Senate Bill 2023

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 43-13-409, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO AUTHORIZE THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE HEALTH CARE TRUST FUND TO HIRE INDEPENDENT COUNSEL TO RECOVER ANY FUNDS DIVERTED OR DIRECTED AWAY FROM THE TRUST; TO FURTHER AUTHORIZE THE TRUST TO BRING ANY OTHER CIVIL ACTION NECESSARY AGAINST ANY PERSON OR PERSONS WHO CAUSED OR PARTICIPATED IN DIRECTING OR DIVERTING FUNDS FROM THE TRUST; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. Section 43-13-409, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

43-13-409. (1) There is established a board of directors to invest the funds in the Health Care Trust Fund and the Health Care Expendable Fund. The board of directors shall consist of thirteen (13) members as follows:

(a) Seven (7) voting members as follows: the State Treasurer, or his designee, the Executive Director of the Department of Finance and Administration, or his designee, and one (1) member from each congressional district to be appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate. Of the members appointed by the Governor, one (1) member shall be appointed for an initial term that expires on March 1, 2000; one (1) member shall be appointed for an initial term that expires on March 1, 2001; one (1) member shall be appointed for an initial term that expires on March 1, 2002; one (1) member shall be appointed for an initial term that expires on March 1, 2003; and one (1) member shall be appointed for an initial term that expires on March 1, 2004. Upon the expiration of any of the initial terms of office, the Governor shall appoint successors by and with the advice and consent of the Senate for terms of five (5) years from the expiration date of the previous term. Any member appointed by the Governor shall be eligible for reappointment. Each member appointed by the Governor shall possess knowledge, skill and experience in business or financial matters commensurate with the duties and responsibilities of the board of directors in administering the Health Care Trust Fund and the Health Care Expendable Fund.

(b) Two (2) nonvoting, advisory members of the Senate shall be appointed by the Lieutenant Governor, and one (1) nonvoting, advisory representative of the health care community shall be appointed by the Lieutenant Governor, who shall serve for the length of the term of the appointing official and shall be eligible for reappointment.

(c) Two (2) nonvoting, advisory members of the House of Representatives shall be appointed by the Speaker of the House, and one (1) nonvoting, advisory representative of the health care community shall be appointed by the Speaker of the House, who shall serve for the length of the term of the appointing official and shall be eligible for reappointment.

(d) Any person appointed to fill a vacancy on the board of directors shall be appointed in the same manner as for a regular appointment and shall serve for the remainder of the unexpired term only.

(2) Nonlegislative members of the board of directors shall serve without compensation, but shall be reimbursed for each day's official duties of the board at the same per diem as established by Section 25-3-69, and actual travel and lodging expenses as established by Section 25-3-41. Legislative members of the board of directors shall receive the same per diem and expense reimbursement as for attending committee meetings when the Legislature is not in regular session.

(3) The State Treasurer shall be the chairman of the board of directors. The board of directors shall annually elect one (1) member to serve as vice chairman of the board. The vice chairman shall act as chairman in the absence of or upon the disability of the chairman or if there is a vacancy in the office of chairman.

(4) All expenses of the board of directors in carrying out its duties and responsibilities under this article, including the payment of per diem and expenses of the nonlegislative members of the board, shall be paid from funds appropriated to the State Treasurer's office for that purpose.

(5) The board of directors shall invest the funds in the Health Care Trust Fund and the Health Care Expendable Fund in any of the investments authorized for the Mississippi Prepaid Affordable College Tuition Program under Section 37-155-9, and those investments shall be subject to the limitations prescribed by Section 37-155-9.

(6) In furtherance of the powers granted under subsection (5) of this section, the board of directors shall have such powers as necessary or convenient to carry out the purposes and provisions of this article, including, but not limited to, the following express powers:

(a) To contract for necessary goods and services, to employ necessary personnel, and to engage the services of consultants for administrative and technical assistance in carrying out its duties and responsibilities in administering the Health Care Trust Fund and the Health Care Expendable Fund;

(b) To administer the Health Care Trust Fund and the Health Care Expendable Fund in a manner that is sufficiently actuarially sound to meet the obligations of this article and to establish a comprehensive investment plan for the purposes of this article, which shall specify the investment policies to be utilized by the board of directors in administering the funds;

(c) Subject to the terms, conditions, limitations and restrictions specified in Section 37-155-9, the board of directors shall have power to sell, assign, transfer and dispose of any of the securities and investments of the Health Care Trust Fund and the Health Care Expendable Fund, provided that any such sale, assignment or transfer has the majority approval of the entire board; * * *

(d) To annually prepare or cause to be prepared a report setting forth in appropriate detail an accounting of the Health Care Trust Fund and the Health Care Expendable Fund and a description of the financial condition of the funds at the close of each fiscal year, including any recommendations for legislation regarding the investment authority of the board of directors over the funds. The report shall be submitted to the Governor and the Legislative Budget Office on or before September 1 of each fiscal year; and

(e) Shall, from funds appropriated by the Legislature, hire independent counsel to bring any suit necessary to recover for the trust any funds that have been diverted or otherwise directed to persons, entities, or accounts other than the trust to bring any civil action the board deems appropriate against any person who caused or participated in any action which resulted in the directing or diverting of trust funds to a person, entity, or account other than the trust. The board shall have the exclusive authority to hire such counsel without approval or oversight from any other person or officer.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2005.