Mississippi 2025 Regular Session

Mississippi House Bill HB1733 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1		-	MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE 2025 Regular Session To: Appropriations B; Appropriations A By: Representatives Bounds, Read, Anderson (122nd), Clark, Eure, Hale, Jackson (11th), Paden, Pigott House Bill 1733 ~~(As Passed the House)~~ AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR THE PURPOSE OF DEFRAYING THE EXPENSES OF THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2026. 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 purpose of defraying the expenses of the Mississippi Public Service Commission for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2025, and ending June 30, 2026.......................... ............................................ $ 5,048,950.00. 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 Mississippi Public Service Commission which is comprised of special source funds 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, 2025, and ending June 30, 2026.................................................. ............................................ $ 464,494.00. SECTION 3. Of the funds appropriated under the provisions of Section 1 and Section 2, the following positions are authorized: AUTHORIZED HEADCOUNT: Permanent: 51 Time-Limited: 6 With the funds herein appropriated, it shall be the agencys responsibility to make certain that funds required for Personal Services for Fiscal Year 2027 do not exceed Fiscal Year 2026 funds appropriated for that purpose unless programs or positions are added to the agencys Fiscal Year 2026 budget by the Mississippi Legislature. The Legislature shall determine the agencys personal services appropriation, which the State Personnel Board shall publish. The agencys personal services appropriation may consist of restricted funds for approved vacancies for Fiscal Year 2026 that may be utilized to fill vacant Fiscal Year 2025 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 Legislatures 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. It shall be the responsibility of the agency head to ensure that actual personnel expenditures for Fiscal Year 2026 do not exceed the data provided by the Legislative Budget Office. If the agencys Fiscal Year 2026 projected cost exceeds the annualized costs, no salary actions shall be processed by the State Personnel Board except for new hires determined to be essential for the agency. 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 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 the Internal Revenue Services Publication 15-A relating to the reporting of income paid to contract employees, as interpreted by the Office of the State Auditor. SECTION 4. 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: FY2026 Performance Measures Target Utility Regulatory Services Number of Utility Docket Cases 142 Number of Utility Complaints 4,600 Electric Complaints as a Percent of Total 57.00 Telecommunication Complaints as a Percent of Total 26.00 Water Complaints as a Percent of Total 12.00 Gas Complaints as a Percent of Total 4.00 Sewer Complaints as a Percent of Total 1.00 Average Cost per Utility Complaint 638.00 Time To Resolve Utility Complaints (Days) 3 Average Price of Electricity per Kilowatt Hour in MS for Residential Customers, by Utility Type: Investor-Owned Utilities (Cents/kWh) 11.55 Average Price of Electricity per Kilowatt Hour in MS for Residential Customers, by Utility Type: Electric Cooperatives (Cents/kWh) 11.55 Average Price of Electricity for Residential Customers in MS as a Percent of the 2020 National Average, 13.15 Cents/kWh - Investor Owned Utilities 87.83 Average Price of Electricity for Residential Customers in MS as a Percent of the 2020 National Average, 13.15 Cents/kWh - Electric Cooperative 87.83 Average Monthly Residential Electric Usage in MS (kWh) 1186.00 Average Monthly Residential Electric Usage in MS as a Percent of the 2015 National Average, 909 kWh 128.00 Number of Pipeline Inspections 900 Average Cost per Pipeline Inspection 883.00 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 2027. SECTION 5. None of the funds herein appropriated by this act to the Public Service Commission shall be expended for any purpose that is not actually required or necessary for performing any of the powers or duties of the Mississippi Public Service Commission that are authorized by the Mississippi Constitution of 1890, state or federal law, or rules or regulations that implement state or federal law. SECTION 6. It is the intention of the Legislature that the Public Service 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 2025. It is further the intention of the Legislature that the agency's budget request for Fiscal Year 2027 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 2026 budget request process. SECTION 7. 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 8. Of the funds appropriated under the provisions of Section 1 and Section 2, none shall be used for any function currently assigned by statute the Mississippi Public Utilities Staff to represent the broad interest of the State of Mississippi by balancing the respective concerns of the residential, commercial or industrial ratepayers, and the state and its agencies, departments, and the public utilities. SECTION 9. It is the intention of the Legislature that the Public Service Commission shall compile the amount of time that is expended on each regulated entity during Fiscal Year 2025. On or before August 1, 2025, the Public Service Commission shall report these findings to the House of Representatives' Public Utilities Committee, the Senate's Energy Committee, and the Legislative Budget Office. SECTION 10. 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 11. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2025.
	1	+	MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE 2025 Regular Session To: Appropriations B; Appropriations A By: Representatives Bounds, Read, Anderson (122nd), Clark, Eure, Hale, Jackson (11th), Paden, Pigott House Bill 1733 AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR THE PURPOSE OF DEFRAYING THE EXPENSES OF THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2026. 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 purpose of defraying the expenses of the Mississippi Public Service Commission for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2025, and ending June 30, 2026.......................... ............................................ $ 5,048,950.00. 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 Mississippi Public Service Commission which is comprised of special source funds 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, 2025, and ending June 30, 2026.................................................. ............................................ $ 464,494.00. SECTION 3. Of the funds appropriated under the provisions of Section 1 and Section 2, the following positions are authorized: AUTHORIZED HEADCOUNT: Permanent: 51 Time-Limited: 6 With the funds herein appropriated, it shall be the agencys responsibility to make certain that funds required for Personal Services for Fiscal Year 2027 do not exceed Fiscal Year 2026 funds appropriated for that purpose unless programs or positions are added to the agencys Fiscal Year 2026 budget by the Mississippi Legislature. The Legislature shall determine the agencys personal services appropriation, which the State Personnel Board shall publish. The agencys personal services appropriation may consist of restricted funds for approved vacancies for Fiscal Year 2026 that may be utilized to fill vacant Fiscal Year 2025 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 Legislatures 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. It shall be the responsibility of the agency head to ensure that actual personnel expenditures for Fiscal Year 2026 do not exceed the data provided by the Legislative Budget Office. If the agencys Fiscal Year 2026 projected cost exceeds the annualized costs, no salary actions shall be processed by the State Personnel Board except for new hires determined to be essential for the agency. 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 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 the Internal Revenue Services Publication 15-A relating to the reporting of income paid to contract employees, as interpreted by the Office of the State Auditor. SECTION 4. 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: FY2026 Performance Measures Target Utility Regulatory Services Number of Utility Docket Cases 142 Number of Utility Complaints 4,600 Electric Complaints as a Percent of Total 57.00 Telecommunication Complaints as a Percent of Total 26.00 Water Complaints as a Percent of Total 12.00 Gas Complaints as a Percent of Total 4.00 Sewer Complaints as a Percent of Total 1.00 Average Cost per Utility Complaint 638.00 Time To Resolve Utility Complaints (Days) 3 Average Price of Electricity per Kilowatt Hour in MS for Residential Customers, by Utility Type: Investor-Owned Utilities (Cents/kWh) 11.55 Average Price of Electricity per Kilowatt Hour in MS for Residential Customers, by Utility Type: Electric Cooperatives (Cents/kWh) 11.55 Average Price of Electricity for Residential Customers in MS as a Percent of the 2020 National Average, 13.15 Cents/kWh - Investor Owned Utilities 87.83 Average Price of Electricity for Residential Customers in MS as a Percent of the 2020 National Average, 13.15 Cents/kWh - Electric Cooperative 87.83 Average Monthly Residential Electric Usage in MS (kWh) 1186.00 Average Monthly Residential Electric Usage in MS as a Percent of the 2015 National Average, 909 kWh 128.00 Number of Pipeline Inspections 900 Average Cost per Pipeline Inspection 883.00 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 2027. SECTION 5. None of the funds herein appropriated by this act to the Public Service Commission shall be expended for any purpose that is not actually required or necessary for performing any of the powers or duties of the Mississippi Public Service Commission that are authorized by the Mississippi Constitution of 1890, state or federal law, or rules or regulations that implement state or federal law. SECTION 6. It is the intention of the Legislature that the Public Service 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 2025. It is further the intention of the Legislature that the agency's budget request for Fiscal Year 2027 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 2026 budget request process. SECTION 7. 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 8. Of the funds appropriated under the provisions of Section 1 and Section 2, none shall be used for any function currently assigned by statute the Mississippi Public Utilities Staff to represent the broad interest of the State of Mississippi by balancing the respective concerns of the residential, commercial or industrial ratepayers, and the state and its agencies, departments, and the public utilities. SECTION 9. It is the intention of the Legislature that the Public Service Commission shall compile the amount of time that is expended on each regulated entity during Fiscal Year 2025. On or before August 1, 2025, the Public Service Commission shall report these findings to the House of Representatives' Public Utilities Committee, the Senate's Energy Committee, and the Legislative Budget Office. SECTION 10. 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 11. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2025.
2	2
3	3		MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
4	4
5	5		2025 Regular Session
6	6
7	7		To: Appropriations B; Appropriations A
8	8
9	9		By: Representatives Bounds, Read, Anderson (122nd), Clark, Eure, Hale, Jackson (11th), Paden, Pigott
10	10
11	11		# House Bill 1733
12		-
13		-	## (As Passed the House)
14	12
15	13		AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR THE PURPOSE OF DEFRAYING THE EXPENSES OF THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2026.
16	14
17	15		BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:
18	16
19	17		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 purpose of defraying the expenses of the Mississippi Public Service Commission for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2025, and ending June 30, 2026..........................
20	18
21	19		............................................ $ 5,048,950.00.
22	20
23	21		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 Mississippi Public Service Commission which is comprised of special source funds 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, 2025, and ending June 30, 2026..................................................
24	22
25	23		............................................ $ 464,494.00.
26	24
27	25		SECTION 3. Of the funds appropriated under the provisions of Section 1 and Section 2, the following positions are authorized:
28	26
29	27		AUTHORIZED HEADCOUNT:
30	28
31	29		Permanent: 51
32	30
33	31		Time-Limited: 6
34	32
35	33		With the funds herein appropriated, it shall be the agencys responsibility to make certain that funds required for Personal Services for Fiscal Year 2027 do not exceed Fiscal Year 2026 funds appropriated for that purpose unless programs or positions are added to the agencys Fiscal Year 2026 budget by the Mississippi Legislature. The Legislature shall determine the agencys personal services appropriation, which the State Personnel Board shall publish. The agencys personal services appropriation may consist of restricted funds for approved vacancies for Fiscal Year 2026 that may be utilized to fill vacant Fiscal Year 2025 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 Legislatures intention that no employee salary falls below the minimum salary established by the Mississippi State Personnel Board.
36	34
37	35		Additionally, the State Personnel Board shall determine and publish the projected annualized payroll costs based on current employees. It shall be the responsibility of the agency head to ensure that actual personnel expenditures for Fiscal Year 2026 do not exceed the data provided by the Legislative Budget Office. If the agencys Fiscal Year 2026 projected cost exceeds the annualized costs, no salary actions shall be processed by the State Personnel Board except for new hires determined to be essential for the agency.
38	36
39	37		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.
40	38
41	39		No general funds authorized to be expended herein shall be used to replace federal funds and/or other special funds used for salaries authorized under the provisions of this act and which are withdrawn and no longer available.
42	40
43	41		None of the funds herein appropriated shall be used in violation of the Internal Revenue Services Publication 15-A relating to the reporting of income paid to contract employees, as interpreted by the Office of the State Auditor.
44	42
45	43		SECTION 4. 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:
46	44
47	45		FY2026
48	46
49	47		Performance Measures Target
50	48
51	49		Utility Regulatory Services
52	50
53	51		Number of Utility Docket Cases 142
54	52
55	53		Number of Utility Complaints 4,600
56	54
57	55		Electric Complaints as a Percent of Total 57.00
58	56
59	57		Telecommunication Complaints as a
60	58
61	59		Percent of Total 26.00
62	60
63	61		Water Complaints as a Percent of Total 12.00
64	62
65	63		Gas Complaints as a Percent of Total 4.00
66	64
67	65		Sewer Complaints as a Percent of Total 1.00
68	66
69	67		Average Cost per Utility Complaint 638.00
70	68
71	69		Time To Resolve Utility Complaints (Days) 3
72	70
73	71		Average Price of Electricity per
74	72
75	73		Kilowatt Hour in MS for Residential
76	74
77	75		Customers, by Utility Type:
78	76
79	77		Investor-Owned Utilities (Cents/kWh) 11.55
80	78
81	79		Average Price of Electricity per
82	80
83	81		Kilowatt Hour in MS for Residential
84	82
85	83		Customers, by Utility Type: Electric
86	84
87	85		Cooperatives (Cents/kWh) 11.55
88	86
89	87		Average Price of Electricity for
90	88
91	89		Residential Customers in MS as a Percent
92	90
93	91		of the 2020 National Average, 13.15
94	92
95	93		Cents/kWh - Investor Owned Utilities 87.83
96	94
97	95		Average Price of Electricity for
98	96
99	97		Residential Customers in MS as a Percent
100	98
101	99		of the 2020 National Average, 13.15
102	100
103	101		Cents/kWh - Electric Cooperative 87.83
104	102
105	103		Average Monthly Residential Electric
106	104
107	105		Usage in MS (kWh) 1186.00
108	106
109	107		Average Monthly Residential Electric
110	108
111	109		Usage in MS as a Percent of the 2015
112	110
113	111		National Average, 909 kWh 128.00
114	112
115	113		Number of Pipeline Inspections 900
116	114
117	115		Average Cost per Pipeline Inspection 883.00
118	116
119	117		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 2027.
120	118
121	119		SECTION 5. None of the funds herein appropriated by this act to the Public Service Commission shall be expended for any purpose that is not actually required or necessary for performing any of the powers or duties of the Mississippi Public Service Commission that are authorized by the Mississippi Constitution of 1890, state or federal law, or rules or regulations that implement state or federal law.
122	120
123	121		SECTION 6. It is the intention of the Legislature that the Public Service 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 2025. It is further the intention of the Legislature that the agency's budget request for Fiscal Year 2027 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 2026 budget request process.
124	122
125	123		SECTION 7. 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.
126	124
127	125		SECTION 8. Of the funds appropriated under the provisions of Section 1 and Section 2, none shall be used for any function currently assigned by statute the Mississippi Public Utilities Staff to represent the broad interest of the State of Mississippi by balancing the respective concerns of the residential, commercial or industrial ratepayers, and the state and its agencies, departments, and the public utilities.
128	126
129	127		SECTION 9. It is the intention of the Legislature that the Public Service Commission shall compile the amount of time that is expended on each regulated entity during Fiscal Year 2025. On or before August 1, 2025, the Public Service Commission shall report these findings to the House of Representatives' Public Utilities Committee, the Senate's Energy Committee, and the Legislative Budget Office.
130	128
131	129		SECTION 10. 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.
132	130
133	131		SECTION 11. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2025.