MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

1999 Regular Session

To: Appropriations

By: Senator(s) Hall, Burton, Woodfield, Carter, Gollott, Ross, Stogner, Walls, White (5th)

AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION TO DEFRAY THE EXPENSES OF THE DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2000.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. The following sum of money, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is hereby appropriated out of any money in the State General Fund not otherwise appropriated, to defray the expenses of the Department of Economic and Community Development for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1999, and ending

June 30, 2000 $ 30,205,248.00.

SECTION 2. 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 Economic and Community Development or the appropriate special fund for the purpose of defraying the expenses incurred in the operation of the various divisions of the department for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1999 and ending June 30, 2000

$ 122,140,854.00.

SECTION 3. With the funds appropriated under the provisions of Sections 1 and 2, the following positions are authorized:

AUTHORIZED POSITIONS:

Permanent: Full Time. . . . . . . . . 325

Part Time. . . . . . . . . 9

Time-Limited: Full Time. . . . . . . . . 42

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

From the funds provided in this act, 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.

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 in Section 2, the amount of Four Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars ($450,000.00) shall be provided from the Motor Carrier Regulation Account to defray the expenses of the Department of Economic and Community Development in operating the state welcome centers.

SECTION 5. The acceptance and expenditure of funds, and interest on such funds, received from, or by virtue of consent or other orders of or agreements involving any agency, instrumentality, or judicial tribunal of any state or the United States for petroleum price compliance and allocation which may become available during the fiscal year for the support of the Department of Economic and Community Development or any programs sponsored under the terms of the receipt of these funds are hereby authorized not to exceed Two Million Dollars ($2,000,000.00) and approved, provided such receipts and expenditures are reported and otherwise accounted for in accordance with Section 27-103-101 et seq., and Section 27-104-1 et seq., Mississippi Code of 1972.

SECTION 6. It is the intention of the Legislature that the Department of Economic and Community Development is hereby authorized to escalate and expend funds from any source not to exceed Five Million Dollars ($5,000,000.00) in accordance with rules and regulations of the Department of Finance and Administration in a manner consistent with the escalation of federal funds.

SECTION 7. It is the intention of the Legislature that the Department of Economic and Community Development 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 1999. It is further the intention of the Legislature that the agency's budget request for Fiscal Year 2001 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 2000 budget request process.

SECTION 8. Of the funds appropriated in Section 1, the amount of Nine Million Two Hundred Thousand Dollars ($9,200,000.00), or so much thereof as may be necessary, is provided for the purpose of supporting Mississippi Tourism Advertising and Promotion for Fiscal Year 2000. The expenditure of funds authorized in this section shall be exempt from Section 25-9-120, Mississippi Code of 1972.

SECTION 9. Of the funds appropriated in Section 1 and provided in Section 8 for the purpose of supporting Mississippi Tourism Advertising and Promotion, an amount to be determined by the Department of Economic and Community Development is authorized to establish the Mississippi Motion Picture Incentive Program. Monies committed to this program shall not lapse into the State General Fund at the end of the fiscal year.

SECTION 10. Of the funds appropriated in Section 1, the amount of Two Million Two Hundred Thousand Dollars ($2,200,000.00), or so much thereof as may be necessary, is provided for the purpose of supporting, marketing, and facilitating Mississippi business growth for Fiscal Year 2000. The expenditure of funds authorized in this section shall be exempt from Section 25-9-120, Mississippi Code of 1972.

SECTION 11. In compliance with the "Mississippi Performance Budget and Strategic Planning Act of 1994," it is the intent of the Legislature that the funds provided herein shall be utilized in the most efficient and effective manner possible to achieve the intended mission of this agency. Based on the funding authorized, this agency shall make every effort to attain the targeted performance measures provided below:

Performance Measures FY2000 Target National Development

Recruitment contacts (Actions) 3,100

Minority business contacts (Actions) 4,291

Minority business certifications (Actions) 284

Qualified prospects (Prospects) 230

International Development

Investment contacts (Entities) 375

Trade contacts (Entities) 1,000

Investment prospects (Prospects) 48

Financial Resources

Requests for financing or incentives (Actions) 455

Tourism Development

Number of tourist inquiries generated(#) 476,721

Welcome Centers

Tourists registered (Persons) 3,225,000

Existing Industry & Business

Interactions with interested businesses (actions) 7,575

Businesses assisted (Entities) 2,800

Energy

BTUs saved (Units in trillions) 71.67

Clients served (Entities) 34,650

Employment Training

Successful program completion by clients (%) 78

Clients served (Persons) 12,460

Community Services

Amount of grants awarded ($) 55,000,000

Grants and loans awarded (Items) 185

Community programs delivered (Programs) 165

A reporting of the degree to which the performance targets set above have been or are being achieved shall be provided in the agency's budget request submitted to the Joint Legislative Budget Committee for Fiscal Year 2001.

SECTION 12. 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 money in the State General Fund not otherwise appropriated, to the Department of Economic and Community Development for the purpose of providing funds for the Institute for Technology Development, for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1999, and ending June 30, 2000

$ 750,000.00.

The funds appropriated under the provisions of this section are provided for the specific purpose of providing state funds for support of the Institute for Technology Development to equip, operate and maintain a post-graduate, integrated circuit design, engineering training program, known as ComPEET. The funds herein appropriated shall be held separate and apart from all other funds appropriated to the Department of Economic and Community Development.

SECTION 13. 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 money in the State General Fund not otherwise appropriated, to the Department of Economic and Community Development for the purpose of providing funds for Mississippi Technology, Incorporated, for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1999, and ending June 30, 2000

$ 1,500,000.00.

The funds appropriated under the provisions of this section are provided for the specific purpose of providing state funds for support of Mississippi Technology, Incorporated, to strengthen the business environment in Mississippi to spur the creation and growth of technology-based industries, thus creating many more high-paying jobs and a more diversified, competitive Mississippi economy. The funds herein appropriated shall be held separate and apart from all other funds appropriated to the Department of Economic and Community Development.

SECTION 14. Of the funds appropriated in Section 1, Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($500,000.00) is provided for support of the Royal Spanish Treasures Exhibit. It is the intention of the Legislature that the Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($500,000.00) authorized in this section shall lapse into the State General Fund at the end of fiscal year 2000 if it is not used for the Royal Spanish Treasurers Exhibit.

SECTION 15. 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 16. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 1999.