Senate Bill 2803

AN ACT TO ESTABLISH THE OFFICE OF SHARED SERVICES WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION TO PROVIDE SERVICE TO SELECT BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS; TO AMEND SECTION 27-104-3, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO ALLOW THE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION TO ESTABLISH THE OFFICE OF SHARED SERVICES; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. There is hereby established the Office of Shared Services (OSS) within the Department of Finance and Administration to operate as the central business office for select boards and commissions, to provide shared services to these select boards and commissions, with such services to be phased in according to a timetable developed by the Department of Finance and Administration. The Office of Shared Services shall have the authority to analyze the administrative operations of the select boards and commissions that are subject to this process, and develop an implementation plan to bring the business services of these select boards and commissions into the Office of Shared Services in an orderly transition, beginning from and after passage of this act, with complete transition no later than July 1, 2020. The primary intent of this legislation is to increase the accountability and efficiency of these select boards and commissions, and not to usurp the regulatory or licensing authority of any agency, board or commission. The implementation plan shall include titles of agency positions whose functions will be eliminated or transferred to the Office of Shared Services, and shall include any contracted service that will be eliminated or transferred according to the assumption of the function by the Office of Shared Services. The Department of Finance and Administration is authorized to determine the methodology for implementing shared services and the transition order for select boards and commission. The Department of Finance and Administration may contract with private vendors to develop the business case and implementation plan. The Department of Finance and Administration may by rule describe the business services to be provided by the Office of Shared Services and their applicability to each select board and commission. The administrative head of each select board and commission shall comply with the schedule of services developed and issued by the Office of Shared Services and shall not spend appropriated funds to provide or contract for services to be provided by the Office of Shared Services. The Office of Shared Services' authority shall include administrative functions of the select boards and commissions including, but not limited to:

(a) Accounting services which includes general accounting services, accounts receivable, accounts payable, financial statement preparations, budget preparation, inventory and the related.

(b) Human resource services which includes transaction processing associated with employment activities and the related.

(c) Information technology services which includes network, desktop, telecommunications, application and infrastructure support and resources to include technology procurement and the related.

(d) Payroll and travel services which include preparation and distribution of payroll and travel payments and the related.

(e) Purchasing and contracting services which include all functional steps in the procurement cycle for the acquisition of goods and services, from specification development and solicitation to contract review and transaction processing and the related.

(f) Facilities operation and maintenance services, including the leasing of office, meeting and training space or provision of same in state-owned buildings and the related.

(g) Administrative services which includes staffing of reception, switchboard and the related.

The Office of Shared Services shall establish a fee structure as part of the implementation plan that will allow the Office of Shared Services to recover the direct costs of providing shared services, to be paid by the select boards and commissions receiving the services.

The Department of Finance and Administration is authorized and empowered to establish rules and guidelines to implement this section.

The Department of Finance and Administration shall make a report to the Accountability, Efficiency and Transparency Committees and the Appropriations Committees in both the House and Senate during the 2020 legislative session regarding the implementation plan and any elated costs to establish the Office of Shared Services or projected savings from the implementation of this act. The report shall also include any technical legislative or administrative recommendation for further consideration, including, but not limited to, funding—out language for existing contracts. If it is determined after analyzing the operations of these select boards and commissions that it is not practicable or advantageous to the state for Office of Shared Services to assume the responsibility of certain functions, the reasons for such a decision shall be included in the report.

The following agencies, boards and commissions shall be subject to the authority of the Office of Shared Services: State Board of Architecture, Athletic Commission, Auctioneer Commission, State Board of Barber Examiners, Board of Chiropractic Examiners, State Board of Cosmetology, State Board of Dental Examiners, Mississippi Board of Licensure for Professional Engineers and Surveyors, Board of Registration for Foresters, State Board of Funeral Services, Board of Registered Professional Geologists, Mississippi Board of Massage Therapy, Mississippi Motor Vehicle Commission, Mississippi Board of Nursing Home Administrators, Mississippi Board of Optometry, Mississippi State Board of Physical Therapists, State Board of Examiners for Licensed Professional Counselors, Mississippi Board of Psychology, State Board of Public Accountancy, Mississippi Real Estate Appraiser Licensing and Certification Board, Board of Examiners for Social Workers and Marriage and Family Therapists, and the State Board of Veterinary Medicine.

SECTION 2. Section 27-104-3, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

27-104-3. In addition to other powers and duties prescribed by statute, the Department of Finance and Administration shall have the following powers and duties, with regard to fiscal management:

(a) Provide direct technical assistance and training to state agencies and departments in implementing generally accepted accounting principles, in preparing financial statements as required by law, and in management and executive development.

(b) Provide temporary administrative services in financial accounting and public administration to any state agency, department or institution upon request of the governing board of the state agency, department or institution.

(c) Prepare and issue a comprehensive reference manual or manuals of policies and procedures for each state agency and department to use, which may include chapters on purchasing, personnel, payroll, travel, chart of accounts, fund classifications, receipts, warrants, expenditures, fixed assets, property inventory, and maintaining financial records and preparing financial reports as required and prescribed by law. The manual shall be revised on a continuing basis. The manual shall be prepared and revised in consultation with the State Auditor's office.

(d) Provide assistance to any state agency, department or institution in collecting a fee or other valid obligation that another agency, department or institution has failed to pay to it. For purposes of this paragraph, the agency, department or institution seeking to collect the funds shall be referred to as the "creditor agency," and the agency, department or institution that has not paid the creditor agency shall be referred to as the "delinquent agency." A valid obligation may be evidenced by an invoice or any other documentation as may be required by the Department of Finance and Administration, hereinafter referred to as the department. A creditor agency may request assistance from the department, and the department may require the creditor agency to furnish detailed information regarding the obligation. Upon determining that the delinquent agency owes the creditor agency a specific amount, the State Fiscal Officer shall pay to the creditor agency that amount out of any funds in the State Treasury to the credit of the delinquent agency. The State Fiscal Officer shall notify the creditor agency and the delinquent agency of the total amount of funds transferred. Either agency may appeal the transfer of funds or the failure to transfer funds, under rules and regulations promulgated by the department and approved by the Office of the State Auditor. The Department of Finance and Administration shall report any actions taken under this paragraph (d) to the Chairmen of the Appropriations Committees of the House of Representatives and the Senate on a quarterly basis.

(e) To issue a request for an ACA-compliant health insurance policy, or policies, to offer health insurance coverage to the full-time equivalent employees not otherwise eligible to participate in the State and School Employees' Health Insurance Plan; and to issue a request for administrative support in order to meet reporting requirements under Internal Revenue Code Section 6056 and to comply with the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010.

(f) To establish an Office of Shared Services to operate as a central business office for select boards and commissions as outlined in Section 1 of this act.

SECTION 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2019.