House Bill NO. 1612

By Senator(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 State Board of Education for the purpose of defraying the expenses of the Mississippi School for the Blind and the Mississippi School for the Deaf for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2001, and ending June 30, 2002 $ 8,896,643.00.

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 State Board of Education for the support of the Mississippi School for the Blind or the Mississippi School for the Deaf which is comprised of special source funds collected by or otherwise available to the schools, for the purpose of defraying the expenses of the schools for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2001, and ending June 30, 2002 $ 964,052.00.

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 $ 7,907,323.00

Travel and Subsistence 32,000.00

Contractual Services 1,361,769.00

Commodities 398,541.00

Capital Outlay:

Other Than Equipment 75,000.00

Equipment 75,000.00

Subsidies, Loans and Grants 11,062.00

Total $ 9,860,695.00

FUNDING:

General Funds $ 8,896,643.00

Special Funds 964,052.00

Total $ 9,860,695.00

AUTHORIZED POSITIONS:

Permanent: Full Time 202

Part Time 33

Time-Limited: Full Time 3

Part Time 0

With the funds herein appropriated, it is the intention of the Legislature that it shall be the agency's responsibility to make certain that funds required to be appropriated for "Personal Services" for Fiscal Year 2003 do not exceed Fiscal Year 2002 funds appropriated for that purpose, unless programs or positions are added to the agency's Fiscal Year 2003 budget by the Mississippi Legislature. Based on data provided by the Legislative Budget Office, the State Personnel Board shall determine and publish the projected annual cost to fully fund all appropriated positions in compliance with the provisions of this act. It shall be the responsibility of the agency head to insure that no single personnel action increases this projected annual cost and/or the Fiscal Year 2002 appropriation for "Personal Services" when annualized. If, at the end of any calendar month, the State Personnel Board determines that the agency has taken action(s) which would cause the agency to exceed this projected annual cost or the Fiscal Year 2002 "Personal Services" appropriated level, when annualized, then only those actions which reduce the projected annual cost and/or the appropriation requirement will be processed by the State Personnel Board until such time as the requirements of this provision are met.

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

None of the funds herein provided shall be expended to hire any person on a contractual basis, for any period for any purpose, without the express prior approval of the State Personnel Director. The State Personnel Director shall consider, in approving such contracts, the availability of funds, the need for services, compliance with the State Compensation Plan and the qualifications of the persons offering to perform the services. The State Fiscal Officer shall not pay any warrant that is in violation of this section.

SECTION 4. It is the intention of the Legislature that the Mississippi School for the Blind and the Mississippi School for the Deaf 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 2001. The Department of Finance and Administration shall insure that financial controls comparable to those utilized for Fiscal Year 2001 are maintained throughout Fiscal Year 2002 for this agency. The State Personnel Board shall insure that personnel controls and records comparable to those utilized for Fiscal Year 2001 are maintained throughout Fiscal Year 2002 for this agency. It is further the intention of the Legislature that the agency's budget request for Fiscal Year 2003 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 2002 budget request process.

SECTION 5. With the funds provided herein, it is the intention of the Legislature that the academic teachers at the Mississippi School for the Deaf and the Mississippi School for the Blind shall receive their annual increment.

SECTION 6. 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 7. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2001.