Section 14580.

(a) Except as provided in subdivision (d), the department shall deposit all amounts paid as redemption payments by distributors pursuant to Section 14574 and all other revenues received into the California Beverage Container Recycling Fund, which is hereby created in the State Treasury. Notwithstanding Section 13340 of the Government Code, the money in the fund is hereby continuously appropriated to the department for expenditure without regard to fiscal year for the following purposes:

(1) The payment of refund values and administrative fees to processors pursuant to Section 14573.

(2) For a reserve for contingencies, which shall not be greater than an amount equal to 5 percent of the total amount paid to processors pursuant to Section 14573 during the preceding calendar year, plus the interest earned on that amount.

(b) The money in the fund may be expended by the department for the administration of this division only upon appropriation by the Legislature in the annual Budget Act.

(c) After setting aside funds estimated to be needed for expenditures authorized pursuant to this section, the department shall set aside funds on a quarterly basis for the purposes specified in Section 14581. Notwithstanding Section 13340 of the Government Code, that money is hereby continuously appropriated to the department, without regard to fiscal year, for the purposes specified in Section 14581.

(d) The department shall deposit all civil penalties or fines collected pursuant to this division into the Penalty Account, which is hereby created in the fund. The money in the Penalty Account may be expended by the department only upon appropriation by the Legislature, for purposes of this division.

(e) The Legislature finds and declares that the maintenance of the fund is of the utmost importance to the state and that it is essential that any money in the fund be used solely for the purposes authorized in this division and should not be used, loaned, or transferred for any other purpose.

(Amended by Stats. 2010, 8th Ex. Sess., Ch. 5, Sec. 4. Effective March 8, 2010.)