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. 1561:  Appropriation; Library Commission.

 

  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 the State General Fund not otherwise appropriated, for the support and maintenance of the Mississippi Library Commission and for carrying out the provisions of Section 39-3-107, Mississippi Code of 1972, for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2006, and ending June 30, 2007$    11,246,733.00.

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 Mississippi Library Commission which is comprised of special source funds collected by or otherwise available to the commission, for the purpose of defraying the expenses of the commission for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2006, and ending June 30, 2007..................................................

............................................ $     4,033,058.00.

     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$     2,274,532.00

Travel and Subsistence..............         25,000.00

Contractual Services.....................        904,281.00

Commodities..............................        140,000.00

     Capital Outlay:

Other Than Equipment................              0.00

Equipment...........................         15,000.00

Subsidies, Loans and Grants..............     11,920,978.00

Total.............................. $    15,279,791.00

  FUNDING:

General Funds........................... $    11,246,733.00

Special Funds............................      4,033,058.00

Total.............................. $    15,279,791.00

  AUTHORIZED POSITIONS:

Permanent:    Full Time...........       52

Part Time...........        0

Time-Limited:Full Time...........        0

Part Time...........        0

     Funds are provided herein to adjust the Variable Compensation Plan to ensure that all full-time employees receive a pay increase equal to the realignment component of the Variable Compensation Plan or Fifteen Hundred Dollars ($1,500.00), whichever is greater, with not more than one-half (1/2) to be awarded on July 1, 2006, with the remainder to be awarded on January 1, 2007.

     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 2008 do not exceed Fiscal Year 2007 funds appropriated for that purpose, unless programs or positions are added to the agency's Fiscal Year 2008 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 2007 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 2007 "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.

     Funds to be distributed to eligible public library systems under the Personnel Incentive Grants Program shall be paid quarterly in advance on or before September 30, December 31, March 31 and June 30.

     SECTION 4.  It is the intention of the Legislature that the Mississippi Library Commission 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 2006.  It is further the intention of the Legislature that the agency's budget request for Fiscal Year 2008 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 2007 budget request process.

     SECTION 5.  Of the funds appropriated under the provisions of Section 2, Four Hundred Ninety-three Thousand Eight Hundred Forty-seven Dollars ($493,847.00) shall be derived from the Education Enhancement Fund deposited pursuant to Sections 27-65-75 and 27-67-31, Mississippi Code of 1972.

     SECTION 6.  In compliance with the "Mississippi Performance Budget and Strategic Planning Act of 1994," it is the intent of the Legislature that the funds provided herein shall be utilized in the most efficient and effective manner possible to achieve the intended mission of this agency.  Based on the funding authorized, this agency shall make every effort to attain the targeted performance measures provided below:

                                                          FY2007

Performance Measures                                      Target

Administrative Services

     Average Cost of Administering per Grant ($)             200

Executive Director's Office

     Public Libraries Visited (Actions)                       50

Library Aid

     Grants Provided (Grants)                                250

     MAGNOLIA Database searches (Queries)              2,000,000

Network Services

     Cost per hour for technical consulting ($)               40

Public Services

     Attendees satisfaction rating of Continuing

          Education Program (% of Approval)                   95

     A reporting of the degree to which the performance targets set above have been or are being achieved shall be provided in the agency's budget request submitted to the Joint Legislative Budget Committee for Fiscal Year 2008.

     SECTION 7.  It is the intention of the Legislature that the Mississippi Library Commission shall have the authority to escalate its budget and expend funds from any source not to exceed Three Million Dollars ($3,000,000.00) in accordance with rules and regulations of the Department of Finance and Administration in a manner consistent with the escalation of federal funds.

     SECTION 8.  Of the funds appropriated herein, not less than One Million One Hundred Eighty-six Thousand Three Hundred Forty Dollars ($1,186,340.00) shall be expended for the Magnolia Database.

     SECTION 9.  It is the intention of the Legislature that the Executive Director of the Mississippi Library Commission may increase major objects of expenditure in total amounts not to exceed twenty-five percent (25%) of the appropriated amount of each major object of expenditure, provided that other major objects of expenditure are decreased by a corresponding dollar amount and provided the Executive Director of the Mississippi Department of Finance and Administration also approves with written authorization.  However, no transfers shall be authorized which increase the major object of expenditure "Salaries, Wages and Fringe Benefits."

     SECTION 10.  Of the funds appropriated herein, Three Million Two Hundred Eighty-six Thousand Nine Hundred Forty-four Dollars ($3,286,944.00) is provided for the cost of health insurance for all full-time library staff members in each public library in Mississippi.

     SECTION 11.  It is the intention of the Legislature that whenever two (2) or more bids are received by this agency for the purchase of commodities or equipment, and whenever all things stated in such received bids are equal with respect to price, quality and service, the Mississippi Industries for the Blind shall be given preference.  A similar preference shall be given to the Mississippi Industries for the Blind whenever purchases are made without competitive bids.

     SECTION 12.  Of the funds appropriated under the provisions of Section 2, Six Hundred Thousand Dollars ($600,000.00) shall be derived from the Budget Contingency Fund created in Section 27-103-301, Mississippi Code of 1972, for the purpose of defraying the expenses of the Mississippi Library Commission.

     SECTION 13.  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 14.  This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2006.


 

CONFEREES FOR THE HOUSE           CONFEREES FOR THE SENATE

 

 

X (SIGNED)

X (SIGNED)

Johnny W. Stringer

Jack Gordon

 

 

X (SIGNED)

X (SIGNED)

Cecil Brown

Bob M. Dearing

 

 

X (SIGNED)

X (SIGNED)

J. B. Markham

J. P. Wilemon, Jr.