House Bill 1619

AN ACT APPROVING THE EXPENDITURE OF SPECIAL FUNDS FOR THE PURPOSE OF DEFRAYING THE EXPENSES OF THE PEARL RIVER VALLEY WATER SUPPLY DISTRICT FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2023.

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 authorized and approved for expenditure out of any special source funds which are received by or otherwise become available to the Pearl River Valley Water Supply District, for the purpose of defraying the expenses of the district for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2022, and ending June 30, 2023........................................

............................................ $ 19,672,067.00.

SECTION 2. Of the funds appropriated under the provisions of Section 1, the following positions are authorized:

AUTHORIZED POSITIONS:

Permanent: Full Time............ 107

Part Time............ 0

Time-Limited: Full Time............ 1

Part Time............ 0

With the funds herein appropriated, it shall be the agency’s responsibility to make certain that funds required for “Personal Services” for Fiscal Year 2024 do not exceed Fiscal Year 2023 funds appropriated for that purpose unless programs or positions are added to the agency’s Fiscal Year 2023 budget by the Mississippi Legislature. The Legislature shall determine the agency’s personal services appropriation, which shall be published by the State Personnel Board. Additionally, the State Personnel Board shall determine and publish the projected annualized payroll costs based on current employees. It shall be the responsibility of the agency head to ensure that actual personnel expenditures for Fiscal Year 2023 do not exceed the data provided by the Legislative Budget Office. If the agency’s Fiscal Year 2023 projected cost exceeds the annualized costs, no salary actions shall be processed by the State Personnel Board with the exception of new hires that are determined to be essential for the agency.

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.

None of the funds herein appropriated shall be used in violation of Internal Revenue Service’s Publication 15-A relating to the reporting of income paid to contract employees, as interpreted by the Office of the State Auditor.

Funds have been appropriated herein for the purpose of funding Project SEC2 minimum salaries for all employees covered under the Colonel Guy Groff/Neville Kenning Variable Compensation Plan. It shall be the agency’s responsibility to ensure that the funds are used to increase all employees’ salaries up to the minimum level as determined by the State Personnel Board.

SECTION 3. It is the intention of the Legislature that the Pearl River Valley Water Supply District 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 2022. It is further the intention of the Legislature that the agency's budget request for Fiscal Year 2024 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 2023 budget request process.

SECTION 4. It is the intention of the Legislature that whenever two (2) or more bids are received by this agency for the purchase of commodities or equipment, and whenever all things stated in such received bids are equal with respect to price, quality and service, the Mississippi Industries for the Blind shall be given preference. A similar preference shall be given to the Mississippi Industries for the Blind whenever purchases are made without competitive bids.

SECTION 5. The funds herein approved for expenditure, except and less an amount approved by the State Fiscal Officer which shall be sufficient to cover disbursements for current operations, shall be deposited at interest with any official depository of the state at a rate of interest numerically not less than one percent (1%) below the bank discount rate on United States Treasury bills of comparable maturity as determined by the State Treasurer.

SECTION 6. None of the funds appropriated for expenditure under this act may be expended by Pearl River Valley Water Supply District until the district agrees to comply with the following condition: the District shall waive traffic control fees for any vehicle displaying a “REZ” tag.

SECTION 7. None of the funds appropriated for expenditure under this act may be expended by Pearl River Valley Water Supply District until the district agrees to comply with the following conditions: (1) If any local governmental or nonprofit entity wins the bid for the ESPN Bass Masters Classic or the FLW Major Open, these events shall be exempt from the district's lottery system for host events at the reservoir and given priority of any and all date options available. (2) If any local governmental or nonprofit entity wins the bid for such events, the district shall waive the daily launch fees or any other special event fees for the ESPN Bass Masters Classic or the FLW Major Open. (3) The Catch A Dream Foundation Bass Classic shall be held on the first Sunday in May unless any local governmental or nonprofit entity wins the bid for the ESPN Bass Masters Classic or the FLW Major Open on that date. The Catch A Dream Foundation Bass Classic shall be exempt from the district's lottery system for host events at the reservoir and given priority for the first Sunday in May. The district shall waive the daily launch fees or any other special event fees for the Classic.

SECTION 8. Of the funds appropriated herein, Two Hundred Thousand Dollars ($200,000.00) is provided for salary increase for the purpose of funding overtime, callback or standby pay.

SECTION 9. Of the funds appropriated herein, Two Hundred Thousand Dollars ($200,000.00) is provided out of the Ross Barnett Reservoir Dredging Fund for dredging and other related activities to remove sediments and debris from the bottom of the Ross Barnett Reservoir.

SECTION 10. It is the intention of the Legislature that the funds herein appropriated shall be expended in compliance with Section 27-104-25, Mississippi Code of 1972, that no state agency shall incur obligations or indebtedness in excess of their appropriation and that the responsible officers, either personally or upon their official bonds, shall be held responsible for actions contrary to this provision.

SECTION 11. The money herein approved for expenditure shall be disbursed upon bank checks signed by the proper person, officer or officers, in the manner provided by law or in accordance with the provisions of a valid trust indenture.

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, 2022, and shall stand repealed June 30, 2022.