HB 1600 -- Tobacco Settlement Trust Fund

Co-Sponsors:  Gaw, Van Zandt, Scheve, Crump, Harlan, Murray,
Davis (63)

This bill creates the Missouri Tobacco Settlement Trust Fund in
the state treasury for deposit of any legal settlement or award
related to tobacco-related products.

Moneys in the fund and any interest earned thereon will be
appropriated beginning with budget year 2002 as follows:

(1)  18% for state, community, and school-based programs to
reduce smoking and provide cessation programs to assist persons
in quitting smoking.  The Department of Mental Health will
administer and oversee the programs;

(2)  15% for a life science and biotech development program.
This program, administered by the Coordinating Board for Higher
Education, will develop, prioritize, and present projects to the
General Assembly for appropriation consideration for grants to
public and private universities in cooperation with private
biotech companies which promote and develop life science and
biotech initiatives and research;

(3)  37% for health care access.  The first $10 million of
moneys received will be used to facilitate access for persons in
a high-risk category for health insurance pool.  The remaining
moneys will be distributed to certain health care providers
based on a pro-rata formula related to costs associated with
providing care to the uninsured.  This distribution will be
administered by the Department of Social Services;

(4)  10% to be deposited in the Early Childhood Development,
Education and Health Care Fund; and

(5)  20% into the Emergency Budget Reserve Fund created by the
bill.  Moneys in this fund will only be available for
appropriation by the passage of a concurrent resolution of each
house of the General Assembly by a two-thirds majority of the
current sitting members of each house.

The bill will only become effective upon the passage of a
constitutional amendment authorizing the use of the tobacco
settlement moneys.