§2583. Disability Affairs Trust Fund

A.(1) Subject to the provisions of R.S. 15:571.11, two-thirds of all fines collected for violations of parking restrictions established by R.S. 40:1742(B), two-thirds of all fines collected for false certification of mobility impairment by a physician as provided by R.S. 47:463.4(G)(4), and two-thirds of all fines collected for manufacture, sale, possession, or use of a counterfeit mobility-impaired placard as provided for in R.S. 47:463.4.3(B) shall be forwarded by the officer of the court who collects the same to the state treasurer within thirty days after the penalty or forfeiture is collected.

(2) In addition to all fines, fees, costs, and punishment prescribed by law for violations of mobility-impaired parking restrictions established by local ordinance or R.S. 40:1742, the court shall impose an additional fee of twenty-five dollars for each such violation. All monies collected from such additional fees shall be forwarded by the officer of the court who collects the same to the state treasurer within thirty days after the penalty or forfeiture is collected.

B. All funds received by the state treasurer as provided in Subsection A of this Section shall be deposited upon receipt in the state treasury. After compliance with the requirements of Article VII, Section 9(B) of the Constitution of Louisiana relative to the Bond Security and Redemption Fund, and prior to monies being placed in the state general fund, an amount equal to that deposited as required by this Subsection shall be credited to a special fund hereby created in the state treasury to be known as the "Disability Affairs Trust Fund". The monies in the fund shall be used solely as provided in this Section and only in the amounts appropriated by the legislature.

C. Subject to applicable limitations of Article VII, Section 9(B), the fund shall additionally consist of all funds designated to the fund and received by donation, grant, gift, or otherwise from any source including sums appropriated specifically to it by the legislature and any other allocations made directly to it.

D. The monies in the fund shall be invested by the state treasurer in the same manner as monies in the state general fund, and interest earned on the investment of these monies shall be credited to this fund, again, following compliance with applicable requirements of Article VII, Section 9(B) relative to the Bond Security and Redemption Fund.

E. The legislature shall make an annual appropriation of the monies in the fund to the office of disability affairs in accordance with the recommendations of the Governor's Advisory Council on Disability Affairs. The monies in the fund shall be used solely for the operation of the Governor's Office of Disability Affairs and any program designed to provide services to Louisiana citizens with disabilities. Funds not appropriated shall remain to the credit of the fund and not revert to the state general fund nor be diverted to other purposes.

F. The Governor's Advisory Council on Disability Affairs shall determine the eligibility of programs to receive funding after operating expenses of the office have been met.

Acts 1995, No. 573, §2; Acts 1999, No. 1307, §3, eff. July 12, 1999; Acts 2001, No. 508, §2, eff. June 21, 2001; Acts 2004, No. 574, §1.

NOTE: See Acts 1995, No. 573, §5 relative to effectiveness and effective date.