REPORT OF CONFERENCE COMMITTEE      # 2

 

MADAM PRESIDENT AND MR. SPEAKER:

 

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

 

S. B. No. 3063:  Appropriation; Gaming Commission.

 

  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.  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, for the purpose of defraying the expenses of the Mississippi Gaming Commission, for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2005, and ending

June 30, 2006$     3,542,996.00.

SECTION 2.  The following sum, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is hereby appropriated out of any money in the special funds in the State Treasury to the credit of the Mississippi Gaming Commission which are collected by or otherwise become available for the purpose of defraying the expenses of the Commission for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2005, and ending June 30, 2006$     6,450,093.00.

     SECTION 3.  Of the funds appropriated under the provisions of Section 1 and Section 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$     6,665,600.00

Travel and Subsistence       350,000.00

Contractual Services     2,584,228.00

Commodities       107,961.00

     Capital Outlay:

Other Than Equipment             0.00

Equipment       185,000.00

Subsidies, Loans and Grants       100,300.00

Total$     9,993,089.00

  FUNDING:

General Funds... $     3,542,996.00

Special Funds     6,450,093.00

Total$     9,993,089.00

  AUTHORIZED POSITIONS:

Permanent:          Full Time     150

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 2007 do not exceed Fiscal Year 2006 funds appropriated for that purpose, unless programs or positions are added to the agency's Fiscal Year 2007 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 2006 appropriation for "Personal Services" when annualized, with the exception of escalated funds.  If, at the time the agency takes any action to change "Personal Services," the State Personnel Board determines that the agency has taken an action which would cause the agency to exceed this projected annual cost or the Fiscal Year 2006 "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 or allowable under the terms set forth within this act.  The State Personnel Board shall not escalate positions without written approval from the Department of Finance and Administration.  The Department of Finance and Administration shall not provide written approval to escalate any funds for salaries and/or positions without proof of availability of new or additional funds above the appropriated level.

     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.

     The agency shall not take any action to promote or otherwise award salary increases through reallocation, reclassification, realignment, education benchmark, career ladder, or any other means to increase salaries of employees or positions, except for the award of teacher pay increases.

     SECTION 4.  Of the funds appropriated in Section 2, One Hundred Thousand Dollars ($100,000.00) is hereby authorized to be transferred to the Mississippi Council on Compulsive Gambling, a nonprofit organization.

     SECTION 5.  Of the funds provided herein, the sum of Two Hundred Fifty-five Thousand Four Hundred Forty Dollars ($255,440.00) is hereby assessed on any non-federal special funds and shall be deposited to the Budget Contingency Fund created in Section 27-103-301, Mississippi Code of 1972, on or before October 1, 2005, for the purpose of reimbursing the State of Mississippi for administrative costs.

     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, 2005.

 

CONFEREES FOR THE SENATE          CONFEREES FOR THE HOUSE

X (SIGNED)	X (SIGNED)
Jack Gordon	Johnny W. Stringer
X (SIGNED)	X (SIGNED)
Dean Kirby	George Flaggs, Jr.
X (SIGNED)	X (SIGNED)
Merle Flowers	Robert E. Vince