(a) The California Health Trust Fund is hereby created in the State Treasury for the purpose of this title, Title 24 (commencing with Section 100700), and Title 25 (commencing with Section 100800). Notwithstanding Section 13340, all moneys in the fund shall be continuously appropriated without regard to fiscal year for the purposes of this title, Title 24 (commencing with Section 100700), and Title 25 (commencing with Section 100800). Any moneys in the fund that are unexpended or unencumbered at the end of a fiscal year may be carried forward to the next succeeding fiscal year.
(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, moneys deposited in the fund shall not be loaned to, or borrowed by, any other special fund or the General Fund, or a county general fund or any other county fund.
(c) The board of the California Health Benefit Exchange shall establish and maintain a prudent reserve in the fund.
(d) The board or staff of the Exchange shall not utilize any funds intended for the administrative and operational expenses of the Exchange for staff retreats, promotional giveaways, excessive executive compensation, or promotion of federal or state legislative or regulatory modifications.
(e) Notwithstanding Section 16305.7, all interest earned on the moneys that have been deposited into the fund shall be retained in the fund and used for purposes consistent with the fund.
(f) Effective January 1, 2016, if at the end of any fiscal year, the fund has unencumbered funds in an amount that equals or is more than the board approved operating budget of the Exchange for the next fiscal year, the board shall reduce the charges imposed under subdivision (n) of Section 100503 during the following fiscal year in an amount that will reduce any surplus funds of the Exchange to an amount that is equal to the agency’s operating budget for the next fiscal year.
(g) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), moneys in the fund shall not be used to fund the minimum essential coverage individual mandate pursuant to Title 24 (commencing with Section 100700) or the financial assistance program authorized pursuant to Title 25 (commencing with Section 100800), except for the Exchange’s operational costs necessary to administer the individual mandate and financial assistance program.
(h) The Legislature finds and declares that the Exchange’s operations of the programs in Title 24 (commencing with Section 100700) and Title 25 (commencing with Section 100800) are necessary and directly related to furthering the Exchange’s purposes pursuant to this title and the federal act.
(Amended by Stats. 2019, Ch. 38, Sec. 9. (SB 78) Effective June 27, 2019.)