MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2019 Regular Session
To: Workforce Development
By: Representative Arnold
AN ACT TO CREATE THE SMALL BUSINESS EMPLOYEE BENEFIT TASK FORCE TO REVIEW AND EVALUATE THE POSSIBILITY OF PROVIDING INSURANCE FOR THOSE WHO ARE EMPLOYED AND LIVE BELOW THE POVERTY LEVEL IN MISSISSIPPI UNDER THE FEDERAL GUIDELINES THAT PROVIDE FOR SUCH; TO PROVIDE THAT THE TASK FORCE SHALL MAKE A REPORT OF ITS FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE LEGISLATURE BY DECEMBER 1, 2019; TO PROVIDE FOR THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE TASK FORCE; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:
SECTION 1. (1) There is created the Small Business Employee Benefit Task Force to review and evaluate the possibility of providing insurance for those who are employed and live below the poverty level in Mississippi under the federal guidelines that provide for such, and the effects that providing such insurance will have on the availability of health care for persons who are employed but are unable to afford health insurance for their family, and the effects on the health care system, particularly hospitals, with regard to reducing the high cost of uncompensated care for treating uninsured patients.
The task force shall make a report of its findings and recommendations to the Legislature by December 1, 2019, including any recommended legislation.
(2) The task force shall be composed of ten (10) members, as follows:
(a) Two (2) members of the House of Representatives to be appointed by the Speaker of the House;
(b) Two (2) members of the Senate to be appointed by the Lieutenant Governor;
(c) The Executive Director of the Division of Medicaid or his or her designee;
(d) The Executive Director of the State Department of Health or his or her designee;
(e) The Executive Director of the Department of Employment Security or his or her designee;
(f) The Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs of the University of Mississippi or his or her designee;
(g) The President of the Mississippi Hospital Association; and
(h) The President of the Mississippi State Medical Association.
(3) Legislative appointments shall be made within thirty (30) days after the effective date of this act. Within fifteen (15) days thereafter on a day to be designated jointly by the Speaker of the House and the Lieutenant Governor, the task force shall meet and organize by selecting from its membership a chairman and a vice chairman. The vice chairman shall also serve as secretary and shall be responsible for keeping all records of the task force. A majority of the members of the task force shall constitute a quorum. In the selection of its officers and the adoption of rules, resolutions and reports, an affirmative vote of a majority of the task force shall be required. All members shall be notified in writing of all meetings, and those notices shall be mailed at least fifteen (15) days before the date on which a meeting is to be held.
(4) The members of the task force who are not legislators shall be compensated at the per diem rate authorized by Section 25-3-69 and shall be reimbursed in accordance with Section 25-3-41 for mileage and actual expenses incurred in the performance of their duties. Legislative members of the task force shall be paid from the contingent expense funds of their respective houses in the same manner as provided for committee meetings when the Legislature is not in session. However, no per diem or expenses for attending meetings of the task force will be paid to legislative members of the task force while the Legislature is in session. No task force member may incur per diem, travel or other expenses unless previously authorized by vote, at a meeting of the task force, which action shall be recorded in the official minutes of the meeting. The nonlegislative members shall be paid from any funds made available to the task force for that purpose.
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2019.