Senate Bill 2762

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 27-104-21, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO AUTHORIZE THE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION TO APPROVE ESCALATIONS IN THE BUDGET OF THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION USING GRANTS FROM A NONPROFIT ENTITY IN EXCESS OF ONE MILLION DOLLARS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. Section 27-104-21, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

27-104-21. (1) All general and special fund agencies shall, upon making application for federal funds, forward a summary of such applications to the Legislative Budget Office. The Legislative Budget Office shall have an opportunity to review such applications and make its comments thereon to the Executive Director of the Department of Finance and Administration and the state agency making application. Unless otherwise specified in the appropriation bill, the Executive Director of the Department of Finance and Administration shall have the authority to approve escalations in a budget using one hundred percent (100%) federal money. Provided further, the Executive Director of the Department of Finance and Administration shall have authority to approve escalations in the budget of the State Department of Education using grant funds from a nonprofit entity in excess of One Million Dollars ($1,000,000.00).

(2) New employee positions funded one hundred percent (100%) by or from federal funds may be authorized by the Executive Director of the Department of Finance and Administration subject to the rules and regulations of the State Personnel Board. No federal funds may be expended for programs or activities other than those which have been authorized by act of the Legislature or which are encompassed by a state agency's program structure as provided by law. The Executive Director of the Department of Finance and Administration shall immediately send notice of the approval of such budget escalation to the Legislative Budget Office. The Executive Director of the Department of Finance and Administration shall ensure that the Legislative Budget Office receives timely, detailed and accurate information about the amount and use of federal funds by state agencies.

(3) The Department of Finance and Administration shall require, by rule and regulation, that each agency receiving federal funds shall apply for federal reimbursement for state central services costs in accordance with Office of Management and Budget Circular A-21 or A-87, which reimbursement shall be deposited directly into the Statewide Cost Allocation Fund, which is hereby established within the State Treasury. An agency's failure to timely apply for such reimbursement shall be condition sufficient to authorize the Department of Finance and Administration to transfer an amount equal to not less than fifty percent (50%) nor more than one hundred percent (100%) of the total amount designated to such agency in the applicable fixed cost agreement of the state central service cost allocation plan. These funds shall be transferred from any available funds within such agency into the Statewide Cost Allocation Fund upon execution of a requisition for issuance of warrant by the Executive Director of the Department of Finance and Administration. Any funds on hand in said Statewide Cost Allocation Fund at the end of the fiscal year shall lapse into the State General Fund. From and after July 1, 2016, any revenue generated from this fund shall be used only for the maintenance, upkeep and utility costs of state-owned property, and any amount on hand at the end of the fiscal year that is not necessary to defray the cost of such maintenance, upkeep and utility costs shall, after August 15 of each year, be transferred to the State General Fund as authorized by law and as determined by the State Fiscal Officer.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage.