MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

1999 Regular Session

To: Appropriations

By: Representatives Moody, Warren, Comans, Hamilton, Holland, Read, Stevens, Stringer, Watson

AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION TO THE DEPARTMENT OF REHABILITATION SERVICES FOR THE FISCAL YEARS 1999 AND 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, to the Department of Rehabilitation Services for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1999, and ending June 30, 2000 $ 10,855,501.00.

SECTION 2. The following sum, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is hereby appropriated out of any money in any special fund in the State Treasury to the credit of the Department of Rehabilitation Services which is comprised of special source funds collected by or otherwise available to the department for the support of the various offices of the department, for the purpose of defraying the expenses of the department for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1999, and ending June 30, 2000

$ 85,067,071.00.

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

OFFICE OF VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION

MAJOR OBJECTS OF EXPENDITURE:

Personal Services:

Salaries, Wages and Fringe Benefits $ 19,648,549.00

Travel and Subsistence 552,438.00

Contractual Services 3,440,309.00

Commodities 284,351.00

Capital Outlay:

Other Than Equipment 0.00

Equipment 440,573.00

Subsidies, Loans and Grants 22,361,484.00

Total $ 46,727,704.00

FUNDING:

General Funds $ 9,183,131.00

Special Funds 37,544,573.00

Total $ 46,727,704.00

AUTHORIZED POSITIONS:

Permanent: Full Time. . . . . . . . . 462

Part Time. . . . . . . . . 11

Time-Limited: Full Time. . . . . . . . . 103

Part Time. . . . . . . . . 5

OFFICE OF DISABILITY DETERMINATION SERVICES

MAJOR OBJECTS OF EXPENDITURE:

Personal Services:

Salaries, Wages and Fringe Benefits $ 12,201,482.00

Travel and Subsistence 199,390.00

Contractual Services 9,051,964.00

Commodities 523,390.00

Capital Outlay:

Other Than Equipment 0.00

Equipment 1,600,500.00

Subsidies, Loans and Grants 8,343,868.00

Total $ 31,920,594.00

FUNDING:

General Funds $ 0.00

Special Funds 31,920,594.00

Total $ 31,920,594.00

AUTHORIZED POSITIONS:

Permanent: Full Time. . . . . . . . . 298

Part Time. . . . . . . . . 20

Time-Limited: Full Time. . . . . . . . . 38

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

OFFICE OF VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION FOR THE BLIND

MAJOR OBJECTS OF EXPENDITURE:

Personal Services:

Salaries, Wages and Fringe Benefits $ 3,342,054.00

Travel and Subsistence 214,422.00

Contractual Services 699,584.00

Commodities 79,874.00

Capital Outlay:

Other Than Equipment 15,000.00

Equipment 237,794.00

Subsidies, Loans and Grants 5,339,313.00

Total $ 9,928,041.00

FUNDING:

General Funds $ 1,670,536.00

Special Funds 8,257,505.00

Total $ 9,928,041.00

AUTHORIZED POSITIONS:

Permanent: Full Time. . . . . . . . . 85

Part Time. . . . . . . . . 3

Time-Limited: Full Time. . . . . . . . . 7

Part Time. . . . . . . . . 4

The office of Vocational Rehabilitation for the Blind shall remain accredited by using not more than Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) of the funds appropriated along with matching funds for payment of fees to an accreditation agency recommended by the Rehabilitation Services Administration.

OFFICE OF SUPPORT SERVICES

MAJOR OBJECTS OF EXPENDITURE:

Personal Services:

Salaries, Wages and Fringe Benefits $ 1,458,297.00

Travel and Subsistence 50,500.00

Contractual Services 455,297.00

Commodities 37,860.00

Capital Outlay:

Other Than Equipment 0.00

Equipment 32,095.00

Subsidies, Loans and Grants 0.00

Total $ 2,034,049.00

FUNDING:

General Funds $ 0.00

Special Funds 2,034,049.00

Total $ 2,034,049.00

AUTHORIZED POSITIONS:

Permanent: Full Time. . . . . . . . . 28

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

Time-Limited: Full Time. . . . . . . . . 0

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

SPINAL CORD AND HEAD INJURY PROGRAM

FUNDING:

General Funds $ 1,834.00

Special Funds 5,310,350.00

Total $ 5,312,184.00

AUTHORIZED POSITIONS:

Permanent: Full Time. . . . . . . . . 1

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

Time-Limited: Full Time. . . . . . . . . 0

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

From the funds herein appropriated, the Department of Rehabilitation Services may cooperate with other state or federal agencies in setting up and executing programs for vocational rehabilitation for eligible disabled and/or handicapped individuals throughout the state.

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.

It is the intention of the Legislature that the Executive Director of the Department of Rehabilitation Services may transfer between the various offices authorized herein both funds and positions not to exceed five percent (5%) of the receiving office in addition to any other transfers or escalations made in accordance with Section 27-104-17 (3), Mississippi Code of 1972, Annotated. The Executive Director of the Department of Rehabilitation Services shall submit written justification for the transfer to the Legislative Budget Office and the Department of Finance and Administration on or before the fifteenth of the month prior to the effective date of the transfer. It is further the intention of the Legislature that any transfers made under the provisions of this paragraph shall be of an emergency nature and that in no case shall the transfers be made which substantially alter the legislative intent for the various offices as set forth in the original appropriations made under this act.

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. In addition to all other sums herein appropriated, the following sum, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is hereby appropriated out of any funds which are received by or otherwise become available to the Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation Services to provide funding for construction grants and establishment grants for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1999, and ending June 30, 2000

$ 4,000,000.00.

SECTION 5. It shall be unlawful for any officer, employee or other person whatsoever to use or permit or authorize the use of any automobile or any other motor vehicle owned by the State of Mississippi or any department, agency or institution thereof for any purpose other than upon the official business of the State of Mississippi or any agency, department or institution thereof.

It is the intent of the Legislature that motor vehicles authorized to be owned and operated by this agency shall comply with Sections 25-1-77 through 25-1-93, Mississippi Code of 1972.

SECTION 6. Funds are provided in this act in the amount of One Million One Hundred Thirty-nine Thousand Two Hundred Dollars ($1,139,200.00) to defray the annualized cost of agency specific realignments or reallocations for the following fourteen (14) job classes and two (2) reallocations within the Department of Rehabilitation Services. The realignments or reallocations referenced within this section are applicable only to the Department of Rehabilitation Services and said adjustments shall not be construed to apply to any other positions under the purview of the State Personnel Board.

DRS-Disability Examiner I, OCCU 0785

DRS-Disability Examiner II, OCCU 0586

DRS-Disability Examiner III, C11CU 1885

DRS-Disability Examiner Sr., OCCU 3906

DRS-Program Coordinator, OCCU 1879

DRS-Counselor I, OCCU 0585

DRS-Counselor II, OCCU 0786

DRS-Counselor III, OCCU 1539

DRS-Counselor Senior, OCCU 4125

DRS-Counselor Deaf, OCCU 4154

DRS-Evaluator I, GCCU 0229

DRS-Evaluator II, GCCU 0784

DRS-Evaluator III, OCCU 1884

DRS-Evaluator Senior, OCCU 4124

1 Property Officer I to Property Officer III

1 Nurse II to Nurse III

SECTION 7. In addition to all other sums heretofore appropriated, the following sum, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is hereby appropriated out of any money in the State Treasury to the credit of the Department of Rehabilitation Services which is comprised of special source funds collected by or otherwise available to the department for the support of the department, from and after passage and through June 30, 1999

$ 25,000.00.

This additional appropriation is provided for additional travel for Disability Determination Service hearing officers.

SECTION 8. 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 9. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 1999, except Section 7 which shall be in force from and after passage.