§36-15-4.2. Attorney General's Litigation Support Fund.

(a) There is established in the State Treasury a special fund to be known as the Attorney General's Litigation Support Fund.

(b) The fund shall consist of any and all monies designated by a court order as reasonable attorney fees and related expenses or negotiated fees and related expenses for matters settled out of court, and penalties paid in certain cases received by the Attorney General pursuant to this section as a result of any fees, fines, restitution, forfeitures, penalties, costs, interest, or judgments collected pursuant to any civil litigation, or any administrative proceedings, or in settlement of any claim asserted by or against the people of Alabama, the State of Alabama, or any of its departments, agencies, institutions, officers, employees, or political subdivisions thereof. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the fees, fines, restitution, forfeitures, penalties, costs, interest, or judgements shall not be affected by this article unless the recipient entity of the fees, fines, restitution, forfeitures, penalties, costs, interest, or judgements agrees by written contract to designate the receipt of such or a portion thereof to the Attorney General. The Attorney General shall deposit court ordered attorney fees and related expenses or negotiated settlements and penalties for the use of the office of the Attorney General into the fund in the fiscal year in which the sums are received. Provided further, however, any provision of this section shall not apply to any attorney fees and related expenses or negotiated settlements and penalties related to the 2010 gulf oil spill. Any amount received pursuant to this subsection by the office of the Attorney General shall be certified by the Attorney General to the Chairs of the Senate Committee on Finance and Taxation General Fund and the House Ways and Means General Fund Committee, the Legislative Fiscal Officer, and the state Budget Officer. Such certification shall include a detailed description of each deposit received, as well as each future deposit referenced in such court order or settlement.

(c) The Attorney General may expend monies appropriated by the Legislature from the fund for the purpose of implementing any provision of this article or for the performance of any of the powers, functions, duties, and responsibilities of the office of the Attorney General.

(d) The fund shall be placed under the management or administration of the Attorney General for the purpose of implementing this article or for the purpose of performing any of the functions, duties, powers, and responsibilities of the office of the Attorney General and all monies deposited in the fund are available for appropriation to the office of the Attorney General. The appropriations shall be budgeted and allotted pursuant to Article 4 of Chapter 4 of Title 41.

(e) The appropriation of these monies shall be in addition to any monies appropriated to the office of the Attorney General from the State General Fund or from any other sources.

(f) Neither the Attorney General, nor any employee of that office, shall have any financial interest in the investment of monies in the fund nor receive any commission with respect thereto.

(g) It shall be the duty of the Attorney General to keep records of all expenditures and disbursements from the fund.

(Acts 1991, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 91-736, p. 5, §8; Acts 1995, No. 95-770, p. 1819, §1; Act 2011-574, p. 1219, §1; Act 2014-307, §1.)