MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

1997 Regular Session

To: Rules

By: Representatives McInnis, McCoy

A RESOLUTION TO CREATE A NEW HOUSE RULE TO REQUIRE THE APPROPRIATIONS AND WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEES TO JOINTLY APPROVE A REVENUE PROJECTION AND A PROPOSED BEGINNING BUDGET FOR EACH STATE AGENCY INDEPENDENT OF THE BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE JOINT LEGISLATIVE BUDGET COMMITTEE, TO REQUIRE MEASURES PROPOSING TO INCREASE OR DECREASE THE STATE'S BUDGET TO BE SUPPORTED WITH REASONS THEREFOR, AND TO REQUIRE THE AUTHOR OF ANY MEASURE INCREASING A PARTICULAR AGENCY'S BUDGET TO STATE WHICH AGENCIES' BUDGETS SHOULD BE DECREASED IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN AN OVERALL BALANCED STATE BUDGET WITHIN THE REVENUE PROJECTION. 

BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, That the 1996-2000 Rules of the House are amended by creating a new rule to read as follows:

"___. Before the expiration of the second calendar week of each regular session, the Appropriations Committee and the Ways and Means Committee jointly shall approve a revenue projection and a proposed beginning budget for the state and each state agency, as the term "state agency" is defined in Section 27-103-103, Mississippi Code of 1972, which may or may not be the estimated revenue projection and proposed budget for the state and each state agency adopted by the Joint Legislative Budget Committee, for the next succeeding fiscal year. After such committees have approved the revenue projection and a proposed beginning budget for the state and each state agency, any revenue measure that increases or decreases the beginning state budget shall include: (a) the reasons for the increase or decrease; (b) in the case of an increase, the item or items for which such additional revenues should be expended, and the reasons therefor; and (c) in the case of a decrease, the item or items which should be reduced or eliminated, and the reasons therefor, in order to maintain an overall balanced state budget within the revenue projection.

Whenever a member proposes any measure to the Appropriations Committee, Ways and Means Committee or the House which increases the proposed beginning budget for a state agency, the author of the measure shall state to the committee or House: (a) the reason for including the additional revenue in the state agency's budget; and (b) which state agency or agencies' budgets should be reduced and the amount of such reduction, and the reasons therefor, in order to maintain an overall balanced budget for the state within the revenue projection."