Sec. 14.5. (a) The mortgage foreclosure multistate settlement fund is established for the purpose of depositing and distributing money received under a multistate agreement related to litigation concerning mortgage foreclosure activities by creditors and mortgage servicers. The fund consists of:

(1) money that:

(A) is received by the state under the multistate agreement related to litigation concerning mortgage foreclosure activities; and

(B) is designated by the attorney general for deposit in the fund;

(2) appropriations made to the fund by the general assembly; and

(3) grants, gifts, and donations intended for deposit in the fund.

(b) The fund shall be administered by the budget agency. Notwithstanding IC 5-13, the treasurer of state shall invest the money in the fund not currently needed to meet the obligations of the fund in the same manner as money is invested by the public employees' retirement fund under IC 5-10.3-5. Interest that accrues from these investments shall be deposited in the fund. Money in the fund at the end of the state fiscal year does not revert to the state general fund.

(c) Not later than September 1 of each year, the office of the lieutenant governor shall report to the budget agency the total amount that was used to provide home energy assistance during the previous state fiscal year through the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Block Grant under 42 U.S.C. 8621 et seq. administered under IC 4-4-33-1. The budget agency shall determine the amount of gross retail tax revenue that was collected during the preceding state fiscal year on the amount of home energy assistance reported to the budget agency.

(d) An amount equal to the amount of gross retail tax revenue determined by the budget agency under subsection (c) is appropriated from the fund to the office of the lieutenant governor to establish a separate state home energy assistance program to be administered under IC 4-4-33-1. The separate state home energy assistance program shall be used to provide home energy assistance exclusively for individuals who own a home, using the same eligibility standards as those used for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Block Grant under 42 U.S.C. 8621 et seq. The budget agency shall allot the amount determined under subsection (c) from the fund before October 1 each year.

(e) The state general fund is not liable for payment of a shortfall in expenditures, transfers, or distributions from the fund or any other fund due to a delay, reduction, or cancellation of payments scheduled to be received by the state under the multistate agreement related to litigation concerning mortgage foreclosure activities.

As added by P.L.58-2012, SEC.1.