House Concurrent Resolution 80

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION TO CREATE A JOINT STUDY COMMITTEE TO EVALUATE THE CURRENT STATE OF CHILD WELFARE SERVICES WITHIN THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI AND DETERMINE THE FEASIBILITY OF ALTERNATE STRATEGIES TO POSITIVELY AFFECT THE LIVES OF CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS THEREON; TO DIRECT THE JOINT COMMITTEE TO MAKE A WRITTEN REPORT OF ITS FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS BEFORE DECEMBER 1, 2004; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE SENATE CONCURRING THEREIN, That a Special Joint Study Committee is created to evaluate the current state of child welfare services and make recommendations thereon. The committee shall be composed of eight members as follows: the Chairman of the House Public Health and Human Services Committee and the Chairman of the Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee, who shall serve as cochairmen, the Vice Chairman of the House Public Health and Human Services Committee and the Vice Chairman of the Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee, two Representatives to be appointed by the Speaker of the House and two Senators appointed by the Lieutenant Governor.

Not later than 15 days after the date of sine die adjournment of the 2004 Regular Session of the Legislature, the Speaker of the House and the Lieutenant Governor shall make the necessary appointments to the committee. After the members are appointed, the committee shall meet in Jackson, Mississippi, on a date designated by the cochairmen to select a vice chairman of the committee, who shall also serve as secretary of the committee, to organize the committee and to establish rules for transacting its business and keeping records. An affirmative vote of a majority of the members shall be required in the adoption of rules, resolutions and reports.

All members of the committee shall be notified in writing of all regular and special meetings of the committee, which notices shall be mailed not less than five days before the dates of the meetings.

The committee may establish any subcommittees that it deems desirable to study and report to the committee with respect to any matter included in the scope of this resolution.

The committee shall make a written report of its findings and recommendations, and shall mail copies of the report to each member of the Legislature not later than December 1, 2004.

In carrying out the provisions of this resolution, the committee may utilize the services, facilities and personnel of all departments, agencies, offices and institutions of the state, including the state universities and community and junior colleges. The committee shall consult with the Executive Directors of the Department of Human Services, the Division of Medicaid, the Department of Mental Health and the Department of Health, who shall cooperate with the committee and provide the committee with any information and other assistance requested by the committee. The committee is encouraged to seek advice from various child and family advocate and social work groups in the state in order to understand the effect of any existing laws or any changes in law being considered by the committee.

For attending meetings of the committee, each member of the committee shall be paid a per diem compensation in the amount authorized by Section 25-3-69, Mississippi Code of 1972, and a mileage allowance and an expense allowance in the amount authorized by Section 5-1-47, Mississippi Code of 1972, to be paid from the contingent expense fund of the member's respective house. However, no per diem compensation, mileage allowance or expense allowance shall be paid for attending meetings of the committee while the Legislature is in session, and no per diem compensation, mileage allowance or expense allowance shall be paid without prior approval of the proper committee in the member's respective house.