Senate Bill 2593

(COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE)

AN ACT TO ESTABLISH A "TASK FORCE TO STUDY MISSISSIPPI'S LABOR FORCE PARTICIPATION RATES"; TO PRESCRIBE THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE TASK FORCE AND PROVIDE FOR ITS ORGANIZATION; TO PROVIDE FOR A REPORT BY THE TASK FORCE; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. (1) There is hereby established the "Task Force to Study Mississippi's Labor Force Participation Rates" to develop a recommendation to the Legislature relative to increasing Mississippi's labor force participation rates and to propose legislation and rule changes based upon its recommendation.

(2) The members of the Task Force shall be as follows:

(a) The Chairman of the Labor Committee of the Mississippi Senate;

(b) The Chairmen of the Economic and Workforce Development Committees of the Mississippi Senate and the Mississippi House of Representatives;

(c) One (1) member of the Mississippi State Senate, to be named by the Lieutenant Governor; and one (1) member of the Mississippi House of Representatives, to be named by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, who are interested in labor force participation rates;

(d) The Director of the Mississippi Department of Employment Security or a designated deputy;

(e) The Chairman of the State Workforce Investment Board or a designated deputy;

(f) The Executive Director of the Office of Workforce Development or a designated deputy;

(g) The Executive Director of the Mississippi Development Authority or a designated deputy;

(h) One (1) designee to be chosen by the Chair of the Mississippi Economic Council;

(i) One (1) faculty member from a technical college, to be named by the Executive Director of the Mississippi Community College Board;

(j) One (1) small business owner, to be named by the Executive Director of the Mississippi Development Authority;

(k) One (1) minority business owner, to be named by the Executive Director of the Mississippi Development Authority; and

(l) One (1) Chief Executive Officer of a corporation domiciled in and doing business in Mississippi, to be named by the Executive Director of the Mississippi Development Authority.

(3) The Task Force shall meet within forty-five (45) days of the effective date of this act, upon the call of the Governor, and shall evaluate the current labor force participation rates in Mississippi. Specifically, the Task Force shall:

(a) Review the data used by the Bureau of Labor Statistics to compare Mississippi's labor force participation rate to that of other states;

(b) Consider specific obstacles faced by individuals in Mississippi's labor force;

(d) Review any other matters related to the above issues or related to increasing labor force participation in Mississippi.

(4) The Task force may request the assistance of any related organization with expertise in labor force participation rates.

(5) The members of the Task Force shall elect a Chair from among the members. The Task Force shall develop and report its findings and recommendations for proposed legislation to the Legislature on or before December 1, 2024. A quorum of the membership shall be required to approve any final report and recommendation. Members of the Task Force shall be reimbursed for necessary travel expense in the same manner as public employees are reimbursed for official duties from any available funds and members of the Legislature shall be reimbursed in the same manner as for attending out-of-session committee meetings.

(6) The Mississippi Department of Employment Security, using existing resources, shall provide necessary clerical support for the meetings of the Task Force and the preparation of the report. Proposed legislation shall be prepared by the Legislative Services Offices of the Senate and House as requested.

(7) Upon presentation of its report the Task Force shall be dissolved.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2024.