MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

1998 Regular Session

To: Appropriations

By: Representatives McCoy, Scott (17th), Barnett (92nd), Frierson, Livingston, McInnis, Peranich, Read, Vince

House Bill 1775

(As Sent to Governor)

AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR THE PURPOSE OF DEFRAYING THE EXPENSES OF THE MISSISSIPPI AUTHORITY FOR EDUCATIONAL TELEVISION FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 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 purpose of defraying the expenses of the Mississippi Authority for Educational Television for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1998, and ending June 30, 1999 $ 6,670,131.00.

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 Mississippi Authority for Educational Television which is comprised of special source funds collected by or otherwise available to the Authority, for the purpose of defraying the expenses of the Authority for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1998, and ending June 30, 1999

$ 8,661,007.00.

SECTION 3. Of the funds appropriated under the provisions of Section 1 and Section 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 $ 5,033,631.00

Travel and Subsistence 196,243.00

Contractual Services 5,069,666.00

Commodities 751,196.00

Capital Outlay:

Other Than Equipment 0.00

Equipment 4,280,202.00

Subsidies, Loans and Grants 200.00

Total $ 15,331,138.00

FUNDING:

General Funds $ 6,670,131.00

Special Funds 8,661,007.00

Total $ 15,331,138.00

AUTHORIZED POSITIONS:

Permanent: Full Time. . . . . . . . . 140

Part Time. . . . . . . . . 1

Time-Limited: Full Time. . . . . . . . . 15

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.

Funds appropriated herein shall first be used for the continuation of a full and complete broadcast schedule of educational and instructional, professional growth, and public service programs, with the production of new films and programs to be secondary thereto.

SECTION 4. Of the funds appropriated under the provisions of Section 2, One Million Six Hundred Forty-four Thousand Sixty-seven Dollars ($1,644,067.00) shall be derived from the Education Enhancement Fund deposited pursuant to Sections 27-65-75 and 27-67-31, Mississippi Code of 1972.

SECTION 5. No part of the funds appropriated herein shall be transferred to, expended by, or used, directly or indirectly, for the benefit of any public relations, publicity or publication activities of any other state agency, department or officer, nor shall any personnel paid or equipment purchased with funds appropriated hereby be transferred or assigned to any other state agency, department or officer for public relations, publicity or publication activities of such office.

SECTION 6. It is the intention of the Legislature that the Mississippi Authority for Educational Television shall have the authority to expend funds in the Capital Equipment Replacement Revolving Fund, in accordance with Section 37-63-17, Mississippi Code of 1972, Annotated, for the purpose of purchasing technical equipment for operating the educational radio and television facilities.

SECTION 7. It is the intention of the Legislature that the Mississippi Authority for Educational Television shall have the authority to escalate its budget and expend funds from any source not to exceed Two Million Dollars ($2,000,000.00) in accordance with rules and regulations of the Department of Finance and Administration in a manner consistent with the escalation of federal funds.

SECTION 8. 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:

FY99

Performance Measures Target

Educational Services

Educators trained (Interactive Video Network

and on-site) 10,000

Student Interactive Video Network courses 120

Enrolled Interactive Video Network courses 4,500

Printed items distributed (actions) 64,000

Instructional series broadcasted 210

Instructional TV cost per student (cents) 404

TV Programming

Broadcast hours produced (actions) 279

Production cost (per hour) $2,857

Broadcast hours purchased (actions) 8,145

Program purchase cost (per hour) $167

Radio Programming

PRM produced features (actions) 186

Remote concerts recorded (actions) 38

Broadcast cost (per day) $1,944

Radio reading of Mississippi receivers (persons) 3,120

Engineering and Maintenance

Equipment evaluation inquiries (actions) 182

Satellite maintenance calls (actions) 267

Statewide field strength measurements 150

Support Services

Video teleconferences (actions) 305

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 2000.

SECTION 9. With the funds provided herein, it is the intention of the Legislature that Forty Thousand Dollars ($40,000.00) shall be transferred to the Mississippi Department of Information Technology Services for the statewide data network backbone.

SECTION 10. 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 11. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 1998.