Senate Bill 2385

AN ACT TO REQUIRE THE GAMING COMMISSION AND THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES TO PROMULGATE RULES AND REGULATIONS PROVIDING FOR THE WITHHOLDING OF GAMING PRIZES OF PERSONS WHO HAVE OUTSTANDING CHILD SUPPORT ARREARAGES; TO STATE LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS AND INTENT; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. (1) The Legislature finds that children are adversely affected when parents who have outstanding child support obligations divert their financial support to gaming. Therefore, it is the intent of the Legislature that a parent's winnings should be applied to the parent's outstanding child support obligations.

(2) The Mississippi Gaming Commission shall coordinate with the Mississippi Department of Human Services to promulgate rules and regulations providing for the withholding of gaming prizes of persons who have outstanding child support arrearages as reported to the commission, beginning at prize levels to be determined by the commission. The commission may require any agency reporting current child support arrearages to the commission to provide information relating to such arrearages in a manner, format or record approved by the commission. The commission shall not be liable for withholding a gaming prize based upon child support arrearage information provided to it. Additionally, the commission shall employ the same methods, procedures and parameters to withhold gaming prizes for persons who have delinquent debt as submitted by a claimant agency to the Department of Revenue for recovery under Section 27-7-501 et seq. The commission shall not be liable for withholding a gaming prize based upon delinquent debt information provided to it by the Department of Revenue.

(3) To the extent feasible, the commission shall coordinate with state agencies to promulgate administrative rules and regulations providing for the withholding of gaming prizes of persons who have outstanding debts owed to the state.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2023.