Bill Text: MS HB1654 | 2016 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Appropriation; Forestry Commission.
Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Republican 14-2)
Status: (Passed) 2016-05-10 - Approved by Governor [HB1654 Detail]
Download: Mississippi-2016-HB1654-Introduced.html
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2016 Regular Session
To: Appropriations
By: Representatives Frierson, Sullivan, Bennett, Bounds, Busby, DeLano, Eure, Huddleston (15th), Huddleston (30th), Ladner, Monsour, Read, Shows, Staples, Turner
House Bill 1654
AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR THE SUPPORT AND MAINTENANCE OF THE STATE FORESTRY COMMISSION AND FOR THE PURPOSE OF DEFRAYING THE EXPENSES OF THE MISSISSIPPI INSTITUTE FOR FOREST INVENTORY FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2017.
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 appropriated out of any money in the State General Fund not otherwise appropriated, for the support and maintenance of the State Forestry Commission for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2016, and ending June 30, 2017..................................................
............................................ $ 18,438,508.00.
SECTION 2. The following sum, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated out of any money in the special fund in the State Treasury to the credit of the State Forestry Commission which is comprised of special source funds collected by or otherwise available to the commission, for the support and maintenance of the commission for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2016, and ending June 30, 2017...
............................................ $ 9,787,635.00.
Of the funds specified in this section, Two Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars ($250,000.00) shall be deposited in a fund created in the State Treasury called the "Forest Improvement Revolving Fund." Money in this fund shall be used by the State Forestry Commission to assist in the reforestation and growth improvement of the forests, woodlands, and publicly owned lands of the state, including sixteenth section lands, Camp Shelby, Columbia Training School and colleges and universities. Landowners who contract with the commission for such work shall pay to the commission its actual cost for conducting such work. Money received for this work by the commission shall be paid into the State Treasury, and the State Treasurer shall deposit such money in the "Forest Improvement Revolving Fund."
SECTION 3. Of the funds appropriated under the provisions of this act, the following positions are authorized:
AUTHORIZED POSITIONS:
Permanent: Full Time........... 421
Part Time........... 0
Time-Limited: Full Time........... 6
Part Time........... 0
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.
None of the funds herein appropriated shall be used in violation of Internal Revenue Service’s Publication 15-A relating to the reporting of income paid to contract employees, as interpreted by the Office of the State Auditor.
SECTION 4. It is the intention of the Legislature that the State Forestry Commission and the Mississippi Institute for Forest Inventory 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 2016. It is further the intention of the Legislature that the agency's budget request for Fiscal Year 2018 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 2017 budget request process.
SECTION 5. In compliance with the "Mississippi Performance Budget and Strategic Planning Act of 1994," it is the intent of the Legislature that the funds provided herein shall be utilized in the most efficient and effective manner possible to achieve the intended mission of this agency. Based on the funding authorized, this agency shall make every effort to attain the targeted performance measures provided below:
FY2017
Performance Measures Target
Forest Protection & Information
Average Suppresssion Time 2.00
(Hours from Detection to Control)
Citations Issued for Starting Wildfire (Num) 5
Arrests for Felony Woods Arson (Num) 5
Wildland Firefighting Related Equipment
Provided to Local Firefighting Partners(Num) 120
Wildfire Prevention Programs to Public (Num) 200
Forest Management
Private Landowners Assisted 5,610
Acres Monitored for Insect, Storm or Disease 18,600,000
Private Land Reforested (Acres) 17,340
Change in Timber Sale Revenue on
School Trust Lands 23,000,000.00
Change in Timber Sale Revenue on
Other Public Lands 488,000.00
MS Inst Of Forest Inventory
Re-inventory State Forest
Lands (% of Regions) 20.00
Increase Percentage of Re-inventory of
State Forest Land (%) 20.00
A reporting of the degree to which the performance targets set above have been or are being achieved shall be provided in the agency's budget request submitted to the Joint Legislative Budget Committee for Fiscal Year 2018.
SECTION 6. There is created in the State Treasury a fund designated as the Volunteer Fire Department Equipment Conversion Revolving Fund to be used by the State Forestry Commission to assist in the conversion of vehicles acquired by the State Forestry Commission through the Federal Excess Personal Property Program or by volunteer fire departments through other means to adapt them for use in the suppression of wildland fires. This assistance shall be in the form of fabrication of water tanks or other accessories necessary for the operation of fire suppression units, installation of piping and valves, painting or other similar or associated component work necessary to place fire suppression equipment into service. It is not for general vehicle maintenance or repair.
The Volunteer Fire Department Equipment Conversion Revolving Fund shall be funded by monies received from charges for work and services performed for volunteer fire departments by the State Forestry Commission. Monies collected from such charges shall be deposited into the Volunteer Fire Department Equipment Conversion Revolving Fund. The State Treasurer shall make disbursements therefrom for payment of materials, supplies and labor upon requisition of the Forestry Commission and upon the issuance of warrants therefor by the Department of Finance and Administration.
The amount of monies deposited into the Volunteer Fire Department Equipment Conversion Fund through this work shall not exceed Fifty Thousand Dollars ($50,000.00). Funds in excess of Fifty Thousand Dollars ($50,000.00) shall be placed in the State Forestry Commission's regular appropriated special funds. Monies in this revolving fund are to be considered special funds and shall be carried forward from one fiscal year to the next.
SECTION 7. There is created in the State Treasury a fund designated as the Camden State Forest Revolving Fund to be used by the State Forestry Commission to direct forest management activities on the Camden State Forest in Madison County, Mississippi. The forest management activities will include, but not be limited to, maintenance of property, timber sale activities and regeneration work.
The Camden State Forest Revolving Fund shall be funded by monies received from timber sales, leases, and any other source. Monies collected from these income sources shall be deposited into the Camden State Forest Revolving Fund. The State Treasurer shall make disbursements therefrom for payments of materials, supplies and labor upon requisition of the State Forestry Commission and upon the issuance of warrants therefor by the Department of Finance and Administration.
It is the intention of the Legislature that any revolving funds in excess of the budgeted amount needed for the necessary operation and maintenance of all properties under the direct supervision and management of the State Forestry Commission shall remain in the Camden State Forest Revolving Fund for use in future years.
SECTION 8. Of the funds appropriated in Section 2, it is the intention of the Legislature that Two Hundred Thousand Dollars ($200,000.00) shall be transferred to the Department of Agriculture and Commerce for the Beaver Control or Eradication Program during the Fiscal Year 2017.
SECTION 9. 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 10. Any person who was an employee of the Forestry Commission who was laid off during Fiscal Year 2006 shall be given first priority in any new employment by the commission.
SECTION 11. 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 12. The amount of funds appropriated from the State General Fund in this bill are conditioned upon the availability for appropriation of the full amount of the state general funds that were projected in the general fund revenue estimate for fiscal year 2017 that was determined under the provision of Section 25-103-125.
If the amount of general funds projected to be available for appropriation for fiscal year 2017 would be reduced by the enactment into law of any revenue bills, as defined in Joint Rule 40, that have been passed by the House of Representatives by March 17, 2016, then the amount of funds appropriated from the State General Fund in this bill shall be reduced by the same percentage reduction in the amount of general funds that would be available for appropriation for fiscal year 2017, and the reduced amount shall be engrossed into this bill before it is transmitted to Senate.
The determination of whether the House has passed any such revenue bills by March 17, 2016, and the amount and percentage of the resulting reduction in the amount of general funds projected to be available for appropriation for fiscal year 2017, shall be determined by the Legislative Budget Office and certified in writing to the Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee by the Director of the Legislative Budget Office.
SECTION 13. 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 14. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2016; and shall stand repealed from and after June 30, 2016.
