REPORT OF CONFERENCE COMMITTEE

 

MR. SPEAKER AND MADAM PRESIDENT:

 

   We, the undersigned conferees, have had under consideration the amendments to the following entitled BILL:

 

H. B. No. 1792:  Appropriation; Soil and Water Conservation Commission.

 

  We, therefore, respectfully submit the following report and recommendation:

 

 

  1.  That the Senate recede from its Amendment No. 1.

 

  2.  That the House and Senate adopt the following amendment:

 

     Amend by striking all after the enacting clause and inserting in lieu thereof the following:

 


     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, to the State Soil and Water Conservation Commission for the purpose of defraying the administrative expenses of the commission and carrying out the provisions of Section 69-27-1 et seq., Mississippi Code of 1972, for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2002, and ending

June 30, 2003.............................. $       718,448.00.

     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 State Soil and Water Conservation 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, 2002, and ending June 30, 2003......................................

........................................... $     1,608,085.00.

     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$       804,279.00

          Travel and Subsistence.............         18,000.00

     Contractual Services....................        270,269.00

     Commodities.............................         71,700.00

     Capital Outlay:

          Other Than Equipment...............              0.00

          Equipment..........................          6,000.00

     Subsidies, Loans and Grants.............      1,156,285.00

          Total............................. $     2,326,533.00

  FUNDING:

     General Funds.......................... $       718,448.00

     Special Funds...........................      1,608,085.00

          Total............................. $     2,326,533.00

  AUTHORIZED POSITIONS:

     Permanent:    Full Time      16

                    Part Time            0

     Time-Limited:Full Time       2

                    Part Time            0

     Funds are provided herein to adjust the Variable Compensation Plan to ensure that all full-time employees receive a pay increase equal to fifty percent (50%) of the realignment component of the Variable Compensation Plan or Six Hundred Dollars ($600.00), whichever is greater, beginning on January 1, 2003.

     With the funds herein appropriated, it is the intention of the Legislature that it shall be the agency's responsibility to make certain that funds required to be appropriated for "Personal Services" for Fiscal Year 2004 do not exceed Fiscal Year 2003 funds appropriated for that purpose, unless programs, positions or pay increases are added to the agency's budget by the Mississippi Legislature.  Based on data provided by the Legislative Budget Office, the State Personnel Board shall, on July 1, 2002, publish separate annual projection reports, based on July 1, 2002 data, for the period of July 1, 2002 through December 31, 2002, and January 1, 2003 through June 30, 2003, that project the annual cost to fully fund all appropriated positions in compliance with the provisions of this act.  It shall be the responsibility of the agency head to ensure that no single personnel action increases this projected cost and/or the Fiscal Year 2003 appropriation for "Personal Services," as annualized on a semi-annual basis in accordance with the provisions of this act.  If, at the end of any calendar month, the State Personnel Board determines that the agency has taken action(s) which would cause the agency to exceed this projected annual cost or the Fiscal Year 2003 "Personal Services" appropriated level, when annualized in compliance with the provisions of this act, then only those actions which reduce the projected annual cost and/or the appropriation requirement will be processed by the State Personnel Board until such time as the requirements of this provision are met.

     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.  The State Soil and Water Conservation Commission is hereby authorized to retain all funds generated from the sale of equipment.  Any funds made available from the sale of equipment shall be deposited into the special fund in the State Treasury to the credit of the Soil and Water Conservation Commission and shall be used solely for the purpose of purchasing equipment.

     SECTION 5.  The State Soil and Water Conservation Commission is hereby authorized to receive, budget and expend any proceeds derived from the sale of bonds authorized in Section 69-27-331 et seq., Mississippi Code of 1972.  All expenditures shall be in accordance with conditions provided in Section 69-27-331 et seq., Mississippi Code of 1972.

     SECTION 6.  It is the intention of the Legislature that the Soil and Water Conservation Commission shall have the authority to escalate its budget and expend funds from any source not to exceed Seven Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars ($750,000.00) in accordance with rules and regulations of the Department of Finance and Administration in a manner consistent with the escalation of federal funds.

     SECTION 7.  Of the funds appropriated in Section 1, it is the intention of the Legislature that an amount not to exceed Sixty-five Thousand Dollars ($65,000.00) be used for the purpose of funding a Beaver Control Cost Share program.  The Mississippi Soil and Water Conservation Commission shall promulgate rules and regulations for the establishment and operation of the program on a fund matching basis with the county unit of government.  Funds not expended or encumbered in a county may be transferred to another county during the fiscal year.  Only those funds specifically appropriated for the Beaver Control Cost Share program shall be used in any such program.

     SECTION 8.  Of the funds appropriated under the provisions of Section 2, Eight Thousand Four Hundred Seventy-five Dollars ($8,475.00) shall be derived from the Budget Contingency Fund created in Section 27-103-301, Mississippi Code of 1972.

     SECTION 9.  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 10.  This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2002.


 

 

CONFEREES FOR THE HOUSE

CONFEREES FOR THE SENATE

 

 

X (SIGNED:)

X (SIGNED:)

Charlie Capps, Jr.

Jack Gordon

 

 

(NOT SIGNED:)

X (SIGNED:)

David L. Green

E. Glenn Hamilton

 

 

X (SIGNED:)

X (SIGNED:)

Percy L. Maples

Sampson Jackson II