Senate Bill 2879

(COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE)

AN ACT MAKING AN ADDITIONAL APPROPRIATION OF CAPITAL EXPENSE FUNDS, AND SPECIAL FUNDS TO DEFRAY THE EXPENSES OF THE INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING – OFFICE OF STUDENT FINANCIAL AID FOR FISCAL YEAR 2021, THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION FOR FISCAL YEAR 2021, THE OFFICE OF ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR FISCAL YEAR 2021; THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY FOR FISCAL YEAR 2021; THE STATE FIRE ACADEMY FOR FISCAL YEAR 2021; AND THE MISSISSIPPI INSURANCE DEPARTMENT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2021; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. In addition to all other sums herein appropriated, the following sum, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated out of any money to the credit of the Capital Expense Fund, and allocated in a manner as determined by the Treasurer's Office to defray the expenses of the Institutions of Higher Learning – Office of Student Financial Aid for the period beginning July 1, 2020 and ending June 30, 2021...........................................................

............................................. $ 5,600,000.00.

This additional appropriation is made for the purpose of supporting the funding of the Mississippi Resident Tuition Assistance Grant, the Mississippi Eminent Scholars Grant, and the Higher Education Legislative Plan Grant.

SECTION 2. In addition to all other sums herein appropriated, the following sum, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated out of any money to the credit of the Institutions of Higher Learning – Office of Student Financial Aid and allocated in a manner as determined by the Treasurer's Office to defray the expenses of the Institutions of Higher Learning – Office of Student Financial Aid for the period beginning July 1, 2020 and ending June 30, 2021.. $ 500,000.00.

SECTION 3. In addition to all other sums herein appropriated, the following sum, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated out of any money to the credit of the Capital Expense Fund, and allocated in a manner as determined by the Treasurer's Office, to defray the expenses of the Mississippi Department of Education for the period beginning July 1, 2020 and ending June 30, 2021. $ 3,064,417.00.

This additional appropriation assists with the full funding of CTE student attainment assessments contracted with Mississippi State University (MSU). It is also to assist with the full funding of the contract with MSU's Research and Curriculum Unit (RCU) to develop curriculum and other activities. It will further assist the department with vocational and technical education programs to meet the maintenance of effort required by the Carl Perkins Act.

SECTION 4. In addition to all other sums herein appropriated, the following sum, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated out of any money to the credit of the Capital Expense Fund, and allocated in a manner as determined by the Treasurer's Office, to defray the expenses of paying for certain outside legal assistance, expert witness fees, court fees, judgments and settlement agreements incurred by the Office of the Attorney General for the period beginning July 1, 2020 and ending June 30, 2021................................ $ 447,413.00

Of the funds appropriated in this section, the following amounts are provided:

(a) Olivia Y., et al v. Phil Bryant, as Governor of the State of Mississippi and the Department of Human Services, United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi, Jackson Division, Cause No.3:03cv251(L)(N)............................... $ 129,680.00.

(b) Amos et al. v. Taylor et al. 20-cv-00007-DMB-JMV (N.D. Miss); Lang, et al. v. Cain, et al., 4:20-cv-030-DMB RP (N.D. Miss); Brittany Waddell, et al. v. Taylor, et al., Civil Action No. 3:20-cv-340-TSL-RHW (S.D. Miss.)..................................... $ 180,963.00.

(c) United States v. State of Mississippi, 3:16-cv-622-CWR-FKB (S.D. Miss)........................................... $ 22,412.00.

(d) Joseph Thomas. Vernon Avers. and Melvin Lawson v. Tate Reeves Civil Action No. 3:18-cv-00441-CWR-FKB (S.D. Miss)...............

................................................ $ 36,203.00.

(e) IRS Representation vs State Agencies..... $ 78,155.00.

SECTION 5. In addition to all other sums herein appropriated, the following sum, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated out of any money to the credit of the Capital Expense Fund, and allocated in a manner as determined by the Treasurer's Office to defray the expenses of the Department of Public Safety for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2020, and ending June 30, 2021............ $ 625,000.00.

This additional appropriation is made for the purpose of hiring and equipping personnel for the Driver Services Bureau.

SECTION 6. In addition to all other sums herein appropriated, the following sum, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated out of any money to the credit of the Capital Expense Fund, and allocated in a manner as determined by the Treasurer's Office to defray the expenses of the Department of Public Safety for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2020, and ending June 30, 2021............ $ 111,667.00.

This additional appropriation is made for the purpose of hiring and equipping three new forensics laboratory death investigators for the Mississippi Forensics Laboratory.

SECTION 7. In addition to all other sums herein appropriated, the following sum, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated out of any money to the credit of the State Fire Academy and allocated in a manner as determined by the Treasurer's Office to defray the expenses of the State Fire Academy for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2020, and ending June 30, 2021............................. $ 315,700.00.

This additional appropriation is made for the purpose of conducting workforce development courses.

SECTION 8. In addition to all other sums herein appropriated, the following sum, or so much thereof as may be necessary is appropriated out of any money to the Rural Fire Truck Acquisition Fund and/or the Supplementary Rural Fire Truck Fund, which was created in Section 152 of Chapter 1, Laws of 2004, Third Extraordinary Session, to the Mississippi Insurance Department for the Rural Fire Truck Acquisition Assistance Program for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2020, and ending June 30, 2021...........................................................

.............................................. $ 2,300,000.00.

This additional appropriation is made for the purpose of funding rural fire trucks.

SECTION 9. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage.