Sec. 403.105. PERMANENT FUND FOR HEALTH AND TOBACCO EDUCATION AND ENFORCEMENT. (a) The permanent fund for health and tobacco education and enforcement is a dedicated account in the general revenue fund. The fund is composed of:

(1) money transferred to the fund at the direction of the legislature;

(2) gifts and grants contributed to the fund; and

(3) the available earnings of the fund determined in accordance with Section 403.1068.

(b) Except as provided by Subsections (b-1), (c), (e), (f), and (h), money in the fund may not be appropriated for any purpose.

(b-1) Notwithstanding the limitations and requirements of Section 403.1068, the legislature may appropriate money in the fund, including the corpus and available earnings of the fund determined under Section 403.1068, to pay the principal of or interest on a bond issued for the purposes of Section 67, Article III, Texas Constitution. This subsection does not authorize the appropriation under this subsection of money subject to a limitation or requirement as described by Subsection (e) that is not consistent with the use of the money in accordance with this subsection.

(c) The available earnings of the fund may be appropriated to the Texas Department of Health for:

(1) programs to reduce the use of cigarettes and tobacco products in this state, including:

(A) smoking cessation programs;

(B) enforcement of Subchapters H, K, and N, Chapter 161, Health and Safety Code, or other laws relating to distribution of cigarettes or tobacco products to minors or use of cigarettes or tobacco products by minors;

(C) public awareness programs relating to use of cigarettes and tobacco products, including general educational programs and programs directed toward youth; and

(D) specific programs for communities traditionally targeted, by advertising and other means, by companies that sell cigarettes or tobacco products; and

(2) the provision of preventive medical and dental services to children in the medical assistance program under Chapter 32, Human Resources Code.

(d) Subject to any applicable limit in the General Appropriations Act, the Texas Department of Health may contract with another entity to perform all or a part of the functions described by Subsection (c) or may award grants to community organizations, public institutions of higher education, as that term is defined by Section 61.003, Education Code, or political subdivisions to enable the organizations, institutions, or political subdivisions to perform all or a part of those functions. To ensure the most efficient, effective, and rapid delivery of services, the Texas Board of Health shall give high priority and preference to existing, effective state programs that do not otherwise receive money from an endowment program funded by money received under the Comprehensive Settlement Agreement and Release filed in the case styled The State of Texas v. The American Tobacco Co., et al., No. 5-96CV-91, in the United States District Court, Eastern District of Texas. The board may adopt rules governing any grant program established under this section.

(e) The comptroller may solicit and accept gifts and grants to the fund. A gift or grant to the fund may be appropriated in the same manner as available earnings of the fund, subject to any limitation or requirement placed on the gift or grant by the donor or granting entity.

(f) Money in the fund may also be appropriated to pay any amount of money that the federal government determines that the state should repay to the federal government or that the federal government should recoup from the state in the event of national legislation regarding the subject matter of the case styled The State of Texas v. The American Tobacco Co., et al., No. 5-96CV-91, in the United States District Court, Eastern District of Texas.

(g) Sections 403.095 and 404.071 do not apply to the fund.

(h) The department may direct the comptroller to temporarily transfer money appropriated under Subsection (c) to pay an obligation that the department is authorized to incur under and for which money is appropriated under Section 403.1055(c), 403.106(c), or 403.1066(c) if the department determines that the transfer is necessary for cash management purposes. As soon as possible after the transfer but not later than the 90th day after the date of the transfer, the department shall direct the comptroller to transfer back the transferred amount from amounts appropriated under Section 403.1055(c), 403.106(c), or 403.1066(c), as applicable, to the appropriation item for Subsection (c).

Added by Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 1391, Sec. 1, eff. Aug. 31, 1999. Amended by Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 1182, Sec. 1, eff. June 15, 2001; Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 198, Sec. 2.31, 2.32, eff. Sept. 1, 2003.

Amended by:

Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., 1st C.S., Ch. 4 (S.B. 1), Sec. 28.01, eff. September 28, 2011.