MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

1998 Regular Session

To: Education; Appropriations

By: Senator(s) Ferris

Senate Bill 2859

(As Sent to Governor)

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 1, CHAPTER NO. 87 (HOUSE BILL NO. 1807), LAWS OF 1997, TO TRANSFER FROM THE MINIMUM EDUCATION PROGRAM FUND AN AMOUNT NOT EXCEEDING $1,157,000.00 TO FUND A TRANSMISSION TOWER AND RELATED EQUIPMENT FOR THE MISSISSIPPI AUTHORITY FOR EDUCATIONAL TELEVISION, AND AN AMOUNT NOT EXCEEDING $843,000.00 TO FUND THE LIBRARY DATABASE AT THE MISSISSIPPI LIBRARY COMMISSION, FOR FISCAL YEAR 1998; TO AMEND SECTION 2, CHAPTER 89, AND SECTION 2, CHAPTER 91, LAWS OF 1997, IN CONFORMITY THERETO; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 

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

SECTION 1. Section 1 of Chapter No. 87 (House Bill No. 1807), Laws of 1997, is amended as follows:

Section 1. The following sums, or so much thereof as may be necessary, are hereby appropriated out of any money in the State General Fund not otherwise appropriated, to the State Department of Education for the support and maintenance of the common schools of Mississippi and for the Minimum Education Program for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1997, and ending June 30, 1998, as follows:

For the support and maintenance

of the common schools

(Common School Fund) $ 5,000,000.00

An additional sum, to be known as

the Minimum Education Program

Fund, to be disbursed by the

State Department of Education

in compliance with the laws

enacted at the Extraordinary

Session of 1953, as amended $ 1,006,823,716.00

Total $ 1,011,823,716.00

Of any available State General Funds appropriated under the provisions of this act, the State Department of Education may transfer an amount not to exceed Two Million Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($2,500,000.00) in the following order: First, an amount not to exceed Nine Hundred Fifteen Thousand Dollars ($915,000.00) to the Mississippi Library Commission for the support of the library database project; second, an amount not to exceed One Million Five Hundred Eighty-five Thousand Dollars ($1,585,000.00) to the Mississippi Authority for Educational Television to fund construction of a transmission tower and purchase of related equipment. Such transfers shall not reduce any allotments otherwise due to a school district as required under the Minimum Education Program formula. The State Department of Education is hereby authorized to escalate the appropriate budget and/or fund for any transfer made which is authorized in this section.

SECTION 2. Section 2, Chapter No. 89, Laws of 1997, is amended as follows:

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, 1997, and ending June 30, 1998

$ 8,064,638.00.

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 One Million Five Hundred Eighty-five Thousand Dollars ($1,585,000.00) in accordance with rules and regulations of the Department of Finance and Administration in a manner consistent with the escalation of federal funds, for a transmission tower and related equipment.

SECTION 3. Section 2, Chapter No. 91, Laws of 1997, is amended as follows:

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 Library Commission which is comprised of special source funds collected by or otherwise available to the commission, for the purpose of defraying the expenses of the commission for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1997, and ending June 30, 1998

$ 2,484,529.00.

It is the intention of the Legislature that the Mississippi Library Commission shall have the authority to escalate its budget and expend funds from any source not to exceed Nine Hundred Fifteen Thousand Dollars ($915,000.00) in accordance with rules and regulations of the Department of Finance and Administration in a manner consistent with the escalation of federal funds, for the support of the library database project.

SECTION 4. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage.