(1) The responsible gaming grant program is hereby created in the department to promote responsible gaming and address problem gaming in the state. (2) (a) The commission, in collaboration with the behavioral health administration, shall administer the grant program and shall award grants as provided in this section. Grants shall be paid out of the fund. (b) The commission may seek, accept, and expend gifts, grants, and donations for the purposes of the grant program. Any money received as gifts, grants, and donations by the commission shall be transferred to the state treasurer, who shall credit the money to the fund. (3) The commission, in collaboration with the behavioral health administration, shall promulgate such rules as are required in this section and such additional rules as may be necessary to implement the grant program. At a minimum, the rules must specify the time frames for applying for grants, the form of the grant program application, and the time frames for distributing grant money. (4) To receive a grant, an eligible applicant must submit an application to the commission in accordance with rules promulgated by the commission. At a minimum, the application must include the following information: (a) The amount of grant money requested by the eligible applicant; (b) How the eligible applicant will spend the grant money to address problem gaming or increase awareness of responsible gaming; (c) Information concerning any current or past projects in which the eligible applicant has participated and that addressed responsible gaming or problem gaming; and (d) Any other information required by rules promulgated by the commission pursuant to subsection (3) of this section. (5) The commission shall review the applications received pursuant to this section. In awarding grants, the commission, in collaboration with the behavioral health administration, shall consider the following criteria: (a) The current needs of the state relating to responsible or problem gaming; (b) The overall impact that a proposed grant may have on responsible or problem gaming; (c) The amount of money available in the fund; (d) The amount of grant money requested by each eligible applicant; (e) Whether the eligible applicant intends to use grant money for any of the following purposes: (I) Prevention or education services concerning gambling addiction; (II) Certification of gambling addiction counselors; (III) Public awareness of services concerning gambling addiction; (IV) Treatment of gambling addiction disorders; (V) Recovery services; or (VI) Data reporting and data systems; and (f) Any other criteria established by rules promulgated by the commission pursuant to subsection (3) of this section. (6) Grantees shall use grant money only for the purposes for which the grant money is awarded. (7) (a) On or before September 1, 2023, and on or before September 1 each year thereafter through the year following the year after which a grantee fully expends its grant money, each grantee shall submit a report to the commission. At a minimum, the report must include the following information: (I) An indication of whether the grantee achieved the objectives that the grantee described in its application for a grant; (II) An evaluation of the results of the grantee's grant-funded project; (III) A description of the impact of the grantee's use of grant money on the community with regard to responsible or problem gaming; (IV) The total amount of grant money received and the total amount of grant money expended by the grantee; and (V) Any other information that is required by rules promulgated by the commission pursuant to subsection (3) of this section. (b) On or before December 1, 2023, and on or before December 1 each year thereafter for the duration of the grant program, the commission shall submit a summarized report to the public and behavioral health and human services committee of the house of representatives and the health and human services committee of the senate, or to any successor committees, and to the behavioral health administration concerning the grant program. At a minimum, the report must include the following information: (I) The total number of grants, and the total amount of grant money, awarded by the grant program in the preceding state fiscal year; (II) The identity of each grantee and the total amount of grant money awarded to each grantee in the preceding state fiscal year; (III) The information reported by each grantee pursuant to subsections (7)(a)(II) and (7)(a)(III) of this section; and (IV) Financial statements concerning the status of, and activities concerning, the fund. (c) Notwithstanding section 24-1-136 (11)(a)(I), the reporting requirement set forth in subsection (7)(b) of this section continues until the grant program repeals pursuant to subsection (9) of this section. (8) (a) The responsible gaming grant program cash fund is hereby created in the state treasury. The fund consists of: (I) Money transferred to the fund from the wagering revenue recipients hold-harmless fund pursuant to section 44-30-1509 (2)(c)(IV); (II) Money transferred to the fund from the limited gaming fund pursuant to section 44- 30-701 (2)(a)(VI.5); (III) Any gifts, grants, and donations received pursuant to subsection (2)(b) of this section; and (IV) Any other money that the general assembly may appropriate or transfer to the fund. (b) The state treasurer shall credit all interest and income derived from the deposit and investment of money in the fund to the fund. Any money remaining in the fund at the end of a fiscal year remains in the fund. (c) Money in the fund is annually appropriated to the department for use by the commission for the purposes described in this section. Any money that is awarded as a grant to any state agency is further annually appropriated to the state agency for use by the state agency consistent with this section. (d) The commission may expend money from the fund to pay the direct and indirect administrative expenses incurred by the commission in administering the grant program; except that the total amount of money expended by the commission pursuant to this subsection (8)(d) in a state fiscal year may not exceed five percent of the total amount of grant money awarded by the commission in that state fiscal year. (e) On August 31, 2032, the state treasurer shall transfer all unexpended and unencumbered money in the fund on that date to the general fund. (9) This section is repealed, effective September 1, 2032. Before the repeal, the grant program is scheduled for review in accordance with section 24-34-104.
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