Senate Bill 2503

(As Passed the Senate)

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 25-1-78, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO EXTEND THE MORATORIUM ON THE ACQUISITION OF MOTOR VEHICLES BY STATE AGENCIES; TO ALLOW ANY AGENCY WITH A FLEET OF NOT MORE THAN 50 VEHICLES TO REPLACE CERTAIN VEHICLES AFTER SUBMITTING DOCUMENTATION TO THE BUREAU OF FLEET MANAGEMENT; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. Section 25-1-78, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

25-1-78. (1) For purposes of this section, the term "state agency" means any agency that is subject to oversight by the Bureau of Fleet Management of the Department of Finance and Administration under Section 25-1-77.

(2) Except as otherwise provided in this section, beginning on July 1, * * *~~2012~~ 2014, through June 30, * * *~~2013~~ 2015, the Bureau of Fleet Management, Department of Finance and Administration, shall not approve the purchase, lease or acquisition of any motor vehicle by a state agency, regardless of the source of funds used. However, any agency that has a fleet of not more than fifty (50) vehicles may replace a vehicle that has been wrecked and deemed a total loss or any vehicle whose repair cost exceeds the cash value of the vehicle as determined by the Bureau of Fleet Management. Documentation of such loss or repair costs must be submitted to the Bureau of Fleet Management prior to replacement of the vehicle.

(3) Beginning July 1, 2012, any state agency with a fleet of more than fifty (50) motor vehicles shall reduce the total number of its motor vehicles by two percent (2%) each fiscal year until June 30, 2016. The Bureau of Fleet Management and the State Auditor shall work together to enforce the provisions of this subsection.

(4) The provisions of subsections (2) and (3) of this section, with regard to the purchase, lease or acquisition of vehicles and to the mandatory reduction of the agency's fleet of vehicles, shall not apply to:

(a) A state agency's law enforcement or emergency vehicles, upon demonstrating to the Bureau of Fleet Management a justifiable need to be excluded from the provisions of subsections (2) and (3) of this section.

(b) A state agency's vehicles that are acquired by the use of grant monies that are specified to be used for that purpose.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2014.