HB764: "Mississippi Health Care Workers Retention Act of 2022"; create.

Legislative Summary

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.