Senate Bill 2842

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTIONS 33-15-401 AND 33-15-403, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO ESTABLISH AN OFFICE OF DISASTER ASSISTANCE COORDINATION AND ADVOCACY IN THE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION; TO PRESCRIBE THE DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE OFFICE RELATIVE TO SUPPORT ACTIVITIES FOR DISASTER SURVIVORS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. Section 33-15-401, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

33-15-401. (1) The Legislature finds and declares the following: When a major natural disaster such as Hurricane Katrina occurs in Mississippi, there are various types of assistance that are available to individuals and public entities through the federal and state governments to help them recover from the disaster. The majority of that assistance comes from the federal government, and most of the federal assistance is provided through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). At the state level, most of the assistance is provided through the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA). However, there are also programs in other federal and state agencies that provide assistance and benefits to disaster victims, as well as disaster assistance programs run by public and private entities and disaster-related in-kind donations made by private entities and individuals. Because these other disaster assistance programs and in-kind donations are spread out among a number of agencies and entities, disaster victims sometimes are not aware of the existence of these programs and in-kind donations other than those provided through FEMA and MEMA. After a disaster has occurred, it would be very beneficial for the victims of the disaster to have a single entity in the state, one point of contact, where individuals and public entities would be able to obtain information about those other disaster assistance programs and disaster-related in-kind donations, obtain all of the forms and materials necessary in order to receive the benefits of those programs and in-kind donations, and receive assistance in completing and filing the applications for those programs and in-kind donations.

(2) The Legislature further finds that disaster victims are not experts in the field of applying for disaster assistance, and the State of Mississippi, is in need of additional resources to assist disaster victims in applying for assistance. The intention of this act is to assess and address a disaster survivor's unmet needs through a disaster recovery plan. This disaster recovery plan includes resources, decision-making priorities, providing guidance, advocacy and tools to assist disaster survivors.

SECTION 2. Section 33-15-403, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

33-15-403. (1) There is established within the * * * ~~Office of the Governor~~ Department of Finance and Administration a separate and distinct office to be known as the Office of Disaster Assistance Coordination and Advocacy. The office shall be the primary entity responsible for coordinating information regarding disaster assistance provided by federal agencies other than the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), by state agencies other than the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA), and by other public and private entities that provide various types of assistance and benefits to victims of major natural disasters.

(2) The Office of Disaster Assistance Coordination and Advocacy shall be authorized and empowered to appoint a Director and necessary employees, and establish and equip office facilities, subject to available appropriation therefor, as necessary to carry out the functions assigned to the office.

(3) The duties and responsibilities of the Office of Disaster Assistance Coordination and Advocacy shall be as follows:

(a) To serve as a single point of contact where individuals and public entities that are victims of major disasters may obtain information about all federal and state programs that provide assistance and benefits to disaster victims other than those provided by FEMA or MEMA, as well as information about the availability of disaster-related in-kind donations by private entities and individuals;

(b) To provide victims of major disasters with all of the forms and materials necessary in order to receive the benefits of those disaster assistance programs and disaster-related in-kind donations, and provide them with assistance in completing and filing the applications for those programs and in-kind donations;

(c) To coordinate and cooperate with FEMA, MEMA, other federal and state agencies and other public and private entities in providing and sharing information, forms and materials related to disaster assistance programs and disaster-related in-kind donations;

(d) To work with MEMA in coordinating information, revenues, programs and assistance made available in Mississippi by FEMA, whether directly through FEMA or through MEMA;

(e) To provide additional government assistance that may become available after a federal disaster declaration, including the following:

(i) Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA);

(ii) Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP);

(iii) Housing and Mortgage Relief;

(iv) Short-term and long-term federal student loan debt relief;

(v) Avoiding home repair fraud;

(vi) Identifying debt settlement scams;

(viii) Low-income household assistance in paying utility bills and internet connectivity;

(ix) Elder consumer insurance and assistance benefits following a disaster;

(x) Landlord-tenant relief programs;

(xi) Crisis counseling assistance and training through community-based outreach and psycho-educational services;

(xii) Disaster case management (DCM) plans and programs;

(xiii) Disaster legal services (DLS);

(xiv) Voluntary agency coordination and long-term recovery programs;

(xv) Home repair application services and deadline advice;

(xvi) Disaster recovery center (DRC) facilities and mobile offices; and

( * * *ef) To perform such other duties relating to disaster assistance information as may be prescribed by the Governor and MEMA.

SECTION 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2024.