MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

2003 Regular Session

To: Appropriations

By: Senator(s) Gordon, Thames, Huggins, Posey, Dearing, Hamilton, Simmons, Walls

Senate Bill 2950

(As Sent to Governor)

AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR THE SUPPORT AND MAINTENANCE OF THE MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS AND TO PAY THE EXPENSES OF COUNTIES FOR HOLDING STATE PRISONERS IN COUNTY JAILS, FOR FISCAL YEAR 2004.

     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 Mississippi Department of Corrections for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2003, and ending June 30, 2004 

............................................ $   214,908,264.00.

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 Department of Corrections which is collected by or otherwise become available for the purpose of defraying the expenses of the Department, for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2003, and ending June 30, 2004  $     12,783,657.00.

     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 purposes of expenditure:

SUPPORT

  MAJOR OBJECTS OF EXPENDITURE:

     Personal Services:

Salaries, Wages and Fringe Benefits$   125,380,873.00

Travel and Subsistence..............        492,934.00

Contractual Services.....................     11,108,230.00

Commodities..............................      9,510,682.00

     Capital Outlay:

Other Than Equipment................        204,578.00

Equipment...........................      1,110,925.00

Subsidies, Loans and Grants..............         96,044.00

Total.............................. $   147,904,266.00

  FUNDING:

General Funds........................... $   138,227,147.00

Special Funds............................      9,677,119.00

Total.............................. $   147,904,266.00

  AUTHORIZED POSITIONS:

Permanent:    Full Time...........    3,870

Part Time...........       35

Time-Limited:Full Time...........      130

Part Time...........        0

MEDICAL SERVICES

  FUNDING:

General Funds........................... $    20,176,594.00

Special Funds............................        200,000.00

Total.............................. $    20,376,594.00

  AUTHORIZED POSITIONS:

Permanent:    Full Time...........        0

Part Time...........        0

Time-Limited:Full Time...........        2

Part Time...........        0

PAROLE BOARD

  MAJOR OBJECTS OF EXPENDITURE:

     Personal Services:

Salaries, Wages and Fringe Benefits$       377,084.00

Travel and Subsistence..............         25,000.00

Contractual Services.....................         90,398.00

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

     Capital Outlay:

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

Equipment...........................              0.00

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

Total.............................. $       502,482.00

  FUNDING:

General Funds........................... $       502,482.00

Special Funds............................              0.00

Total.............................. $       502,482.00

  AUTHORIZED POSITIONS:

Permanent:    Full Time...........        8

Part Time...........        0

Time-Limited:Full Time...........        0

Part Time...........        0

FARMING OPERATIONS

  MAJOR OBJECTS OF EXPENDITURE:

     Personal Services:

Salaries, Wages and Fringe Benefits$       640,384.00

Travel and Subsistence..............          5,100.00

Contractual Services.....................        227,850.00

Commodities..............................      1,590,041.00

     Capital Outlay:

Other Than Equipment................        180,000.00

Equipment...........................        255,148.00

Subsidies, Loans and Grants..............          8,015.00

Total.............................. $     2,906,538.00

  FUNDING:

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

Special Funds............................      2,906,538.00

Total.............................. $     2,906,538.00

  AUTHORIZED POSITIONS:

Permanent:    Full Time...........       16

Part Time...........        0

Time-Limited:Full Time...........        0

Part Time...........        0

PRIVATE PRISONS

  FUNDING:

General Funds........................... $    34,570,289.00

Special Funds............................              0.00

Total.............................. $    34,570,289.00

   AUTHORIZED POSITIONS:

Permanent:    Full Time...........        0

Part Time...........        0

Time-Limited:Full Time...........        0

Part Time...........        0

REGIONAL FACILITIES

  FUNDING:

General Funds........................... $    16,565,044.00

Special Funds............................              0.00

Total.............................. $    16,565,044.00

   AUTHORIZED POSITIONS:

Permanent:    Full Time...........        0

Part Time...........        0

Time-Limited:Full Time...........        0

Part Time...........        0

LOCAL CONFINEMENT - COUNTY JAILS

  FUNDING:

General Funds........................... $     4,866,708.00

Special Funds............................              0.00

Total.............................. $     4,866,708.00

  AUTHORIZED POSITIONS:

Permanent:    Full Time...........        0

Part Time...........        0

Time-Limited:Full Time...........        0

Part Time...........        0

     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 2005 do not exceed Fiscal Year 2004 funds appropriated for that purpose, unless programs or positions are added to the agency's Fiscal Year 2005 budget by the Mississippi Legislature.  Based on data provided by the Legislative Budget Office, the State Personnel Board shall determine and publish the projected 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 insure that no single personnel action increases this projected annual cost and/or the Fiscal Year 2004 appropriation for "Personal Services" when annualized.  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 2004 "Personal Services" appropriated level, when annualized, 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.  It is the intention of the Legislature that the Department of Corrections may use any federal funds that may become available for the construction of a certified fail-safe lethal/non-lethal fencing system at any of its maximum security units for that purpose.

     SECTION 5.  Of the funds appropriated in Sections 1 and 2, and authorized for expenditure in Section 3, it is the intention of the Legislature that any contractual service payments made by the department to defray medical expenses for inmates shall be at the currently established Medicaid reimbursement rate; however, if hospital and medical providers will not contract at the Medicaid reimbursement rate, the Department of Corrections may enter into a negotiated contract.

     SECTION 6.  Of the funds appropriated in Sections 1 and 2, none shall be expended for personnel housing under the jurisdiction of the Department of Corrections unless the department shall collect a reasonable rent, after a finding of fact as to what is a reasonable rent, and/or the cost of utilities furnished to said housing.  The Department of Corrections shall not pay for the installation or monthly service of any telephone installed in a staff residence under its jurisdiction.

     SECTION 7.  Of the funds appropriated in Sections 1 and 2, and authorized for expenditure in Section 3, payment may be authorized for court ordered attorney fees and any accrued interest subject to the approval of the Office of the Attorney General.

     SECTION 8.  No part of the funds herein appropriated shall be used for the purpose of returning escaped state convicts to the State Penitentiary from a distance of over one hundred (l00) miles beyond the borders of the state, except upon approval of the Governor in each specific case.

     SECTION 9.  None of the money herein appropriated shall be paid to any person who by the provision of Section 47-5-47, Mississippi Code of l972, as amended, is prohibited from being an employee of the Mississippi Department of Corrections.  The State Department of Finance and Administration shall at least annually make a report to the Joint Legislative Committee on Performance Evaluation and Expenditure Review and to the Attorney General stating the name of any person prohibited under the provisions of Section 47-5-47, Mississippi Code of l972, as amended, from being an employee of the Mississippi Department of Corrections who has during the preceding year received any money herein appropriated.  In the event that any such person prohibited as herein above provided from receiving funds herein appropriated should receive any of said funds, the Attorney General shall immediately commence action to recover the monies so paid to said person and to enjoin the further employment of said person at the Mississippi Department of Corrections.

     SECTION 10.  It is the intent of the Legislature that all prisoners at Parchman shall work a minimum of eight (8) hours per day, excluding prisoners with a physical disability or those incarcerated in maximum security.

     SECTION 11.  It is the intention of the Legislature that the Department of Corrections shall have the authority to accept, budget and expend any special funds collected or otherwise available, through the sell of scrap or recycled material, for the purpose of providing recycling equipment, supplies or services for use within the department.

     SECTION 12.  None of the funds appropriated herein can be directly or indirectly associated with the ACA accreditation in the Community Services Division.

     SECTION 13.  It is the intention of the Legislature that the per diem rates paid to regional facilities shall not exceed Twenty-nine Dollars and Seventy-four Cents ($29.74) per inmate.  All regional facilities shall continue to receive the annual three percent (3%) increase in the per diem rate as authorized in Section 47-5-933, Mississippi Code of 1972, however, in no event shall any regional facility's per diem rate exceed Twenty-nine Dollars and Seventy-four Cents ($29.74) per inmate.

     SECTION 14.  It is the intention of the Legislature that any equipment transferred to the University of Mississippi Medical Center from the Mississippi Department of Corrections during the period of July 1, 1998, through June 30, 2003, shall be transferred back to the Mississippi Department of Corrections as of July 1, 2003.  Furthermore, any equipment purchased by the University of Mississippi Medical Center during this period of time which replaced or refurbished equipment transferred to the University of Mississippi Medical Center from the Mississippi Department of Corrections shall also be transferred to the Mississippi Department of Corrections as of July 1, 2003.

     The amount to be paid by the Mississippi Department of Corrections to the University of Mississippi Medical Center for healthcare services provided by the University of Mississippi Medical Center prior to July 1, 2003, shall be reduced by One Million Seven Hundred Eighty-two Thousand Five Hundred Ninety Dollars ($1,782,590.00) to compensate the Mississippi Department of Corrections for the thirty (30) bed lockdown facility and the computer hardware and software, paid for by the Mississippi Department of Corrections, which were not created or procured by the University of Mississippi Medical Center during the term of the contract between the Mississippi Department of Corrections and the University of Mississippi Medical Center.

     SECTION 15.  It is the intention of the Legislature that the Commissioner of the Mississippi Department of Corrections may transfer between certain budgets authorized in Section 3, including Support, Medical Services, Parole Board, Farming Operations, and Private Prisons, both positions and funds in an amount not to exceed twenty-five percent (25%) of the authorized budgets in the aggregate.  The Commissioner of the Mississippi Department of Corrections 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.  However, no transfers shall be authorized which increase the major object of expenditure "Salaries, Wages and Fringe Benefits" in any budget authorized in Section 3 of this act.

     SECTION 16.  It is the intention of the Legislature that the Mississippi Department of Corrections may use funds appropriated herein to enter into a lease purchase agreement through the State Master Lease Program to purchase property located at 421 West Pascagoula Street in Jackson, Mississippi, for use as the Hinds County Probation and Parole Office and the Statewide Records Office for the Mississippi Department of Corrections.  Total outlays for any such agreement to purchase this facility must be less than the total outlays to lease this property over a ten-year period and shall be approved by the Executive Director of the Department of Finance and Administration.

     SECTION 17.  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 18.  This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2003.