(a) The Legislature recognizes that there has been a certain windfall to Escambia County paid during the fiscal year 1983-84 and arising under the oil and gas severance tax levied under provisions of Section 40-20-2, and distributed under Section 40-20-8. The legislative intent of this section is to establish a trust fund, the corpus of which is to be composed of four million dollars ($4,000,000) from the oil and gas severance tax paid to Escambia County during the fiscal year of 1983-84 together with 20 percent of the annual income thereon each year during the existence of this trust beginning with the fiscal year 1984-85.
(b) Subject to any limitation of the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, or of any general law of this state, the Escambia County Commission shall establish a trust fund which shall be entitled the Escambia County Oil and Gas Severance Trust and which shall hereafter in this section be referred to as the trust. The Escambia County Commission shall pay into the trust four million dollars ($4,000,000) of the oil and gas severance tax paid to Escambia County during the fiscal year 1983-84 together with 20 percent of the income thereon beginning with fiscal year 1984-85 and each year thereafter during the existence of the trust. Such amounts so deposited shall be referred to as the corpus of the trust.
(c) The members of the Escambia County Commission, or their successors in office, shall constitute the trustees of the trust. Provided, however, the members of the Escambia County Commission, or their successors in office, may in their discretion, appoint one or more trustees or escrow agents for the trust, which trustees or escrow agents shall be trust companies or national or state banks having powers of a trust company within or without the State of Alabama. The trustees shall invest the corpus of the trust either directly or indirectly in securities otherwise eligible for the Security for Alabama Funds Enhancement (SAFE) program, as defined in Section 41-14-35, or as otherwise authorized by law. Provided, however, that notwithstanding any legal limitation that might otherwise be applicable, the trustees may invest such trust fund in certificates of deposit of any savings and loan associations or banks whether federally or state chartered, provided that the funds so invested are fully secured by pledge of eligible SAFE program securities, as defined in Section 41-14-35, from the issuing bank or are fully insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC).
(d) Beginning with the fiscal year 1984-85, up to 80 percent of the income from investments shall be distributed quarterly, semi-annually, or annually as designated by the trustees to the General Fund of Escambia County.
(e) The provisions of this section shall not terminate at the end of 20 years from the date of enactment, unless a majority of the qualified electors of the county vote to terminate the provisions of this section at a special election called for such purpose.