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SB 2945

General Fund; FY2026 appropriation for DFA for support at the 211 Mississippi helpline.

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Hillman Frazier

SB 2945 appropriates General Fund money to the DFA to support Mississippi's 211 helpline service in fiscal year 2026, connecting residents with social and emergency assistance information.

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Bill Summary · SB 2945

Legislative bill overview

SB 2945 proposes a General Fund appropriation for the Department of Finance and Administration (DFA) to provide financial support for the 211 Mississippi helpline during fiscal year 2026. The 211 service is a telephone hotline that connects residents with information about social services, healthcare, disaster assistance, and other community resources. This bill would dedicate state funding specifically to maintain and operate this helpline service.

Why is this important

The 211 helpline serves as a critical access point for vulnerable populations—including low-income residents, seniors, and people experiencing crises—to identify available social services and emergency assistance. State funding for such services can determine whether helplines maintain adequate staffing, technology infrastructure, and call capacity. Without dedicated appropriations, these services often operate on grant funding or reduced capacity, potentially leaving residents unable to reach help when needed.

Potential points of contention

  • Funding priority: Some legislators may question whether state General Fund dollars should prioritize a helpline versus direct service provision or other budget priorities
  • Operational efficiency: Questions about whether DFA is the appropriate agency to manage funding for this service, or if another entity could administer it more effectively
  • Sustainability: Concern about creating ongoing budget commitments without long-term funding mechanisms or performance metrics that demonstrate the helpline's impact and cost-effectiveness

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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