17-5-703. Coal severance tax trust funds. (1) The trust established under Article IX, section 5, of the Montana constitution is composed of the following funds:
     (a) a coal severance tax bond fund into which the constitutionally dedicated receipts from the coal severance tax must be deposited;
     (b) a treasure state endowment fund;
     (c) a coal severance tax permanent fund;
     (d) a coal severance tax income fund; and
     (e) a coal severance tax school bond contingency loan fund.
     (2) (a) The state treasurer shall determine, on July 1 of each year, the amount necessary to meet all principal and interest payments on bonds payable from the coal severance tax bond fund during the next 12 months and retain that amount in the coal severance tax bond fund.
     (b) The amount in the coal severance tax bond fund in excess of the amount required in subsection (2)(a) must be transferred from that fund as provided in subsections (3) through (5).
     (3) (a) On January 21, 1992, and continuing as long as any school district bonds secured by state loans under 20-9-466 are outstanding, the state treasurer shall from time to time and as provided in subsection (3)(b) transfer from the coal severance tax bond fund to the coal severance tax school bond contingency loan fund any amount in the coal severance tax bond fund in excess of the amount that is specified in subsection (2) to be retained in the fund.
     (b) The state treasurer shall transfer the amount referred to in subsection (3)(a) until and unless the balance in the coal severance tax school bond contingency loan fund is equal to the amount due as principal of and interest on the school district bonds secured by state loans under 20-9-466 during the next following 12 months.
     (4) (a) Beginning July 1, 1993, and ending June 30, 2013, the state treasurer shall quarterly transfer to the treasure state endowment fund 50% of the amount in the coal severance tax bond fund in excess of the amount that is specified in subsection (2) to be retained in the fund and in excess of amounts that are transferred pursuant to subsection (3).
     (b) The state treasurer shall monthly transfer from the treasure state endowment fund to the treasure state endowment special revenue account the amount of earnings required to meet the obligations of the state that are payable from the account in accordance with 90-6-710. Earnings not transferred to the treasure state endowment special revenue account must be retained in the treasure state endowment fund.
     (5) Any amount in the coal severance tax bond fund in excess of the amount that is specified in subsection (2)(a) to be retained in the fund and that is not otherwise allocated under this section must be deposited in the coal severance tax permanent fund.

     History: En. Sec. 26, Ch. 505, L. 1981; amd. Sec. 18, Ch. 298, L. 1983; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 512, L. 1985; amd. Sec. 3, Ch. 722, L. 1991; amd. Secs. 3, 7, Ch. 12, Sp. L. January 1992; amd. Sec. 4, Ch. 515, L. 1993; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 8, Sp. L. November 1993; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 33, Sp. L. November 1993.