HB 1623 — Appropriation; Rehabilitation Services, Department of.

1623 (As Sent to Governor) AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR THE PURPOSE OF DEFRAYING THE EXPENSES OF THE DEPARTMENT OF REHABILITATION SERVICES FOR FISCAL YEAR 2024.

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, to the Department of Rehabilitation Services for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2023, and ending June 30, 2024.........$ 30,606,495.00.31,615,704.00.

...............................................$ 216,125,615.00.220,498,980.00.

1623 *HR13/A330**HR43/A330SG* ~ OFFICIAL ~ A1/2 23/HR13/A33023/HR43/A330SG PAGE 1 SECTION 3.

824922 Time-Limited:

The Legislature shall determine the agency’s personal services appropriation, which shall be published by the State Personnel Board.Board shall publish.

Additionally,The theagency’s Statepersonal Personnelservices Boardappropriation may H.

1623 *HR13/A330**HR43/A330SG* ~ OFFICIAL ~ 23/HR13/A33023/HR43/A330SG PAGE 2 shallconsist determineof andrestricted publishfunds thefor projectedapproved annualizedvacancies payrollfor costsFiscal basedYear on2024 currentthat employees.may not be utilized for active Fiscal Year 2023 Headcount.

It shall be the agency's responsibility to ensure that the funds provided for vacancies are used to increase headcount and not for promotions, title changes, in-range salary adjustments or any other mechanism for increasing salaries for current employees.

It is the Legislature’s intention that no employee salary falls below the minimum salary established by the Mississippi State Personnel Board.

Additionally, the State Personnel Board shall determine and publish the projected annualized payroll costs based on current employees.

If the agency’s Fiscal Year 2024 projected cost exceeds the annualized costs, no salary actions shall be processed by the State Personnel Board withexcept thefor exception of new hires that are determined to be essential for the agency.

Any transfers or escalations shall be made in accordance with the terms, conditionsconditions, and procedures established by law or allowable under the terms set forth within this act.

The Department of Finance and Administration shall not provide written approval to escalate any funds for salaries and/or positions withoutH. 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.

H.

1623 *HR13/A330**HR43/A330SG* ~ OFFICIAL ~ 23/HR13/A33023/HR43/A330SG PAGE 3 Fundswithout haveproof beenof appropriatedavailability herein for the purpose of fundingnew Projector SEC2additional minimumfunds salariesabove for all employees covered under the Colonelappropriated Guylevel. Groff/Neville Kenning Variable Compensation Plan.

ItNo shallgeneral funds authorized to be theexpended agency’sherein responsibilityshall tobe ensureused thatto thereplace federal funds areand/or usedother tospecial increasefunds allused employees’for salaries upauthorized tounder the minimumprovisions levelof asthis determinedact byand thewhich Stateare Personnelwithdrawn Board.and no longer available.

None of the funds herein appropriated shall be used in violation of the 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.

SECTIONH. 7.

Of the funds appropriated herein, the Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation Services through the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation for the Blind is authorized to expend an amount not to exceed One Hundred Thousand Dollars ($100,000.00) H.

1623 *HR13/A330**HR43/A330SG* ~ OFFICIAL ~ 23/HR13/A33023/HR43/A330SG PAGE 4 forSECTION the7. National Federation for the Blind (NFB) News line service to allow blind and visually impaired persons to access newspapers through toll-free telephone calls.

Of the funds appropriated herein, the Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation Services through the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation for the Blind is authorized to expend an amount not to exceed One Hundred Thousand Dollars ($100,000.00) for the National Federation for the Blind (NFB) News line service to allow blind and visually impaired persons to access newspapers through toll-free telephone calls.

FY2024 Performance Measures Target Disability Determination Services Number of Dispositions 60,000 Number of Days For Processing Time 130 Voc Rehabilitation For The Blind Number of Blind and Visually Impaired H.

1623 *HR13/A330**HR43/A330SG* ~ OFFICIAL ~ 23/HR13/A33023/HR43/A330SG PAGE 5 Number of Dispositions 60,000 Number of Days For Processing Time 130 Voc Rehabilitation For The Blind Number of Blind and Visually Impaired Persons Served 2,025 Number of Persons Rehabilitated 285 Number of Independent Living Persons Served 720 Percent Change in Persons Employed Compared to Persons Served 13.00 Vocational Rehabilitation Number of Clients Served 15,025 Number of Clients Rehabilitated 2,535 Percent Change of Persons Employed Compared to Persons Served 16.00 Persons Employed with Pay Rate Greater than Federal or State Minimum Wage 2,535 Persons with Significant Disabilities Leaving VR With Competitive, Self, or BEP Employment, Wage = or > Than Minimum 1,138 Spinal Cord & Head Injury Program Number of Clients Served 1,050 Percent Change in Number of Spinal Cord and Brain Injuries per Year 3.00 Special Disability Programs Number of Clients Served 3,100 Percent Change in Persons Receiving HCBW Services Compared to Waiting List 25.00 Ratio of Cost to HCBW Services per Person Compared to an Institutional H.

1623 *HR13/A330**HR43/A330SG* ~ OFFICIAL ~ 23/HR13/A33023/HR43/A330SG PAGE 6 Percent Change in Persons Receiving HCBW Services Compared to Waiting List 25.00 Ratio of Cost to HCBW Services per Person Compared to an Institutional Setting 38.00 Support Services Percent of Total Budget 1.96 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 2025.

Of the funds appropriated in Section 1,1 and Section 2, One Million Four Hundred Eighty-three Thousand Five Hundred Seventy-three Dollars ($1,000,000.00)($1,483,573.00) in General Funds and One Million Seven Hundred Thousand Five Hundred Eighty-seven Dollars ($1,700,587.00) in Special Funds is provided for the support of the Independent Living Home and Community Based Waiver programs along with any additional funds that may be appropriated to these programs.

SECTION 12.

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.

1623 *HR13/A330**HR43/A330SG* ~ OFFICIAL ~ 23/HR13/A33023/HR43/A330SG PAGE 7 SECTION 13.12.

Of the funds appropriated under the provisions of Section 2 of this act, the following sum, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated out of any money in the State Treasury to the credit of the Capital Expense Fund, as created in Section 27-103-303, Mississippi Code of 1972, and allocated in a manner as determined by the State Treasurer.

These funds are provided for the purchase of equipment for the Mississippi Industries for the Blind.

The Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation is authorized to transfer the appropriated funds to the Mississippi Industries for the Blind for this purpose for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2023, and ending June 30, 2024......

.................................................$ 1,100,000.00.

SECTION 13.

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 14.

SECTION 14.

This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2023, and shall stand repealed June 30, 2023.