Senate Bill 2921

(As Sent to Governor)

AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR THE PURPOSE OF DEFRAYING THE EXPENSES OF THE COMMISSION ON JUDICIAL PERFORMANCE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2022.

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 Commission on Judicial Performance of the State of Mississippi for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2021, and ending June 30, 2022................................ $ 614,855.00.

SECTION 2. The following sum, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is hereby appropriated out of any money in the State Treasury to the credit of the Commission on Judicial Performance, for the purpose of defraying the expenses of the Commission on Judicial Performance of the State of Mississippi for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2021, and ending June 30, 2022............ ..............................................$ 40,029.00.

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

AUTHORIZED POSITIONS:

Permanent: Full Time............ 5

Part Time............ 0

Time-Limited: Full Time............ 0

Part Time............ 0

Any transfers or escalations shall be made in accordance with the terms, conditions and procedures established by law.

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and/or other special funds which are being used for salaries authorized under the provisions of this act and which are withdrawn and no longer available.

Funds have been appropriated herein for the purpose of implementation and funding Project SEC2 of the Colonel Guy Groff State Variable Compensation Plan beginning January 1, 2022, and ending June 30, 2022. It shall be the agency's responsibility to make certain that each person, excluding executive directors, agency heads, and elected judges, shall receive no more than a three percent (3%) annual increase in salary which shall not exceed the market rate established by the State Personnel Board pursuant to the Colonel Guy Groff State Variable Compensation Plan for each classification.

SECTION 4. It is the intention of the Legislature that the Judicial Performance 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 2021. It is further the intention of the Legislature that the agency's budget request for Fiscal Year 2023 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 2022 budget request process.

SECTION 5. 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 6. 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 7. 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 8. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2021.