MS HB1407

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

Commission must design resource maps of all federal and state funding 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 by November 1 and to legislative committees by December 1.

Commission must file annual reports to legislative appropriations, education, and public health committees by December 1 and conduct meetings by December 15 to explain statewide impact of findings.

Commission members receive no compensation but may be reimbursed for travel expenses; commission must meet at least quarterly and hold open meetings with public comment opportunities.