Supplementary state food stamp program for elderly recipients; create and fund.

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To: Public Health and
Welfare; Appropriations
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Senator(s) Norwood

SENATE BILL NO. 2460

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 43-1-7, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO 1
REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES TO ESTABLISH A 2
SUPPLEMENTARY STATE FOOD STAMP PROGRAM FOR ELDERLY RECIPIENTS; TO 3
PROVIDE THAT RECIPIENTS MUST BE AT LEAST 65 YEARS OF AGE; TO 4
PROVIDE THAT RECIPIENTS MAY RECEIVE $100.00 PER MONTH; AND FOR 5
RELATED PURPOSES. 6
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 7
SECTION 1. Section 43-1-7, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 8
amended as follows: 9
43-1-7. (1) The Department of Human Services may establish 10
family resource centers to help families who are receiving or are 11
eligible to receive assistance from government agencies to 12
facilitate their access to services and resources that will lead 13
to increased family independence. 14
(2) The department shall carry out an intense public 15
information campaign to inform low-income workers, and especially 16
public assistance recipients, of the availability of and 17
application rules for the federal Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), 18
in order to maximize the refund of federal income tax withheld 19
from those persons. The information campaign shall include 20
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publishing and circulating bulletins or notices to recipients of 21
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) benefits and other 22
public assistance that publicize and explain the EITC and the 23
criteria for family eligibility for the EITC. The department also 24
shall carry out an intense information campaign to inform 25
employers of the availability of and the criteria for eligibility 26
for the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC), which offers employers 27
a credit against their federal tax liability for hiring people 28
from certain target groups, including TANF recipients, and to 29
inform employers of the availability of and the criteria for 30
eligibility for the state income tax credit for employers who hire 31
persons receiving TANF benefits as authorized under Section 32
27-7-22.1. 33
(3) The department shall establish and maintain a statewide 34
incoming wide area telephone service hotline for the purpose of 35
reporting suspected cases of welfare eligibility fraud, food stamp 36
fraud and Medicaid fraud. The department is authorized, subject 37
to the extent of appropriations available, to offer financial 38
incentives to individuals for reporting such suspected cases of 39
public assistance fraud. 40
(4) Any applicant for or recipient of TANF benefits or Food 41
Stamps shall be required to agree that, as a condition of 42
eligibility for those benefits, the person will cooperate with the 43
department in determining paternity for the purposes of enforcing 44
child support obligations. The department shall utilize methods 45
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ST: Supplementary state food stamp program for
elderly recipients; create and fund.
and procedures provided for by state or federal law in determining 46
paternity and enforcing child support obligations. 47
(5) The department shall establish and fund a supplementary 48
state food stamp program for elderly recipients. Applicants must 49
be at least sixty-five (65) years of age. Approved applicants for 50
such food stamp program may receive One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) 51
per month. The department shall promulgate rules and regulations 52
to administer such program. 53
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from 54
and after July 1, 2026. 55