Senate Bill 2955

AN ACT TO CREATE THE CAPITOL COMPLEX REAL ESTATE BOARD FOR THE PURPOSES OF NEGOTIATING THE PURCHASES OF REAL PROPERTY LOCATED WITHIN A ONE-MILE RADIUS OF THE CAPITOL; TO PRESCRIBE ITS POWERS AND DUTIES; TO PROVIDE FOR THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE BOARD; TO AMEND SECTION 7-9-151, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO AUTHORIZE THE USE OF THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS PREPLANNING FUND TO PAY CERTAIN EXPENSES NECESSARY FOR THE BOARD TO ENTER INTO CONTRACTS FOR THE PURCHASE OF REAL PROPERTY; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. (1) There is hereby created the Capitol Complex Real Estate Board, hereinafter referred to as the "board," for the purposes of negotiating the purchases of real property located within a one-mile radius of the Capitol building.

(2) The board shall be composed of the following five (5) members:

(a) The Governor;

(b) The Attorney General;

(d) The Chairman of the Senate Public Property Committee, serving as ex officio, nonvoting member of the board; and

(e) The Chairman of the House of Representatives Public Buildings, Grounds and Lands Committee, serving as ex officio, nonvoting member of the board.

(3) A quorum shall consist of a majority of the authorized voting membership of the board. The board shall maintain minutes of all meetings.

(4) At any time of the year, the board may receive proposals from the Bureau of Building, Grounds and Real Property Management, Department of Finance and Administration, for the purchase of real property located within a one-mile radius of the Capitol building. The board, or the Executive Director of the Department of Finance and Administration upon approval of the board, is authorized to enter into contracts for the purchase of such real property, provided the contracts are conditional upon funding by the Legislature in the succeeding legislative session.

(4) Upon approval by the board, the Bureau of Building, Grounds and Real Property Management, Department of Finance and Administration, is authorized to use funds from the Capital Improvements Preplanning Fund, established pursuant to Section 7-9-151, to pay the expenses of any appraisals, surveys or legal work necessary for the board to enter into contracts for the purchase of such real property.

(5) Members of the board shall not receive any compensation or per diem, but may receive travel reimbursement provided for under Section 25-3-41, except that the legislators shall receive per diem and expenses which shall be paid from the contingent expense funds of their respective houses in the same amounts as provided for committee meetings when the Legislature is not in session; however, no per diem and expenses for attending meetings of the board shall be paid to legislators while the Legislature is in session.

(6) This section shall stand repealed from and after July 1, 2004.

SECTION 2. Section 7-9-151, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

7-9-151. There is hereby established in the State Treasury a revolving fund to be designated as the "Capital Improvements Preplanning Fund" which shall consist of monies appropriated or otherwise made available therefor by the Legislature. Such funds as may be deposited in the revolving fund may be expended by the Bureau of Building, Grounds and Real Property Management to obtain preliminary studies and plans for projects authorized by the Legislature, and for certain expenses of the Capitol Complex Real Estate Board pursuant to Section 1 of Senate Bill No. ____, 2002 Regular Session. Funds also may be expended, in an amount not to exceed Two Hundred Thousand Dollars ($200,000.00) for any project, for the purpose of obtaining preliminary studies and plans, to include appraisals and the purchase of options on real property, for projects the bureau may consider proposing to the Legislature for authorization. The bureau shall consider architectural and aesthetic compatibility in the preplanning of any project conducted using money from the Capital Improvements Preplanning Fund.

SECTION 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage.