Senate Bill 3076

AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION TO THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO FULLY FUND THE OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF EDUCATIONAL SERVICES AT THE 17 YOUTH DETENTION CENTERS, FOR FISCAL YEAR 2008.

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

SECTION 1. The following sum, or so much of it as may be necessary, is appropriated out of any money in the State General Fund not otherwise appropriated, to the Department of Education for the operation and maintenance of educational services at the seventeen (17) youth detention centers for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2007, and ending June 30, 2008........... $2,375,000.00.

SECTION 2. With the funds appropriated under the provisions of this act, the following positions and expenditures are authorized:

One (1) full-time behavioral specialist, one (1) full-time assistant teacher, and software and hardware computer technology, or One Hundred Twenty-five Thousand Dollars ($125,000.00) total for each center.

Additional contractual funding to the Department of Education of Two Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars ($250,000.00) for monitoring services.

SECTION 3. The State Superintendent of Education shall have the authority to transfer not more than twenty-five percent (25%) of the general funds appropriated in this act to the appropriate entities in whatever line items are necessary. The superintendent shall submit justification for such a transfer to the Director of the Legislative Budget Office and the Executive Director of the Department of Finance and Administration on or before the fifteenth day of the month preceding the month in which the transfer is to be made. Notwithstanding any provision of this section to the contrary, the superintendent shall not reduce funding at any youth detention center below that which is required to operate the educational services component at the youth detention center at full funding of the reasonable cost of operation at full capacity.

SECTION 4. The money appropriated in this act 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 5. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2007.