HB 989 Summary

• Creates the Mississippi Department of Child Protection Services as a separate state agency effective July 1, 2023, removing it from the Department of Human Services where it was previously housed as a subagency.

• Establishes a Commissioner of Child Protection Services appointed by the Governor with Senate approval, requiring a bachelor's degree plus 10 years of management/administrative experience, or a master's/doctoral degree plus 5 years of relevant experience.

• Transfers all records, property, contractual rights and obligations related to child protection services from the Department of Human Services to the new independent department.

• Makes conforming amendments to over 100 existing code sections referencing the former "Department of Human Services, Division of Family and Children's Services" to instead reference the "Department of Child Protection Services."

• Repeals sections 43-1-51, 43-1-53, 43-1-57, 43-1-59, 43-1-63, 43-51-1, and 43-51-9 related to the old division structure and the Family Preservation Act.