MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

2013 Regular Session

To: Appropriations

By: Representatives Frierson, Moore, Rogers (14th), Barker, Buck (5th), Clarke, Coleman (29th), Jennings, Turner, Warren

House Bill 1652

(As Sent to Governor)

AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR THE PURPOSE OF DEFRAYING THE EXPENSES OF THE MISSISSIPPI ARTS COMMISSION 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 the State General Fund not otherwise appropriated, for the purpose of defraying the expenses of the Mississippi Arts Commission for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2013, and ending June 30, 2014.......................................

............................................ $     1,336,629.00.

SECTION 2.  The following sum, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is hereby appropriated out of any money in the special fund in the State Treasury to the credit of the Mississippi Arts Commission which is comprised of special source funds and donations collected by or otherwise available to the commission, for the purpose of defraying the expenses of the commission for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2013, and ending June 30, 2014.......................................................

............................................ $     1,435,030.00.

SECTION 3.  Of the funds appropriated under the provisions of this act, the following positions are authorized:

  AUTHORIZED POSITIONS:

Permanent:    Full Time...........       11

Part Time...........        0

Time-Limited: Full Time...........        2

Part Time...........        0

     With the funds herein appropriated, it is the intention of the Legislature that it shall be the agency's responsibility to make certain that funds required to be appropriated for "Personal Services" for Fiscal Year 2015 do not exceed Fiscal Year 2014 funds appropriated for that purpose, unless programs or positions are added to the agency's Fiscal Year 2014 budget by the Mississippi Legislature.  Based on data provided by the Legislative Budget Office, the State Personnel Board shall determine and publish the projected annual cost to fully fund all appropriated positions in compliance with the provisions of this act.  It shall be the responsibility of the agency head to ensure that no single personnel action increases this projected annual cost and/or the Fiscal Year 2014 appropriations for "Personal Services" when annualized, with the exception of escalated funds.  If, at the time the agency takes any action to change "Personal Services," the State Personnel Board determines that the agency has taken an action which would cause the agency to exceed this projected annual cost or the Fiscal Year 2014 "Personal Services" appropriated level, when annualized, then only those actions which reduce the projected annual cost and/or the appropriation requirement will be processed by the State Personnel Board until such time as the requirements of this provision are met.

     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 4.  It is the intention of the Legislature that the Mississippi Arts Commission 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 5.  Of the funds appropriated under the provisions of Section 2, funds in the amount of Four Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars ($450,000.00) shall be derived from the Education Enhancement Fund pursuant to Sections 27-65-75 and 27-67-31, Mississippi Code of 1972, for the following:

     Training of educators and promotion

  of arts programs in public schools........... $100,000.00

Miscellaneous grants and programs.............. $350,000.00

     SECTION 6.  It is the intention of the Legislature that the Arts Commission shall have the authority to transfer dollars appropriated herein designated for the "Challenge Program," specific amounts to a special fund in the State Treasury called the Arts Commission Challenge Initiative Fund.  The unexpended amounts remaining in the fund at the end of a fiscal year shall not lapse into the State General Fund and may be expended by the commission in subsequent fiscal years upon appropriation of the Legislature.  Any interest earned on the fund shall be deposited to the credit of the fund and may be disbursed by the commission upon appropriations of the Legislature.  It is the intention of the Legislature that the commission may award grants to arts organizations from monies in the fund and the grantees will be required to provide matching funds for the grants in an amount of not less than two (2) times the amount of the grant.

     SECTION 7.  It is the intention of the Legislature that the Mississippi Arts Commission shall have the authority to escalate its budget and expend funds from any source available not to exceed One Million Dollars ($1,000,000.00), that may become available to the commission in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Department of Finance and Administration in a manner consistent with the escalation of federal funds.

     SECTION 8.  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 9.  Of the funds appropriated herein, Forty Thousand Dollars ($40,000.00) shall be provided by the Department of Education for the purpose of funding the Whole Schools Summer Institute.

     SECTION 10.  It is the intention of the Legislature that the funds herein appropriated shall be expended in compliance with Section 27-104-25, Mississippi Code of 1972, that no state agency shall incur obligations or indebtedness in excess of their appropriation and that the responsible officers, either personally or upon their official bonds, shall be held responsible for actions contrary to this provision.

     SECTION 11.  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 12.  This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2013.