REPORT OF CONFERENCE COMMITTEE

 

MR. SPEAKER AND MADAM PRESIDENT:

 

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

 

H. B. No. 1535:  Appropriation; Insurance Department.

 

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

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

    


     SECTION 1.  The following sum, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is hereby appropriated out of any money in any special fund in the State Treasury to the credit of the Mississippi Department of Insurance which is comprised of special source funds collected by or otherwise available to the department, for the purpose of defraying the expenses of the department for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2003, and ending June 30, 2004...

... $     7,861,013.00.

     SECTION 2.  Of the funds appropriated under the provisions of Section 1 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$     5,214,983.00

          Travel and Subsistence       200,000.00

     Contractual Services     1,878,500.00

     Commodities       287,021.00

     Capital Outlay:

          Other Than Equipment             0.00

          Equipment       280,509.00

     Subsidies, Loans and Grants             0.00

          Total$     7,861,013.00

   AUTHORIZED POSITIONS:

     Permanent:    Full Time     117

                    Part Time       0

     Time-Limited:     Full Time       0

                    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 2005 do not exceed Fiscal Year 2004 funds appropriated for that purpose, unless programs or positions are added to the agency's Fiscal Year 2005 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 2004 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 2004 "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 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.

     SECTION 3.  Of the funds appropriated under the provisions of Section 1, and authorized for expenditure in Section 2, Sixteen Thousand Seven Hundred Thirty-six Dollars ($16,736.00) is provided for the Mississippi Fire Personnel Minimum Standards and Certification Board.

     SECTION 4.  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 Rural Fire Truck Acquisition Fund to the Mississippi Department of Insurance for the Rural Fire Truck Acquisition Assistance Program for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2003, and ending June 30, 2004....

..... $   6,933,183.00.

     Of the funds appropriated in this section, Four Million Dollars ($4,000,000.00) shall be expended for Round 6 of the Rural Fire Truck Acquisition Program as follows:

     A county that meets the requirements provided in Section 17-23-1, Mississippi Code of 1972, may receive an amount not to exceed Three Hundred Thousand Dollars ($300,000.00) as provided in paragraphs (a), (b), (c), (d), (e) and (f) of this section, and such amount shall be divided equally with not more than Fifty Thousand Dollars ($50,000.00) per fire truck.  Monies distributed for Round 6 under this paragraph shall be expended only for the  purchase of new fire trucks and such trucks must meet the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards in the 1900 series.

          (a)  Any county that has not applied for a fire truck under this program is eligible to submit applications for six (6) fire trucks at not more than Fifty Thousand Dollars ($50,000.00) per truck or a total of Three Hundred Thousand Dollars ($300,000.00).

          (b)  Any county that has received one (1) fire truck under this program is eligible to submit applications for five (5) fire trucks at not more than Fifty Thousand Dollars ($50,000.00) per truck or a total of Two Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars ($250,000.00).

          (c)  Any county that has received two (2) fire trucks under this program is eligible to submit applications for four (4) fire trucks or a total of not more than Two Hundred Thousand Dollars ($200,000.00).

          (d)  Any county that has received three (3) fire trucks under this program is eligible to submit applications for three (3) fire trucks or a total of not more than One Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars ($150,000.00).

          (e)  Any county that has received four (4) fire trucks under this program is eligible to submit an application for two (2) fire trucks or a total of not more than One Hundred Thousand Dollars ($100,000.00).

          (f)  Any county that has received five (5) fire trucks under this program is eligible to submit an application for one (1) fire truck or a total of not more than Fifty Thousand Dollars ($50,000.00).

     Of the funds appropriated under the provisions of this section, Four Million Dollars ($4,000,000.00) shall be derived from bond proceeds for the Rural Fire Truck Acquisition Program, contingent upon passage of Senate Bill No. 2988, 2003 Regular Session.

     SECTION 5.  Of the funds appropriated under the provisions of Section 1 and authorized for expenditure in Section 2, funds in the amount of Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000.00) are provided and shall be expended to pay the annual dues for the National Conference of Insurance Legislators.

     SECTION 6.  Of the funds provided under the provisions of this act, Seventy-five Thousand One Hundred Sixty-four Dollars ($75,164.00) may be used to reallocate or reclassify existing positions of this agency.

     SECTION 7.  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 8.  This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2003.


 

 

CONFEREES FOR THE HOUSE

CONFEREES FOR THE SENATE

 

 

X (SIGNED:)

X (SIGNED:)

Charlie Capps, Jr.

Jack Gordon

 

 

X (SIGNED:)

X (SIGNED:)

Percy W. Watson

Ron Farris

 

 

X (SIGNED:)

X (SIGNED:)

Mike Eakes

Dean Kirby