A. Each application for a mineral mine license or a renewal or transfer of a license shall be submitted to the Department, accompanied by a fee of $400 payable to the State Treasurer, except an application submitted electronically, which shall be accompanied by a fee of $330. However, any person engaged in mining sand or gravel on an area of five acres or less shall be required to pay a fee of $100, except an application submitted electronically, which shall be accompanied by a fee of $80. All such fees collected shall be retained by the Department and paid into the Mineral Mine License Fund created pursuant to subsection B.
B. There is hereby created in the state treasury a special nonreverting fund to be known as the Mineral Mine License Fund, referred to in this section as “the Fund.” The Fund shall be established on the books of the Comptroller. All fees collected pursuant to subsection A shall be paid into the state treasury and credited to the Fund. Interest earned on moneys in the Fund shall remain in the Fund and be credited to it. Any moneys remaining in the Fund, including interest thereon, at the end of each fiscal year shall not revert to the general fund but shall remain in the Fund. Expenditures from the Fund shall be made solely for the purpose of acquiring or providing safety equipment, safety training, or safety education or to further the safety program in the mineral mining industry. All expenditures and disbursements from the Fund shall be made by the State Treasurer on warrants issued by the Comptroller upon written request signed by the Director.