All life, health and accident insurance companies and health maintenance organizations doing business in this state shall contribute annually, at such times as the Insurance Commissioner shall determine, in proportion to their gross premiums collected within the State of Mississippi during the preceding year, to a special fund in the State Treasury to be known as the “Insurance Department Fund” to be expended by the Insurance Commissioner in the payment of the expenses of the Department of Insurance as the commissioner may deem necessary. The commissioner is hereby authorized to employ such actuarial and other assistance as shall be necessary to carry out the duties of the department; and the employees shall be under the authority and direction of the Insurance Commissioner. The amount to be contributed annually to the fund shall be fixed each year by the Insurance Commissioner at a percentage of the gross premiums so collected during the preceding year. However, a minimum assessment of One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) shall be charged each licensed life, health and accident insurance company regardless of the gross premium amount collected during the preceding year.

The total contributions collected for the Insurance Department Fund shall not exceed the sum of Seven Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars ($750,000.00) in each fiscal year.

From and after July 1, 2016, the expenses of this agency shall be defrayed by appropriation from the State General Fund and all user charges and fees authorized under this section shall be deposited into the State General Fund as authorized by law.

From and after July 1, 2016, no state agency shall charge another state agency a fee, assessment, rent or other charge for services or resources received by authority of this section.