TANF funds; DHS shall use a portion of each year to fund grants for marriage counseling to military and first responders.

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To: Veterans and Military
Affairs; Appropriations
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Senator(s) Tate, Gillespie Isom

SENATE BILL NO. 2433

AN ACT TO CREATE NEW SECTION 43-17-41, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1
1972, TO PROVIDE THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES SHALL SET 2
ASIDE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF THE MONIES RECEIVED BY THE STATE UNDER 3
THE FEDERAL TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE FOR NEEDY FAMILIES BLOCK GRANT 4
DURING EACH FISCAL YEAR TO FUND GRANTS TO NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS 5
SPECIFICALLY WORKING WITH MILITARY OR FIRST RESPONDER FAMILIES, OR 6
BOTH, TO PROVIDE MARRIAGE COUNSELING, PREPARATION AND SUPPORT; TO 7
AMEND SECTION 43-17-5, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO CONFORM TO THE 8
PRECEDING PROVISION; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 9
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 10
SECTION 1. The following shall be codified as Section 11
43-17-41, Mississippi Code of 1972: 12
43-17-41. (1) For purposes of this section, the following 13
terms shall be defined as provided in this subsection: 14
(a) "Military" means the Armed Forces or Reserves of 15
the United States, including the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Coast 16
Guard, Air Force, and the reserve components thereof, the National 17
Guard of any state, the military reserves of any state, or the 18
naval militia of any state. 19
(b) "First responder" means a: 20
(i) Firefighter; 21
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(ii) Emergency medical technician; 22
(iii) Rescue squad member; 23
(iv) Law enforcement officer; 24
(v) Correctional officer; or 25
(vi) Sworn member of the State Fire Marshal's 26
office. 27
(c) "Nonprofit organization" means an entity described 28
in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. 29
(2) Of the monies received by the state under the federal 30
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Block Grant during each 31
fiscal year, the state department shall, consistent with federal 32
law and subject to appropriation by the Legislature, set aside a 33
minimum of Ten Million Dollars ($10,000,000.00) of such monies to 34
fund grants to nonprofit organizations specifically working with 35
military or first responder families, or both, to provide marriage 36
counseling, preparation and support. The state department is 37
authorized to implement policies to award such grants and is 38
authorized to implement those policies by rules promulgated 39
pursuant to Section 43-17-7 and Section 25-43-1.101 et seq. 40
(3) It is the intent of the Legislature that funding 41
authorized under this section shall be used to supplement, not 42
supplant, other sources of revenue previously or hereafter used 43
for the purposes of this section. 44
SECTION 2. Section 43-17-5, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 45
amended as follows: 46
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43-17-5. (1) The amount of Temporary Assistance for Needy 47
Families (TANF) benefits which may be granted for any dependent 48
child and a needy caretaker relative shall be determined by the 49
county department with due regard to the resources and necessary 50
expenditures of the family and the conditions existing in each 51
case, and in accordance with the rules and regulations made by the 52
Department of Human Services which shall not be less than the 53
Standard of Need in effect for 1988, and shall be sufficient when 54
added to all other income (except that any income specified in the 55
federal Social Security Act, as amended, may be disregarded) and 56
support available to the child to provide such child with a 57
reasonable subsistence compatible with decency and health. The 58
first family member in the dependent child's budget may receive an 59
amount not to exceed Two Hundred Dollars ($200.00) per month; the 60
second family member in the dependent child's budget may receive 61
an amount not to exceed Thirty-six Dollars ($36.00) per month; and 62
each additional family member in the dependent child's budget an 63
amount not to exceed Twenty-four Dollars ($24.00) per month. The 64
maximum for any individual family member in the dependent child's 65
budget may be exceeded for foster or medical care or in cases of 66
children with an intellectual disability or a physical disability. 67
TANF benefits granted shall be specifically limited only (a) to 68
children existing or conceived at the time the caretaker relative 69
initially applies and qualifies for such assistance, unless this 70
limitation is specifically waived by the department, or (b) to a 71
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child born following a twelve-consecutive-month period of 72
discontinued benefits by the caretaker relative. 73
(2) TANF benefits in Mississippi shall be provided to the 74
recipient family by an online electronic benefits transfer system. 75
(3) The Department of Human Services shall deny TANF 76
benefits to the following categories of individuals, except for 77
individuals and families specifically exempt or excluded for good 78
cause as allowed by federal statute or regulation: 79
(a) Families without a minor child residing with the 80
custodial parent or other adult caretaker relative of the child; 81
(b) Families which include an adult who has received 82
TANF assistance for sixty (60) months after the commencement of 83
the Mississippi TANF program, whether or not such period of time 84
is consecutive; 85
(c) Families not assigning to the state any rights a 86
family member may have, on behalf of the family member or of any 87
other person for whom the family member has applied for or is 88
receiving such assistance, to support from any other person, as 89
required by law; 90
(d) Families who fail to cooperate in establishing 91
paternity or obtaining child support, as required by law; 92
(e) Any individual who has not attained eighteen (18) 93
years of age, is not married to the head of household, has a minor 94
child at least twelve (12) weeks of age in his or her care, and 95
has not successfully completed a high school education or its 96
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equivalent, if such individual does not participate in educational 97
activities directed toward the attainment of a high school diploma 98
or its equivalent, or an alternative educational or training 99
program approved by the department; 100
(f) Any individual who has not attained eighteen (18) 101
years of age, is not married, has a minor child in his or her 102
care, and does not reside in a place or residence maintained by a 103
parent, legal guardian or other adult relative or the individual 104
as such parent's, guardian's or adult relative's own home; 105
(g) Any minor child who has been, or is expected by a 106
parent or other caretaker relative of the child to be, absent from 107
the home for a period of more than thirty (30) days; 108
(h) Any individual who is a parent or other caretaker 109
relative of a minor child who fails to notify the department of 110
the absence of the minor child from the home for the thirty-day 111
period specified in paragraph (g), by the end of the five-day 112
period that begins with the date that it becomes clear to the 113
individual that the minor child will be absent for the thirty-day 114
period; 115
(i) Any individual who fails to comply with the 116
provisions of the Employability Development Plan signed by the 117
individual which prescribe those activities designed to help the 118
individual become and remain employed, or to participate 119
satisfactorily in the assigned work activity, as authorized under 120
subsection (6)(c) and (d), or who does not engage in applicant job 121
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search activities within the thirty-day period for TANF 122
application approval after receiving the advice and consultation 123
of eligibility workers and/or caseworkers of the department 124
providing a detailed description of available job search venues in 125
the individual's county of residence or the surrounding counties; 126
(j) A parent or caretaker relative who has not engaged 127
in an allowable work activity once the department determines the 128
parent or caretaker relative is ready to engage in work, or once 129
the parent or caretaker relative has received TANF assistance 130
under the program for twenty-four (24) months, whether or not 131
consecutive, whichever is earlier; 132
(k) Any individual who is fleeing to avoid prosecution, 133
or custody or confinement after conviction, under the laws of the 134
jurisdiction from which the individual flees, for a crime, or an 135
attempt to commit a crime, which is a felony under the laws of the 136
place from which the individual flees, or who is violating a 137
condition of probation or parole imposed under federal or state 138
law; 139
(l) Aliens who are not qualified under federal law; 140
(m) For a period of ten (10) years following 141
conviction, individuals convicted in federal or state court of 142
having made a fraudulent statement or representation with respect 143
to the individual's place of residence in order to receive TANF, 144
food stamps or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) assistance under 145
Title XVI or Title XIX simultaneously from two (2) or more states; 146
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(n) Individuals who are recipients of federal 147
Supplemental Security Income (SSI) assistance; and 148
(o) Individuals who are eighteen (18) years of age or 149
older who are not in compliance with the drug testing and 150
substance use disorder treatment requirements of Section 43-17-6. 151
(4) (a) Any person who is otherwise eligible for TANF 152
benefits, including custodial and noncustodial parents, shall be 153
required to attend school and meet the monthly attendance 154
requirement as provided in this subsection if all of the following 155
apply: 156
(i) The person is under age twenty (20); 157
(ii) The person has not graduated from a public or 158
private high school or obtained a High School Equivalency Diploma 159
equivalent; 160
(iii) The person is physically able to attend 161
school and is not excused from attending school; and 162
(iv) If the person is a parent or caretaker 163
relative with whom a dependent child is living, child care is 164
available for the child. 165
The monthly attendance requirement under this subsection 166
shall be attendance at the school in which the person is enrolled 167
for each day during a month that the school conducts classes in 168
which the person is enrolled, with not more than two (2) absences 169
during the month for reasons other than the reasons listed in 170
paragraph (e)(iv) of this subsection. Persons who fail to meet 171
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participation requirements in this subsection shall be subject to 172
sanctions as provided in paragraph (f) of this subsection. 173
(b) As used in this subsection, "school" means any one 174
(1) of the following: 175
(i) A school as defined in Section 37-13-91(2); 176
(ii) A vocational, technical and adult education 177
program; or 178
(iii) A course of study meeting the standards 179
established by the State Department of Education for the granting 180
of a declaration of equivalency of high school graduation. 181
(c) If any compulsory-school-age child, as defined in 182
Section 37-13-91(2), to which TANF eligibility requirements apply 183
is not in compliance with the compulsory school attendance 184
requirements of Section 37-13-91(6), the superintendent of schools 185
of the school district in which the child is enrolled or eligible 186
to attend shall notify the county department of human services of 187
the child's noncompliance. The Department of Human Services shall 188
review school attendance information as provided under this 189
paragraph at all initial eligibility determinations and upon 190
subsequent report of unsatisfactory attendance. 191
(d) The signature of a person on an application for 192
TANF benefits constitutes permission for the release of school 193
attendance records for that person or for any child residing with 194
that person. The department shall request information from the 195
child's school district about the child's attendance in the school 196
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district's most recently completed semester of attendance. If 197
information about the child's previous school attendance is not 198
available or cannot be verified, the department shall require the 199
child to meet the monthly attendance requirement for one (1) 200
semester or until the information is obtained. The department 201
shall use the attendance information provided by a school district 202
to verify attendance for a child. The department shall review 203
with the parent or caretaker relative a child's claim that he or 204
she has a good cause for not attending school. 205
A school district shall provide information to the department 206
about the attendance of a child who is enrolled in a public school 207
in the district within five (5) working days of the receipt of a 208
written request for that information from the department. The 209
school district shall define how many hours of attendance count as 210
a full day and shall provide that information, upon request, to 211
the department. In reporting attendance, the school district may 212
add partial days' absence together to constitute a full day's 213
absence. 214
If a school district fails to provide to the department the 215
information about the school attendance of any child within 216
fifteen (15) working days after a written request, the department 217
shall notify the Department of Audit within three (3) working days 218
of the school district's failure to comply with that requirement. 219
The Department of Audit shall begin audit proceedings within five 220
(5) working days of notification by the Department of Human 221
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Services to determine the school district's compliance with the 222
requirements of this subsection (4). If the Department of Audit 223
finds that the school district is not in compliance with the 224
requirements of this subsection, the school district shall be 225
penalized as follows: The Department of Audit shall notify the 226
State Department of Education of the school district's 227
noncompliance, and the Department of Education shall reduce the 228
calculation of the school district's net enrollment that is used 229
to determine the allocation of total funding formula funds by the 230
number of children for which the district has failed to provide to 231
the Department of Human Services the required information about 232
the school attendance of those children. The reduction in the 233
calculation of the school district's net enrollment under this 234
paragraph shall be effective for a period of one (1) year. 235
(e) A child who is required to attend school to meet 236
the requirements under this subsection shall comply except when 237
there is good cause, which shall be demonstrated by any of the 238
following circumstances: 239
(i) The minor parent is the caretaker of a child 240
less than twelve (12) weeks old; or 241
(ii) The department determines that child care 242
services are necessary for the minor parent to attend school and 243
there is no child care available; or 244
(iii) The child is prohibited by the school 245
district from attending school and an expulsion is pending. This 246
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exemption no longer applies once the teenager has been expelled; 247
however, a teenager who has been expelled and is making 248
satisfactory progress towards obtaining a High School Equivalency 249
Diploma equivalent shall be eligible for TANF benefits; or 250
(iv) The child failed to attend school for one or 251
more of the following reasons: 252
1. Illness, injury or incapacity of the child 253
or the minor parent's child; 254
2. Court-required appearances or temporary 255
incarceration; 256
3. Medical or dental appointments for the 257
child or minor parent's child; 258
4. Death of a close relative; 259
5. Observance of a religious holiday; 260
6. Family emergency; 261
7. Breakdown in transportation; 262
8. Suspension; or 263
9. Any other circumstance beyond the control 264
of the child, as defined in regulations of the department. 265
(f) Upon determination that a child has failed without 266
good cause to attend school as required, the department shall 267
provide written notice to the parent or caretaker relative 268
(whoever is the primary recipient of the TANF benefits) that 269
specifies: 270
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(i) That the family will be sanctioned in the next 271
possible payment month because the child who is required to attend 272
school has failed to meet the attendance requirement of this 273
subsection; 274
(ii) The beginning date of the sanction, and the 275
child to whom the sanction applies; 276
(iii) The right of the child's parents or 277
caretaker relative (whoever is the primary recipient of the TANF 278
benefits) to request a fair hearing under this subsection. 279
The child's parent or caretaker relative (whoever is the 280
primary recipient of the TANF benefits) may request a fair hearing 281
on the department's determination that the child has not been 282
attending school. If the child's parents or caretaker relative 283
does not request a fair hearing under this subsection, or if, 284
after a fair hearing has been held, the hearing officer finds that 285
the child without good cause has failed to meet the monthly 286
attendance requirement, the department shall discontinue or deny 287
TANF benefits to the child thirteen (13) years old, or older, in 288
the next possible payment month. The department shall discontinue 289
or deny twenty-five percent (25%) of the family grant when a child 290
six (6) through twelve (12) years of age without good cause has 291
failed to meet the monthly attendance requirement. Both the child 292
and family sanction may apply when children in both age groups 293
fail to meet the attendance requirement without good cause. A 294
sanction applied under this subsection shall be effective for one 295
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(1) month for each month that the child failed to meet the monthly 296
attendance requirement. In the case of a dropout, the sanction 297
shall remain in force until the parent or caretaker relative 298
provides written proof from the school district that the child has 299
reenrolled and met the monthly attendance requirement for one (1) 300
calendar month. Any month in which school is in session for at 301
least ten (10) days during the month may be used to meet the 302
attendance requirement under this subsection. This includes 303
attendance at summer school. The sanction shall be removed the 304
next possible payment month. 305
(5) All parents or caretaker relatives shall have their 306
dependent children receive vaccinations and booster vaccinations 307
against those diseases specified by the State Health Officer under 308
Section 41-23-37 in accordance with the vaccination and booster 309
vaccination schedule prescribed by the State Health Officer for 310
children of that age, in order for the parents or caretaker 311
relatives to be eligible or remain eligible to receive TANF 312
benefits. Proof of having received such vaccinations and booster 313
vaccinations shall be given by presenting the certificates of 314
vaccination issued by any health care provider licensed to 315
administer vaccinations, and submitted on forms specified by the 316
State Board of Health. If the parents without good cause do not 317
have their dependent children receive the vaccinations and booster 318
vaccinations as required by this subsection and they fail to 319
comply after thirty (30) days' notice, the department shall 320
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sanction the family's TANF benefits by twenty-five percent (25%) 321
for the next payment month and each subsequent payment month until 322
the requirements of this subsection are met. 323
(6) (a) If the parent or caretaker relative applying for 324
TANF assistance is work eligible, as determined by the Department 325
of Human Services, the person shall be required to engage in an 326
allowable work activity once the department determines the parent 327
or caretaker relative is determined work eligible, or once the 328
parent or caretaker relative has received TANF assistance under 329
the program for twenty-four (24) months, whether or not 330
consecutive, whichever is earlier. No TANF benefits shall be 331
given to any person to whom this section applies who fails without 332
good cause to comply with the Employability Development Plan 333
prepared by the department for the person, or who has refused to 334
accept a referral or offer of employment, training or education in 335
which he or she is able to engage, subject to the penalties 336
prescribed in paragraph (e) of this subsection. A person shall be 337
deemed to have refused to accept a referral or offer of 338
employment, training or education if he or she: 339
(i) Willfully fails to report for an interview 340
with respect to employment when requested to do so by the 341
department; or 342
(ii) Willfully fails to report to the department 343
the result of a referral to employment; or 344
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(iii) Willfully fails to report for allowable work 345
activities as prescribed in paragraphs (c) and (d) of this 346
subsection. 347
(b) The Department of Human Services shall operate a 348
statewide work program for TANF recipients to provide work 349
activities and supportive services to enable families to become 350
self-sufficient and improve their competitive position in the 351
workforce in accordance with the requirements of the federal 352
Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 353
1996 (Public Law 104-193), as amended, and the regulations 354
promulgated thereunder, and the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 355
(Public Law 109-171), as amended. Within sixty (60) days after 356
the initial application for TANF benefits, the TANF recipient must 357
participate in a job search skills training workshop or a job 358
readiness program, which shall include resume writing, job search 359
skills, employability skills and, if available at no charge, the 360
General Aptitude Test Battery or its equivalent. All adults who 361
are not specifically exempt shall be referred by the department 362
for allowable work activities. An adult may be exempt from the 363
mandatory work activity requirement for the following reasons: 364
(i) Incapacity; 365
(ii) Temporary illness or injury, verified by 366
physician's certificate; 367
(iii) Is in the third trimester of pregnancy, and 368
there are complications verified by the certificate of a 369
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physician, nurse practitioner, physician assistant, or any other 370
licensed health care professional practicing under a protocol with 371
a licensed physician; 372
(iv) Caretaker of a child under twelve (12) 373
months, for not more than twelve (12) months of the sixty-month 374
maximum benefit period; 375
(v) Caretaker of an ill or incapacitated person, 376
as verified by physician's certificate; 377
(vi) Age, if over sixty (60) or under eighteen 378
(18) years of age; 379
(vii) Receiving treatment for substance abuse, if 380
the person is in compliance with the substance abuse treatment 381
plan; 382
(viii) In a two-parent family, the caretaker of a 383
severely disabled child, as verified by a physician's certificate; 384
or 385
(ix) History of having been a victim of domestic 386
violence, which has been reported as required by state law and is 387
substantiated by police reports or court records, and being at 388
risk of further domestic violence, shall be exempt for a period as 389
deemed necessary by the department but not to exceed a total of 390
twelve (12) months, which need not be consecutive, in the 391
sixty-month maximum benefit period. For the purposes of this 392
subparagraph (ix), "domestic violence" means that an individual 393
has been subjected to: 394
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1. Physical acts that resulted in, or 395
threatened to result in, physical injury to the individual; 396
2. Sexual abuse; 397
3. Sexual activity involving a dependent 398
child; 399
4. Being forced as the caretaker relative of 400
a dependent child to engage in nonconsensual sexual acts or 401
activities; 402
5. Threats of, or attempts at, physical or 403
sexual abuse; 404
6. Mental abuse; or 405
7. Neglect or deprivation of medical care. 406
(c) For all families, all adults who are not 407
specifically exempt shall be required to participate in work 408
activities for at least the minimum average number of hours per 409
week specified by federal law or regulation, not fewer than twenty 410
(20) hours per week (thirty-five (35) hours per week for 411
two-parent families) of which are attributable to the following 412
allowable work activities: 413
(i) Unsubsidized employment; 414
(ii) Subsidized private employment; 415
(iii) Subsidized public employment; 416
(iv) Work experience (including work associated 417
with the refurbishing of publicly assisted housing), if sufficient 418
private employment is not available; 419
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(v) On-the-job training; 420
(vi) Job search and job readiness assistance 421
consistent with federal TANF regulations; 422
(vii) Community service programs; 423
(viii) Vocational educational training (not to 424
exceed twelve (12) months with respect to any individual); 425
(ix) The provision of child care services to an 426
individual who is participating in a community service program; 427
(x) Satisfactory attendance at high school or in a 428
course of study leading to a high school equivalency certificate, 429
for heads of household under age twenty (20) who have not 430
completed high school or received such certificate; 431
(xi) Education directly related to employment, for 432
heads of household under age twenty (20) who have not completed 433
high school or received such equivalency certificate. 434
(d) The following are allowable work activities which 435
may be attributable to hours in excess of the minimum specified in 436
paragraph (c) of this subsection: 437
(i) Job skills training directly related to 438
employment; 439
(ii) Education directly related to employment for 440
individuals who have not completed high school or received a high 441
school equivalency certificate; 442
(iii) Satisfactory attendance at high school or in 443
a course of study leading to a high school equivalency, for 444
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individuals who have not completed high school or received such 445
equivalency certificate; 446
(iv) Job search and job readiness assistance 447
consistent with federal TANF regulations. 448
(e) If any adult or caretaker relative refuses to 449
participate in allowable work activity as required under this 450
subsection (6), the following full family TANF benefit penalty 451
will apply, subject to due process to include notification, 452
conciliation and a hearing if requested by the recipient: 453
(i) For the first violation, the department shall 454
terminate the TANF assistance otherwise payable to the family for 455
a two-month period or until the person has complied with the 456
required work activity, whichever is longer; 457
(ii) For the second violation, the department 458
shall terminate the TANF assistance otherwise payable to the 459
family for a six-month period or until the person has complied 460
with the required work activity, whichever is longer; 461
(iii) For the third violation, the department 462
shall terminate the TANF assistance otherwise payable to the 463
family for a twelve-month period or until the person has complied 464
with the required work activity, whichever is longer; 465
(iv) For the fourth violation, the person shall be 466
permanently disqualified. 467
For a two-parent family, unless prohibited by state or 468
federal law, Medicaid assistance shall be terminated only for the 469
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person whose failure to participate in allowable work activity 470
caused the family's TANF assistance to be sanctioned under this 471
paragraph (e), unless an individual is pregnant, but shall not be 472
terminated for any other person in the family who is meeting that 473
person's applicable work requirement or who is not required to 474
work. Minor children shall continue to be eligible for Medicaid 475
benefits regardless of the disqualification of their parent or 476
caretaker relative for TANF assistance under this subsection (6), 477
unless prohibited by state or federal law. 478
(f) Any person enrolled in a two-year or four-year 479
college program who meets the eligibility requirements to receive 480
TANF benefits, and who is meeting the applicable work requirements 481
and all other applicable requirements of the TANF program, shall 482
continue to be eligible for TANF benefits while enrolled in the 483
college program for as long as the person meets the requirements 484
of the TANF program, unless prohibited by federal law. 485
(g) No adult in a work activity required under this 486
subsection (6) shall be employed or assigned (i) when any other 487
individual is on layoff from the same or any substantially 488
equivalent job within six (6) months before the date of the TANF 489
recipient's employment or assignment; or (ii) if the employer has 490
terminated the employment of any regular employee or otherwise 491
caused an involuntary reduction of its workforce in order to fill 492
the vacancy so created with an adult receiving TANF assistance. 493
The Mississippi Department of Employment Security, established 494
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under Section 71-5-101, shall appoint one or more impartial 495
hearing officers to hear and decide claims by employees of 496
violations of this paragraph (g). The hearing officer shall hear 497
all the evidence with respect to any claim made hereunder and such 498
additional evidence as he may require and shall make a 499
determination and the reason therefor. The claimant shall be 500
promptly notified of the decision of the hearing officer and the 501
reason therefor. Within ten (10) days after the decision of the 502
hearing officer has become final, any party aggrieved thereby may 503
secure judicial review thereof by commencing an action, in the 504
circuit court of the county in which the claimant resides, against 505
the department for the review of such decision, in which action 506
any other party to the proceeding before the hearing officer shall 507
be made a defendant. Any such appeal shall be on the record which 508
shall be certified to the court by the department in the manner 509
provided in Section 71-5-531, and the jurisdiction of the court 510
shall be confined to questions of law which shall render its 511
decision as provided in that section. 512
(7) The Department of Human Services may provide child care 513
for eligible participants who require such care so that they may 514
accept employment or remain employed. The department may also 515
provide child care for those participating in the TANF program 516
when it is determined that they are satisfactorily involved in 517
education, training or other allowable work activities. The 518
department may contract with Head Start agencies to provide child 519
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care services to TANF recipients. The department may also arrange 520
for child care by use of contract or vouchers, provide vouchers in 521
advance to a caretaker relative, reimburse a child care provider, 522
or use any other arrangement deemed appropriate by the department, 523
and may establish different reimbursement rates for child care 524
services depending on the category of the facility or home. Any 525
center-based or group home child care facility under this 526
subsection shall be licensed by the State Department of Health 527
pursuant to law. When child care is being provided in the child's 528
own home, in the home of a relative of the child, or in any other 529
unlicensed setting, the provision of such child care may be 530
monitored on a random basis by the Department of Human Services or 531
the State Department of Health. Transitional child care 532
assistance may be continued if it is necessary for parents to 533
maintain employment once support has ended, unless prohibited 534
under state or federal law. Transitional child care assistance 535
may be provided for up to twenty-four (24) months after the last 536
month during which the family was eligible for TANF assistance, if 537
federal funds are available for such child care assistance. 538
(8) The Department of Human Services may provide 539
transportation or provide reasonable reimbursement for 540
transportation expenses that are necessary for individuals to be 541
able to participate in allowable work activity under the TANF 542
program. 543
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(9) Medicaid assistance shall be provided to a family of 544
TANF program participants for up to twenty-four (24) consecutive 545
calendar months following the month in which the participating 546
family would be ineligible for TANF benefits because of increased 547
income, expiration of earned income disregards, or increased hours 548
of employment of the caretaker relative; however, Medicaid 549
assistance for more than twelve (12) months may be provided only 550
if a federal waiver is obtained to provide such assistance for 551
more than twelve (12) months and federal and state funds are 552
available to provide such assistance. 553
(10) The department shall require applicants for and 554
recipients of public assistance from the department to sign a 555
personal responsibility contract that will require the applicant 556
or recipient to acknowledge his or her responsibilities to the 557
state. 558
(11) The department shall enter into an agreement with the 559
State Personnel Board and other state agencies that will allow 560
those TANF participants who qualify for vacant jobs within state 561
agencies to be placed in state jobs. State agencies participating 562
in the TANF work program shall receive any and all benefits 563
received by employers in the private sector for hiring TANF 564
recipients. This subsection (11) shall be effective only if the 565
state obtains any necessary federal waiver or approval and if 566
federal funds are available therefor. Not later than September 1, 567
2021, the department shall prepare a report, which shall be 568
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provided to the Chairmen of the House and Senate Public Health 569
Committees and to any other member of the Legislature upon 570
request, on the history, status, outcomes and effectiveness of the 571
agreements required under this subsection. 572
(12) Any unspent TANF funds remaining from the prior fiscal 573
year may be expended for any TANF allowable activities. TANF 574
funds shall be set aside for making grants as provided in Section 575
1 of this act. 576
(13) The Mississippi Department of Human Services shall 577
provide TANF applicants information and referral to programs that 578
provide information about birth control, prenatal health care, 579
abstinence education, marriage education, family preservation and 580
fatherhood. Not later than September 1, 2021, the department 581
shall prepare a report, which shall be provided to the Chairmen of 582
the House and Senate Public Health Committees and to any other 583
member of the Legislature upon request, on the history, status, 584
outcomes and effectiveness of the information and referral 585
requirements under this subsection. 586
(14) No new TANF program requirement or restriction 587
affecting a person's eligibility for TANF assistance, or allowable 588
work activity, which is not mandated by federal law or regulation 589
may be implemented by the Department of Human Services after July 590
1, 2004, unless such is specifically authorized by an amendment to 591
this section by the Legislature. 592
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ST: TANF funds; DHS shall use a portion of each
year to fund grants for marriage counseling to
military and first responders.
SECTION 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from 593
and after July 1, 2026. 594