REPORT OF CONFERENCE COMMITTEE

MADAM PRESIDENT AND MR. SPEAKER:

We, the undersigned conferees, have had under consideration the amendments to the following entitled BILL:

S. B. No. 2681: Commissioner of Public Safety; authorize to establish organizational structure for agency.

We, therefore, respectfully submit the following report and recommendation:

 

1. That the House recede from its Amendment No. 1.

2. That the Senate and House adopt the following amendment:

Amend by striking all after the enacting clause and inserting in lieu thereof the following:

SECTION 1. Section 45-1-2, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

45-1-2. (1) The Executive Director of the Department of Public Safety shall be the Commissioner of Public Safety.

(2) The Commissioner of Public Safety shall establish the organizational structure of the Department of Public Safety which shall include the creation of any units necessary to implement the duties assigned to the department and consistent with specific requirements of law, including, but not limited to:

(a) Office of Public Safety Planning;

(b) Office of Medical Examiner;

(c) Office of Mississippi Highway Safety Patrol;

(d) Office of Crime Laboratories;

(e) Office of Law Enforcement Officers' Training Academy;

(f) Office of Support Services.

(g) The Director of the Bureau of Narcotics created under Section 41-29-107 shall establish the organizational structure of the bureau.

(3) The department shall be headed by a commissioner who shall be appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the Governor. The appointment of the commissioner shall be made with the advice and consent of the Senate. The commissioner may assign to the appropriate offices such powers and duties as deemed appropriate to carry out the department's lawful functions.

(4) The commissioner of the department shall appoint heads of offices, who shall serve at the pleasure of the commissioner. The commissioner shall have the authority to organize the offices established by subsection (2) of this section as deemed appropriate to carry out the responsibilities of the department. The organization charts of the department shall be presented annually with the budget request of the Governor for review by the Legislature.

(5) The commissioner of the department shall appoint, from within the Department of Public Safety, a statewide safety training officer who shall serve at the pleasure of the commissioner and whose duty it shall be to perform public training for both law enforcement and private persons throughout the state concerning proper emergency response to the mentally ill, terroristic threats or acts, domestic conflict, other conflict resolution, and such other matters as the commissioner may direct.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2001.

Further, amend by striking the title in its entirety and inserting in lieu thereof the following:

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 45-1-2, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO AUTHORIZE THE COMMISSIONER OF PUBLIC SAFETY TO ESTABLISH AN

ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY TO IMPLEMENT THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE DEPARTMENT; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

   

CONFEREES FOR THE SENATE

CONFEREES FOR THE HOUSE
   

X (SIGNED:)

X (SIGNED:)

Billy Thames

John R. Reeves
   

X (SIGNED:)

X (SIGNED:)

Robert G. Huggins

Frank Hamilton
   

X (SIGNED:)

X (SIGNED:)

Scottie R. Cuevas

Henry Zuber, III.