§33-41-4a. Acceptance of forfeiture proceeds by commissioner; creation of special revenue fund; court awards of investigation costs.

(a) The commissioner may accept proceeds of court ordered forfeiture proceedings involving the prosecution of fraudulent insurance acts.

(b) Forfeiture proceeds shall be deposited into the special revenue account established in subsection (c) of this section, and the commissioner may make expenditures from the fund in order to effectuate the purposes of this article.

(c) The Insurance Fraud Prevention Fund is hereby created. The fund shall be administered by the commissioner and shall consist of all moneys made available from court ordered forfeiture proceedings involving the prosecution of fraudulent insurance acts, including all interest or other return earned from investment of the fund which may be invested in the manner permitted by §12-6C-9 of this code. Expenditures from the fund shall be for the purposes set forth in this article and are not authorized from collections but are to be made only in accordance with appropriation by the Legislature and in accordance with the provisions of §12-3-1, et seq. of this code and upon the fulfillment of the provisions set forth in §11B-2-1, et seq. of this code: Provided, That for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021, expenditures are authorized from collections rather than pursuant to an explicit appropriation by the Legislature. Any balance, including accrued interest and other returns, remaining in the fund at the end of each fiscal year shall not revert to the General Revenue Fund but shall remain in the fund and be expended as provided by this section.