MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2013 Regular Session
To: Appropriations
By: Representatives Frierson, Huddleston (15th), Bell, Broomfield, Buck (5th), Coleman (29th), Denny, Jennings, Mettetal, Moore, Read, Rogers (14th), Sullivan, Watson, Morgan
AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FROM SPECIAL FUNDS IN THE STATE TREASURY FOR THE PURPOSE OF DEFRAYING THE EXPENSES OF THE VETERANS' HOME PURCHASE BOARD AND MAKING NEW HOME LOANS AS AUTHORIZED BY LAW FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2014.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:
SECTION 1. The following sum, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is hereby appropriated out of any money in the State Treasury to the credit of the Veterans' Home Purchase Board's revolving fund, for the purpose of defraying the expenses of the Veterans' Home Purchase Board and making new home loans as authorized by law for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2013, and ending June 30, 2014...... $ 47,249,690.00.
SECTION 2. Of the funds appropriated under the provisions of Section 1, the following positions are authorized:
AUTHORIZED POSITIONS:
Permanent: Full Time........... 15
Part Time........... 0
Time-Limited: Full Time........... 0
Part Time........... 0
Unless otherwise authorized in this act, no state agency shall take any action to promote or otherwise award salary increases through reallocation, reclassification, realignment, educational benchmark, career ladder, equity salary adjustment, or any other means to increase salaries of employees or positions unless specifically exempted by the following conditions: the award of teacher salary increments; the advancement of a trainee/cadet to the next level of a bona fide career ladder; the award of an educational benchmark for the attainment of a Certified Public Accountant License or higher level professional certification; the immediate replacement of a departing employee with an employee from within state service at a salary level of the departing employee or the FY2014 promotional formula, whichever is less; the emergency appointment of nurses, pharmacists or other health care and child protection professionals at a salary to be determined by the State Personnel Board or any other requested action of the agency that has been specifically authorized by the Legislature.
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.
SECTION 3. It is the intention of the Legislature that the Veterans' Home Purchase Board 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 2013. It is further the intention of the Legislature that the agency's budget request for Fiscal Year 2015 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 2014 budget request process.
SECTION 4. 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 5. With the funds herein appropriated, it is the intent of the Legislature that the Veterans' Home Purchasing Board is authorized to reallocate nine (9) PINs, reclassify two (2) PINs and give salary increases to PIN number 21 Branch Director II, PIN number 4 Division Director II and PIN number 14 Branch Director I in accordance with the recommendation from the State Personnel Board at a total cost not to exceed Seventy-seven Thousand Nine Hundred Thirty-seven Dollars ($77,937.00).
SECTION 6. It is the intention of the Legislature that the funds herein appropriated shall be expended in compliance with Section 27-104-25, Mississippi Code of 1972, that no state agency shall incur obligations or indebtedness in excess of their appropriation and that the responsible officers, either personally or upon their official bonds, shall be held responsible for actions contrary to this provision.
SECTION 7. 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 8. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2013.