House Bill 296

AN ACT TO CREATE THE MISSISSIPPI COMMISSION ON WAGE REVIEW; TO REQUIRE THE COMMISSION TO EXAMINE THE WAGES PAID TO MISSISSIPPI EMPLOYEES, BOTH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE, ESTABLISH MEASURABLE GOALS AND BENCHMARKS FOR THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI RELATING TO WAGES, AND SUBMIT A REPORT OF ITS FINDINGS TO THE MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT OF EMPLOYMENT SECURITY AND THE MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE EVERY TWO YEARS; TO ESTABLISH THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE COMMISSION; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. (1) There is hereby created the Mississippi Commission on Wage Review to examine the wages paid to Mississippi employees, both public and private, establish measurable goals and benchmarks for the State of Mississippi relating to wages, and submit a report of its findings to the Mississippi Department of Employment Security and the Mississippi Legislature every two (2) years.

(2) The commission shall be composed of the following seven (7) members:

(a) The Executive Director of the Mississippi Department of Human Services, or his or her designee;

(b) The President of the Mississippi Manufacturers Association, or his or her designee;

(d) The President of the Magnolia Bar Association, or his or her designee;

(e) The State Director of the AARP Mississippi, or his or her designee;

(f) One (1) person appointed by the Governor from a nonprofit organization that works with job training and employment; and

(g) The State Economist, or his or her designee.

(3) The commission shall have the following duties:

(a) Review the wages of all employees within the State of Mississippi at least every two (2) years;

(b) Compare the wages paid to employees within the State of Mississippi to those wages paid to employees within the Southeastern region of the country;

(c) Provide reports and recommendations to the Mississippi Department of Employee Security regarding the wage differentials between those wages paid to employees in Mississippi and those wages paid to employees within the Southeastern region of the country; and

(d) Provide the report required under paragraph (c) of this subsection to the Legislature every two (2) years.

(4) Appointments shall be made within thirty (30) days after the effective date of this act. The commission shall hold its first meeting before August 1, 2024, and at its first meeting, the commission shall elect a chair and vice chair from among its membership.

(5) A majority of the members of the commission shall constitute a quorum. In the adoption of the rules, resolutions and reports, an affirmative vote of a majority of the members shall be required. All members shall be notified in writing of all meetings, such notices shall be mailed at least five (5) days before the date on which a meeting is to be held.

(6) To effectuate the purposes of this section, any department, division, board, bureau, committee or agency of the state or any political subdivision thereof, shall, at the request of the chair of the commission, provide such facilities, assistance and data as will enable the committee to properly carry out its duties.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage.