A. There is hereby created in the State Treasury a special, nonreverting revolving fund to be known as the Commonwealth Health Research Fund. The Fund shall be established on the books of the State Comptroller.

B. The Fund shall consist of all stock and cash distributed to the Commonwealth as a policyholder pursuant to the conversion of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Virginia, doing business as Trigon Blue Cross Blue Shield, from a mutual insurance company to a Virginia stock corporation known as Trigon Healthcare, Inc., exclusive of cash paid by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Virginia or its successor to the Commonwealth in connection with such conversion, which was assumed as general fund revenue in Chapter 912 of the 1996 Acts of Assembly. The Fund shall also consist of any moneys appropriated from the general fund, grants and donations received by the Board, and other moneys received by the State Treasurer and designated for deposit in the Fund. Interest and other income earned on the Fund shall be credited to the Fund. Any moneys remaining in the Fund, including interest and other income thereon, at the end of each fiscal year shall not revert to the general fund but shall remain in the Fund.

C. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the moneys and other property comprising the Fund shall be invested, reinvested and managed by the Board of the Virginia Retirement System as provided in § 51.1-124.36. The State Treasurer shall not be held liable for losses suffered by the Virginia Retirement System on investments made under the authority of this section.

D. The Fund shall be expended solely for the purpose of supporting research efforts approved by the Board and any other purpose permitted by this chapter.

E. An amount not to exceed six percent of the moving average of the market value of the Fund calculated over the previous five years or since inception, whichever is shorter, on a one-year delayed basis, net of any administrative fee assessed pursuant to subsection E of § 51.1-124.36, may be expended in a calendar year for any purpose permitted by this chapter. The Board shall not be required to expend such amount in a calendar year, and any amount up to such six percent that is not expended in a calendar year may be expended in any other calendar year.

F. The disbursement of moneys from the Fund shall be made by the State Comptroller at the written request of the Board.

History

1997, cc. 803, 888, 891; 2000, cc. 675, 700; 2002, cc. 591, 612; 2013, c. 687.