WHEREAS, pursuant to the provisions of Article IV, Section 5 of the Louisiana Constitution of 1974, as amended, and Act No. 13 of the 2002 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature, the governor issued Executive Order No. MJF 2002-29 on September 24, 2002, ordering an expenditure freeze throughout the executive branch of state government to achieve a state general fund savings of at least seventy-five million dollars ($75,000,000) for the remainder of the 2002-2003 fiscal year;
WHEREAS, Executive Order No. MJF 2002-29 was issued as a prudent money management practice but not as a response measure to a projected budget deficit; consequently, the total estimated dollar savings of the expenditure freeze is not deducted from appropriations on the budget status report like the appropriations cuts ordered this day in Executive Order No. MJF 2003-4 under the authority of R.S. 39:75(C)(1)(a); and
WHEREAS, prudent money management practices dictate that the best interests of the citizens of the state of Louisiana will be served by continuing the expenditure freeze ordered in Executive Order No. MJF 2002-29, but decreasing its estimated dollar savings in conjunction with the appropriations cuts ordered in Executive Order No. MJF 2003- 4 and other considerations, to achieve a state general fund savings of at least fifty- four million six hundred thirty-eight thousand six hundred ninety-seven dollars ($54,638,697) for the remainder of the 2002-2003 fiscal year;
NOW THEREFORE, I, M.J. "MIKE" FOSTER, JR., Governor of the state of Louisiana, by virtue of the authority vested by the Constitution and laws of the state of Louisiana, do hereby order and direct as follows:
SECTION 1: The following departments, agencies, and/or budget units of the executive branch of the state of Louisiana, as described in and/or funded by appropriations through Act. No. 13 of the 2002 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature (hereafter "Act No. 13"), (hereafter "Unit" and/or "Units") shall reduce expenditure of funds appropriated to the Unit from the state general fund by Act No. 13, in the amounts shown below:
| Executive Department | State General Fund |
|---|---|
| Schedule 01 | $ 2,725,064 |
| Secretary of State Budget Unit 04-139 |
$ 154,996 |
| Office of the Attorney General Budget Unit 04-141 |
$ 487,965 |
| Commissioner of Elections Budget Unit 04-144 |
$ 204,883 |
| Lieutenant Governor Budget Unit 04-146 |
$ 16,679 |
| State Treasurer Budget Unit 04-147 |
$ 53,805 |
| Department of Agriculture and Forestry Budget Unit 04-160 |
$ 1,226,088 |
| Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism Schedule 06 |
$ 1,663,320 |
| Department of Transportation and Development Schedule 07 |
$ 61,784 |
| Department of Public Safety and Corrections
Corrections Services All Corrections Services Budget Units in Schedule 08 |
$ 3,324,709 |
| Department of Health and Hospitals Schedule 09 |
$ 36,101,431 |
| Department of Social Services Schedule 10 |
$ 1,269,447 |
| Department of Natural Resources Schedule 11 |
$ 352,861 |
| Department of Revenue Schedule 12 |
$ 124,271 |
| Department of Labor Schedule 14 |
$ 139,639 |
| Department of Civil Service Schedule 17 |
$ 19,822 |
| Department of Education
All Department of Education Budget Units in Schedule 19 (except 19-695 and 19-699) |
$ 6,037,441 |
| Louisiana State University Health Science Center
Health Care Services Division Budget Unit 19-610 |
$ 21,075 |
| Other Requirements Schedule 20 |
$ 653,418 |
SECTION 2: A. No later than March 5, 2003, the head of each Unit listed in Section 1 of this Order shall submit to the commission of administration (hereafter "commissioner") a supplemental mid-year budget adjustment plan, on the BA-7 form and questionnaire revised January 30, 2001, which reflects the Unit's proposed allocation of the expenditure freeze ordered in Section 1 of this Order (hereafter "supplemental mid-year budget adjustment plan"), and a description of the methodology used to formulate the supplemental mid- year budget adjustment plan.
B. In the event that positions of employment will be affected by the supplemental mid-year budget adjustment plan, the description of the methodology used to formulate the supplemental mid-year budget adjustment plan shall include, at a minimum, the following information for each position of employment proposed to be affected:
1. The type of position of employment to be affected, including job title;
2. The job function of the position of employment and an analysis of how it meets or serves the role, scope, and/or mission of the Unit; and
3. An explanation of why the position of employment is being selected for inclusion in the Unit's supplemental mid-year budget adjustment plan.
C. No Unit shall implement the expenditure freeze ordered in Section 1 of this Order without the commissioner's prior written approval of the Unit's supplemental mid-year budget adjustment plan.
D. Once approved, a supplemental mid-year budget adjustment plan may not be changed without the commissioner's prior written approval.
SECTION 3: If full or partial implementation of the expenditure freeze mandated in Section 1 of this Order will prevent a statewide elected official from being able to perform and/or fulfill his or her constitutional functions and/or duties, the commissioner is authorized to grant the statewide elected official an exemption from Section 1 to the extent necessary.
SECTION 4: The commissioner is authorized to develop additional guidelines as necessary to facilitate the administration of this Order.
SECTION 5: Executive Order No. 2002-29, issued on September 24, 2002, is hereby rescinded and terminated.
SECTION 6: All departments, commissions, boards, offices, entities, agencies, and officers of the state of Louisiana, or any political subdivision thereof, are authorized and directed to cooperate with the Office in implementing the provisions of this Order.
SECTION 7: This Order is effective upon signature and shall remain in effect through June 30, 2003, unless amended, modified, terminated, or rescinded prior to that date.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have set my hand officially and caused to be affixed the Great Seal of Louisiana, at the Capitol, in the city of Baton Rouge, on this 21st day of February, 2003.
M.J. "Mike" Foster, Jr.
Governor
ATTEST BY
THE GOVERNOR
Fox McKeithen
Secretary of State