Out of the proceeds of the taxes, interest and penalties collected pursuant to this act, there is hereby appropriated, for the purpose of maintaining free public schools, the sum of four million dollars ($4,000,000.00) annually, which sum shall on or before December twentieth in each year be credited by the State Treasurer to the State public school account. Such appropriation shall be applied to the support of the free public schools, and shall be apportioned and distributed as provided by law.
N.J.S. § 54:10A-24