Senate Bill 2655

(As Sent to Governor)

AN ACT TO ESTABLISH A COMMISSION ON SCHOOL PAYROLL, BUSINESS AND PROCUREMENT EFFICIENCY TO DEVELOP A REPORT AND IMPLEMENTATION PLAN TO THE 2012 REGULAR SESSION RELATING TO SCHOOL DISTRICT PAYROLL, BUSINESS AND PROCUREMENT COORDINATION; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. (1) There is hereby established a Commission on School Payroll, Business and Procurement Efficiency, consisting of the following members:

(a) The State Fiscal Officer, or his designee;

(b) The State Superintendent of Education, or his designee;

(d) A representative of the Mississippi School Business Officials Association (MSBO);

(e) A representative of the Mississippi School Boards Association (MSBA);

(f) Three (3) appointments, one (1) each by the Governor, the Lieutenant Governor and the State Treasurer, of qualified state or school district employees proficient in the areas of fiscal management, procurement, data processing or other fields of school business;

(g) The Chairmen of the Senate and House Education Committees, who shall serve in an advisory, nonvoting capacity.

The commission shall meet on a date designated by the State Fiscal Officer and organize by selecting a chairman and adopt rules for conducting business. Members of the commission shall serve without compensation, but may be reimbursed for necessary travel expenses from any available funds for attending official meetings of the commission. The Department of Finance and Administration and the State Department of Education shall jointly provide necessary administrative and clerical support for the functions of the commission.

(2) The Commission on School Payroll, Business and Procurement Efficiency shall develop an implementation plan to bring coordinated payroll services, business services and procurement services online for all school districts in order to achieve efficiency and make a report thereon to the 2012 Regular Session of the Legislature on or before January 1, 2012. Said commission shall have the following responsibilities:

(a) Review laws, rules, regulations, policies and procedures which affect the implementation and administration of the school payroll, business and procurement systems;

(b) Identify required modifications and/or enhancements to the systems; and

(3) The Commission on School Payroll, Business and Procurement Efficiency shall include in its report to the Legislature at the 2012 Regular Session the anticipated savings and efficiencies to be gained resulting from the consolidation of the payroll, business and procurement functions of school districts to be implemented under this timetable. Such report shall include any technical legislative or administrative recommendations for further consolidation of payroll, business and procurement functions of school districts. Such report shall also include an administrative recommendation for the consolidation or outsourcing of shared information technology, computer and telecommunications services for all school districts, in conjunction with the Mississippi Department of Information Technology Services.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2011.