House Bill 764

AN ACT TO CREATE THE "MISSISSIPPI HEALTH CARE WORKERS RETENTION ACT OF 2022"; TO MAKE AN ADDITIONAL APPROPRIATION FROM THE CORONAVIRUS STATE FISCAL RECOVERY FUND TO THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH; TO PROVIDE THAT A PORTION OF THE FUNDS SHALL BE EXPENDED BY THE DEPARTMENT FOR PROVIDING FUNDS TO MISSISSIPPI LICENSED HOSPITALS TO PROVIDE PREMIUM PAY TO THEIR MISSISSIPPI LICENSED/CERTIFIED HEALTH CARE WORKERS WHO ARE PRIMARILY DEVOTED TO MITIGATING OR RESPONDING TO THE CURRENT COVID-19 PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY; TO PROVIDE THAT A PORTION OF THE FUNDS SHALL BE EXPENDED BY THE DEPARTMENT FOR PROVIDING FUNDS TO MISSISSIPPI LICENSED LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES TO PROVIDE PREMIUM PAY TO THEIR MISSISSIPPI LICENSED/CERTIFIED HEALTH CARE WORKERS WHO ARE PRIMARILY DEVOTED TO MITIGATING OR RESPONDING TO THE CURRENT COVID-19 PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY; TO PROVIDE THAT A PORTION OF THE FUNDS SHALL BE EXPENDED BY THE DEPARTMENT FOR PROVIDING FUNDS TO MISSISSIPPI LICENSED AMBULANCE SERVICES TO PROVIDE PREMIUM PAY TO THEIR MISSISSIPPI LICENSED/CERTIFIED HEALTH CARE WORKERS WHO ARE PRIMARILY DEVOTED TO MITIGATING OR RESPONDING TO THE CURRENT COVID-19 PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY; TO PROVIDE THAT A PORTION OF THE FUNDS SHALL BE EXPENDED BY THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH FOR PROVIDING FUNDS TO ELIGIBLE ENTITIES UNDER THIS ACT TO PROVIDE PREMIUM PAY TO THEIR MISSISSIPPI LICENSED/CERTIFIED HEALTH CARE WORKERS WHO ARE PRIMARILY DEVOTED TO MITIGATING OR RESPONDING TO THE CURRENT COVID-19 PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY TO BE DISTRIBUTED IN THE MANNER THAT THE DEPARTMENT DETERMINES IS THE MOST EQUITABLE AND EFFICIENT TO SUPPLEMENT THE FUNDS OTHERWISE PROVIDED AND TO EFFECTUATE THE PURPOSES OF THIS ACT; TO PROVIDE THAT MISSISSIPPI LICENSED/CERTIFIED HEALTH CARE WORKERS THAT QUALIFY FOR PREMIUM PAY UNDER THIS SECTION SHALL RECEIVE PREMIUM PAY WITHIN 60 DAYS OF THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS ACT SUBJECT TO THE RECIPIENT'S WRITTEN AGREEMENT TO CONTINUE EMPLOYMENT WITH THE RECIPIENT'S PRIMARY CURRENT EMPLOYER OR ANOTHER ELIGIBLE HEALTH CARE EMPLOYER IN THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI FOR FIVE MONTHS FOLLOWING THE RECEIPT OF SUCH PREMIUM PAY; TO FURTHER PROVIDE THAT THE WRITTEN AGREEMENT SHALL BE DEVELOPED AND PROMULGATED BY THE DEPARTMENT AND INCLUDE A PROVISION THAT THE LICENSED/CERTIFIED HEALTH CARE WORKER MAY BE REQUIRED TO REPAY TO THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI THE AMOUNT OF HIS OR HER PREMIUM PAY FUNDS IF THE TERMS OF THE AGREEMENT ARE NOT MET; TO PROVIDE CERTAIN REPORTING AND APPROVAL REQUIREMENTS UNDER THIS ACT; TO PROVIDE THAT NONE OF THE FUNDS PROVIDED UNDER THIS SECTION MAY BE USED TO PROVIDE PREMIUM PAY TO ANY LICENSED/CERTIFIED HEALTH CARE WORKERS WHO ARE WORKING UNDER A CONTRACT WITH A STAFFING AGENCY TO PROVIDE SERVICES IN THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI FOR A LIMITED DURATION OF LESS THAN ONE YEAR, SUCH AS TRAVEL NURSES, AS DETERMINED BY THE DEPARTMENT; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

In the House of Representatives

• Philip Gunn

  Sponsor

• House of Representatives floor amendmentAdopted

  Adopted Feb 2

• House of Representatives floor amendmentPending

• Senate committee amendmentAdopted

  Adopted Mar 15

l9n doesn't hold this bill's text yet.

In the House of Representatives Jan 17 – Feb 2

1. Jan 17Referred to the House committee on Appropriations
2. Jan 27Reported from committee in the House: title sufficient, do pass as a committee substitute
3. Feb 2Committee substitute adopted in the House
4. Amended in the House
5. Passed the House as amended

In the Senate Feb 7 – Mar 15

1. Feb 7Sent to the Senate
2. Feb 15Referred to the Senate committee on Appropriations
3. Mar 14Reported from committee in the Senate: title sufficient, do pass as amended
4. Mar 15Amended in the Senate
5. Passed the Senate as amended

Back in the House of Representatives Mar 16 – Apr 5

1. Mar 16Returned to the House to concur in the Senate's amendments
2. Mar 17Declined in the House to concur, and invited a conference
3. Mar 22Conferees named in the House: Read, Oliver and White
4. Conferees named in the Senate: Hopson, Polk and Michel
5. Mar 26Conference report filed in the Senate
6. Conference report filed in the House
7. Mar 27Recommitted in the Senate to the conferees for further conference
8. Recommitted in the House to the conferees for further conference
9. Mar 29Suspended from deadlines by House Concurrent Resolution 89
10. Apr 5Died in conference in the House