Section 4. Montana tobacco settlement trust fund. (1) The legislature shall dedicate not less than two-fifths of any tobacco settlement proceeds received on or after January 1, 2001, to a trust fund, nine-tenths of the interest and income of which may be appropriated. One-tenth of the interest and income derived from the trust fund on or after January 1, 2001, shall be deposited in the trust fund. The principal of the trust fund and one-tenth of the interest and income deposited in the trust fund shall remain forever inviolate unless appropriated by a vote of two-thirds of the members of each house of the legislature.
     (2) Appropriations of the interest, income, or principal from the trust fund shall be used only for tobacco disease prevention programs and state programs providing benefits, services, or coverage that are related to the health care needs of the people of Montana and may not be used for other purposes.
     (3) Appropriations of the interest, income, or principal from the trust fund shall not be used to replace state or federal money used to fund tobacco disease prevention programs and state programs that existed on December 31, 1999, providing benefits, services, or coverage of the health care needs of the people of Montana.

     History: En. Sec. 1, Const. Amend. No. 35, approved Nov. 7, 2000.