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. 1796:  Appropriation; Rehabilitation Services - Consolidated.

 

  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 Department of Rehabilitation Services for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2002, and ending June 30, 2003................... $     7,389,612.00.

     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 Rehabilitation Services which is comprised of special source funds collected by or otherwise available to the department for the support of the various offices of the department, for the purpose of defraying the expenses of the department for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2002, and ending June 30, 2003  

........................................... $   101,715,592.00.

     SECTION 3.  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 Health Care Expendable Fund, for the purpose of defraying the expenses of the Department of Rehabilitation Services for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2002, and ending June 30, 2003.............................. $     6,427,878.00.

     The above funds shall be allocated as follows:

     Fully match all available federal

           funds..................$5,138,357.00

     Independent Living Program which

          includes the State Attendant

          Care Program............$1,150,000.00

     Independent Living Program...$   39,901.00

     Deaf and hard of hearing.....$   87,587.00

     Funding positions ...........$    8,708.00

     Older blind grant............$    3,325.00

     SECTION 4.  Of the funds appropriated under the provisions of Sections 1, 2 and 3, not more than the amounts set forth below shall be expended for the respective major objects or purposes of expenditure:

                OFFICE OF VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION

  MAJOR OBJECTS OF EXPENDITURE:

     Personal Services:

          Salaries, Wages and Fringe Benefits$    19,219,925.00

          Travel and Subsistence.............        750,000.00

     Contractual Services....................      3,750,000.00

     Commodities.............................        330,000.00

     Capital Outlay:

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

          Equipment..........................        460,000.00

     Subsidies, Loans and Grants.............     19,985,683.00

          Total............................. $    44,495,608.00

  FUNDING:

     General Funds.......................... $     5,203,560.00

     Special Funds...........................     39,292,048.00

          Total............................. $    44,495,608.00

   AUTHORIZED POSITIONS:

     Permanent:    Full Time     433

                    Part Time            8

     Time-Limited:Full Time      95

                    Part Time            2

             OFFICE OF DISABILITY DETERMINATION SERVICES

  MAJOR OBJECTS OF EXPENDITURE:

     Personal Services:

          Salaries, Wages and Fringe Benefits$    12,923,138.00

          Travel and Subsistence.............        225,000.00

     Contractual Services....................      9,051,964.00

     Commodities.............................        523,390.00

     Capital Outlay:

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

          Equipment..........................      1,000,000.00

     Subsidies, Loans and Grants.............     10,288,445.00

          Total............................. $    34,011,937.00

  FUNDING:

     General Funds.......................... $             0.00

     Special Funds...........................     34,011,937.00

          Total............................. $    34,011,937.00

   AUTHORIZED POSITIONS:

     Permanent:    Full Time     295

                    Part Time           20

     Time-Limited:Full Time      38

                    Part Time            0

          OFFICE OF VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION FOR THE BLIND

  MAJOR OBJECTS OF EXPENDITURE:

     Personal Services:

          Salaries, Wages and Fringe Benefits$     3,421,906.00

          Travel and Subsistence.............        139,000.00

     Contractual Services....................        800,000.00

     Commodities.............................         85,000.00

     Capital Outlay:

          Other Than Equipment...............         13,000.00

          Equipment..........................        250,000.00

     Subsidies, Loans and Grants.............      6,161,627.00

          Total............................. $    10,870,533.00

  FUNDING:

     General Funds.......................... $     1,165,096.00

     Special Funds...........................      9,705,437.00

          Total............................. $    10,870,533.00

   AUTHORIZED POSITIONS:

     Permanent:    Full Time      83

                    Part Time            0

     Time-Limited:Full Time       5

                    Part Time            2

     The Office of Vocational Rehabilitation for the Blind shall remain accredited by using not more than Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) of the funds appropriated along with matching funds for payment of fees to an accreditation agency recommended by the Rehabilitation Services Administration.

                    OFFICE OF SUPPORT SERVICES

  MAJOR OBJECTS OF EXPENDITURE:

     Personal Services:

          Salaries, Wages and Fringe Benefits$     1,622,278.00

          Travel and Subsistence.............         53,000.00

     Contractual Services....................        446,700.00

     Commodities.............................         50,000.00

     Capital Outlay:

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

          Equipment..........................         35,000.00

     Subsidies, Loans and Grants.............              0.00

          Total............................. $     2,206,978.00

  FUNDING:

     General Funds.......................... $             0.00

     Special Funds...........................      2,206,978.00

          Total............................. $     2,206,978.00

   AUTHORIZED POSITIONS:

     Permanent:    Full Time      27

                    Part Time            0

     Time-Limited:Full Time       0

                    Part Time            0

SPINAL CORD AND HEAD INJURY PROGRAM

  MAJOR OBJECTS OF EXPENDITURE:

     Personal Services:

          Salaries, Wages and Fringe Benefits$        38,300.00

          Travel and Subsistence.............         20,000.00

     Contractual Services....................         25,000.00

     Commodities.............................          5,000.00

     Capital Outlay:

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

          Equipment..........................          3,000.00

     Subsidies, Loans and Grants.............      6,765,008.00

          Total............................. $     6,856,308.00

  FUNDING:

     General Funds.......................... $             0.00

     Special Funds...........................      6,856,308.00

          Total............................. $     6,856,308.00

   AUTHORIZED POSITIONS:

     Permanent:    Full Time       1

                    Part Time            0

     Time-Limited:Full Time       0

                    Part Time            0

SPECIAL DISABILITY PROGRAM

  MAJOR OBJECTS OF EXPENDITURE:

     Personal Services:

          Salaries, Wages and Fringe Benefits$       837,847.00

          Travel and Subsistence.............         43,000.00

     Contractual Services....................         77,000.00

     Commodities.............................         10,000.00

     Capital Outlay:

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

          Equipment..........................         20,000.00

     Subsidies, Loans and Grants.............     16,103,871.00

          Total............................. $    17,091,718.00

  FUNDING:

     General Funds.......................... $     1,020,956.00

     Special Funds...........................     16,070,762.00

          Total............................. $    17,091,718.00

   AUTHORIZED POSITIONS:

     Permanent:    Full Time      23

                    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.

     It is the intention of the Legislature that the Executive Director of the Department of Rehabilitation Services may transfer between the various offices authorized herein both funds and positions not to exceed twenty-five percent (25%) of the receiving office in addition to any other transfers or escalations made in accordance with Section 27-104-17 (3), Mississippi Code of 1972, Annotated.  The Executive Director of the Department of Rehabilitation Services shall submit written justification for the transfer to the Legislative Budget Office and the Department of Finance and Administration on or before the fifteenth of the month prior to the effective date of the transfer.  It is further the intention of the Legislature that any transfers made under the provisions of this paragraph shall be of an emergency nature and that in no case shall the transfers be made which substantially alter the legislative intent for the various offices as set forth in the original appropriations made under this act.

     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 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 funds which are received by or otherwise become available to the Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation Services to provide funding for construction grants and establishment grants for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2002, and ending June 30, 2003 

............................................. $   4,000,000.00.

     SECTION 6.  It shall be unlawful for any officer, employee or other person whatsoever to use or permit or authorize the use of any automobile or any other motor vehicle owned by the State of Mississippi or any department, agency or institution thereof for any purpose other than upon the official business of the State of Mississippi or any agency, department or institution thereof.

     It is the intent of the Legislature that motor vehicles authorized to be owned and operated by this agency shall comply with Sections 25-1-77 through 25-1-93, Mississippi Code of 1972.

     SECTION 7.  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 8.  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

 

 

X (SIGNED:)

X (SIGNED:)

Bobby Moody

Billy Thames

 

 

X (SIGNED:)

X (SIGNED:)

Frank Hamilton

Robert G. Huggins