Mississippi HB 90: Children's Advocacy Commission; create to coordinate and streamline the state's efforts to provide services to children.

Bill Text

H. B. No. 90 *HR26/R1225* ~ OFFICIAL ~ G1/2
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To: Public Health and Human
Services
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Representative Scott

HOUSE BILL NO. 90

AN ACT TO CREATE THE CHILDREN'S ADVOCACY COMMISSION; TO 1
PROVIDE THAT THE COMMISSION IS CHARGED WITH COORDINATING AND 2
STREAMLINING THE STATE'S EFFORTS TO PROVIDE NEEDED SERVICES TO 3
MISSISSIPPI'S CHILDREN; TO PROVIDE THE NUMBER OF MEMBERS ON THE 4
COMMISSION; TO REQUIRE THE COMMISSION TO REPORT TO THE GOVERNOR 5
AND CERTAIN COMMITTEES OF THE LEGISLATURE NOT LATER THAN DECEMBER 6
1 OF EACH YEAR; TO REQUIRE THE COMMISSION TO ADOPT INTERNAL 7
ORGANIZATIONAL PROCEDURES NECESSARY FOR THE EFFICIENT OPERATION OF 8
THE COMMISSION; TO AUTHORIZE THE COMMISSION TO ESTABLISH 9
SUBCOMMITTEES FOR CONDUCTING SPECIFIC PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES; TO 10
REQUIRE THE COMMISSION TO CREATE RESOURCE MAPS OF ALL FUNDS 11
RECEIVED FOR PROGRAMS AND SERVICES THAT SUPPORT CHILDREN IN THIS 12
STATE, TO ASSESS THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THOSE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES 13
AND TO DETERMINE THE FEASIBILITY OF MERGING, CONTINUING OR 14
DISCONTINUING THOSE PROGRAMS OR SERVICES; TO REQUIRE ALL AGENCIES, 15
DEPARTMENTS, INSTITUTIONS AND POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS OF THE STATE 16
THAT PROVIDE PROGRAMS OR SERVICES TO CHILDREN IN THIS STATE TO 17
CREATE AN ITEMIZED LIST OF THOSE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES, AND TO 18
COOPERATE WITH THE COMMISSION; TO PROVIDE THAT THE ITEMIZED LISTS 19
OF PROGRAMS AND SERVICES SHALL BE PROVIDED TO THE JOHN C. STENNIS 20
INSTITUTE OF GOVERNMENT AT MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY NOT LATER 21
THAN SEPTEMBER 1 OF EACH YEAR; TO PROVIDE THAT THE STENNIS 22
INSTITUTE SHALL COMPILE THE INFORMATION IN THOSE LISTS INTO ONE 23
DOCUMENT, AND PROVIDE THE COMPILED INFORMATION TO THE COMMISSION 24
AND CERTAIN COMMITTEES OF THE LEGISLATURE EACH YEAR; TO REQUIRE 25
THE COMMISSION TO PROVIDE THE INFORMATION RECEIVED AND PREPARED BY 26
IT TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 27
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 28
SECTION 1. (1) There is created the Children's Advocacy 29
Commission, which is charged with coordinating and streamlining 30

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the state's efforts to provide needed services to Mississippi's 31
children. The commission shall focus on a broad range of issues 32
and challenges, including fighting abuse and neglect, promoting 33
foster care and adoption, and raising public awareness of 34
children's issues. 35
(2) The commission shall have seventeen (17) members, 36
consisting of the following: 37
(a) One (1) person appointed by the Governor who has 38
demonstrated a strong commitment to and understanding of the 39
challenges and issues affecting Mississippi's children; 40
(b) The Executive Director of the Department of Human 41
Services, or his or her designee; 42
(c) A representative from a Mississippi public school 43
program, appointed by the Speaker of the House; 44
(d) A representative from a Mississippi private school 45
program, appointed by the Lieutenant Governor; 46
(e) The Executive Director of the State Department of 47
Health, or his or her designee; 48
(f) The Executive Director of the State Department of 49
Mental Health, or his or her designee; 50
(g) The Commissioner of Higher Education, or his or her 51
designee; 52
(h) The Executive Director of the State Board for 53
Community and Junior Colleges, or his or her designee; 54

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(i) The State Superintendent of Public Education, or 55
his or her designee; 56
(j) A member of the Mississippi Association of 57
Counselor Educators and Supervisors; 58
(k) A member of the Mississippi School Counselors 59
Association; 60
(l) A member of the Mississippi Community and Junior 61
College Counselors Association; 62
(m) A member of the Mississippi Association of Social 63
Workers; 64
(n) A member of the Mississippi Association of Marriage 65
and Family Therapists; 66
(o) A member of the Mississippi Primary Health Care 67
Association; 68
(p) A member of the Mississippi State Workforce 69
Investment Board; and 70
(q) A member of the Mississippi Speech-Language-Hearing 71
Association. 72
(3) The commission shall conduct its first meeting not 73
later than August 1, 2026. During its first meeting, the 74
commission shall choose a chairperson, a vice chairperson and a 75
secretary by majority vote, who shall serve in these positions for 76
twelve (12) months. The commission shall vote on these positions 77
annually. After the commission holds its first meeting, it shall 78
meet at such times and places as determined by its chairperson or 79

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a majority of the members of the commission. The commission shall 80
meet and conduct business at least quarterly. 81
The commission shall adopt internal organizational 82
procedures necessary for the effici