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To: Public Health and Human
Services
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026
By: Representative Scott
HOUSE BILL NO. 227
AN ACT TO DIRECT THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES, THE STATE 1
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND THE DIVISION OF MEDICAID TO PREPARE A 2
VIDEO PROVIDING INFORMATION ABOUT PROPER NUTRITION, HEALTHY EATING 3
HABITS, PREVENTING AND REDUCING OBESITY AND THE IMPORTANCE OF 4
BREAST-FEEDING INFANTS; TO REQUIRE THAT THE VIDEO BE OFFERED FOR 5
PRESENTATION TO APPLICANTS FOR AND RECIPIENTS OF CERTAIN BENEFITS 6
IN THE OFFICES OF THE AGENCY AND ON THE AGENCY'S WEBSITE; TO 7
DESCRIBE THE TOPICS THAT MUST BE COVERED IN THE VIDEO; TO REQUIRE 8
AN ANNUAL REVIEW OF THE VIDEO; TO AMEND SECTION 41-135-9, 9
MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO CLARIFY THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH 10
IS NOT REQUIRED TO OFFER A SEPARATE VIDEO ON THE IMPORTANCE OF 11
BREASTFEEDING INFANTS FOR PRESENTATION TO INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE 12
OFFERED THE VIDEO DESCRIBED IN THE PRECEDING PROVISIONS; AND FOR 13
RELATED PURPOSES. 14
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 15
SECTION 1. (1) As used in this section, "agency" means the 16
Department of Human Services, the State Department of Health or 17
the Division of Medicaid, as the case may be. 18
(2) (a) The Department of Human Services, the State 19
Department of Health and the Division of Medicaid shall jointly 20
prepare a single video providing information about proper 21
nutrition, healthy eating habits, preventing and reducing obesity 22
and the importance of breastfeeding infants, as further described 23
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in subsection (3) of this section. The video shall be no more 24
than twenty (20) minutes in length. 25
(b) The agency shall offer the video in an appropriate 26
medium for presentation in the offices of the agency in which 27
individuals apply for and/or receive benefits through the 28
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, the 29
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the Special 30
Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children 31
(WIC), the Medicaid program, the Children's Health Insurance 32
Program (CHIP), or any combination of these programs. 33
(c) Applicants for and recipients of benefits provided 34
by the agency through these programs may view the video in the 35
offices of the agency. The agency shall also make the video 36
available to view on its website. 37
(3) At a minimum, the video must include information on the 38
following topics: 39
(a) The health benefits of consuming nutritious foods, 40
including fruits and vegetables; 41
(b) The recommended amount of food from each food group 42
and subgroup as outlined by the most recent Dietary Guidelines for 43
Americans; 44
(c) Selecting healthy options when shopping for food; 45
(d) The health benefits of regular physical activity; 46
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(e) The recommended amount of physical activity per 47
week as outlined by the most recent Physical Activity Guidelines 48
for Americans; 49
(f) The health benefits of breastfeeding for both 50
mothers and infants; 51
(g) Tips for successful breastfeeding; and 52
(h) Additional resources and programs available for 53
further education on proper nutrition, healthy eating habits, 54
preventing and reducing obesity and the importance of 55
breastfeeding infants. 56
(4) The video shall be available to view, both in the 57
offices of the agency and on the agency's website, not later than 58
January 1, 2028. 59
(5) The Department of Human Services, the State Department 60
of Health and the Division of Medicaid shall each review the video 61
annually and shall collectively update the information in the 62
video if deemed necessary upon review. The updated video shall be 63
made available to view, both in the offices of the agency and on 64
the agency's website, as soon as reasonably practicable. 65
SECTION 2. Section 41-135-9, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 66
amended as follows: 67
41-135-9. For individuals who do not apply for and/or 68
receive any of the benefits described in Section 1 of this act, 69
the State Department of Health shall prepare a video in an 70
appropriate medium for presentation in offices of the department 71
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ST: Health and human services agencies; require
to prepare video with nutrition and healthy
eating information for benefit recipients.
in which the department provides benefits to women of 72
child-bearing age, which shall provide information about the 73
importance of breastfeeding infants. Applicants for and 74
recipients of any such benefits provided by the department may 75
view the video in the offices of the department; however, if 76
applicants for and recipients of any such benefits provided by the 77
department also apply for and/or receive any of the benefits 78
described in Section 1 of this act, the department is not required 79
to present a separate video to those individuals and may instead 80
present only the video described in Section 1 of this act. The 81
department may provide the video to other state agencies that 82
provide benefits to women of child-bearing age, for appropriate 83
use by those agencies. 84
SECTION 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from 85
and after July 1, 2026. 86