House Bill 1455

AN ACT TO CREATE A JOINT COMMITTEE TO CONDUCT A FEASIBILITY STUDY ON THE STATE'S UTILIZING ONE INSURANCE PROVIDER; TO DETERMINE THE IMPACT ONE INSURANCE PROVIDER WOULD HAVE ON THE STATE; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. (1) There is created an insurance reform study committee. The committee shall consist of the following members: (a) the Chairman of the Senate Insurance Committee; (b) the Chairman of the House of Representatives Insurance Committee; (c) one (1) employee of the Office of Insurance in the Department of Finance and Administration appointed by the executive director of the department; (d) three (3) members of the Senate Insurance Committee appointed by the Lieutenant Governor; and (e) three (3) members of the House of Representatives Insurance Committee appointed by the Speaker of the House.

The Chairman of the Senate Insurance Committee and the Chairman of the House Insurance Committee shall serve as cochair of the study committee.

For attending meetings of the committee, each legislative member shall be paid per diem in the amount authorized by Section 25-3-69 and a mileage allowance and an expense allowance in the amount authorized by Section 5-1-47 from the contingent expense fund of his respective house. However, no per diem, mileage allowance or expense allowance shall be paid for attending meetings of the committee while the Legislature is in session, and no per diem, mileage allowance or expense allowance shall be paid without prior approval of the proper committee in the member's respective house.

(2) In conducting its activities, the committee may elicit the support of and participation by any commercial, industrial, governmental, environmental, minority and public interest organizations and associations, or individual members thereof, and any federal, state and local agencies and political subdivisions as may be necessary or appropriate in the furtherance of the study.

(3) The Office of Insurance in the Department of Finance and Administration or the department's designee shall coordinate the study of the advantages and disadvantages of utilizing one (1) insurance provider for the state, and the committee shall develop a plan of action which may be implemented by the Legislature to establish one (1) insurance provider for the state and shall design one (1) package of benefits, similar to the Medicaid benefits, for the state and school employees.

(4) The committee shall prepare a report of the study with recommendations and file the report with the Legislature by December 31, 2002. Upon presentation of its report to the Legislature, the committee shall be dissolved.

(5) Nothing in this act shall restrict the discussion and consideration by the committee of any other insurance laws, rules, and regulations in addition to the matters described in subsection (3) of this section.

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