Senate Bill 2544

AN ACT TO CREATE A JOINT STUDY COMMITTEE TO EXAMINE AND DEVELOP RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING THE STRUCTURE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI MEDICAL CENTER; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. (1) There is hereby created a joint study committee to examine and develop recommendations regarding the structure of the University of Mississippi Medical Center as it compares to the structure of other academic medical centers throughout the United States.

(2) The study committee shall, at a minimum, study and report to the Legislature no later than December 15, 2021, the committee's recommendation as to the manner in which the University of Mississippi Medical Center should be structured from an organizational, operational and financial standpoint, and the committee's recommendation as to the academic medical center model that would be best and most efficient for the University of Mississippi Medical Center and the State of Mississippi. The study committee shall include the provisions of the current Mississippi law that will need to be amended to adopt the measures described in this section and any other measures recommended by the committee.

(3) The committee shall be composed of the following fourteen (14) members:

(a) The Chairman of the Senate Universities and Colleges Committee;

(b) The Chairman of the House Universities and Colleges Committee;

(d) The Chairman of the House Accountability, Efficiency and Transparency Committee;

(e) A member of the Senate appointed by the Lieutenant Governor;

(f) A member of the House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the House;

(g) One (1) member who is a current or former chief executive officer of a hospital, appointed by the Lieutenant Governor;

(h) One (1) member who is a current or former chief financial officer of a hospital, appointed by the Speaker of the House;

(i) Three (3) members with healthcare and business experience, one (1) appointed by the Governor, one (1) appointed by the Lieutenant Governor and one appointed by the Speaker of the House;

(j) The Chancellor of the University of Mississippi Medical Center or his/her designee, as a nonvoting, ex-officio member;

(k) The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Mississippi Medical Center or his/her designee, as a nonvoting, ex-officio member; and

(l) The Commissioner of the Institutions of Higher Learning or his/her designee as a nonvoting, ex-officio member.

(4) Appointments to the study committee shall be made within thirty (30) days of the effective date of this act. At the first meeting, the committee shall elect from among its membership a chairman, a vice chairman and any other officers determined to be necessary, and shall adopt rules for transacting business and keeping records.

(5) A majority of the members of the study committee shall constitute a quorum. In the adoption of rules, resolutions and reports, and in the election of a chairman, vice chairman and any other officers determined to be necessary, an affirmative vote of a majority of the members present shall be required.

(6) The Joint Legislative Committee on Performance Evaluation and Expenditure Review shall provide the staff and other support necessary for the study committee to perform its duties. Subject to an appropriation of state funds, the Joint Legislative Committee on Performance Evaluation and Expenditure Review may contract in an amount not to exceed Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($500,000.00) with any consultants that the committee finds necessary to perform its duties under this act.

(7) To effectuate the purposes of this act, any department, division, board, bureau, committee, institution or agency of the state, or any political subdivision thereof, shall, at the request of the chairman of the study committee, provide the facilities, assistance, information and data needed to enable the study committee to carry out its duties.

(8) Upon filing its report to the Legislature, the study committee shall be dissolved.

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