MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2004 Regular Session
To: Appropriations
By: Representative Eaton, Gibbs, Frierson, Hamilton (109th), Holland, Martinson, Middleton, Miles, Shows, Warren, Weathersby
AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR THE SUPPORT AND MAINTENANCE OF THE STATE FORESTRY COMMISSION FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2005.
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 State Forestry Commission for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2004, and ending June 30, 2005...............
............................................ $ 19,175,491.00.
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 Forestry Commission which is comprised of special source funds collected by or otherwise available to the commission, for the support and maintenance of the commission for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2004, and ending June 30, 2005
............................................ $ 8,689,861.00.
Of the funds specified in this section, Two Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars ($250,000.00) shall be deposited in a fund created in the State Treasury called the "Forest Improvement Revolving Fund." Money in this fund shall be used by the State Forestry Commission to assist in the reforestation and growth improvement of the forests, woodlands, and publicly owned lands of the state, including sixteenth section lands, Camp Shelby, Columbia Training School and colleges and universities. Landowners who contract with the commission for such work shall pay to the commission its actual cost for conducting such work. Money received for this work by the commission shall be paid into the State Treasury, and the State Treasurer shall deposit such money in the "Forest Improvement Revolving Fund."
SECTION 3. With the funds appropriated under the provisions of Sections 1 and 2, the following positions are authorized:
AUTHORIZED POSITIONS:
Permanent: Full Time........... 614
Part Time........... 50
Time-Limited:Full Time........... 0
Part Time........... 0
Any transfers or escalations shall be made in accordance with the terms, conditions and procedures established by law or allowable under the terms set forth within this act. The State Personnel Board shall not escalate positions without written approval from the Department of Finance and Administration. The Department of Finance and Administration shall not provide written approval to escalate any funds for salaries and/or positions without proof of availability of new or additional funds above the appropriated level.
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 funds authorized herein shall be used to fund all operations of the agency with the following prohibitions:
(1) The agency shall not fill any current or future vacant positions;
(2) The agency shall not take any action to promote or otherwise award salary increases through reallocation, reclassification, realignment, education benchmark, career ladder, or any other means to increase salaries of employees or positions except as allowed under the provisions set forth in House Bill No. 1279, 2004 Regular Legislative Session;
(3) The agency shall not expend funds for out-of-state travel except as allowed under the provisions set forth in House Bill No. 1279, 2004 Regular Legislative Session;
(4) The agency shall not expend funds for the purchase of or contract for cellular phones, two-way radios or pagers, except for support of employees in the Department of Public Safety and the Bureau of Narcotics as recommended by Information Technology Services or as allowed under the provisions set forth in House Bill No. 1279, 2004 Regular Legislative Session;
(5) The agency shall not expend funds to publish or distribute any annual reports or other publications;
(6) The agency shall not expend funds for public relation activities regarding the functions, programs or services of the agency except as allowed under the provisions set forth in House Bill No. 1279, 2004 Regular Legislative Session;
(7) The agency shall not advertise the functions, programs or services of the agency except that the Mississippi Development Authority is authorized to expend funds for advertising to carry out the purposes of key programs administered by the authority;
(8) The agency shall not expend funds for staff development or training services;
(9) The agency shall not expend funds for the purchase of new or replacement equipment or furniture, excluding lease purchase payments on agreements in effect upon passage of this appropriation bill, except as allowed under the provisions set forth in House Bill No. 1279, 2004 Regular Legislative Session.
SECTION 5. It is the intention of the Legislature that none of the funds appropriated above shall be expended unless members of the Mississippi House of Representatives and Mississippi Senate are notified at least five (5) days prior to a public ceremony announcing the award of any grant in their district or any public announcement or ceremony regarding the groundbreaking or opening of a facility, roadway or bridge for which the Legislature has made funds available. Any signage regarding any public event or any new facility, roadway or bridge shall include the following language: "Funds were made available for this project by the Mississippi State Legislature."
SECTION 6. It is the intention of the Legislature that the State Forestry Commission shall maintain complete accounting and personnel records related to the expenditure of all funds appropriated under this act and that such records shall be in the same format and level of detail as maintained for Fiscal Year 2004. It is further the intention of the Legislature that the agency's budget request for Fiscal Year 2006 shall be submitted to the Joint Legislative Budget Committee in a format and level of detail comparable to the format and level of detail provided during the Fiscal Year 2005 budget request process.
SECTION 7. 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:
FY2005
Performance Measures Target
Fire Control
Number of Fires per Year (Events) 1,500
Average Size of Fire (Acres) 12.00
Private Lands Management
Land Reforested (Acres) 120,000
Landowners Assisted (Persons) 18,000
Public Lands Management
Value of Timber Sold (Dollars) 20,000,000
Insect & Disease Control
Acres Surveyed (Millions) 17.40
Forest Resource Development
Acres Regenerated (Acres) 45,000
Federal Excess Property
Number of Vehicles Acquired (Vehicles) 80
Regeneration
Genetically Improved Seedlings (In Millions) 30
Urban and Community Forestry
Communities Assisted 200
Homeowners Assisted 15,000
Financial Assistance Provided (dollars) 450,000
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 2006.
SECTION 8. It is the intention of the Legislature that the State Forestry Commission be allowed to escalate its budget in the Capital Outlay: Equipment major object of expenditure, with funds generated from the Forest Acreage Tax, and with funds generated from the sale of old equipment and lease of tower sites an amount not to exceed Seven Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars ($750,000.00). It is further the intention of the Legislature that the State Forestry Commission be allowed to escalate its budget in the Subsidies, Loans and Grants major object of expenditure, with funds generated from the Severance Tax to fund the Forest Resource Development Program in an amount not to exceed Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($500,000.00). The receipt of these funds is hereby authorized and approved, provided such receipts and expenditures are reported and otherwise accounted for in accordance with Section 27-103-101 et seq. and Section 27-104-1 et seq., Mississippi Code of 1972.
SECTION 9. It is the intention of the Legislature that the State Forestry Commission be allowed to escalate part-time positions up to one hundred (100) and expend funds not to exceed Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($500,000.00) from any source of funds that become available to the commission. This escalation shall be in accordance with rules and regulations of the Department of Finance and Administration in a manner consistent with the escalation of federal funds. These positions may be used to protect life and property during extended periods of extreme wildfire occurrences of a minimum of fifty (50) fires per day. The escalation of positions and the expenditure of these funds shall be at the discretion of the State Forester, with written notification to the State Personnel Board and the State Fiscal Officer.
SECTION 10. The Forestry Commission has the authority to purchase from the "General Services Administration" Fire Fighter Catalog and any other GSA Catalog as long as the cost of such items are less than the quotes received.
SECTION 11. There is hereby created in the State Treasury a fund designated as the Volunteer Fire Department Equipment Conversion Revolving Fund to be used by the State Forestry Commission to assist in the conversion of vehicles acquired by the State Forestry Commission through the Federal Excess Personal Property Program or by Volunteer Fire Departments through other means to adapt them for use in the suppression of wildland fires. This assistance shall be in the form of fabrication of water tanks or other accessories necessary for the operation of fire suppression units, installation of piping and valves, painting or other similar or associated component work necessary to place fire suppression equipment into service. It is not for general vehicle maintenance or repair.
The Volunteer Fire Department Equipment Conversion Revolving Fund shall be funded by monies received from charges for work and services performed for Volunteer Fire Departments by the State Forestry Commission. Monies collected from such charges shall be deposited into the Volunteer Fire Department Equipment Conversion Revolving Fund. The State Treasurer shall make disbursements therefrom for payment of materials, supplies and labor upon requisition of the Forestry Commission and upon the issuance of warrants therefor by the Department of Finance and Administration.
The amount of monies deposited into the Volunteer Fire Department Equipment Conversion Fund through this work shall not exceed Fifty Thousand Dollars ($50,000.00). Funds in excess of Fifty Thousand Dollars ($50,000.00) shall be placed in the State Forestry Commission's regular appropriated special funds. Monies in this revolving fund are to be considered special funds and shall be carried forward from one fiscal year to the next.
SECTION 12. 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 13. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2004.