§29-22-18. State Lottery Fund; appropriations and deposits; not part of general revenue; no transfer of state funds after initial appropriation; use and repayment of initial appropriation; allocation of fund for prizes, net profit and expenses; surplus; State Lottery Education Fund; State Lottery Senior Citizens Fund; allocation and appropriation of net profits.

(a) There is continued a Special Revenue Fund in the State Treasury which shall be designated and known as the State Lottery Fund. The fund consists of all appropriations to the fund and all interest earned from investment of the fund and any gifts, grants or contributions received by the fund. All revenues received from the sale of lottery tickets, materials and games shall be deposited with the State Treasurer and placed into the State Lottery Fund. The revenue shall be disbursed in the manner provided in this section for the purposes stated in this section and shall not be treated by the Auditor and Treasurer as part of the general revenue of the state.

(b) No appropriation, loan or other transfer of state funds may be made to the commission or Lottery Fund after the initial appropriation.

(c) A minimum annual average of forty-five percent of the gross amount received from each lottery shall be allocated and disbursed as prizes.

(d) Not more than fifteen percent of the gross amount received from each lottery may be allocated to and may be disbursed as necessary for fund operation and administration expenses.

(e) The excess of the aggregate of the gross amount received from all lotteries over the sum of the amounts allocated by subsections (c) and (d) of this section shall be allocated as net profit. In the event that the percentage allotted for operations and administration generates a surplus, the surplus shall be allowed to accumulate to an amount not to exceed $250,000. On a monthly basis, the director shall report to the Joint Committee on Government and Finance of the Legislature any surplus in excess of $250,000 and remit to the State Treasurer the entire amount of those surplus funds in excess of $250,000 which shall be allocated as net profit.

(f) After first satisfying the requirements for funds dedicated to the School Building Debt Service Fund in subsection (h) of this section to retire the bonds authorized to be issued pursuant to section eight, article nine-d, chapter eighteen of this code, then satisfying the requirements for funds dedicated to the Education, Arts, Sciences and Tourism Debt Service Fund, in subsection (i) of this section to retire the bonds authorized to be issued pursuant to section eleven-a, article six, chapter five of this code and section sixteen-a, article fifteen, chapter thirty-one of this code, and then satisfying the requirements for funds dedicated to the Community and Technical College Capital Improvement Fund in subsection (j) of this section to retire the bonds for community and technical college capital improvements authorized to be issued pursuant to section eight, article ten, chapter eighteen-b of this code, any and all remaining funds in the State Lottery Fund shall be made available to pay debt service in connection with any revenue bonds issued pursuant to section eighteen-a of this article, if and to the extent needed for such purpose from time to time. The Legislature shall annually appropriate all of the remaining amounts allocated as net profits in subsection (e) of this section, in such proportions as it considers beneficial to the citizens of this state, to: (1) The Lottery Education Fund created in subsection (g) of this section; (2) the School Construction Fund created in section six, article nine-d, chapter eighteen of this code; (3) the Lottery Senior Citizens Fund created in subsection (k) of this section; and (4) the Division of Natural Resources created in section three, article one, chapter twenty of this code and the West Virginia Development Office as created in section one, article two, chapter five-b of this code, in accordance with subsection (l) of this section. No transfer to any account other than the School Building Debt Service Fund, the Education, Arts, Sciences and Tourism Debt Service Fund, the Community and Technical College Capital Improvement Fund, the Economic Development Project Fund created under section eighteen-a, article twenty-two, chapter twenty-nine of this code, or any fund from which debt service is paid under subsection (c), section eighteen-a of this article may be made in any period of time in which a default exists in respect to debt service on bonds issued by the School Building Authority, the State Building Commission, the Higher Education Policy Commission, the Economic Development Authority or which are otherwise secured by lottery proceeds. No additional transfer may be made to any account other than the School Building Debt Service Account and the Education, Arts, Sciences and Tourism Debt Service Fund, and the Community and Technical College Capital Improvement Fund, when net profits for the preceding twelve months are not at least equal to one hundred fifty percent of debt service on bonds issued by the School Building Authority, the State Building Commission, the Higher Education Policy Commission and the Economic Development Authority which are secured by net profits.

(g) There is continued a special revenue fund in the State Treasury which shall be designated and known as the Lottery Education Fund. The fund shall consist of the amounts allocated pursuant to subsection (f) of this section, which shall be deposited into the Lottery Education Fund by the State Treasurer. The Lottery Education Fund shall also consist of all interest earned from investment of the Lottery Education Fund and any other appropriations, gifts, grants, contributions or moneys received by the Lottery Education Fund from any source. The revenues received or earned by the Lottery Education Fund shall be disbursed in the manner provided below and may not be treated by the Auditor and Treasurer as part of the general revenue of the state. Annually, the Legislature shall appropriate the revenues received or earned by the Lottery Education Fund to the state system of public and higher education for these educational programs it considers beneficial to the citizens of this state.

(h) On or before the twenty-eighth day of each month, as long as revenue bonds or refunding bonds are outstanding, the lottery director shall allocate to the School Building Debt Service Fund created pursuant to the provisions of section six, article nine-d, chapter eighteen of this code, as a first priority from the net profits of the lottery for the preceding month, an amount equal to one tenth of the projected annual principal, interest and coverage ratio requirements on any and all revenue bonds and refunding bonds issued, or to be issued, on or after April 1, 1994, as certified to the lottery director in accordance with the provisions of section six, article nine-d, chapter eighteen of this code. In no event shall the monthly amount allocated exceed $1.8 million nor may the total allocation of the net profits to be paid into the School Building Debt Service Fund, as provided in this section, in any fiscal year exceed the lesser of the principal and interest requirements certified to the lottery director or $18 million. In the event there are insufficient funds available in any month to transfer the amount required to be transferred pursuant to this subsection to the School Debt Service Fund, the deficiency shall be added to the amount transferred in the next succeeding month in which revenues are available to transfer the deficiency. A lien on the proceeds of the State Lottery Fund up to a maximum amount equal to the projected annual principal, interest and coverage ratio requirements, not to exceed $27 million annually, may be granted by the School Building Authority in favor of the bonds it issues which are secured by the net lottery profits. When the school improvement bonds, secured by profits from the lottery and deposited in the School Debt Service Fund, mature, the profits shall become available for debt service on additional school improvement bonds as a first priority from the net profits of the lottery or may at the discretion of the authority be placed into the School Construction Fund created pursuant to the provisions of section six, article nine-d, chapter eighteen of this code.

(i) Beginning on or before July 28, 1996, and continuing on or before the twenty-eighth day of each succeeding month thereafter, as long as revenue bonds or refunding bonds issued in accordance with section eleven-a, article six, chapter five or section sixteen-a, article fifteen, chapter thirty-one of this code are outstanding, the lottery director shall allocate to the Education, Arts, Sciences and Tourism Debt Service Fund, created pursuant to the provisions of section eleven-a, article six, chapter five of this code, as a second priority from the net profits of the lottery for the preceding month, an amount equal to one tenth of the projected annual principal, interest and coverage ratio requirements on any and all revenue bonds and refunding bonds issued, or to be issued, on or after April 1, 1996, as certified to the lottery director in accordance with the provisions of section eleven-a, article six, chapter five or section sixteen-a, article fifteen, chapter thirty-one of this code. In no event may the monthly amount allocated exceed $1 million nor may the total allocation paid into the Education, Arts, Sciences and Tourism Debt Service Fund, as provided in this section, in any fiscal year exceed the lesser of the principal and interest requirements certified to the lottery director or $10 million. In the event there are insufficient funds available in any month to transfer the amount required pursuant to this subsection to the Education, Arts, Sciences and Tourism Debt Service Fund, the deficiency shall be added to the amount transferred in the next succeeding month in which revenues are available to transfer the deficiency. A second-in-priority lien on the proceeds of the State Lottery Fund up to a maximum amount equal to the projected annual principal, interest and coverage ratio requirements, not to exceed $15 million annually, may be granted by the State Building Commission or the Economic Development Authority in favor of the bonds issued in accordance with section eleven-a, article six, chapter five or section sixteen-a, article fifteen, chapter thirty-one of this code.

(j) Beginning on or before July 28, 2008, and continuing on or before the twenty-eighth day of each succeeding month thereafter, as long as revenue bonds or refunding bonds are outstanding, the lottery director shall allocate to the Community and Technical College Capital Improvement Fund, created pursuant to section eight, article ten, chapter eighteen-b of this code, as a third priority from net profits of the lottery for the preceding month, an amount equal to one tenth of the projected annual principal, interest and coverage ratio requirements on any and all revenue bonds and refunding bonds issued or to be issued, on or after April 1, 2008, as certified by the lottery director in accordance with the provisions of that section. In no event may the monthly amount allocated exceed $500,000 nor may the total allocation paid to the Community and Technical Capital Improvement Fund, as provided in this section, in any fiscal year exceed the lesser of the principal and interest requirements certified to the lottery director or $5 million. In the event there are insufficient funds available in any month to transfer the amount required pursuant to this subsection to the Community and Technical College Capital Improvement Fund, the deficiency shall be added to the amount transferred in the next succeeding month in which revenues are available to transfer the deficiency.

(1) A third-in-priority lien on the proceeds of the State Lottery Fund up to a maximum amount equal to the projected annual principal, interest and coverage ratio requirements, not exceeding $7.5 million annually, may be granted by the Higher Education Policy Commission in favor of the bonds it issues which are secured by the net lottery profits.

(2) When the community and technical college capital improvement bonds secured by profits from the lottery and deposited in the Community and Technical College Capital Improvement Fund mature, the profits shall become available for debt service on additional community and technical college capital improvement bonds as a third priority from the net profits of the lottery.

(3) The Council for Community and Technical College Education shall approve all community and technical college capital improvement projects prior to the distribution of bond proceeds.

(4) Prior to the issuance of community and technical college revenue bonds pursuant to this subsection, the lottery director shall transfer $5 million to the Community and Technical College Improvement Fund, less any amounts needed for initial debt service payments, to be used on a cash basis for community and technical college capital improvements and capital projects.

(k) There is continued a special revenue fund in the State Treasury which shall be designated and known as the Lottery Senior Citizens Fund. The fund shall consist of the amounts allocated pursuant to subsection (f) of this section, which amounts shall be deposited into the Lottery Senior Citizens Fund by the State Treasurer. The Lottery Senior Citizens Fund shall also consist of all interest earned from investment of the Lottery Senior Citizens Fund and any other appropriations, gifts, grants, contributions or moneys received by the Lottery Senior Citizens Fund from any source. The revenues received or earned by the Lottery Senior Citizens Fund shall be distributed in the manner provided below and may not be treated by the Auditor or Treasurer as part of the general revenue of the state. Annually, the Legislature shall appropriate the revenues received or earned by the Lottery Senior Citizens Fund to any senior citizens medical care and other programs it considers beneficial to the citizens of this state.

(l) The Division of Natural Resources and the West Virginia Development Office, as appropriated by the Legislature, may use the amounts allocated to them pursuant to subsection (f) of this section for one or more of the following purposes: (1) The payment of any or all of the costs incurred in the development, construction, reconstruction, maintenance or repair of any project or recreational facility, as these terms are defined in section four, article five, chapter twenty of this code, pursuant to the authority granted to it under article five, chapter twenty of this code; (2) the payment, funding or refunding of the principal of, interest on or redemption premiums on any bonds, security interests or notes issued by the parks and recreation section of the Division of Natural Resources under article five, chapter twenty of this code; or (3) the payment of any advertising and marketing expenses for the promotion and development of tourism or any tourist facility or attraction in this state.