House Bill 1619

AN ACT TO AUTHORIZE THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF HANCOCK COUNTY, MISSISSIPPI, TO ALLOW THE SHERIFF OF THE COUNTY TO EMPLOY PERSONNEL TO PROVIDE OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH SERVICES AND TO PROVIDE PREVENTIVE PRIMARY CARE AND ACUTE CARE TO COUNTY EMPLOYEES AND THEIR DEPENDENTS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. (1) The Board of Supervisors of Hancock County, Mississippi, is authorized and empowered, in its discretion, to allow the Sheriff of Hancock County, Mississippi, to employ personnel to provide occupational health services and employee and eligible dependent health care services.

(2) Pursuant to this section, the Sheriff of Hancock County, Mississippi, utilizing duly licensed and certified personnel, may provide occupational health services and employee and eligible dependent health care services to include without limitation the following authorizations:

(a) For the sheriff's medical staff to provide occupational health services to county employees;

(b) For the sheriff's medical staff to provide preventive primary care and acute care (employee and dependent health care) to county office employees;

(c) For the sheriff to expand the health care services provided under this section to insured dependents of county employees should the staffing resources be able to support the expansion and the board of supervisors consents to and approves the expansion;

(d) For the sheriff to hire additional personnel to assist with program operations;

(e) For the sheriff to devote office/medical space for the purposes prescribed under this section, or in conjunction with the board of supervisors within other county buildings, to house this program; and

(f) For the sheriff to expend funds from within his board approved operating budget, or the board of supervisors may expend funds in the county's general budget, to purchase equipment and supplies for this program.

(3) All health records maintained by the sheriff's duly licensed and certified medical personnel shall be protected under federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability (HIPAA) regulations, and shall be exempt from production to the public and from the Mississippi Public Records Act as found under

Section 25-1-61 et seq.

(3) All health records maintained by the sheriff's office shall be maintained appropriately and independent of each other, in compliance with federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability (HIPPA) regulations. Occupational health records shall be separate from employee and dependent health records.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage.