MCA Chapter 31

in effect

Miss. Code Ann. § 43-31-1 Jurisdiction; county homes.

The board of supervisors of each county shall have the jurisdiction and power necessary and proper for the relief and support of the poor of its county, and it shall have control of the county home, and may employ a suitable person to take charge of the same. It shall see that the poor are properly treated; and it may provide nurses and physicians in such cases as it may deem proper, and purchase medicines, and payment therefor may be ordered out of the proper fund by warrant on the county treasurer.

Miss. Code Ann. § 43-31-3 Purchase land and erect buildings.

The board of supervisors may purchase, in the name of the county, not more than one hundred and sixty (160) acres of land for a county home and farm; and it may erect thereon suitable buildings and make all necessary contracts for these purposes.

Miss. Code Ann. § 43-31-5 May sell or exchange the property.

The board of supervisors may, when deemed proper, sell or exchange and convey the county home property, and purchase other property for such use.

Miss. Code Ann. § 43-31-7 Rules for government of county home.

The board of supervisors shall prescribe such rules as it may deem expedient for the government and support of the county home, and may discharge any superintendent and employ another.

Miss. Code Ann. § 43-31-9 Pauper employed in labor.

The board of supervisors may cause the superintendent of the county home to employ in labor such paupers as may be able to work, in such way as it may deem proper without endangering their health or without oppressing them; and a fair amount of the profits resulting from such labor shall be kept and returned to the board of supervisors.

Miss. Code Ann. § 43-31-11 Relief until removal.

The board of supervisors, and, in case of emergency, the supervisor of the district, may provide for the temporary relief of a pauper until he can be removed to the county home.

Miss. Code Ann. § 43-31-12 Transferred.

Transferred by Laws, 1993, ch. 512, § 1. [Laws, 1993, ch. 512, § 1, eff. from and after July 1, 1993]

Miss. Code Ann. § 43-31-13 Claims allowed.

The board of supervisors may allow, as far as be deemed right, the claims of persons, who, by authority of one of the supervisors, have temporarily taken care of, fed, clothed, administered to, or buried such paupers as were at the time proper subjects for relief, but could not at once be removed to the county home.

Miss. Code Ann. § 43-31-15 Tax for support of poor.

The board of supervisors shall annually assess and cause to be collected by the tax collector, and paid into the general fund of the county treasury, such tax as may be necessary for the support of the poor of the county.

Miss. Code Ann. § 43-31-17 Obligations not incurred except by authority of the board.

Money shall not be disbursed from the county treasury for the relief or support of paupers, except on the order of the board of supervisors; nor shall any obligations be incurred by the county, except by its authority.

Miss. Code Ann. § 43-31-19 Settlement of paupers.

To entitle any pauper to be supported by the county, he must have been a bona fide resident thereof for six (6) months prior to his application for support; and the settlement of the parent or parents shall entitle the children to a settlement.

Miss. Code Ann. § 43-31-21 Duty of each supervisor.

Whenever any member of the board of supervisors shall ascertain that there is a pauper in his district probably entitled to relief, it shall be his duty to examine into the pauper’s right to support; and if he be satisfied that such pauper has a settlement in his county, and is unable to support himself, or is entitled to be supported, or provided for by the county, he shall report the facts to the board of supervisors for its action; and in case of emergency, he may give his written order to the superintendent of the county home to receive such pauper; and may cause the pauper to be removed to the county home.

Miss. Code Ann. § 43-31-23 Support of pauper for his labor.

The board of supervisors may, with the consent of the pauper, contract with any person for keeping and maintaining any pauper for the work or service which may be rendered by him in compensation for his support and maintenance; and if any pauper shall refuse to abide by the disposition made of him by the board, he shall not be entitled to relief during his refusal.

Miss. Code Ann. § 43-31-25 Certain relatives bound to support pauper; liability of deceased pauper’s estate.

The father and grandfather, the mother and grandmother, and brothers and sisters, and the descendants of any pauper not able to work, as the board of supervisors shall direct, shall, at their own charge, relieve and maintain such pauper; and, in case of refusal, shall forfeit and pay the county the sum of One Hundred Fifty Dollars ($150.00) per month, for each month they may so refuse, to be recovered in the name of the county; and shall be liable to any governmental entity who supplies such poor relative, if abandoned, with necessaries, not exceeding said sum per month; and if any such relative be a nonresident he may be proceeded against by attachment, as in cases of attachment against debtors. The estate of any pauper, who before his death was being maintained by the county at a county home for paupers, shall be liable to the county in a sum equal to not more than One Hundred Fifty Dollars ($150.00) for each month or any part of a month for which the county maintained the pauper in a county home for paupers, such sum to be recovered in the name of the county in the same manner as provided by law for the recovery of claims of general creditors against the estate of a decedent.

Miss. Code Ann. § 43-31-27 Strolling paupers removed and, if sick, relieved.

The members of the board of supervisors shall prevent the poor from strolling from one district to another; and in case any pauper shall leave the county in which he may have a settlement, and remove to another county, any member of the board of supervisors may make an order to remove the pauper back to the county from which he came, directed to any constable to execute. But if the pauper be sick or disabled so that he cannot be removed, he shall be provided for in the county in which he may be found until he can be removed; and the county in which he had a legal settlement shall pay all charges occasioned by the support of the pauper and for removal, or burial in case of death, which shall constitute a charge against the county, and may be recoverable by action before the proper court. And it shall be the duty of the board of supervisors of the county to which any pauper belongs, to receive him, on his removal, and provide for him as in other cases.

Miss. Code Ann. § 43-31-29 Relief of those not entitled to a settlement; burial of strangers; indigent burial policy; board adjudication of person as pauper; board authorized to contribute funds or pay full cost of burial.

The board of supervisors of any county shall also relieve, support or employ paupers found or being in the county, though not entitled to a settlement therein, and, in case of their decease, shall decently bury them; and all expenses shall be chargeable to and recoverable from the county in which such pauper had a settlement; and the board shall decently bury all strangers dying in the county. The board shall establish an indigent burial policy which shall be spread upon the minutes of the board. The policy shall establish standards and eligibility criteria for the administration of indigent burials. The board may be able to establish the status of someone as a pauper, either before or after his death, based upon available records of recent public assistance and any other available evidence. After review of the records, the board may adjudicate a person as a pauper and shall spread upon its minutes the adjudication. The board, in its discretion, may then pay the full cost of burial or may contribute funds to assist in the cost of the burial.

Miss. Code Ann. § 43-31-31 Certain dead to be buried by corporate authorities.

The municipal authorities of every city, town, and village shall bury all strangers found dead within their limits, or found floating in any waters at a point adjoining their limits, and all expenses or charges shall be chargeable to the county; and an accurate account thereof shall be reported to the board of supervisors, who shall allow the same, and order it to be paid out of the county treasury; but the boards of supervisors may fix maximum charges for such burials.

Miss. Code Ann. § 43-31-33 Children of seven years of age or older not allowed at the county home.

It shall be unlawful for any superintendent of a county home to permit a healthy child of seven (7) years of age, or over, to remain at the county home; but all such children being there shall be reported to the board of supervisors, who shall deal with them in the same way as other poor children.

Miss. Code Ann. § 43-31-35 Bond required of commanders of vessels bringing into state certain persons who may require support and care.

If any person commanding a ship, vessel, steamboat, or other watercraft imports into this state, or brings to the shores or within the limits thereof, any infant, person with mental illness, maimed, aged or infirm person or vagrant who is likely to become chargeable on the county, on the requisition of the supervisor of the district or the mayor of any municipality, the captain, master, or commander of the ship, vessel, steamboat, or other watercraft shall enter into bond with sufficient sureties, payable to the county, conditioned to indemnify the county against all charges that may be incurred in the support and care of that person. Any captain, master, or commander failing or refusing to give the bond required shall forfeit and pay to the county the sum of Two Hundred Dollars ($200.00) for each infant, person with mental illness, maimed, aged, or infirm person or vagrant so brought into the state, to be recovered by action.

Miss. Code Ann. § 43-31-37 Master of vessel landing alien passengers.

When any ship, vessel, or steamboat shall arrive at any port or harbor with alien passengers on board, who are to be landed or left, and who may become a charge as paupers, the master or commanding officer of the vessel shall, before such passengers, or any of them, leave the ship, vessel or steamboat, deposit with the supervisor of the district where the passengers are to be landed or left, a list of their names, and shall forthwith enter into bond, with sufficient sureties, payable to the county, in a sufficient penalty, with condition to indemnify the county from all expenses which may arise from supporting or maintaining such aliens; and in default of such bond, the captain, master, or commander may be committed by any justice of the peace, or mayor of any city, town, or village, until the bond be executed; and, moreover, the captain, master, or commander shall be liable to be indicted, and, on conviction, shall be fined in the sum of one hundred dollars ($100.00) for each person landed in violation of this section; but the board of supervisors, on investigation of the matter, may dispense with the bond.

Miss. Code Ann. § 43-31-39 Distribution of federal surplus food commodities to needy.

The boards of supervisors of the several counties of Mississippi are hereby authorized and empowered, in their discretion, to cooperate with the United States Department of Agriculture and with the state department of public welfare and the respective county departments of public welfare in obtaining surplus food commodities to the end that these surplus food commodities may be available for distribution to needy persons under the program of surplus food commodity distribution provided by the agricultural adjustment act of August 24, 1935, as amended, the agricultural act of October 31, 1949, as amended, and all other acts of congress now or hereafter enacted authorizing the secretary of the United States Department of Agriculture, or any other agency of the United States government, to distribute designated available surplus food commodities free of charge, to any and all eligible needy persons in the state. The boards of supervisors of the several counties of Mississippi are authorized and empowered, in their discretion, to appropriate and set aside from any available funds, in either the pauper fund or the general fund, a sufficient amount with which they may lease, purchase or otherwise acquire storage facilities for such surplus food commodities, including storage under refrigeration, provide for the unloading, packaging, handling and distribution of said commodities and pay for such personnel or help as may be required in order to protect from waste and spoilage, to cooperate in the distribution of such commodities upon delivery to their respective counties, and may pay the rentals, salaries, and incidental expenses thereof, monthly, from their respective treasuries.