MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

1997 Regular Session

To: Appropriations

By: Representatives Henderson (9th), Maples, Comans, Hamilton, Holland, Simmons (37th), Stringer, Warren

AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR THE SUPPORT AND MAINTENANCE OF THE STATE FORESTRY COMMISSION FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 1998.  

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. The following sum, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is hereby appropriated out of any money in the State General Fund not otherwise appropriated, for the support and maintenance of the State Forestry Commission for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1997, and ending June 30, 1998

$ 19,857,721.00.

SECTION 2. The following sum, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is hereby appropriated out of any money in the special fund in the State Treasury to the credit of the State Forestry Commission which is comprised of special source funds collected by or otherwise available to the commission, for the support and maintenance of the commission for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1997, and ending June 30, 1998

$ 9,805,249.00.

Of the funds specified in this section, Two Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars ($250,000.00) shall be deposited in a fund created in the State Treasury called the "Forest Improvement Revolving Fund." Money in this fund shall be used by the State Forestry Commission to assist in the reforestation and growth improvement of the forests, woodlands, and publicly owned lands of the state, including sixteenth section lands, Camp Shelby, Columbia Training School and colleges and universities. Landowners who contract with the commission for such work shall pay to the commission its actual cost for conducting such work. Money received for this work by the commission shall be paid into the State Treasury, and the State Treasurer shall deposit such money in the "Forest Improvement Revolving Fund."

SECTION 3. Of the funds appropriated under the provisions of Sections 1 and 2, not more than the amounts set forth below shall be expended for the respective major objects or purposes of expenditure:

MAJOR OBJECTS OF EXPENDITURE:

Personal Services:

Salaries, Wages and Fringe Benefits $ 19,722,970.00

Travel and Subsistence 80,000.00

Contractual Services 2,460,000.00

Commodities 2,050,000.00

Capital Outlay:

Other Than Equipment 200,000.00

Equipment 1,350,000.00

Subsidies, Loans and Grants 3,800,000.00

Total $ 29,662,970.00

FUNDING:

General Funds $ 19,857,721.00

Special Funds 9,805,249.00

Total $ 29,662,970.00

AUTHORIZED POSITIONS:

Permanent: Full Time. . . . . . . . . 667

Part Time. . . . . . . . . 220

Time-Limited: Full Time. . . . . . . . . 43

Part Time. . . . . . . . . 0

From the funds provided in the budget category "Personal Services: Salaries, Wages and Fringe Benefits," funds may be expended for the following purposes, in compliance with policies established by the State Personnel Board and any conditions placed on such expenditure:

(a) The components of the Variable Compensation Plan shall be maintained within the constraints of the funds appropriated herein.

(b) Funds shall be used to fund the "Realignment" component at the requirement established by the State Personnel Board.

(c) Subsequent to the application of Realignment, as specified in Subparagraph (b), above, funds shall be used to provide all eligible state employees employed on or before June 30, 1996, a Three Hundred Dollar ($300.00) "In-Service" COLA base salary increase effective July 1, 1997.

(d) All eligible state employees employed on or before June 30, 1996, shall receive a one percent (1%) salary increase on the first day of the month following their anniversary hire date.

(e) To be eligible for the salary increases specified in Subparagraphs (c) and (d), above, employees must have a current overall performance appraisal rating of "meets expectations" (2.0), or above, on the effective date of the increase. Employees who, subsequent to their eligibility date, receive a performance appraisal rating of "meets expectations" (2.0), or above, during Fiscal Year 1998 shall receive the salary increase effective the date of the rating. If an eligible employee is currently at or above end step for his or her job classification, or should this salary increase cause an eligible employee's salary to exceed end step, that portion of the increase exceeding end step shall be built into the employee's base salary.

It is the agency's responsibility to make certain that funds required to be appropriated for Personal Services for Fiscal Year 1999 do not exceed Fiscal Year 1998 funds appropriated for that purpose unless programs and/or positions are added to the agency's budget by the Mississippi Legislature.

Any transfers or escalations shall be made in accordance with the terms, conditions and procedures established by law.

No general funds authorized to be expended herein shall be used to replace federal funds and/or other special funds which are being used for salaries authorized under the provisions of this act and which are withdrawn and no longer available.

SECTION 4. It is the intention of the Legislature that the State Forestry Commission be allowed to escalate its budget in the Capital Outlay: Equipment major object of expenditure, with funds generated from the Forest Acreage Tax in an amount not to exceed Two Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars ($250,000.00), and with funds generated from the sale of old equipment in an amount not to exceed Two Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars ($250,000.00). It is further the intention of the Legislature that the State Forestry Commission be allowed to escalate its budget in the Subsidies, Loans and Grants major object of expenditure, with funds generated from the Severance Tax to fund the Forest Resource Development Program in an amount not to exceed Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($500,000.00). The receipt of these funds is hereby authorized and approved, provided such receipts and expenditures are reported and otherwise accounted for in accordance with Section 27-103-101 et seq. and Section 27-104-1 et seq., Mississippi Code of 1972.

SECTION 5. In compliance with the "Mississippi Performance Budget and Strategic Planning Act of 1994," it is the intent of the Legislature that the funds provided herein shall be utilized in the most efficient and effective manner possible to achieve the intended mission of this agency. Based on the funding authorized, this agency shall make every effort to attain the targeted performance measures provided below:

FY98

Performance Measures Target

Fire Control

Number of fires per year 4600

Average size of fire (acres) 12.51

Private Lands Management

Land reforested (acres) 140,000

Landowners assisted (persons) 17,000

Public Lands Management

Value of timber sold (dollars) 25,000,000

Insect and Disease Control

Acres surveyed 16,900,000

Forest Resource Development

Acres regenerated 65,000

Federal Excess Property

Number of vehicles acquired 170

Regeneration

Genetically improved seedlings (in millions) 40

A reporting of the degree to which the performance targets set above have been or are being achieved shall be provided in the agency's budget request submitted to the Joint Legislative Budget Committee for Fiscal Year 1999.

SECTION 6. Of the funds herein appropriated, an amount not to exceed Two Hundred Thousand Dollars ($200,000.00) may be transferred to the Institutions of Higher Learning - University Research Center, Mississippi Automated Resource Information System (MARIS) for the purpose of funding a joint project to convert 1996 aerial photography of the state into a standard digital format commonly referred to as a digital orthophoto quadrangle.

SECTION 7. The money appropriated under the provisions of Section 1 shall be paid by the State Treasurer out of any money in the State General Fund not otherwise appropriated, and the money appropriated under the provisions of Section 2 shall be paid by the State Treasurer out of any money in the special fund to the credit of the State Forestry Commission, upon warrants issued by the State Fiscal Officer; and the State Fiscal Officer shall issue his warrants upon requisitions signed by the proper person, officer or officers, in the manner provided by law.

SECTION 8. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 1997.