Bill > HB118

This bill establishes a Hazard Pay for Essential Health Care Workers Grant Program, administered by the State Department of Health, to provide $1,500 in premium pay to eligible essential health care workers who faced an elevated risk of COVID-19 exposure in public settings. An "essential health care worker" is broadly defined to include various roles, from licensed professionals to support staff like janitorial and food service workers, as long as their job involves in-person interaction or handling items that have been or will be handled by others, and is not performed remotely. To qualify, these workers must also have an annual income of $75,000 or less. Employers of these workers can apply for grants from the Department using any available funds not legally restricted for this purpose, with the grant funds intended for prospective payments made after July 1, 2026, and not for past hazard pay. The Department will establish application procedures and deadlines, with awards determined at the discretion of the executive director, and must submit an annual report on the program to the Legislative Budget Committee. This program is set to expire on July 1, 2028.

Health and Social Services

https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/2026/pdf/history/HB/HB0118.xml