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2015 SESSION

15102787D
HOUSE BILL NO. 2146
Offered January 14, 2015
Prefiled January 14, 2015
A BILL to amend and reenact § 3.2-3108 of the Code of Virginia, relating to Tobacco Indemnification and Community Revitalization Fund.
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Patrons-- Yancey, BaCote, Helsel, James and Jones
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Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources
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Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That § 3.2-3108 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:

§ 3.2-3108. Distribution of Fund.

The Fund shall be distributed by the Commission for the following purposes:

1. The compensation of Virginia tobacco farmers for the decline or elimination of the tobacco quota based on averaging the basic burley and flue-cured quota as allocated by the USDA for the crop years 1995 through 1998.

To the extent quota holders in Virginia are not otherwise compensated by a national tobacco community trust fund or a federal tobacco loss assistance program that is based on substantially the same distribution criteria established by the Commission for indemnification payments and to the extent moneys are available in the Fund, the Fund shall be used to compensate quota holders in an amount equal to the total lost asset value in quota incurred annually by such quota holders.

To the extent active tobacco producers in Virginia are not otherwise compensated by a national tobacco community trust fund or a federal tobacco loss assistance program that is based on substantially the same distribution criteria established by the Commission for indemnification payments and to the extent moneys are available in the Fund, the Fund shall be used to compensate active tobacco producers for the economic loss resulting from any annual quota reduction.

For the purposes of this section, the total asset loss value in quota and economic losses for tobacco farmers in Virginia shall be estimated to be $1.2 billion.

The Commission may establish criteria for determining economic loss resulting from any annual quota reduction, including any similar criteria established pursuant to the creation of a national tobacco community trust fund;

2. The stimulation of economic growth and development in tobacco-dependent communities in an equitable manner throughout the southside and southwest regions of the Commonwealth, to assist such communities in reducing their dependency on, or finding alternative uses for, tobacco and tobacco-related business; and

3. Scientific research performed at one of the Commonwealth's National Cancer Institute-designated research institutes designed to advance the treatment and prevention of cancers that directly impact the citizens of tobacco-dependent communities throughout the southside and southwest regions of the Commonwealth; and

4. The provision of proton therapy telemedicine and scientific research performed at any cancer research and treatment center in the Commonwealth designed to advance the treatment and prevention of cancers and health care disparities that directly affect the citizens of tobacco-dependent communities throughout the Southside and southwest regions of the Commonwealth.

The Commission may require that as a condition of receiving any grant or loan incentive that is based on employment goals, a recipient company must provide copies of employer quarterly payroll reports provided to the Virginia Employment Commission to verify the employment status of any position included in the employment goal.