House Bill 51 Summary

• Creates the Mississippi Department of Labor, effective July 1, 2020, composed of five offices: Employment Security, Job Development and Training, Industry Service and Industry Start-up Training, Employee Relations and Job Discrimination, and Disabled Employee Assistance.

• Abolishes the Mississippi Department of Employment Security and transfers all duties, powers, equipment, supplies, records, and appropriated funds to the Office of Employment Security within the new Department of Labor.

• Establishes the Commissioner of Labor as an elected state official with a four-year term, beginning with the 2023 general election; the Governor shall appoint the initial Commissioner to serve from July 1, 2020, until the 2023 election.

• Sets the Commissioner of Labor's annual salary at $90,000.00 and grants the Commissioner authority to promulgate regulations, appoint office directors and staff, and supervise all department programs and services.

• Assigns specific responsibilities to department offices including administering federal job training programs, contracting with community colleges for industry training, promoting labor-management dispute resolution, and serving as an information clearinghouse for Americans with Disabilities Act compliance.