(a) There is established a separate and distinct fund in the Treasury of the Government of the Virgin Islands to be designated the “Tobacco Settlement Health Care and Capital Improvement Fund”, hereinafter referred to as “the Fund”. The Commissioner of Finance shall provide for the administration of the Fund as separate and apart from all other funds of the Government of the Virgin Islands. No monies in the Fund shall be available for expenditure or disbursement except as provided in this section.
(b) There is appropriated and deposited into the Fund such sums received each year by the Government of the Virgin Islands from its settlement with the tobacco industry for reimbursement for smoking related health care costs pursuant to the Cigarette Master Settlement Agreement and Smokeless Tobacco Settlement; all monies previously deposited into the Union Arbitration Award and Government Employees Increment Fund and the Heath Revolving Fund pursuant to Act 6220, § 2 (March 3, 1998); all revenues derived from interest earned; all monies appropriated from time to time by the Legislature; public and private grants; gifts; donations; and bequests or devises.
(c) The Commissioner of Finance, upon the authorization of the Commissioner of Health and the Chief Executive Officers of the Roy Lester Schneider Hospital and the Governor Juan Luis Hospital, shall disburse monies from the Fund as follows:
(1) Thirty-six percent (36%), including any interest earned on any bond issue, to the Department of Health to be used for prevention, basic and long-term health care needs, and health related capital improvement projects; of the funds appropriated under this item eighteen percent (18%) shall be appropriated to St. Thomas and eighteen percent (18%) shall be appropriated to St. Croix.
(2) Thirty-two percent (32%), including any interest earned on any bond issue, to the Roy Lester Schneider Hospital to be used for basic health care services, including cancer treatment, and health related capital improvement projects; and
(3) Thirty-two percent (32%), including any interest earned on any bond issue, to the Juan F. Luis Hospital to be used for basic health care services, including cardiac treatment, and health related capital improvement projects.
(d) Any health related capital improvement projects authorized under subsection (c) of this section shall be administered at the direction of the Public Finance Authority, under the supervision of the Commissioner of Health and the Chief Executive Officers of the Roy Lester Schneider Hospital and the Governor Juan Luis Hospital. The Public Finance Authority, the CEOs of the Roy Lester Schneider Hospital and the Juan Luis Hospital shall, promulgate rules for the operations, coordination and dispute settlement in the disbursement and use of the Tobacco Settlement Health Care and Capital Improvement Fund and submit these rules to the Governor and the Legislature for approval as provided under title 3, chapter 35, Virgin Islands Code. The Public Finance Authority shall maintain a detailed report on the status of health related capital improvement projects and shall submit to the Governor and the Legislature annually, at the close of each fiscal year, a report on the status of the projects.
(e) The Commissioner of Finance shall maintain a detailed accounting record of all monies deposited into and disbursed from the Fund and shall submit to the Governor and the Legislature annually, at the close of each fiscal year, a report on the financial status of the Fund.
(f) The District Governing Boards of the Hospitals are authorized to enter into contractual arrangements for the operation, maintenance and staffing of a cancer center at the Roy L. Schneider Hospital on St. Thomas and a cardiovascular center at the Juan F. Luis Hospital on St. Croix.
(g) Notwithstanding any other law, any employee of the Government of the Virgin Islands, including employees of the Legislature, the Superior Court, the University of the Virgin Islands, and all independent or semi-autonomous agencies and instrumentalities of the Government of the Virgin Islands, shall be entitled to a maximum of three hours administrative leave annually to receive pre-cancer screening: Provided That, the employee provide medical verification from a licensed physician or other licensed health care provider.