Bill > HB1513

This bill establishes new eligibility requirements for non-U.S. citizens applying for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which provides food assistance, and Medicaid, which provides health coverage for low-income individuals. Under this bill, individuals who are not U.S. citizens will only be eligible for SNAP and Medicaid if they meet the federal definitions of an "eligible alien" and a "qualified alien." The state's Department of Human Services and Division of Medicaid will be required to verify this status using the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) service, a federal system for checking immigration status, or by requiring acceptable proof of citizenship or eligible alien status. If a household member's eligible alien status cannot be verified, the department will report this information to appropriate law enforcement or federal agencies, including the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Department of Agriculture for SNAP, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for Medicaid. The bill also outlines specific procedures for Medicaid, including a single "reasonable opportunity period" for applicants to provide verification, and requires presumptive eligibility applications to include a field for citizenship or eligible alien status. Furthermore, hospitals that accept Medicaid will need to collect and report information on patient immigration status, and the Division of Medicaid will submit an annual report to state leadership detailing this information and its impact on uncompensated care costs. The bill takes effect on July 1, 2026.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/2026/pdf/history/HB/HB1513.xml