(1) There is created the Joint Legislative Budget Committee and the Legislative Budget Office which shall be governed by such committee. The joint committee shall be composed of the following members: The Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, the President Pro Tempore of the Mississippi State Senate, the Lieutenant Governor of the State of Mississippi, the Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee and three (3) members of the Senate to be named by the Lieutenant Governor; the Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee of the House of Representatives, the Chairman of the Appropriations Committee of the House of Representatives, the Speaker of the House of Representatives and four (4) members of the House of Representatives to be named by the Speaker of the House. In the event any ex officio member of the joint committee holds two (2) positions entitling him to membership on the committee, the Lieutenant Governor or the Speaker of the House, as the case may be, shall appoint another member of the respective house to membership on the committee. The chairmanship shall alternate for twelve-month periods between the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Lieutenant Governor, with the Speaker of the House of Representatives serving as the first chairman. In the absence of the Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, Senate Appropriations Committee, House Appropriations Committee and Ways and Means Committee, the vice chairman of any such committee shall be entitled to attend; if the vice chairman is unable to attend or if an appointed member is unable to attend, another legislator may be designated to attend by the Lieutenant Governor or the Speaker of the House, as the case may be. If the Lieutenant Governor or Speaker of the House is unable to attend a meeting, he may designate a legislator to substitute for him at that meeting. If the President Pro Tempore of the State Senate is unable to attend a meeting, the Lieutenant Governor shall designate a member of the Senate to substitute for him at that meeting. Any proxy shall have a vote at the meeting he was selected to attend and also shall, when attending, receive compensation and expenses in the same manner and amount as regular members of the joint committee.

There shall be no business transacted, including adoption of rules of procedure, without the presence of a quorum of the joint committee. A quorum shall be eight (8) members, to consist of four (4) members from the Senate and four (4) members from the House of Representatives. No action shall be valid unless approved by the majority of those members present and voting, entered upon the minutes of the joint committee and signed by the chairman and vice chairman. All actions of the joint committee shall be approved by at least four (4) Senate members and four (4) House members.

As used in Sections 27-103-101 through 27-103-139, the term “committee” shall mean the Joint Legislative Budget Committee.

(2) The members of the committee shall receive, in addition to other compensation due them, per diem as is authorized by law for their services in carrying out the duties of the committee and, in addition thereto, shall receive a daily expense allowance equal to the maximum daily expense rate allowable to employees of the federal government for travel in the high rate geographical area of Jackson, Mississippi, as may be established by federal regulations, including mileage as authorized by Section 25-3-41, the same to be paid from the operating budget of the Legislative Budget Office. However, in no case shall the members of the committee draw per diem while the Legislature is in regular or special session, except that members may receive the per diem and expenses authorized by this section when the Legislature is in session but in recess under the terms of a concurrent resolution, or in recess during a special session.

(3) The committee may meet at least once each month; and the chairman or director may call additional meetings at such times as they deem necessary or advisable.

(4) The Legislative Budget Office shall, upon the request of a member or member-elect of the Senate or House of Representatives, make available one (1) copy of data, reports, fiscal information or related information submitted to the budget office by any general or special fund agency, whether submitted in support of its budget request or pursuant to any requirement of law or rule of the budget committee or office.

(5) All expenses incurred by and on behalf of the committee shall be paid from funds appropriated therefor, or from a sum to be provided in equal portion from the contingency funds of the Senate and House of Representatives or from transfers of funds as provided in Section 7-13-7.