Video: Bill Would Open Hospital Meetings, Expand Records Process

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JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Some senators want to open now-closed public hospital board meetings and expand access to hospital records.

The Senate Accountabilty, Efficiency and Transparency Committee Wednesday passed Senate Bill 2407. A reaction to troubles at Singing River Health System in Jackson County, the measure moves to the full Senate.

The bill allows hospital boards to close meetings for some reasons, including discussing physician recruitment.

It says financial reports, audits, budgets and meeting minutes are public records and requires financial documents be posted online.

County supervisors could remove hospital trustees for good cause. The bill clarifies trustees must live in the city or county that owns the hospital and says they can’t be a felon, must have a high school diploma and can’t owe a debt to the hospital or be suing it.

-Publicly owned hospitals in the WCBI viewing area: Neshoba General Hospital in Philadelphia, Tyler Holmes Memorial Hospital in Winona, Magnolia Regional Health Center in Corinth, Yalobusha County General Hospital in Water Valley, Grenada Lake Medical Center in Grenada, Calhoun County Health Services in Calhoun City, OCH Regional Medical Center in Starkville, Noxubee General Hospital in Macon, and Montfort Jones Memorial Hospital in Kosciusko.