80-7-814. Administration and expenditure of funds. (1) Money deposited in the noxious weed management trust fund may not be committed or expended until the principal reaches $2.5 million, except in case of a noxious weed emergency as provided in 80-7-815. Once this amount is accumulated, interest or revenue generated by the trust fund and by other funding measures provided by this part must be deposited in the special revenue fund and may be expended for noxious weed management projects in accordance with this section, as long as the principal of the trust fund remains at least $2.5 million.
     (2) The department may expend funds under this section through grants or contracts to communities, weed control districts, or other entities it considers appropriate for noxious weed management projects. A project is eligible to receive funds only if the county in which the project occurs has funded its own weed management program with a levy in an amount not less than 1.6 mills or an equivalent amount from another source or by an amount of not less than $100,000 for first-class counties, as defined in 7-1-2111.
     (3) The department may expend funds without the restrictions specified in subsection (2) for the following:
     (a) employment of a new and innovative noxious weed management project or the development, implementation, or demonstration of any noxious weed management project that may be proposed, implemented, or established by local, state, or national organizations, whether public or private. The expenditures must be on a cost-share basis with the organizations.
     (b) cost-share noxious weed management programs with local weed control districts;
     (c) special grants to local weed control districts to eradicate or contain significant noxious weeds newly introduced into the county. These grants may be issued without matching funds from the district.
     (d) administrative expenses of the department for managing the noxious weed management program and other provisions of this part. The cost of administering the program may not exceed 12% of the total program expenses.
     (e) administrative expenses incurred by the noxious weed management advisory council;
     (f) a project recommended by the noxious weed management advisory council, if the department determines the project will significantly contribute to the management of noxious weeds within the state; and
     (g) grants to the agricultural experiment station and the cooperative extension service for crop weed management research, evaluation, and education.
     (4) The agricultural experiment station and cooperative extension service shall submit annual reports on current projects and future plans to the noxious weed management advisory council.
     (5) In making expenditures under subsections (2) and (3), the department shall give preference to weed control districts and community groups.
     (6) If the noxious weed management trust fund is terminated by law, the money in the fund must be divided between all counties according to rules adopted by the department for that purpose.

     History: En. Sec. 5, Ch. 577, L. 1985; amd. Sec. 3, Ch. 639, L. 1987; amd. Sec. 76, Ch. 83, L. 1989; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 440, L. 1991; amd. Sec. 4, Ch. 220, L. 1995.