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<section article="gtg" article_name="Tax - General" number="1-207" title_number="1" title_name="Definitions; General Provisions" subtitle_number="2" subtitle_name="General Provisions">
  <level label="a">
    <text>In this section, “Fund” means the Tax Clinics for Low–Income Marylanders Fund.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>There is a Tax Clinics for Low–Income Marylanders Fund.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>The purpose of the Fund is to provide grants to the University of Maryland School of Law, the University of Baltimore School of Law, and the Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service to operate tax clinics for low–income Maryland residents.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <text>The Comptroller shall administer the Fund.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <level label="1">
      <text>The Fund is a special, nonlapsing fund that is not subject to § 7–302 of the State Finance and Procurement Article.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The State Treasurer shall hold the Fund separately, and the Comptroller shall account for the Fund.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="f">
    <text>The Fund consists of:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>proceeds distributed to the Fund under § 17–317 of the Commercial Law Article;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>fines distributed to the Fund under § 13–1004(c) of this article;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>money appropriated in the State budget for the Fund; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>any other money from any other source accepted for the benefit of the Fund.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="g">
    <level label="1">
      <text>Subject to paragraph (2) of this subsection, the Fund may be used only to provide grants to the University of Maryland School of Law, the University of Baltimore School of Law, and the Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service to operate tax clinics for low–income Maryland residents.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>For each fiscal year, the total amount of grant money expended from the Fund to support tax clinics shall be distributed as follows:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>one–third to the University of Maryland School of Law;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>one–third to the University of Baltimore School of Law; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>one–third to the Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="h">
    <text>Beginning in fiscal year 2024 and each fiscal year thereafter, the Governor may include in the annual budget bill an appropriation to the Fund.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="i">
    <level label="1">
      <text>The State Treasurer shall invest the money of the Fund in the same manner as other State money may be invested.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Any interest earnings of the Fund shall be credited to the General Fund of the State.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="j">
    <text>Expenditures from the Fund may be made only in accordance with the State budget.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="k">
    <text>Money expended from the Fund to support tax clinics at the University of Maryland School of Law, the University of Baltimore School of Law, and the Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service is supplemental to and is not intended to take the place of funding that otherwise would be appropriated for tax clinics.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="l">
    <text>The tax clinics at the University of Maryland School of Law, the University of Baltimore School of Law, and the Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service shall interact with the CASH Campaign of Maryland at least once each year to ensure sufficient access to tax preparation services for low–income Maryland residents.</text>
  </level>
</section>
