MS HB321

Creates a 17-member Children's Resource Commission charged with coordinating and streamlining Mississippi's efforts to provide services to children, focusing on abuse prevention, foster care, adoption, and public awareness.

Commission must conduct quarterly meetings, adopt internal procedures, establish subcommittees as needed, and hold open public meetings with opportunity for public comment.

Commission shall design resource mapping of all federal and state funding sources for children's programs, assess program effectiveness, and determine feasibility of merging, continuing, or discontinuing services.

All state agencies, departments, institutions, and political subdivisions providing children's services must submit itemized lists to the John C. Stennis Institute of Government by September 1 annually; the institute compiles and distributes the information to the commission and relevant legislative committees.

Commission must file annual reports to legislative appropriations, education, and public health committees by December 1 of each year and conduct meetings to explain the statewide impact of findings; effective July 1, 2015.