American Samoa § 26.0107 - Availability of funds

§ 26.0107. Availability of funds

(a) It is the intent of the Legislature and declared to be the policy of the Territory that funds to meet disaster emergencies must always be available. (b) A Disaster Contingency Fund of not less than $50,000 is established which shall be ap-propriated by the Legislature. Moneys in this contingency fund shall remain there until ex-pended. This Fund becomes an earmarked portion of the economic stabilization and emergency fund created under 10.0701 and funded under 10.0702. (c) The Disaster Contingency Fund is administered by the Advisory Budget Commission created under 10.0703. (d) It is the legislative intent that the first recourse shall be to use funds regularly appropriated to Territorial agencies. If the Governor finds that the demands placed upon these funds in coping with a particular disaster are unreasonably great, he may, with the concurrence of the Advisory Budget Commission, make funds available from the Disaster Contingency Fund. If moneys available from the fund are insufficient and if the Governor finds that other sources of money to cope with the disaster are not available or insufficient, the Governor, with the concurrence of the Commission, may transfer and expend moneys appropriated for other purposes or may borrow from the United States Government or any other public or private source. Action under this subsection shall be only with the concurrence of the Commission. (e) Nothing contained in this section may be construed to limit the Governor’s authority to apply for, administer, and expend a grant, gift, or payment or pass-through funds in aid of dis-aster prevention, preparedness, response, or recovery. Amendments: 1982 section entirely amended; subsection (b) on Disaster Emergency Funding Board deleted, other references to board changed to Advisory Budget Commission; subsections (c)-(e) relettered to be (d) – (f).