41-11-11 - Closure of Kuhn Memorial State Hospital, South Mississippi State Hospital, and Matty Hersee Hospital; procedures.
§ 41-11-11. Closure of Kuhn Memorial State Hospital, South Mississippi State Hospital, and Matty Hersee Hospital; procedures.
(1) From and after July 1, 1989, the Kuhn Memorial State Hospital at Vicksburg, the South Mississippi State Hospital at Laurel, and the Matty Hersee Hospital at Meridian shall be closed, and the Legislature shall not appropriate any funds for the operation of those hospitals after that date. For each such hospital for which title to the hospital buildings and the land upon which they are located remains in the State of Mississippi after closure of the hospital, except for any part thereof which has been previously leased to a political subdivision or which is used by another state agency or department, the Governor's Office of General Services, Bureau of Building, Grounds and Real Property Management, shall be authorized to sell and transfer title to each of such hospital buildings and such land to any individual, corporation or other entity for an amount not less than the fair market value thereof as determined by three (3) real estate appraisers. However, prior to any such sale, the Office of General Services shall publish notice of its intention to sell the same in a newspaper of general circulation in the county in which the property is located and in Hinds County, Mississippi, and in such publication shall solicit requests for proposals for the use of such property by agencies, departments or political subdivisions of the State of Mississippi. If proposals are received, the Office of General Services shall review the proposals to determine if any proposed use of the property, both real and personal, will reasonably be used to provide a needed service not presently provided by the State of Mississippi or by a political subdivision thereof. If the Office of General Services determines that such needed service may be provided by another state agency, department or political subdivision, it shall transfer title to the real and personal property, as may be needed, to such agency, department or political subdivision subject to any leases or uses of the property by another state agency, department or political subdivision. If no proposals are received, the Office of General Services may proceed with the sale of the property as provided above in this subsection. The Office of General Services shall submit to the Governor and the Legislature a copy of all proposals received and a detailed statement and explanation of its decision to transfer or not transfer such property no later than October 1, 1989. Any funds received from the sale of such buildings and land shall be paid into the State General Fund.
(2) Any equipment and supplies of such hospitals which cannot be used by any transferee agency, department or political subdivision and which may be used by the University Medical Center or any other agency or institution of the state shall be offered to the Medical Center and other state agencies and institutions, and may be given to any such agency or institution desiring the same upon request, at no charge. If the same equipment or supplies are requested by more than one (1) agency or institution, the State Fiscal Management Board shall determine which agency or institution will be given the equipment or supplies being requested. Any equipment and supplies remaining after being offered to the state agencies and institutions shall be sold by the Fiscal Management Board after advertising for bids thereon. Any funds received from the sale of such equipment and supplies shall be paid into the State General Fund.
(3) None of such hospitals shall admit any person as an inpatient into the hospital after June 15, 1989. Each of the hospitals shall make every effort to locate and make arrangements with hospitals or other appropriate institutions to provide treatment and care to any patients who will continue to need treatment and care after June 30, 1989.
(4) Any monies owed to such hospitals but not collected by June 30, 1989, including, but not limited to payments from Medicare, health or hospitalization insurance, other third parties, or from the patient or his family or estate, shall be paid to the Fiscal Management Board, which shall transfer all such monies received into the State General Fund. Any valid debts or other obligations of such hospitals incurred before July 1, 1989, which have not been paid or finally satisfied by June 30, 1989, including any that were not billed to the hospitals until after June 30, 1989, shall remain an obligation of the state and shall be paid by the Fiscal Management Board from funds appropriated for such purpose. Any ending cash balance of any such hospital on June 30, 1989, shall be applied to payment of any indebtedness or other obligations of that hospital before any other funds are used for such purpose.
Sources: Laws, 1989, ch. 527, § 1, eff from and after June 30, 1989, except subsection (3), eff from and after June 1, 1989.