MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2013 Regular Session
To: Appropriations
By: Representatives Frierson, Jennings, Clarke, Barker, Bounds, Broomfield, DeLano, Eaton, Eure, Patterson, Sullivan
AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR THE PURPOSE OF DEFRAYING THE EXPENSES OF THE MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT OF INSURANCE 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 any special fund in the State Treasury to the credit of the Mississippi Department of Insurance which is comprised of special source funds collected by or otherwise available to the department, for the purpose of defraying the expenses of the department for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2013, and ending June 30, 2014..................................................
............................................ $ 13,682,023.00.
SECTION 2. Of the funds appropriated under the provisions of this act, the following positions are authorized:
Permanent: Full Time........... 145
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 Mississippi Department of Insurance 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. Of the funds appropriated under the provisions of Section 1, Fifteen Thousand Seventy-nine Dollars ($15,079.00) is provided for the Mississippi Fire Personnel Minimum Standards and Certification Board.
SECTION 5. The following sum, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is hereby reappropriated out of any money in the special fund in the State Treasury to the credit of the Rural Fire Truck Acquisition Fund to the Mississippi Department of Insurance for the Rural Fire Truck Acquisition Assistance Program for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2013, and ending June 30, 2014..................................................
........................................... $ 600,000.00.
SECTION 6. The following sum, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is hereby reappropriated out of any money in the special fund in the State Treasury to the credit of the Supplemental Rural Fire Truck Fund, created in Section 1, Laws of 2004, Third Extraordinary Session, to the Mississippi Department of Insurance for the Supplemental Rural Fire Truck Acquisition Assistance Program for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2013, and ending June 30, 2014..................... $ 500,000.00.
SECTION 7. Of the funds appropriated under the provisions of Section 1, funds in the amount of Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000.00) are provided and shall be expended to pay the annual dues for the National Conference of Insurance Legislators.
SECTION 8. It is the intention of the Legislature that none of the funds appropriated above shall be expended unless members of the Mississippi House of Representatives and Mississippi Senate are notified at least five (5) days prior to a public ceremony announcing the award of any grant in their district or any public announcement or ceremony regarding the groundbreaking or opening of a facility, roadway or bridge for which the Legislature has made funds available. Any signage regarding any public event or any new facility, roadway or bridge shall include the following language: "Funds were made available for this project by the Mississippi State Legislature."
SECTION 9. 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 10. It is the intention of the Legislature that the Office of Mississippi Department of Insurance shall have the authority to accept, budget and expend funds, which is comprised of special funds to the office, not to exceed Three Hundred Thousand Dollars ($300,000.00). Such funds are to be escalated in accordance with procedures for federal fund escalations as established in Section 27-104-21, Mississippi Code of 1972, and expended for the purposes of performing such duties as set forth by law in accordance with applicable rules and regulations of the State Fiscal Officer.
SECTION 11. Within the limits of the funds available to the Mississippi Insurance Department for such purpose, the Commissioner of Insurance for the Mississippi Insurance Department may grant a paid internship to students pursuing junior or senior undergraduate level year coursework toward a Bachelor's Degree in Risk Management Insurance or graduate level coursework towards a Master's Degree in Business Administration. Those applicants deemed qualified by the Mississippi Department of Insurance shall receive funds that may be used to pay for tuition, books and related fees to pursue their degree. It is the intent of the Legislature that the paid internship program shall be used as incentive for risk management insurance careers at the Mississippi Insurance Department.
SECTION 12. Of the funds appropriated in Section 1, Two Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars ($250,000.00) is provided for the State Fire Marshal's Office for fire safety prevention and services, including, but not limited to, fire protection supplies and materials, smoke alarms, and public service announcements providing fire prevention information.
SECTION 13. It is the intention of the Legislature that the Mississippi Department of Insurance is authorized to escalate up to four (4) additional positions and escalate Salaries, Wages & Fringe not to exceed Two Hundred Ten Thousand Three Hundred Twenty-two Dollars ($210,322.00) and Capital Outlay-Vehicles not to exceed Sixty-four Thousand Four Hundred Dollars ($64,400.00), contingent upon the passage of either HB 817 or SB 2800, 2013 Regular Legislative Session.
SECTION 14. With the funds appropriated under Section 1, it is the intention of the Legislature that the agency is authorized to reclassify twelve (12) positions at a total cost not to exceed Sixty-four Thousand Five Hundred Forty-one Dollars ($64,541.00), award Thirty-four (34) educational benchmarks in an amount not to exceed Ninety-three Thousand Five Hundred Eight Dollars ($93,508.00) and award special compensation to six (6) information technology employees in an amount not to exceed Nineteen Thousand Six Hundred Forty-seven Dollars ($19,647.00).
SECTION 15. 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 16. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2013.