51-9-201.  Creation of Tobacco Settlement Restricted Account.

(1)  There is created within the General Fund a restricted account known as the “Tobacco Settlement Restricted Account.”

Terms Used In Utah Code 51-9-201

  • Appropriation: The provision of funds, through an annual appropriations act or a permanent law, for federal agencies to make payments out of the Treasury for specified purposes. The formal federal spending process consists of two sequential steps: authorization
  • Fiscal year: The fiscal year is the accounting period for the government. For the federal government, this begins on October 1 and ends on September 30. The fiscal year is designated by the calendar year in which it ends; for example, fiscal year 2006 begins on October 1, 2005 and ends on September 30, 2006.
  • Settlement: Parties to a lawsuit resolve their difference without having a trial. Settlements often involve the payment of compensation by one party in satisfaction of the other party's claims.
  • State: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes a state, district, or territory of the United States. See Utah Code 68-3-12.5
(2)  The account shall earn interest.

(3)  The account shall consist of:

(a)  on and after July 1, 2007, 60% of all funds of every kind that are received by the state that are related to the settlement agreement that the state entered into with leading tobacco manufacturers on November 23, 1998; and

(b)  interest earned on the account.

(4)  To the extent that funds will be available for appropriation in a given fiscal year, those funds shall be appropriated from the account in the following order:

(a)  $66,600 to the Office of the Attorney General for ongoing enforcement and defense of the Tobacco Settlement Agreement;

(b)  $18,500 to the State Tax Commission for ongoing enforcement of business compliance with the Tobacco Tax Settlement Agreement;

(c)  $11,022,900 to the Department of Health and Human Services for:

(i)  children in the Medicaid program created in Title 26B, Chapter 3, Health Care – Administration and Assistance, and the Children’s Health Insurance Program created in Section 26B-3-902; and

(ii)  for restoration of dental benefits in the Children’s Health Insurance Program;

(d)  $3,277,100 to the Department of Health and Human Services for alcohol, tobacco, and other drug prevention, reduction, cessation, and control programs that promote unified messages and make use of media outlets, including radio, newspaper, billboards, and television, and with a preference in funding given to tobacco-related programs;

(e)  $193,700 to the Administrative Office of the Courts and $2,325,400 to the Department of Health and Human Services for the statewide expansion of the drug court program;

(f)  $4,000,000 to the Utah Board of Higher Education for the University of Utah Health Sciences Center to benefit the health and well-being of Utah citizens through in-state research, treatment, and educational activities; and

(g)  any remaining funds as directed by the Legislature through appropriation.

Amended by Chapter 328, 2023 General Session