REPORT OF CONFERENCE COMMITTEE

S.B. No. 3162: Appropriation; Veterans Affairs Bd.

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 and paying salaries of the Veterans Affairs Board for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1999, and ending

June 30, 2000 $ 2,037,953.00.

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 Veterans Affairs Board which is comprised of special source funds collected by or otherwise available to the board, for the support and maintenance of said board for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1999, and ending June 30, 2000 $ 19,922,165.00.

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:

MAJOR OBJECTS OF EXPENDITURE:

Personal Services:

Salaries, Wages and Fringe Benefits $ 2,620,513.00

Travel and Subsistence 70,000.00

Contractual Services 18,145,783.00

Commodities 738,822.00

Capital Outlay:

Other Than Equipment 200,000.00

Equipment 185,000.00

Subsidies, Loans and Grants 0.00

Total $ 21,960,118.00

FUNDING:

General Funds $ 2,037,953.00

Special Funds 19,922,165.00

Total $ 21,960,118.00

AUTHORIZED POSITIONS:

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

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

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

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 1, and authorized for expenditure in Section 3, funds in the amount of Two Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars ($250,000.00) are provided to defray the cost of providing care to indigent/low-income Mississippi veterans in the state veterans homes. This section and its provisions shall be known and cited as the "Hilton R. 'Jack' Vance Act of 1997."

SECTION 5. Funds are provided in this act to reallocate PIN 35 from Secretary to Administrative Assistant II at an annualized cost not to exceed Three Thousand Seven Hundred Two Dollars ($3,702.00); PIN 37 from Secretary to Administrative Assistant II at an annualized cost not to exceed Three Thousand Eight Hundred Seven Dollars ($3,807.00); PIN 39 from Secretary to Administrative Assistant II at an annualized cost not to exceed Three Thousand Three Hundred Fifty-four Dollars ($3,354.00); and PIN 41 from Secretary to Administrative Assistant II at an annualized cost not to exceed Four Thousand Two Hundred

Seventy-six Dollars ($4,276.00).

SECTION 6. Funds are provided in this act for six (6) new positions to be established as follows: One (1) Administrative Assistant II, four (4) Nurse Practitioners, and one (1) WAN Administrator.

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.