Sen. Brice Wiggins (R-Pascagoula) told the Associated Press that the bill was prompted by issues at Pascagoula, Miss.-based Singing River Health System, which, according to the report, divulged last year that in 2009 it stopped putting money into its employee pension fund, according to the report.
According to the report, some workers claim their retirement plans are ruined because of the health system’s actions, and Mr. Wiggins told the Associated Press that the issues could possibly have been avoided if the public and the media could access hospital board meetings that are often closed.
The system’s decision to liquidate its employee pension led to two lawsuits being filed against the system. Singing River employees fileda class-action lawsuit against the system alleging it committed corporate and financial fraud and breach of contract when it announced plans to take away employees’ pensions, and three Singing River retirees filed a lawsuit against the system, current and former members of its board of trustees and administrators alleging that the defendants breached their contracts with pension plan members and their fiduciary duties and committed fraud, among other allegations.
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