MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

2000 Regular Session

To: Public Buildings, Grounds and Lands

By: Representative Brown

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 31-11-27, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION TO PREPARE AND FILE AN ANNUAL REPORT WITH THE LEGISLATIVE BUDGET OFFICE, THE HOUSE PUBLIC BUILDINGS, GROUNDS AND LANDS COMMITTEE AND THE SENATE PUBLIC PROPERTY COMMITTEE DESCRIBING THE PROPOSED FIVE-YEAR CAPITAL NEEDS OF STATE AGENCIES; TO PROVIDE CERTAIN INFORMATION THAT SUCH REPORT MUST CONTAIN; TO PROVIDE THAT STATE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS PROJECTS COSTING ONE MILLION DOLLARS OR MORE SHALL BE FUNDED BY THE LEGISLATURE IN THREE PHASES; TO DEFINE EACH PHASE; TO PROVIDE THAT EACH PHASE SHALL BE FUNDED IN SEPARATE REGULAR SESSIONS OF THE LEGISLATURE; TO EXEMPT CERTAIN PROJECTS FROM SUCH REQUIREMENTS; TO REQUIRE ALL STATE AGENCIES WHICH PLAN TO UNDERTAKE A CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT TO SUBMIT A PREPLANNED CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT PROJECTION TO THE BUREAU OF BUILDING, GROUNDS AND REAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT FOR EVALUATION; TO PROVIDE THAT ANY PROJECT COSTING UNDER ONE MILLION DOLLARS SHALL NOT BE REQUIRED TO BE PREPLANNED; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. Section 31-11-27, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

31-11-27. (1) (a) The Department of Finance and Administration shall conduct a detailed study of the building and other capital needs at each state institution and at each junior college immediately prior to September first in each year. This study shall include, but shall not be limited to, the following matters: (i) an inventory of every state building and other capital facility which is the property of the State of Mississippi; (ii) the location, date of construction or acquisition, the purpose for which used, outstanding indebtedness against such facility, if any, and cost of repairs for the preceding fiscal year; (iii) an examination of the condition of the building or other facility; (iv) an estimate of the cost of repairs required to place the facility in good condition; (v) an estimate of the cost of major renovations, if contemplated; and (vi) a determination of the new building and other facility needs of each institution with such needs classified under immediate or long range requirements.

(b) All state agencies, departments and institutions are hereby authorized and directed to cooperate with the Department of Finance and Administration in carrying out the provisions of this section.

(c) The Department of Finance and Administration shall submit a detailed report to the Legislative Budget Office on or before September first of each year. Such report shall be in such detail and in such form as may be prescribed by the Legislative Budget Office.

(d) The architect or building inspector of the Department of Finance and Administration shall make a biennial inspection of the New Capitol, Old Capitol, Woolfolk State Office Building, War Memorial Building, the Governor's Mansion, and all other buildings under jurisdiction of the Department of Finance and Administration for structural or other physical needs or defects of such buildings, and he shall further inquire of the department or its representatives regarding the condition of the buildings. He shall make a written report of his finding to the Department of Finance and Administration, Governor, Lieutenant Governor and Speaker of the House of Representatives. The report shall also make recommendations for repairs and list, by number, the priority which should be given to making necessary repairs.

(2) (a) In addition to any report required in subsection (1) of this section, the Department of Finance and Administration shall prepare and submit an annual report to the Legislative Budget Office, the House Public Buildings, Grounds and Lands Committee and the Senate Public Property Committee describing the proposed capital improvements projects for state agencies, departments and institutions for the upcoming five-year period. The department shall submit the report before September 1 of each year. The report shall include at least the following information:

(i) A prioritized list of the projects proposed for the five-year period, with each project ranked on the basis of need;

(ii) A prioritized list of the projects proposed for the next regular legislative session, with each project ranked on the basis of need;

(iii) A prioritized list of the projects requested by each state agency, department or institution;

(iv) A detailed explanation of criteria used by the Department of Finance and Administration to rank projects for purposes of any list it prepares under this paragraph (a);

(v) A detailed statement of justification for each project;

(vi) The approximate cost for each project, including, but not limited to, itemized estimates of costs for preplanning, constructing, furnishing and equipping a project, and costs for property acquisition;

(vii) The estimated beginning date and completion date for each project;

(viii) Whether a project, as proposed, is a complete project or a phase or part of a project;

(ix) How a project will affect the operating budget of the applicable agency, department or institution for the upcoming five-year period, regarding such items as additional personnel requirements, utility costs, maintenance costs, security costs, etc.;

(x) The proposed method of financing each project and the effect such financing will have on the state budget, including an estimate of any required debt service for the project, and an estimate of any federal funds or other funds that the agency, department or institution may have access to because of the project; and

(xi) A list of the projects requested by each agency, department or institution for the five-year period, with each project ranked by the appropriate agency, department or institution on the basis of need.

(b) To enable the Department of Finance and Administration to prepare the report required in this subsection (2), it may require all state agencies, departments and institutions to file a capital improvements projects request with such information and in such form and in such detail as the department may deem necessary and advisable. Such request shall be filed with the Department of Finance and Administration no later than August 1 of each year.

SECTION 2. (1) Every capital improvements project, costing One Million Dollars ($1,000,000.00) or more, which is developed to repair, renovate, construct, remodel, add to or improve a state-owned public building shall be funded by the Legislature in three (3) phases. The three-phase funding requirement shall not apply to capital improvements projects for a state-owned port or where the Legislature finds that an emergency or critical need must be met or a court order complied with. The three (3) phases shall not be funded in the same regular session of the Legislature. Each phase shall be funded in a separate regular session of the Legislature. Phase 1 shall be a preplanned capital improvements project budget projection for the project and shall be funded first. Phase 2 shall be the actual repair, renovation, construction, remodeling, addition to or improvement of the state-owned public building and shall be funded second. Phase 3, if necessary, shall be the acquisition of furniture and equipment for the capital improvements project and shall be funded last.

(2) For the purposes of this section, the term "preplanned" or "preplanning" means the preliminary planning that establishes the program, scope, design and budget for a capital improvements project.

(3) Every state agency that plans to repair, renovate, construct, remodel, add to or improve a state-owned public building shall submit a preplanned capital improvements project budget projection to the Bureau of Building, Grounds and Real Property Management for evaluation. The bureau shall assess the need for all preplanned projects submitted and shall compile a report on its findings. Any capital improvements project costing less than One Million Dollars ($1,000,000.00) shall not be required to be preplanned.

(4) Upon the completion of any preplanning for a capital improvements project, if such preplanning is funded with self-generated funds by a state agency, the plan shall be submitted to the bureau for evaluation.

SECTION 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2000.