MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

1997 Regular Session

To: Appropriations

By: Senator(s) Hall, Burton, Blackmon, Johnson (19th), Minor, Scoper, Thames, Turner

AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION TO DEFRAY THE EXPENSES OF THE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION FOR FISCAL YEAR 1998. 

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

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

$ 13,234,605.00.

SECTION 2. The following sum, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is hereby appropriated out of any money in the State Treasury to the credit of the Department of Finance and Administration for the purpose of defraying the expenses incurred in the operation of the various offices of the department for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1997, and ending June 30, 1998

$ 14,184,108.00.

SECTION 3. With the funds appropriated under the provisions of Sections 1 and 2, the following positions are authorized:

AUTHORIZED POSITIONS:

Permanent: Full Time. . . . . . . . . 341

Part Time. . . . . . . . . 5

Time-Limited: Full Time. . . . . . . . . 0

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

Provided that a report based on expenditures incurred during the current and immediate-past fiscal years shall be provided to each regularly scheduled legislative session. This report should reflect expenditures as a result of the operation of the Robert E. Lee Building, the Woolfolk State Office Building, the Gartin and Sillers Buildings, the Capitol Buildings, the Central High School Building, the 301 Building and other state buildings, and this report should contain any steps taken to reduce operating costs.

It is also the intention of the Legislature that no state-owned aircraft shall be utilized by any person except for official business only.

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 within each specific budget 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, the amount of Fifty Thousand Dollars ($50,000.00), or so much thereof as may be necessary, shall be expended for premium payments for flood insurance on state-owned facilities. However, no such premium shall be paid until reviewed and approved by the Bureau of Building, Grounds and Real Property Management. Said payments are to be made from accrued interest earnings from loans under the Disaster Assistance Program.

SECTION 5. In addition to all other sums herein appropriated, 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 Tort Claims Fund for the purpose of defraying the expenses of the Tort Claims Board in the administration of the Tort Claims Act for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1997, and ending June 30, 1998

$ 7,045,659.00.

SECTION 6. With the funds appropriated under the provisions of Section 5, the following positions are authorized:

AUTHORIZED POSITIONS:

Permanent - Full Time..... 7

Part Time..... 0

Time Limited - Full Time..... 0

Part Time..... 0

SECTION 7. The Bureau of Building, Grounds and Real Property Management of the Office of General Services is hereby expressly authorized and empowered to receive, budget and expend any state, local or other source funds designated for supplemental funding of construction and/or repairs and renovation projects.

SECTION 8. Of the funds appropriated in Section 2, the following amounts are authorized to be spent out of the Statewide Cost Allocation Fund No. 3143 by the Department of Finance and Administration:

(a) One Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars ($150,000.00) for the purpose of defraying computer expenses.

(b) Five Hundred Fifty-seven Thousand Four Hundred Forty-nine Dollars ($557,449.00) for the purpose of defraying the cost of the acquisition, development and implementation of the Statewide Automated Accounting System.

SECTION 9. Of the funds appropriated in Section 2, One Hundred Forty-five Thousand Dollars ($145,000.00) is authorized to be spent out of the Local Disaster Loan Fund No. 3144 by the Department of Finance and Administration for the purpose of defraying the cost of the Air Transport Services.

SECTION 10. The Office of Capitol Facilities, Department of Finance and Administration, is hereby expressly authorized and empowered to receive funds from state agencies for the rent of office space in the Eldon Bolton Office Building in Biloxi, Mississippi, and the State Service Center in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. The Office of Capitol Facilities is further authorized and empowered to budget and expend any such funds received to operate and maintain, and up to Five Dollars ($5.00) per square foot of rental receipts to finish tenant space, in the Eldon Bolton Office Building in Biloxi, Mississippi, and the State Service Center in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, as state office buildings. Monies received for rent of such office space are to be deposited in a special fund in the State Treasury. Any funds on hand at the end of the fiscal year shall lapse into the State General Fund.

SECTION 11. In addition to all other sums herein appropriated, 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 Department of Finance and Administration for the purpose of defraying the expenses incurred in the operation of the Eldon Bolton Office Building in Biloxi, Mississippi, and the State Service Center in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, as state office space, for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1997, and ending June 30, 1998

$ 1,188,500.00.

SECTION 12. Of the funds appropriated under the provisions of Section 2, funds are included in the amount of Three Hundred Thousand Dollars ($300,000.00) from the sale of one Piper Navajo Chieftain. The Department of Finance and Administration is hereby authorized to accept and expend the proceeds, not to exceed Three Hundred Thousand Dollars ($300,000.00) from the sale of one Piper Navajo Chieftain, for the purpose of reducing the principal payments of a lease-purchase of a replacement aircraft.

SECTION 13. It is the intention of the Legislature that the Department of Finance and Administration shall maintain complete accounting and personnel records related to the expenditure of all funds appropriated under this act and that such records shall be in the same format and level of detail as maintained for Fiscal Year 1997. It is further the intention of the Legislature that the agency's budget request for Fiscal Year 1999 shall be submitted to the Joint Legislative Budget Committee in a format and level of detail comparable to the format and level of detail provided during the Fiscal Year 1998 budget request process.

SECTION 14. 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 Sections 2, 5 and 11 shall be paid by the State Treasurer out of any money in the special fund to the credit of the Department of Finance and Administration, or the proper special funds, 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 15. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 1997.