MS HB385

Requires all public assistance recipients age 18 and older who are not employed to participate in a job skills training program conducted by the Mississippi Department of Human Services as a condition of receiving benefits, including TANF, economic assistance, and Medicaid.

Establishes a job skills training program in conjunction with the Mississippi Department of Employment Security to provide instruction in employment-related skills to help recipients apply for, obtain, and maintain gainful employment.

Imposes penalties for noncompliance: first instance results in 90-day ineligibility for public assistance benefits; second and subsequent instances result in 180-day ineligibility.

Allows the Department of Human Services to establish varying minimum weekly participation hours based on recipient age, health status, and personal circumstances.

Implementation is contingent upon the state receiving all necessary federal waivers from the United States Department of Health and Human Services.