45th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2001

RELATING TO RETIREE HEALTH CARE; DISTRIBUTING A PORTION OF THE MONEY IN THE TOBACCO SETTLEMENT PROGRAM FUND TO THE RETIREE HEALTH CARE FUND; MAKING AN APPROPRIATION.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

Section 1. Section 6-4-10 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1999, Chapter 207, Section 2, as amended) is amended to read:

"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, ten percent of the money distributed each fiscal year to the fund from the tobacco settlement permanent fund shall be transferred to the retiree health care fund and is appropriated for expenditure by the retiree health care authority for the purposes of the Retiree Health Care Act. The remaining 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."

Section 2. EFFECTIVE DATE.--The effective date of the provisions of this act is July 1, 2001.