Senate Bill 2723 Summary

• Revises requirements for Mississippi Works Fund expenditures to include support for local economic and community development activities related to workforce development, in addition to training unemployed persons and creating job-ready applicants.

• Establishes a $5,000 threshold for competitive bidding requirements on contractual services for the Office of Workforce Development and requires contracts using Workforce Investment Fund monies to meet state contract requirements under Section 31-7-1 et seq.

• Requires the Department of Human Services to collaborate with the Office of Workforce Development on TANF programs related to job placement, job training, and job retention.

• Designates December 31 as the date for determining the Unemployment Compensation Fund cash balance used in calculating the "exposure criterion" for calendar years 2020 and 2021.

• Restructures the Mississippi Prison Industries Corporation board of directors from eleven members to five members, including the Commissioner of Corrections, and requires the corporation to establish education and training programs in collaboration with the Office of Workforce Development.