MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

1999 Regular Session

To: Constitution

By: Representatives Scott (80th), Bailey, Banks, Blackmon, Broomfield, Clark, Coleman (65th), Evans, Gibbs, Middleton, Myers, Smith (27th), Thomas, Thornton, Walker, Watson

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO SECTION 100, MISSISSIPPI CONSTITUTION OF 1890, TO PROVIDE THAT THE LEGISLATURE MAY IN CERTAIN CASES AUTHORIZE THE VALUE OF MISSING OR UNACCOUNTED FOR INVENTORY TO BE DEDUCTED FROM AN AGENCY'S BUDGET IN THE NEXT SUCCEEDING YEAR AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO MAKING A DEMAND AGAINST THE HEAD OF THE AGENCY; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, That the following amendment to the Mississippi Constitution of 1890 is proposed to the qualified electors of the state:

Amend Section 100, Mississippi Constitution of 1890, to read as follows:

Section 100. No obligation or liability of any person, association, or corporation held or owned by this state, or levee board, or any county, city, or town thereof, shall ever be remitted, released or postponed, or in any way diminished by the Legislature, nor shall such liability or obligation be extinguished except by payment thereof into the proper treasury; nor shall such liability or obligation be exchanged or transferred except upon payment of its face value; but this shall not be construed to prevent the Legislature from providing by general law for the compromise of doubtful claims. Provided further, that this shall not be construed to prevent the Legislature from providing by general law that in the event state agency property has been lost through the failure to implement or follow proper inventory and accounting procedures, the value of the missing or unaccounted-for inventory shall be deducted from the agency's budget request in the next succeeding fiscal year, as an alternative to making a demand against the head of the agency.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this amendment to the Constitution of 1890 shall be submitted to the qualified electors of this state at an election to be held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday of November 1999, in the manner provided by Section 273 of the Constitution and by law.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the explanation of this proposed amendment for the ballot shall read as follows: "This proposed constitutional amendment authorizes the Legislature to permit an agency's budget to be reduced by the value of any missing or unaccounted-for inventory as an alternative to making a legal demand against the head of the agency."