KLS Keeping Law Simple Legislation in plain English

Straight-ahead summaries built from the official bill text. We keep the source links front and center and leave the decision up to you.

Back to Mississippi

HB572 • 2026

Local office space for Child Protection Services provided by board of supervisors; require to be adequate and habitable.

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 43-26-11, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO CLARIFY THAT LOCAL OFFICE SPACES FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF CHILD PROTECTION SERVICES THAT ARE PROVIDED BY BOARDS OF SUPERVISORS MUST BE ADEQUATE AND HABITABLE; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

Children
Did Not Pass

The latest official action shows that this bill did not move forward in that session.

Sponsor
Waldo, Anthony
Last action
2026-03-03
Official status
Dead
Effective date
July 1, 20

Plain English Breakdown

The bill text does not support the claim about the state paying for utilities and supplies. This information was removed as it is not supported by the official source material.

Local Office Space Requirements for Child Protection Services

This bill requires county boards of supervisors to provide adequate and habitable office space for the Department of Child Protection Services in their counties.

What This Bill Does

  • Changes a law to require local governments to give child protection offices good, livable spaces.
  • Specifies that these offices must have enough room and be safe to use.

Who It Names or Affects

  • County boards of supervisors
  • Department of Child Protection Services

Terms To Know

adequate
Enough or sufficient in size, quantity, or quality.
habitable
Suitable for living or working in safely and comfortably.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill did not pass during the session.
  • It does not specify what 'adequate' and 'habitable' mean exactly, leaving room for interpretation.

Bill History

  1. 2026-03-03 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System

    03/03 (S) Died In Committee

  2. 2026-02-18 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System

    02/18 (S) Referred To Public Health and Welfare

  3. 2026-02-12 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System

    02/12 (H) Transmitted To Senate

  4. 2026-02-11 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System

    02/11 (H) Passed

  5. 2026-02-02 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System

    02/02 (H) Title Suff Do Pass

  6. 2026-01-13 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System

    01/13 (H) Referred To Youth and Family Affairs

Official Summary Text

Local office space for Child Protection Services provided by board of supervisors; require to be adequate and habitable.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
H. B. No. 572 *HR43/R1746* ~ OFFICIAL ~ G1/2
26/HR43/R1746
PAGE 1 (OM\KP)

To: Youth and Family Affairs
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Representatives Waldo, Anthony

HOUSE BILL NO. 572

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 43-26-11, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, 1
TO CLARIFY THAT LOCAL OFFICE SPACES FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF CHILD 2
PROTECTION SERVICES THAT ARE PROVIDED BY BOARDS OF SUPERVISORS 3
MUST BE ADEQUATE AND HABITABLE; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 4
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 5
SECTION 1. Section 43-26-11, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 6
amended as follows: 7
43-26-11. (1) There shall be created local offices of the 8
Department of Child Protection Services in those locations 9
throughout the state as determined by the commissioner. It shall 10
be the duty of the board of supervisors of each county in which a 11
local office is located to provide adequate and habitable office 12
space for the local offices. 13
The local office of the Department of Child Protection 14
Services shall administer all forms of child welfare services with 15
the exception of those administered by the Department of Human 16
Services. The local offices shall comply with such regulations 17
and submit such reports as may be established or required by the 18
commissioner. Subject to the approval of the commissioner, the 19
H. B. No. 572 *HR43/R1746* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR43/R1746
PAGE 2 (OM\KP)
ST: Local office space for Child Protection
Services provided by board of supervisors;
require to be adequate and habitable.
local offices may cooperate with other departments, agencies and 20
institutions, state and local, when so requested, in performing 21
services in conformity with the provisions of this chapter. 22
(2) The Department of Child Protection Services may enter 23
into a lease with each county board of supervisors in each county 24
where a local office is located to allow the department to 25
maximize the availability of federal funds. Fair market value for 26
the county-furnished building will be established and the 27
department shall pay the federal share for the rent to the county. 28
All other expenses related to the operation of the local office 29
shall be split between the department, providing the federal 30
share, and the county, being responsible for the remainder or the 31
state share. This includes, but is not limited to, electricity, 32
water, gas, Internet, and janitorial services and supplies. All 33
maintenance and repairs of the local office shall be the 34
responsibility of the county due to the prohibition of federal 35
funds for improvements of real property. 36
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from 37
and after July 1, 2026. 38