MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

1998 Regular Session

To: Appropriations

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

House Bill 1722

(As Sent to Governor)

AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR THE SUPPORT AND MAINTENANCE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF MARINE RESOURCES FOR THE FISCAL YEARS 1998 AND 1999.  

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, 1998, and ending June 30, 1999

$ 1,520,026.00.

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, 1998, and ending June 30, 1999 $ 8,574,503.00.

Of the funds appropriated in this section, Eight Hundred Thousand Dollars ($800,000.00) 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 $ 2,279,216.00

Travel and Subsistence 59,039.00

Contractual Services 1,978,583.00

Commodities 202,968.00

Capital Outlay:

Other Than Equipment 500,000.00

Equipment 708,299.00

Subsidies, Loans and Grants 4,366,424.00

Total $ 10,094,529.00

FUNDING:

General Funds $ 1,520,026.00

Special Funds 8,574,503.00

Total $ 10,094,529.00

AUTHORIZED POSITIONS:

Permanent: Full Time. . . . . . . . . 52

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

Time-Limited: Full Time. . . . . . . . . 10

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 the policies established by the State Personnel Board and any conditions placed on such expenditures:

(a) The components of the Variable Compensation Plan shall be maintained within the constraints of the funds appropriated herein. Unless otherwise permitted by law, no single event, including promotion, reclassification or reallocation, shall exceed the greater of (1) the difference between the starting salary (start step) of the current classification and the new classification added to the employee's current salary (current step), or (2) the salary that could be paid to an equally qualified, newly hired employee. If an eligible employee is currently at or above the end salary for his or her job classification, then the increase authorized by subparagraphs (b), (c) and (d) shall be built into the employee's base salary. To be eligible, employees may not have a current performance rating below "meets expectations" (2.0), as of the effective date of the increase. Employees who subsequently receive a performance rating of "meets expectations" or above during Fiscal Year 1999 shall receive the salary increase effective the date of the rating.

(b) Funds are provided to adjust the Variable Compensation Plan, including realignment, to ensure that all full time employees receive a minimum increase of Six Hundred Dollars ($600.00) and not more than Nine Hundred Dollars ($900.00), to the next higher step.

(c) Funds are provided for MH-Direct Care Worker Classifications to receive an average increase of One Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($1,500.00). It is the intention of the Legislature that MH-Direct Care Worker Classifications increases resulting from the provisions of Senate Bill No. 2100, 1997 Regular Session, may be fully implemented as funds become available.

(d) Funds are provided for a Nine Hundred Dollar ($900.00) increase for Information Technology positions. Agencies may effect additional increases in accordance with the Information Technology Special Compensation Plan established by the State Personnel Board as funds become available.

It is the agency's responsibility to make certain that funds required to be appropriated for "Personal Services" for Fiscal Year 2000 do not exceed Fiscal Year 1999 funds appropriated for that purpose unless programs 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 Five Million Two Hundred Twenty-five Thousand Dollars ($5,225,000.00) shall be derived from the Tidelands Fund, Fund No. 3450, for the purpose of defraying the expenses of the following projects:

Department of Marine Resources Marina -

Back Bay Marina Biloxi/Biloxi Port

Commission $ 500,000.00

Department of Marine Resources -

Discretionary Funds $ 1,050,000.00

Department of Marine Resources -

Derelict Vessel Removal Program $ 100,000.00

Hancock County Bayou Caddy Marina $ 300,000.00

Pass Christian Harbor Emergency

Retrofit, Phase I $ 200,000.00

Long Beach Pier, Phase II $ 100,000.00

Long Beach Small Craft Harbor, Phase I $ 200,000.00

City of Biloxi Marina Point $ 200,000.00

Expansion of Maritime and Seafood

Industry Museum $ 200,000.00

City of D'Iberville Marina, Phase III $ 350,000.00

Jackson County Board of Supervisors (Gautier)-

Graveline Bayou extension $ 150,000.00

Pascagoula Round Island Project $ 100,000.00

Gulf Coast Research Lab -

Stock Assessment & Data Acquisition $ 75,000.00

Gulf Coast Research Lab - Blue

Crab Recruitment Dynamics $ 47,000.00

Gulf Coast Research Lab - Monitoring

Exotic Viruses in Mississippi Shrimp $ 87,000.00

Gulf Coast Research Lab - Project Marine

Discovery on the Road $ 50,000.00

Gulf Coast Research Lab - Optimizing Shellfish

Harvest and Management in the Mississippi

Sound $ 97,000.00

Gulf Coast Research Lab - Mississippi Planned

Grand Bay Preserve - Prep Research/Base

Line Study $ 19,000.00

Gautier City Park - Phase II $ 100,000.00

Waveland - Garfield Ladner Pier $ 300,000.00

Bay St. Louis - Ulman Ave. Pier $ 400,000.00

DMR - Keegan Bayou Project $ 50,000.00

Moss Point Waterfront Access & Dev. $ 250,000.00

Gulfport - James Hill Park Improvements $ 200,000.00

DMR/Department of Environmental Quality -

Non-point Source Pollution Control $ 100,000.00

TOTAL $ 5,225,000.00

Each political subdivision receiving funds authorized in this section shall be held responsible for complying with Section 29-15-9, Mississippi Code of 1972, 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 were expended.

It is the intention of the Legislature that any political subdivision seeking to qualify for Tidelands Funds for the subsequent fiscal year shall submit a proposal to the Commission on Marine Resources no later than July 1, 1998.

It is the intention of the Legislature that if the amount of Tidelands Funds appropriated in this act exceed the actual amount of Tidelands Funds available, the available funds shall be allocated on a pro rata basis between projects listed in this section.

SECTION 5. In addition to all other sums heretofore appropriated, 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, to defray the expenses of the Department of Marine Resources, for the period beginning upon passage and through June 30, 1999 $ 406,931.00.

SECTION 6. The money herein appropriated shall be paid by the State Treasurer out of any money in the State Treasury to the credit of the proper fund or funds as set forth in this act, 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, 1998, except for Section 5 which shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage.