii) Vocational educational training (not to 388
exceed twelve (12) months with respect to any individual); 389
(ix) The provision of child care services to an 390
individual who is participating in a community service program; 391
(x) Satisfactory attendance at high school or in a 392
course of study leading to a high school equivalency certificate, 393
for heads of household under age twenty (20) who have not 394
completed high school or received such certificate; 395
(xi) Education directly related to employment, for 396
heads of household under age twenty (20) who have not completed 397
high school or received such equivalency certificate. 398
(d) The following are allowable work activities which 399
may be attributable to hours in excess of the minimum specified in 400
paragraph (c) of this subsection: 401
(i) Job skills training directly related to 402
employment; 403
(ii) Education directly related to employment for 404
individuals who have not completed high school or received a high 405
school equivalency certificate; 406
(iii) Satisfactory attendance at high school or in 407
a course of study leading to a high school equivalency, for 408
individuals who have not completed high school or received such 409
equivalency certificate; 410
(iv) Job search and job readiness assistance 411
consistent with federal TANF regulations. 412
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(e) If any adult or caretaker relative refuses to 413
participate in allowable work activity as required under this 414
subsection (6), the following full family TANF benefit penalty 415
will apply, subject to due process to include notification, 416
conciliation and a hearing if requested by the recipient: 417
(i) For the first violation, the department shall 418
terminate the TANF assistance otherwise payable to the family for 419
a two-month period or until the person has complied with the 420
required work activity, whichever is longer; 421
(ii) For the second violation, the department 422
shall terminate the TANF assistance otherwise payable to the 423
family for a six-month period or until the person has complied 424
with the required work activity, whichever is longer; 425
(iii) For the third violation, the department 426
shall terminate the TANF assistance otherwise payable to the 427
family for a twelve-month period or until the person has complied 428
with the required work activity, whichever is longer; 429
(iv) For the fourth violation, the person shall be 430
permanently disqualified. 431
For a two-parent family, unless prohibited by state or 432
federal law, Medicaid assistance shall be terminated only for the 433
person whose failure to participate in allowable work activity 434
caused the family's TANF assistance to be sanctioned under this 435
paragraph (e), unless an individual is pregnant, but shall not be 436
terminated for any other person in the family who is meeting that 437
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person's applicable work requirement or who is not required to 438
work. Minor children shall continue to be eligible for Medicaid 439
benefits regardless of the disqualification of their parent or 440
caretaker relative for TANF assistance under this subsection (6), 441
unless prohibited by state or federal law. 442
(f) Any person enrolled in a two-year or four-year 443
college program who meets the eligibility requirements to receive 444
TANF benefits, and who is meeting the applicable work requirements 445
and all other applicable requirements of the TANF program, shall 446
continue to be eligible for TANF benefits while enrolled in the 447
college program for as long as the person meets the requirements 448
of the TANF program, unless prohibited by federal law. 449
(g) No adult in a work activity required under this 450
subsection (6) shall be employed or assigned (i) when any other 451
individual is on layoff from the same or any substantially 452
equivalent job within six (6) months before the date of the TANF 453
recipient's employment or assignment; or (ii) if the employer has 454
terminated the employment of any regular employee or otherwise 455
caused an involuntary reduction of its workforce in order to fill 456
the vacancy so created with an adult receiving TANF assistance. 457
The Mississippi Department of Employment Security, established 458
under Section 71-5-101, shall appoint one or more impartial 459
hearing officers to hear and decide claims by employees of 460
violations of this paragraph (g). The hearing officer shall hear 461
all the evidence with respect to any claim made hereunder and such 462
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additional evidence as he may require and shall make a 463
determination and the reason therefor. The claimant shall be 464
promptly notified of the decision of the hearing officer and the 465
reason therefor. Within ten (10) days after the decision of the 466
hearing officer has become final, any party aggrieved thereby may 467
secure judicial review thereof by commencing an action, in the 468
circuit court of the county in which the claimant resides, against 469
the department for the review of such decision, in which action 470
any other party to the proceeding before the hearing officer shall 471
be made a defendant. Any such appeal shall be on the record which 472
shall be certified to the court by the department in the manner 473
provided in Section 71-5-531, and the jurisdiction of the court 474
shall be confined to questions of law which shall render its 475
decision as provided in that section. 476
(7) The Department of Human Services may provide child care 477
for eligible participants who require such care so that they may 478
accept employment or remain employed. The department may also 479
provide child care for those participating in the TANF program 480
when it is determined that they are satisfactorily involved in 481
education, training or other allowable work activities. The 482
department may contract with Head Start agencies to provide child 483
care services to TANF recipients. The department may also arrange 484
for child care by use of contract or vouchers, provide vouchers in 485
advance to a caretaker relative, reimburse a child care provider, 486
or use any other arrangement deemed appropriate by the department, 487
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and may establish different reimbursement rates for child care 488
services depending on the category of the facility or home. Any 489
center-based or group home child care facility under this 490
subsection shall be licensed by the State Department of Health 491
pursuant to law. When child care is being provided in the child's 492
own home, in the home of a relative of the child, or in any other 493
unlicensed setting, the provision of such child care may be 494
monitored on a random basis by the Department of Human Services or 495
the State Department of Health. Transitional child care 496
assistance may be continued if it is necessary for parents to 497
maintain employment once support has ended, unless prohibited 498
under state or federal law. Transitional child care assistance 499
may be provided for up to twenty-four (24) months after the last 500
month during which the family was eligible for TANF assistance, if 501
federal funds are available for such child care assistance. 502
(8) The Department of Human Services may provide 503
transportation or provide reasonable reimbursement for 504
transportation expenses that are necessary for individuals to be 505
able to participate in allowable work activity under the TANF 506
program. 507
(9) Medicaid assistance shall be provided to a family of 508
TANF program participants for up to twenty-four (24) consecutive 509
calendar months following the month in which the participating 510
family would be ineligible for TANF benefits because of increased 511
income, expiration of earned income disregards, or increased hours 512
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of employment of the caretaker relative; however, Medicaid 513
assistance for more than twelve (12) months may be provided only 514
if a federal waiver is obtained to provide such assistance for 515
more than twelve (12) months and federal and state funds are 516
available to provide such assistance. 517
(10) The department shall require applicants for and 518
recipients of public assistance from the department to sign a 519
personal responsibility contract that will require the applicant 520
or recipient to acknowledge his or her responsibilities to the 521
state. 522
(11) The department shall enter into an agreement with the 523
State Personnel Board and other state agencies that will allow 524
those TANF participants who qualify for vacant jobs within state 525
agencies to be placed in state jobs. State agencies participating 526
in the TANF work program shall receive any and all benefits 527
received by employers in the private sector for hiring TANF 528
recipients. This subsection (11) shall be effective only if the 529
state obtains any necessary federal waiver or approval and if 530
federal funds are available therefor. Not later than September 1, 531
2021, the department shall prepare a report, which shall be 532
provided to the Chairmen of the House and Senate Public Health 533
Committees and to any other member of the Legislature upon 534
request, on the history, status, outcomes and effectiveness of the 535
agreements required under this subsection. 536
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ST: Nursing education; unspent TANF funds shall
be spent to pay expenses of persons enrolled as
part of workforce training.
(12) Any unspent TANF funds remaining from the prior fiscal 537
year may be expended for any TANF allowable activities. However, 538
unspent TANF funds shall be expended first to pay for the 539
education-related expenses of persons who are enrolled in nursing 540
education courses as part of workforce training and pay for the 541
child care expenses of those persons while they are taking the 542
nursing education courses. 543
(13) The Mississippi Department of Human Services shall 544
provide TANF applicants information and referral to programs that 545
provide information about birth control, prenatal health care, 546
abstinence education, marriage education, family preservation and 547
fatherhood. Not later than September 1, 2021, the department 548
shall prepare a report, which shall be provided to the Chairmen of 549
the House and Senate Public Health Committees and to any other 550
member of the Legislature upon request, on the history, status, 551
outcomes and effectiveness of the information and referral 552
requirements under this subsection. 553
(14) No new TANF program requirement or restriction 554
affecting a person's eligibility for TANF assistance, or allowable 555
work activity, which is not mandated by federal law or regulation 556
may be implemented by the Department of Human Services after July 557
1, 2004, unless such is specifically authorized by an amendment to 558
this section by the Legislature. 559
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from 560
and after July 1, 2026. 561