Senate Bill NO. 3137

By Representative(s) Committee

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 Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning: (1) for the Omnibus Loan or Scholarship Act of 1991, in accordance with Section 37-143-1 et seq., Mississippi Code of 1972; (2) to defray the expenses incurred by the State of Mississippi in accordance with the terms of contracts between the State of Mississippi and the Southern Regional Education Board under the Southern Regional Education Program, in accordance with Section 37-135-1 et seq., Mississippi Code of 1972; (3) to provide instruction in graduate and professional schools in institutions outside the state for qualified students who are residents of Mississippi when such instruction is not available for them in the regularly supported Mississippi institutions of higher learning, in accordance with Section 37-101-221, Mississippi Code of 1972; (4) for the Post-Secondary Education Assistance Fund, for the purpose of providing loans to students in accordance with Section 37-106-1 et seq., Mississippi Code of 1972; (5) for the purpose of reimbursing institutions for scholarships granted under the provisions of Section 37-107-1 (deceased or disabled law enforcement officers' and firemen's spouses children); (6) for the purpose of reimbursing institutions for scholarships granted under the provisions of Section 37-108-1 (POW or MIA children); (7) for the Public Management Graduate Intern Program, for the purpose of providing a practical work experience in a specific state or local agency and office, including offices of the Legislature, to students in accordance with Section 37-110-1 et seq., Mississippi Code of 1972; (8) for the support and maintenance of the Mississippi Resident Tuition Assistance Grant Program and the Mississippi Eminent Scholars Grant Program; (9) for the support and maintenance of the Higher Education Legislative Plan; and (10) for the support and maintenance of the Department of Student Financial Aid, for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1999, and ending June 30, 2000 $ 23,352,154.00.

SECTION 2. The following sum, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is hereby authorized out of the proceeds derived from any federal funds, research grants, donations, fees, or other special source funds which are collected by or otherwise become available, for: (1) the Consolidated Revolving Loan Fund, in accordance with Section 37-143-19, Mississippi Code of 1972; (2) the expenses incurred by the State of Mississippi in accordance with the terms of contracts between the State of Mississippi and the Southern Regional Education Board under the Southern Regional Education Program; (3) the Post-Secondary Education Assistance Fund, for the purpose of providing loans to students; (4) for the Public Management Graduate Intern Program; and (5) for the support and maintenance of the Department of Student Financial Aid, for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1999, and ending

June 30, 2000 $ 7,169,680.00.

SECTION 3. Of the funds appropriated in this act, not less than Nineteen Million Four Hundred Fifty-eight Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($19,458,500.00) shall be allocated for the support and maintenance of the Mississippi Resident Tuition Assistance Grant Program, the Mississippi Eminent Scholars Grant Program and the Higher Education Legislative Plan.

SECTION 4. Of the funds appropriated in Section 2, Four Million Five Hundred Fifty-three Thousand Three Hundred Thirty-seven Dollars ($4,553,337.00) shall be derived from funds deposited pursuant to Section 27-103-203(1), Mississippi Code of 1972.

SECTION 5. It is the intention of the Legislature that of the funds authorized for expenditure in Section 2, the amount of Two Million Dollars ($2,000,000.00) shall be used to defray the costs of the Critical Teacher Shortage Scholarship Program.

SECTION 6. Any transfers or escalations shall be made in accordance with the terms, conditions, and procedures established by law.

Provided, however, that none of the funds apportioned in this act for the Out-of-State Educational Program shall be paid to or for the benefit of any student who enters a school outside the State of Mississippi for the first time, subsequent to July 1, 1982, in any discipline in the fields of medicine or dentistry.

SECTION 7. It is the intention of the Legislature that of the funds appropriated under the provisions of Section 1, the Board of Trustees of the State Institutions of Higher Learning shall expend from the support of the out-of-state graduate and professional studies program an amount not exceeding the funding necessary, contingent upon the availability of qualified applicants, for ten (10) new entering optometry students and the number of returning optometry students who received funding under the program during the preceding school year; for ten (10) new entering chiropractic students, with not more than twenty-five (25) chiropractic students overall; and seven (7) new entering osteopathic medical students and the number of returning osteopathic medical students who received funding under the program during the preceding school year, for these courses of study.

SECTION 8. In the allocation of funds appropriated under the provisions of Sections 1, 2 and 3 among the student financial aid programs included herein, it is the intention of the Legislature that priority shall be given and funds shall be first allocated to all students eligible for financial aid under the provisions of Sections 37-107-1 through 37-107-7 and Sections 37-108-1 through 37-108-5, Mississippi Code of 1972.

SECTION 9. All funds provided for in this act shall be accounted for in a detailed statement showing when, to whom, and for what purpose applied, and this statement shall be submitted at the next regular session of the Legislature within ten (10) days after the convening thereof. A report of loans made and receipt of repayment of loans to the fund shall be reported. The amount of repayment that is in arrears shall also be included. Such report shall include the number of students at each institution receiving financial assistance and the amount of such assistance, and an estimate of the financial requirement of the various loan programs for the next year. No public or private institution of higher learning receiving funds under the respective provisions of this act, for the purpose of issuing scholarship grants or loans, shall issue any official transcripts for any persons who have any amount of repayment in arrears on that date such official transcript is requested.

Furthermore, all funds received and expended shall be reported and otherwise accounted for in accordance with the provisions of Section 37-143-21, Mississippi Code of 1972.

SECTION 10. It is 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 11. Any funds appropriated pursuant to this act and paid as a fee to or deposited in a financial institution shall be in compliance with Section 109 of the Constitution of the State of Mississippi and Section 25-4-103, Mississippi Code of 1972.

SECTION 12. Should revenues generated and deposited to the Education Enhancement Fund pursuant to Section 27-103-203 (1), Mississippi Code of 1972, fall below funds appropriated herein from said source, the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning shall notify the Department of Finance and Administration as to which allotments shall be reduced to insure that expenditures do not exceed actual revenues.

SECTION 13. 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 14. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 1999.