Mississippi Hospital Recovery Trust Program; create to provide grants to public hospitals at high financial risk.

HB 71 creates the Mississippi Hospital Recovery Trust Program within the Department of Finance and Administration to provide grants to public hospitals facing severe financial distress. The program establishes a special fund to award grants to eligible hospitals that submit documentation proving they meet the defined "high financial risk" criteria (such as poor profits, high debt, or large uninsured patient volumes). Grants must be approved and distributed within five business days of application, with priority given to hospitals at immediate risk of closing. Hospitals receiving grants must report how funds were used annually to the Joint Legislative Budget Committee. This bill directly affects Mississippi public hospitals, aiming to prevent closures and maintain community healthcare access.