MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

1997 Regular Session

To: Appropriations

By: Representatives Livingston, Short, Foster, Green (96th), Nettles, Vince

AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR THE SUPPORT AND MAINTENANCE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF MARINE RESOURCES 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 Department of Marine Resources for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1997, and ending June 30, 1998

$ 1,208,612.00.

SECTION 2. The following sum, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is hereby appropriated out of any money in any special fund in the State Treasury to the credit of the Department of Marine Resources for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1997, and ending June 30, 1998

$ 8,510,975.00.

Of the funds appropriated in this section, Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($500,000.00) is derived from the state excise taxes upon gasoline, oil and other petroleum products.

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 purpose of expenditure:

MAJOR OBJECTS OF EXPENDITURE:

Personal Services:

Salaries, Wages and Fringe Benefits $ 1,929,026.00

Travel and Subsistence 54,039.00

Contractual Services 2,096,507.00

Commodities 182,968.00

Capital Outlay:

Other Than Equipment 750,000.00

Equipment 538,676.00

Subsidies, Loans and Grants 4,168,371.00

Total $ 9,719,587.00

FUNDING:

General Funds $ 1,208,612.00

Special Funds 8,510,975.00

Total $ 9,719,587.00

AUTHORIZED POSITIONS:

Permanent: Full Time. . . . . . . . . 44

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

Time-Limited: Full Time. . . . . . . . . 5

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. Of the funds appropriated under the provisions of Section 2 and allocated in Section 3, funds in the amount of Four Million Dollars ($4,000,000.00) shall be derived from the Tidelands Fund (Fund 3450) for the purpose of defraying the expenses of the following projects:

Hancock County Board of Supervisors

Water Front Project $ 150,000.00

City Of Bay St. Louis

Water Front Project $ 150,000.00

City of Pass Christian

Retaining Wall Project $ 300,000.00

City of Long Beach

Water Front Project $ 200,000.00

City of Gulfport

Water Front Project $ 200,000.00

City of Biloxi

Water Front Project $ 300,000.00

City of Gautier

Water Front Project $ 75,000.00

City of Pascagoula

Round Island Project $ 100,000.00

DMR - Derelict Vessel Removal $ 150,000.00

WRAMPS Organization of Mississippi $ 20,000.00

DMR - Mississippi Fish Banks, Inc. $ 150,000.00

DMR - Marine Litter Program and Removal

of Derelict Crab Traps $ 50,000.00

DMR - Red Tide Program Initiative $ 100,000.00

DMR - Coastal Preserve/Acquisition $ 150,000.00

DMR - Coastal Wetlands Program

Documents Update $ 100,000.00

DMR - CZM Matching Funds $ 45,000.00

DMR - Discretionary Match $ 415,000.00

D'Iberville Port Commission $ 200,000.00

Jackson County Board of Supervisors

Ocean Springs Harbor Project $ 100,000.00

Gulf Coast Research Lab

Acquisition of Stock Assessment Data

from the Commercial Catch of Fin-fish

in Mississippi $ 100,000.00

Gulf Coast Research Lab

Assessment and Monitoring of Artificial,

Inshore, Low Profile Reefs Located Adjacent

to Mississippi's Coastal Marshes $ 50,000.00

Gulf Coast Research Lab

Cedar Point Campus $ 200,000.00

Gulf Coast Research Lab

Stock Assessment of Spotted Sea

Trout, Red Drum $ 100,000.00

City of Moss Point

Water Front Project $ 75,000.00

City of Waveland $ 50,000.00

Gulf Coast Research Lab

Red Tide $ 100,000.00

DMR - Artificial Reefs $ 150,000.00

Biloxi Bay - Chamber of Commerce

Salt Marsh Development $ 30,000.00

Biloxi Seafood Museum $ 100,000.00

Archives and History $ 40,000.00

DEQ - Non-Point Source Pollution $ 50,000.00

TOTAL $ 4,000,000.00

Each political subdivision shall be held responsible for complying with Section 29-15-9 of the Mississippi Code and shall be subject to an audit by the State Auditor and shall submit detailed reports on December 31 and June 30 to the Commission on Marine Resources on how funds authorized in this section are spent.

It is the intention of the Legislature that any political subdivision seeking to qualify for Tidelands Funds for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1998, and ending June 30, 1999, shall submit a proposal to the Commission on Marine Resources before January 1, 1998.

It is the intention of the Legislature that if the amount of Tidelands Funds appropriated in Section 2 and allocated in Section 3 are not sufficient, available funds shall be allocated on a pro rata basis between the projects listed in Section 4.

SECTION 5. It is the intention of the Legislature that the funds provided in the "Bay St. Louis Jetty Project" that was authorized in House Bill No. 1635 in the 1996 Regular Session shall be used for the "Bay St. Louis Pier Project."

SECTION 6. 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 proper special funds to the credit of the Department of Marine Resources 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 7. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 1997.