House Bill 205 Summary

• Creates the Children's Resource Commission with 17 members including gubernatorial appointees, state agency directors, and professional association representatives to coordinate and streamline services to Mississippi children.

• Requires the commission to design resource mapping of all federal and state funding for children's programs, assess program effectiveness, and determine feasibility of merging, continuing, or discontinuing services.

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

• Requires the commission to report findings to legislative committees by December 1 each year and conduct a meeting by December 15 to explain statewide impact of the report.

• Takes effect July 1, 2016; commission members receive no compensation but may be reimbursed for travel expenses.