House Bill NO. 1255

By Senator(s) Committee

SECTION 1. Section 31-7-38, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

31-7-38. The * * * board of trustees or governing board of any hospital or regional mental health center owned or owned and operated separately or jointly by the State of Mississippi or any of its branches, agencies, departments or subdivisions, or by one or more counties, cities, towns, supervisors districts or election districts, or combinations thereof, may authorize by resolution the organization and operation of, or the participation in, a group purchasing program with other hospitals or regional mental health centers, for the purchase of supplies, commodities and equipment when it appears to the board of trustees or governing board that such a group purchasing program could or would affect economy or efficiency in their operations. Purchases by hospitals or regional mental health centers participating in group purchasing programs of supplies, commodities and equipment through such programs shall be exempt from the provisions of Sections 31-7-9, 31-7-10, 31-7-11, 31-7-12 and 31-7-13. The Mississippi Department of Mental health shall develop and submit to the Chairmen of the Senate and House Appropriations Committees a report analyzing the savings and economic benefits of the group purchasing program authorized under this section for state hospitals or regional mental health centers compared to the purchasing procedures authorized prior to passage of House Bill No. 1255, 2001 Regular Session. This section shall stand repealed on July 1, 2005.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2001.

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 31-7-38, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO ALLOW HOSPITALS AND REGIONAL MENTAL HEALTH CENTERS OWNED BY THE STATE OR ANY OF ITS AGENCIES TO PARTICIPATE IN GROUP PURCHASING PROGRAMS WITH OTHER HOSPITALS OR REGIONAL MENTAL HEALTH CENTERS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.