Florida Senate - 2023                                    SB 7034
       
       
        
       By the Appropriations Committee on Criminal and Civil Justice
       
       
       
       
       
       604-02845-23                                          20237034__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to trust funds; creating s. 944.74,
    3         F.S.; creating the Opioid Settlement Trust Fund within
    4         the Department of Corrections; providing the purpose
    5         of the trust fund; providing sources of funds;
    6         providing for the reversion of funds in the Opioid
    7         Settlement Trust Fund; providing for future review and
    8         termination or re-creation of the trust fund;
    9         providing an effective date.
   10          
   11  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   12  
   13         Section 1. Section 944.74, Florida Statutes, is created to
   14  read:
   15         944.74 Opioid Settlement Trust Fund.—
   16         (1) The Opioid Settlement Trust Fund is created within the
   17  Department of Corrections. The purpose of the trust fund is to
   18  abate the opioid epidemic in accordance with the settlement
   19  agreements reached by the state in opioid-related litigation or
   20  bankruptcy proceedings.
   21         (2) Funds to be credited to the trust fund shall consist of
   22  funds disbursed, by nonoperating transfer, from the Department
   23  of Financial Services’ Opioid Settlement Clearing Trust Fund in
   24  amounts equal to the annual appropriations made from this trust
   25  fund.
   26         (3) Notwithstanding s. 216.301 and pursuant to s. 216.351,
   27  any unencumbered balance in the trust fund at the end of any
   28  fiscal year and any encumbered balance remaining undisbursed on
   29  September 30 of the same calendar year shall revert to the
   30  Department of Financial Services’ Opioid Settlement Clearing
   31  Trust Fund.
   32         (4) In accordance with s. 19(f), Art. III of the State
   33  Constitution, the Opioid Settlement Trust Fund, unless
   34  terminated sooner, shall be terminated on July 1, 2027. Before
   35  its scheduled termination, the trust fund shall be reviewed as
   36  provided in s. 215.3206(1) and (2).
   37         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2023.