(1) The state treasurer shall make annual distributions, from the state historical fund created by section 9 (5)(b)(II) of article XVIII of the state constitution, in accordance with the provisions of section 9 (5)(b)(III) of article XVIII of the state constitution. As specified in section 9 (5)(b)(III) of article XVIII of the state constitution, twenty percent of the money in the state historical fund shall be used for the preservation and restoration of the cities of Central, Black Hawk, and Cripple Creek. The remaining eighty percent of the fund shall be administered by the state historical society in accordance with subsection (5) of this section. Expenditures from the fund shall be subject to the provisions of section 44-30-1202. The society shall make grants from the eighty percent portion of said fund administered by the society for the following historic preservation purposes: (a) The identification, evaluation, documentation, study, and marking of buildings, structures, objects, sites, or areas important in the history, architecture, archaeology, or culture of this state, and the official designation of the properties; (b) The excavation, stabilization, preservation, restoration, rehabilitation, reconstruction, or acquisition of the designated properties; (c) Education and training for governmental entities, organizations, and private citizens on how to plan for and accommodate the preservation of historic and archaeological structures, buildings, objects, sites, and districts; (d) Preparation, production, distribution, and presentation of educational, informational, and technical documents, guidance, and aids on historic preservation practices, standards, guidelines, techniques, economic incentives, protective mechanisms, and historic preservation planning. (2) (a) The society shall make grants primarily to governmental entities and to nonprofit organizations; except that the society may make grants to persons in the private sector so long as the person requesting the grant makes application through a governmental entity. The selection of recipients and the amount granted to a recipient shall be determined by the society, which determination shall be based on the information provided in the applications submitted to the society. (b) As used in this subsection (2), "governmental entity" means the state and any state agency or institution, county, city and county, incorporated city or town, school district, special improvement district, authority, and every other kind of district, instrumentality, or political subdivision of the state organized pursuant to law. "Governmental entity" shall include any county, city and county, or incorporated city or town, governed by a home rule charter. (3) Subject to annual appropriation, the society may employ any personnel in accordance with section 13 of article XII of the state constitution that may be necessary to fulfill its duties in accordance with this section. (4) The society shall promulgate rules for the purpose of administering the state historical fund, which rules may include criteria for consideration in awarding grants from the fund and standards for preservation that are acceptable to the society and that shall be employed by grant recipients. (5) (a) (I) The general assembly hereby finds and declares that: (A) The state historical society, founded in 1879, has a unique role as the state educational institution charged with collecting, preserving, and interpreting the history of Colorado and the west. The state formally recognized the state historical society as a state agency by statute in 1915, and the general assembly has continuously made appropriations for the society since that time. (B) The state historical fund created by section 9 (5)(b)(II) of article XVIII of the state constitution has grown significantly since its inception in 1991. In accordance with section 9 (5)(b)(III) of article XVIII of the state constitution, the general assembly hereby determines that it is appropriate to provide funding for the state historical society through the state historical fund. (C) The use of a portion of the state historical fund for the support needs of the state historical society is consistent with the preservation purposes of the fund and of the society. (D) Grants from the state historical fund by the society pursuant to subsection (1) of this section serve the state and its people well in promoting preservation purposes and economic development throughout the state. (II) Accordingly, it is the intent of the general assembly that the majority of the gaming revenues deposited in and available for distribution from the eighty percent portion of the state historical fund administered by the society shall continue to be used for the grants. (III) Repealed. (b) Subject to annual appropriation, the society may make expenditures from the museum and preservation operations account for the reasonable costs incurred by the society in connection with fulfilling the society's mission as a state educational institution to collect, preserve, and interpret the history of Colorado and the west and carrying out other activities and programs authorized by statute or rule. The reasonable costs may include capital construction and controlled maintenance expenditures relating to properties owned, managed, or used by the society. (c) (I) All money received by the society from limited gaming revenues pursuant to section 44-30-701 (1)(d)(II) shall be transmitted to the state treasurer, who shall credit the same to the state historical fund. Eighty percent of the state historical fund administered by the society is divided into the following two accounts: (A) The preservation grant program account, hereby created in the state historical fund, that consists of fifty and one-tenth of one percent of the money received from the society in a fiscal year. Money in the account is subject to annual appropriation by the general assembly to the society to cover the reasonable costs as may be incurred in the selection, monitoring, and administration of grants for historic preservation purposes. Any money not appropriated for the costs is continuously appropriated to the society for the purpose of making grants pursuant to subsection (1) of this section. (B) The museum and preservation operations account, hereby created in the state historical fund, that consists of forty-nine and nine-tenths of one percent of the money received from the society in a fiscal year. Money in the account is subject to annual appropriation by the general assembly for the purposes set forth in subsection (5)(b) of this section. (II) All interest and income derived from the deposit and investment of money in the state historical fund, including the accounts created in subsections (5)(c)(I)(A) and (5)(c)(I)(B) of this section, shall remain in the fund. At the end of any fiscal year, all unexpended and unencumbered money in the fund remains therein and shall not be transferred or revert to the general fund or any other fund; except that, for the fiscal year commencing July 1, 2008, and for each fiscal year thereafter through the fiscal year commencing July 1, 2045, the society may direct the state treasurer to transfer any unexpended and unencumbered money in the museum and preservation operations account at the end of the fiscal year to the state museum cash fund created pursuant to section 24-80-214. The state treasurer shall be the custodian of the funds pursuant to section 24-80-209. (III) Repealed. (d) (I) The general assembly finds and declares that: (A) To better preserve, study, and restore historical sites and objects throughout the state, it is in the best interest of the state to construct a new Colorado state museum and offices for the state historical society; and (B) Construction of a new Colorado state museum and offices for the state historical society will provide improved historic preservation, education, planning, and interpretation of Colorado's heritage, including the identification, evaluation, study, and marking of buildings, structures, objects, sites, or areas important in the history, architecture, archeology, or culture of the state; the official designation of the properties as appropriate for preservation; and other activities described in subsections (1)(c) and (1)(d) of this section. (II) The general assembly reaffirms its intent that: (A) The majority of the eighty percent portion of the state historical fund administered by the society shall continue to be used for the statewide grants for historic preservation purposes as described in subsection (1) of this section and may also be used to pay the administrative cost of the society in administering the grant program; and (B) Costs associated with the new Colorado state museum shall be from the portion of the state historical fund not reserved for the statewide grant program for preservation, or from other money as designated by the general assembly. (III) Repealed. (IV) For the fiscal year beginning on July 1, 2011, and for each fiscal year thereafter through the fiscal year beginning on July 1, 2045, so long as there are payments due on an agreement entered into pursuant to the provisions of section 3 of Senate Bill 08-206, as enacted at the second regular session of the sixty-sixth general assembly, the general assembly shall appropriate to the state historical society from the museum and preservation operations account of the state historical fund, the general fund, or from any other available fund an amount equal to the annual aggregate rentals or other payments due from state funds; except that the amount shall not exceed four million nine hundred ninety-eight thousand dollars in any given fiscal year. (6) to (13) Repealed. (14) For state fiscal years commencing on or after July 1, 2023, revenue collected by the state and used for the preservation and restoration of the cities of Central, Black Hawk, and Cripple Creek pursuant to subsection (1) of this section is a collection for another government, as defined in section 24-77-102 (1), for the purpose of determining state fiscal year spending, as defined in section 24-77-102 (17).
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