House Bill 87

(As Sent to Governor)

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 43-1-23, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REQUIRE THAT THE DIRECTOR AND INVESTIGATORS OF THE MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES FRAUD INVESTIGATION UNIT HAVE LAW ENFORCEMENT AUTHORITY; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. Section 43-1-23, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

43-1-23. (1) There is created within the State Department of Human Services a separate administrative unit to be known as the "Fraud Investigation Unit." The Fraud Investigation Unit shall be headed by a director appointed by the Executive Director of the department. The Director of the Fraud Investigation Unit, and each investigator within the unit shall be a * * * ~~person who is~~ law enforcement officer, part-time law enforcement officer, or law enforcement trainee as defined in Section 45-6-3(c) through (e), Mississippi Code of 1972, and knowledgeable in the programs administered by the department. The Fraud Investigation Unit shall be responsible for:

(a) Conducting investigations for the purpose of aiding the department in the prevention of, detection of and verification of the perpetration of fraud or abuse of any program by any client, any vendor of services with whom the department has contracted, with any nonfederal entity in which the department has entered into an agreement with, or any employee of the department, and for the aiding of the department in the recoupment of any funds owed to the department as a result of fraud or abuse;

(b) The notification and forwarding of any information relevant to possible criminal violations to the appropriate prosecuting authority and assisting in the prosecution of any case referred to a prosecutor, if requested; and

(c) Such other duties as prescribed in regulations of the department, which shall include, but not be limited to, reporting any suspected criminal violations discovered in the course of an investigation by the Fraud Investigation Unit involving statutes not within the programmatic purview of the Department of Human Services such as human trafficking, domestic violence, child abuse or other crimes against persons to the Director of the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation. Additionally, investigators of the Fraud Investigation Unit shall cooperate in any investigation arising from a report to the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation and in any task force which currently exists or which may be created in the future by the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation.

(2) The Fraud Investigation Unit is authorized to employ such other investigative, technical, secretarial and support staff as may be necessary.

(3) The Fraud Investigation Unit shall not have state-wide police power except as otherwise provided herein or in the event the unit is granted and accepts additional authority as a contract agent of the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation pursuant to Section 45-1-6, Mississippi Code of 1972. In order to carry out the responsibilities of the Fraud Investigation Unit, the investigators may request and receive assistance from all state and local agencies, boards, commissions, and bureaus, including, without limitation, the * * * ~~State Tax Commission~~ Department of Revenue, the Department of Public Safety, and all public and private agencies maintaining data banks, criminal or other records that would enable the investigators to make verification of fraud or abuse in violation of state or federal statutes. All records and information shall be confidential and shall be available only to the Fraud Investigation Unit, district or county attorneys, the Attorney General, and courts having jurisdiction in criminal proceedings.

(4) The department is authorized to enter into contracts with other agencies administering aid or benefits or services under any state or federally funded assistance program which need the assistance of the department's Fraud Investigation Unit.

(5) To accomplish the objectives and to carry out the duties prescribed in this section, the executive director, or his designee, in addition to the powers conferred by this section, may issue subpoenas with the approval of, and returnable to, a judge of the circuit, county or chancery court, in termtime or in vacation, to examine the records, documents or other evidence of persons, firms, corporations or any other entities insofar as such records, documents or other evidence relate to dealings material to an investigation.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2021.