Child care; DHS shall transfer to CCDF the first $40 Million of unspent TANF funds from prior FY to be used for child care vouchers.

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To: Public Health and
Welfare
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Senator(s) Simmons (12th)

SENATE BILL NO. 2465

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