§ 2999-i. Custody and administration of the fund. 1. (a) The commissioner of taxation and finance shall be the custodian of the fund and the special account established pursuant to § 99-t of the state finance law. All payments from the fund shall be made by the commissioner of taxation and finance upon certificates signed by the commissioner, or his or her designee, as hereinafter provided. The fund shall be separate and apart from any other fund and from all other state monies; provided, however, that monies of the fund may be invested as set forth in paragraph (b) of this subdivision. No monies from the fund shall be transferred to any other fund, nor shall any such monies be applied to the making of any payment for any purpose other than the purpose set forth in this title.

(b) Any monies of the fund not required for immediate use may, at the discretion of the commissioner in consultation with the director of the budget, be invested by the commissioner of taxation and finance in obligations of the United States or the state or obligations the principal and interest of which are guaranteed by the United States or the state. The proceeds of any such investment shall be retained by the fund as assets to be used for the purposes of the fund.

2. (a) The fund shall be administered by the commissioner or his or her designee in accordance with the provisions of this article.

(b) The commissioner shall have all powers necessary and proper to carry out the purposes of the fund.

(c) Notwithstanding any contrary provision of this section, sections one hundred twelve and one hundred sixty-three of the state finance law or any other contrary provision of law, the superintendent of financial services is authorized to assign and the commissioner is authorized to receive assignment of any and all contracts entered into by the superintendent of financial services to administer the fund for periods prior to October first, two thousand nineteen.

(d) The department shall post on its website information about the fund and the process for enrollment in the fund.

3. The expense of administering the fund shall be paid from the fund.

4. Monies for the fund will be provided pursuant to this chapter.

5. For the state fiscal year beginning April first, two thousand eleven and ending March thirty-first, two thousand twelve, the state fiscal year beginning April first, two thousand twelve and ending March thirty-first, two thousand thirteen, and the state fiscal year beginning April first, two thousand thirteen and ending March thirty-first, two thousand fourteen, the superintendent of financial services shall cause to be deposited into the fund for each such fiscal year the amount appropriated for such purpose. Beginning April first, two thousand fourteen and annually thereafter, the superintendent of financial services or the commissioner, whoever is administering the fund for the applicable period shall cause to be deposited into the fund, subject to available appropriations, an amount equal to the difference between the amount appropriated to the fund in the preceding fiscal year, as increased by the adjustment factor defined in subdivision seven of this section, and the assets of the fund at the conclusion of that fiscal year.

6. (a) Following the deposit referenced in subdivision five of this section, the commissioner shall conduct an actuarial calculation of the estimated liabilities of the fund for the coming year resulting from the qualified plaintiffs enrolled in the fund. The administrator shall from time to time adjust such calculation in accordance with subdivision seven of this section. If the total of all estimates of current liabilities equals or exceeds eighty percent of the fund's assets, then the fund shall not accept any new enrollments until a new deposit has been made pursuant to subdivision five of this section. When, as a result of such new deposit, the fund's liabilities no longer exceed eighty percent of the fund's assets, the fund administrator shall enroll new qualified plaintiffs in the order that an application for enrollment has been submitted in accordance with subdivision seven of section twenty-nine hundred ninety-nine-j of this title.

(b) Whenever enrollment is suspended pursuant to paragraph (a) of this subdivision and until such time as enrollment resumes pursuant to such paragraph: (i) notice of such suspension shall be promptly posted on the department's website; (ii) the fund administrator shall deny each application for enrollment that had been received but not accepted prior to the date of suspension and each application for enrollment received after the date of such suspension; and (iii) notification of each such denial shall be made to the plaintiff or claimant or persons authorized to act on behalf of such plaintiff or claimant and all defendants in regard to such plaintiff or claimant, to the extent they are known to the fund administrator. Judgments and settlements for plaintiffs or claimants for whom applications are denied under this paragraph or who are not eligible for enrollment due to suspension pursuant to paragraph (a) of this subdivision shall be satisfied as if this title had not been enacted.

(c) Following a suspension, whenever enrollment resumes pursuant to paragraph (a) of this subdivision, notice that enrollment has resumed shall be promptly posted on the department's website.

(d) The suspension of enrollment pursuant to paragraph (a) of this subdivision shall not impact payment under the fund for any qualified plaintiffs already enrolled in the fund.

7. For purposes of this section, the adjustment factor referenced in this section shall be the ten year rolling average medical component of the consumer price index as published by the United States department of labor, bureau of labor statistics, for the preceding ten years.