(a) For each fiscal year, beginning with the 1980-81 fiscal year, the commissioner shall make a request for appropriation of the amount determined under Code Section 31-8-34 as the state-wide cost of care for nonresident indigent patients in the budget of the Department of Human Resources under the category: "Nonresident Indigent Health Care Fund." The budget shall cite this article as the authority for such request and shall make such additional explanation of the request as the commissioner deems appropriate.

(b) In the event the General Assembly fails to appropriate funds in accordance with the budget request made pursuant to subsection (a) of this Code section or fails to appropriate the full amount requested, the payments to hospitals under Code Section 31-8-35 shall be reduced pro rata in accordance with the amount actually available to the fund.