Virginia § 4.1-614 - Disposition of moneys collected by the Board

§ 4.1-614. Disposition of moneys collected by the Board

A. All moneys collected by the Board shall be paid directly and promptly into the state treasury, or shall be deposited to the credit of the State Treasurer in a state depository, without any deductions on account of salaries, fees, costs, charges, expenses, refunds, or claims of any description whatever, as required by § 2.2-1802.

All moneys so paid into the state treasury, less the net profits determined pursuant to subsection C, shall be set aside as and constitute an Enterprise Fund, subject to appropriation, for the payment of (i) the salaries and remuneration of the members, agents, and employees of the Board and (ii) all costs and expenses incurred in the administration of this subtitle.

B. The net profits derived under the provisions of this subtitle shall be transferred by the Comptroller to the general fund of the state treasury quarterly, within 50 days after the close of each quarter or as otherwise provided in the appropriation act. As allowed by the Governor, the Board may deduct from the net profits quarterly a sum for the creation of a reserve fund not exceeding the sum of $2.5 million in connection with the administration of this subtitle and to provide for the depreciation on the buildings, plants, and equipment owned, held, or operated by the Board. After accounting for the Authority's expenses as provided in subsection A, net profits shall be appropriated in the general appropriation act as follows:

1. Forty percent to pre-kindergarten programs for at-risk three-year-olds and four-year-olds;

2. Thirty percent to the Cannabis Equity Reinvestment Fund established pursuant to § 2.2-2499.8;

3. Twenty-five percent to the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services, which shall distribute such appropriated funds to community services boards for the purpose of administering substance use disorder prevention and treatment programs; and

4. Five percent to public health programs, including public awareness campaigns that are designed to prevent drugged driving, discourage consumption by persons younger than 21 years of age, and inform the public of other potential risks.

C. As used in this section, "net profits" means the total of all moneys collected by the Board, less local marijuana tax revenues collected under § 4.1-1004 and distributed pursuant to § 4.1-614 and all costs, expenses, and charges authorized by this section.

D. All local tax revenues collected under § 4.1-1004 shall be paid into the state treasury as provided in subsection A and credited to a special fund, which is hereby created on the Comptroller's books under the name "Collections of Local Marijuana Taxes." The revenues shall be credited to the account of the locality in which they were collected. If revenues were collected from a marijuana establishment located in more than one locality by reason of the boundary line or lines passing through the marijuana establishment, tax revenues shall be distributed pro rata among the localities. The Authority shall provide to the Comptroller any records and assistance necessary for the Comptroller to determine the locality to which tax revenues are attributable.

On a quarterly basis, the Comptroller shall draw his warrant on the Treasurer of Virginia in the proper amount in favor of each locality entitled to the return of its tax revenues, and such payments shall be charged to the account of each such locality under the special fund created by this section. If errors are made in any such payment, or adjustments are otherwise necessary, whether attributable to refunds to taxpayers, or to some other fact, the errors shall be corrected and adjustments made in the payments for the next quarter.

2021, Sp. Sess. I, cc. 550, 551.