House Bill 1207

AN ACT TO CREATE A TASK FORCE TO STUDY THE EFFECTIVENESS AND EFFICIENCY OF THE STATE'S PROCEDURES TO DISPOSE OF STATE PROPERTY; TO EVALUATE THE MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION FOR PURPOSES OF REMOVING THE BUREAU OF BUILDINGS FROM ITS AUTHORITY; TO MAKE A REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS THEREON TO THE LEGISLATURE; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. (1) There is created a task force to study the effectiveness and efficiency of the state's procedures to dispose of state property. The study shall also consist of an evaluation and assessment of the Mississippi Department of Finance and Administration for the purpose of removing from under its authority the Bureau of Buildings. The task force shall make a report of its findings and recommendations, including any recommended legislation to the Legislature by December 1, 2006.

(2) The task force shall be composed of the following ten (10) members:

(a) Three (3) members of the Mississippi House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the Mississippi House of Representatives;

(b) Three (3) members of the Mississippi Senate appointed by the Lieutenant Governor of the State of Mississippi;

(d) The Executive Director of the Mississippi Department of Finance and Administration; and

(e) The Director of the Bureau of Buildings.

(3) Appointments shall be made within thirty (30) days after the effective date of this act, and, within fifteen (15) days thereafter on a day to be designated jointly by the Speaker of the House and the Lieutenant Governor, the task force shall meet and organize by selecting from its membership a chairman and a vice chairman. The vice chairman shall also serve as secretary and shall be responsible for keeping all records of the task force. A majority of the members of the task force shall constitute a quorum. In the selection of its officers and the adoption of rules, resolutions and reports, an affirmative vote of a majority of the task force shall be required. All members shall be notified in writing of all meetings, such notices to be mailed at least fifteen (15) days before the date on which a meeting is to be held.

(4) The task force shall study and make recommendations regarding potential legalization addressing the effectiveness and efficiency of the state's procedures for disposing of state property. It shall also be the duty of the task force to study and make recommendations to the Legislature to remove the Bureau of Buildings from the authority of the Mississippi Department of Finance and Administration. The task force shall work and coordinate with various state agencies to better effectuate the study and to recommend viable solutions for more effective policies and procedures to dispose of state property.

(5) Members of the task force who are not legislators, state officials or state employees shall be compensated at the per diem rate authorized by Section 25-3-69 and shall be reimbursed in accordance with Section 25-3-41 for mileage and actual expenses incurred in the performance of their duties. Legislative members of the task force shall be paid from the contingent expense funds of their respective houses in the same manner as provided for committee meetings when the Legislature is not in session. However, no per diem or expense for attending meetings of the task force will be paid to legislative members of the task force while the Legislature is in session. No task force member may incur per diem, travel or other expenses unless previously authorized by vote, at a meeting of the task force, which action shall be recorded in the official minutes of the meeting. Nonlegislative members shall be paid from any funds made available to the task force for that purpose.

(6) The task force shall use clerical and legal staff already employed by the Legislature and any other staff assistance made available to it. To effectuate the purposes of this section, any department, division, board, bureau, task force or agency of the state or of any political subdivision thereof shall, at the request of the chairman of the task force, provide to the task force such facilities, assistance and data as will enable the task force properly to carry out its task.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage.