Section 6-4-10 - Tobacco settlement program fund created; purpose.

6-4-10. Tobacco settlement program fund created; purpose.

A.     The "tobacco settlement program fund" is created in the state treasury and shall consist of distributions made to the fund from the tobacco settlement permanent fund. Income from investment of the tobacco settlement program fund shall be credited to the fund. Beginning in fiscal year 2002, money in the tobacco settlement program fund may be appropriated by the legislature for any of the purposes specified in Subsection B of this section and after receiving the recommendations of the tobacco settlement revenue oversight committee. Balances in the tobacco settlement program fund at the end of any fiscal year shall remain in the fund.   

B.     Money may be appropriated from the tobacco settlement program fund for health and educational purposes, including:   

(1)     support of additional public school programs, including extracurricular and after-school programs designed to involve students in athletic, academic, musical, cultural, civic, mentoring and similar types of activities;   

(2)     any health or health care program or service for prevention or treatment of disease or illness;   

(3)     basic and applied research conducted by higher educational institutions or state agencies addressing the impact of smoking or other behavior on health and disease;   

(4)     public health programs and needs; and   

(5)     tobacco use cessation and prevention programs, including statewide public information, education and media campaigns.