Senate Bill 2290

AN ACT TO CREATE THE "TASK FORCE TO STUDY WORK FORCE AND SOCIAL SERVICE REFORM AND IMPLEMENTATION OF A ONE DOOR POLICY"; TO LIST THE MEMBERS OF THE TASK FORCE; TO PROVIDE FOR MEETINGS AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE TASK FORCE; TO ALLOW THE TASK FORCE TO REQUEST THE HELP OF THE OFFICE OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT; TO REQUIRE THE TASK FORCE TO DRAFT A REPORT AND PRESENT IT TO THE LEGISLATURE; TO PROVIDE FOR DISSOLUTION OF THE TASK FORCE; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. (1) There is hereby established the "Task Force to Study Work Force and Social Service Reform and Implementation of a One Door Policy" to develop a recommendation to the Legislature relative to increasing the labor force participation rate in the State of Mississippi, as well as raising the earning capacity of working Mississippians through training and education for high wage, high demand, priority sector jobs in the state.

(2) The members of the task force shall be as follows:

(a) The Executive Director of the Office of Workforce Development (Accelerate MS), or his or her designee;

(b) The Chairman of the Economic and Workforce Chairman of the Mississippi State Senate and House of Representatives, or their designees;

(c) Two appointments from the Governor, two (2) appointments from the Lieutenant Governor, two (2) appointments from the Speaker of the House of Representatives;

(d) The State Superintendent of the Mississippi Department of Education, or his or her designee; and

(e) The Executive Director of the Mississippi Community College Board, or his or her designee.

(3) The task force shall meet within forty-five (45) days of the effective date of the act, and shall review and research the following issues relating to labor force participation rate and earning capacity in Mississippi including:

(a) Unfilled jobs in the state of Mississippi, record low unemployment rate and yet a lagging labor force participation rate under fifty-eight percent (58)% as measured by the United States Bureau of Labor and Statistics;

(b) Modernization of Mississippi's economy with an increasing need to access high-quality education and training programs across avenues from K-12, community college, universities, private sector and adult education opportunities;

(c) Technology utilization for state government agencies to share information and have a unified vision between agencies for a one door access for state resources and services to individuals of the state seeking employment, government assistance, or education to pursue higher per capita employment;

(d) Investigate a centralized location, including a clearing house of available public assistance programs, how to access and eligibility requirements;

(e) How reauthorization of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) by the United States Congress may create new opportunities to grant states to pilot comprehensive innovation demonstration programs; and

(f) An integrated system of workforce and social services may more effectively serve Mississippians in escaping poverty through targeted supports and work to achieve dignity and self-sufficiency and strengthen Mississippi's economy.

(4) The task force may request assistance of the Office of Workforce Development (Accelerate MS), Department of Human Services, the Mississippi Department of Employment Services, Mississippi Rehabilitation Services, NSPARC and other state agencies with expertise in employment and public assistance in the State of Mississippi.

(5) The members of the task force shall elect a chair from among the members. The task force shall develop and report its findings and recommendations for proposed legislation to the Legislature on or before December 1, 2024. A quorum of the membership shall be required to approve any final report and recommendation. Members of the task force shall be reimbursed for necessary travel expense in the same manner as public employees are reimbursed for official duties from any available funds, and members of the Legislature shall be reimbursed in the same manner as for attending out-of-session committee meetings.

(6) The Office of Workforce Development (Accelerate MS) shall provide necessary clerical assistance for meetings of the task force and the preparation of the report. Proposed legislation shall be prepared by the Legislative Services Offices of the Senate and House as requested.

(7) The task force shall be dissolved upon presentation of its report.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2025.