MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

1999 Regular Session

To: Appropriations

By: Representatives Flaggs, Shows, Bourdeaux, Bowles, Denny, Perry, Watson

AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR THE PURPOSE OF DEFRAYING THE EXPENSES OF THE MISSISSIPPI ARTS COMMISSION FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2000.

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 purpose of defraying the expenses of the Mississippi Arts Commission for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1999, and ending June 30, 2000 $ 1,780,193.00.

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 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, 1999, and ending June 30, 2000

$ 923,042.00.

SECTION 3. Of the funds appropriated under the provisions of Section 1 and Section 2, not more than the amounts set forth below shall be expended for the respective major objects or purposes of expenditure:

MAJOR OBJECTS OF EXPENDITURE:

Personal Services:

Salaries, Wages and Fringe Benefits $ 521,455.00

Travel and Subsistence 22,109.00

Contractual Services 235,130.00

Commodities 71,800.00

Capital Outlay:

Other Than Equipment 0.00

Equipment 11,000.00

Subsidies, Loans and Grants 1,841,741.00

Total $ 2,703,235.00

FUNDING:

General Funds $ 1,780,193.00

Special Funds 923,042.00

Total $ 2,703,235.00

AUTHORIZED POSITIONS:

Permanent: Full Time. . . . . . . . . 11

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

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

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

From the funds provided in the budget category "Personal Services: Salaries, Wages and Fringe Benefits," funds may be expended for the following purposes, in compliance with the policies established by the State Personnel Board and any conditions placed on such expenditures:

(a) The components of the Variable Compensation Plan shall be maintained within the constraints of the funds appropriated herein.

(b) Funds are provided to adjust the Variable Compensation Plan, including realignment, to ensure that all full-time employees with at least six (6) months of continuous current service, as of June 30, 1999, receive an increase of One Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($1,500.00). Funds are provided to adjust critical job classes up to an additional One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00).

(c) If an employee is currently at or above the end salary for his or her job classification, then the increase shall be built into the employee's base salary. To be eligible for any increase authorized in this section, employees may not have a current performance rating below "meets expectations" as of the effective date of the increase. Employees who subsequently receive a performance rating of "meets expectations" or above during Fiscal Year 2000 shall receive the salary increase effective the date of the rating.

It is the agency's responsibility to make certain that funds required to be appropriated for "Personal Services" for Fiscal Year 2001 do not exceed Fiscal Year 2000 funds appropriated for that purpose unless programs or positions are added to the agency's budget by the Mississippi Legislature. 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. Of the funds appropriated under the provisions of Section 2, funds in the amount of Four Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars ($450,000.00) shall be derived from the Education Enhancement Fund 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

SECTION 5. It is the intention of the Legislature that the Arts Commission shall have the authority to transfer dollars appropriated in the major object of expenditure "Subsidies, Loans and Grants," 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 6. It is the intention of the Legislature that the Mississippi Arts Commission shall have the authority to escalate its budget and expend funds from any source available not to exceed Two Hundred Thousand Dollars ($200,000.00), that may become available to the Commission in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Department of Finance and Administration in a manner consistent with the escalation of federal funds.

SECTION 7. 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 8. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 1999.