1. (a)

   1. (1) There is a Criminal Injuries Compensation Fund.

   2. (2) The Fund consists of:

      1. (i) money distributed to the Fund from the additional court costs collected from defendants under § 7-409 of the Courts Article;
      2. (ii) any investment earnings or federal matching funds received by the State for criminal injuries compensation; and
      3. (iii) funds made available to the Fund from any other source.
   3. (3) The Fund is a special continuing, nonlapsing fund that is not subject to § 7-302 of the State Finance and Procurement Article.
   4. (4) The Treasurer shall separately hold the Fund and the Comptroller shall account for it.
   5. (5) The Fund shall be invested and reinvested in the same manner as other State funds.
   6. (6) The Fund is subject to audit by the Office of Legislative Audits as provided in § 2-1220 of the State Government Article.
   7. (7) For fiscal year 2026 and each fiscal year thereafter, the Governor may include in the annual budget bill an appropriation adequate to ensure a balance in the Fund.

2. (b) The Criminal Injuries Compensation Fund:

   1. (1) shall be used to:

      1. (i) carry out the provisions of this subtitle; and
      2. (ii) distribute restitution payments forwarded to the Fund under § 9-614 of the Correctional Services Article; and

   2. (2) may be used for:

      1. (i) any award given under this subtitle; and
      2. (ii) the costs of carrying out this subtitle.
3. (c) This section does not prohibit the Fund from receiving money from any other source.

Added by Acts 2001, c. 10, § 2, eff. Oct. 1, 2001. Amended by Acts 2013, c. 652, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2013; Acts 2016, c. 515, § 2, eff. Oct. 1, 2017; Acts 2018, c. 806, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2018; Acts 2019, c. 586, § 1, eff. June 1, 2019; Acts 2020, c. 147, § 1, eff. June 1, 2020; Acts 2024, c. 705, § 2, eff. July 1, 2024.