(a) The assessment imposed by this article shall be due and payable to the department on or before the twentieth day of the month next succeeding the month in which the assessment accrues and, when collected, shall be paid by the department into the State Treasury. Payment by United States mail shall be timely if mailed in accordance with Section 40-1-45. When paid into the State Treasury, all such taxes shall be deposited to the credit of the Alabama Health Care Trust Fund or any successor fund administered by or on behalf of the Medicaid Agency.
(b) The receipts from the assessment levied in this article shall be solely available for appropriation by the Legislature to the Medicaid Agency for use by the agency in accomplishing the purposes of this article.