HB1611_S_Cmte_Amend

SECTION 1. The following sum, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated out of any money in the State General Fund not otherwise appropriated, for the purpose of defraying the expenses of the Mississippi Arts Commission for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2023, and ending June 30, 2024........................................

............................................ $ 1,330,183.00.

SECTION 2. The following sum, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated out of any money in the special fund in the State Treasury to the credit of the Mississippi Arts Commission which is comprised of special source funds and donations 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, 2023, and ending

June 30, 2024................................ $ 2,475,500.00.

SECTION 3. Of the funds appropriated under the provisions of this act, the following positions are authorized:

AUTHORIZED HEADCOUNT:

Permanent: 10

Time-Limited: 2

With the funds herein appropriated, it shall be the agency’s responsibility to make certain that funds required for Personal Services for Fiscal Year 2025 do not exceed Fiscal Year 2024 funds appropriated for that purpose unless programs or positions are added to the agency’s Fiscal Year 2024 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 2024 do not exceed the data provided by the Legislative Budget Office. If the agency’s Fiscal Year 2024 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 4. It is the intention of the Legislature that the Mississippi Arts 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 2023. It is further the intention of the Legislature that the agency's budget request for Fiscal Year 2025 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 2024 budget request process.

SECTION 5. Of the funds appropriated under the provisions of Section 2, funds in the amount of One Million Four Hundred Ninety Thousand Dollars ($1,490,000.00) shall be derived from the Education Enhancement Fund deposited pursuant to Sections 27-65-75 and 27-67-31, Mississippi Code of 1972, for the following:

Training of educators and promotion of arts programs in

public schools......................... $ 100,000.00

Miscellaneous grants and programs............ $ 350,000.00

Whole Schools Initiative.................... $ 1,040,000.00

SECTION 6. It is the intention of the Legislature that the Arts Commission shall have the authority to transfer dollars appropriated herein designated for the "Challenge Program," specific amounts to a special fund in the State Treasury called the Arts Commission Challenge Initiative Fund. The unexpended amounts remaining in the fund at the end of a fiscal year shall not lapse into the State General Fund and may be expended by the commission in subsequent fiscal years upon appropriation of the Legislature. Any interest earned on the fund shall be deposited to the credit of the fund and may be disbursed by the commission upon appropriations of the Legislature. It is the intention of the Legislature that the commission may award grants to arts organizations from monies in the fund and the grantees will be required to provide matching funds for the grants in an amount of not less than two (2) times the amount of the grant.

SECTION 7. 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 8. 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 9. The following sum, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is reappropriated out of any money in the Capital Expense Fund not otherwise appropriated for the Arts Commission for the purpose of reauthorizing the expenditure of Capital Expense Funds, as authorized in HB 1598, 2022 Regular Session to provide for the funding of the Building Fund for the Arts Initiative for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2023, and ending June 30, 2024......................... $ 1,700,000.00.

Notwithstanding the amount reappropriated under this section, the amount that may be expended under the authority of this section, shall not exceed the unexpended balance of the funds remaining as of June 30, 2023, from the amount authorized for the previous fiscal year. In addition, this reappropriation shall not change the purpose for which the funds were originally authorized.

SECTION 10. 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 11. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2023, and shall stand repealed June 29, 2023.