26020-26027
PUBLIC RESOURCES CODE
SECTION 26020-26027
26020. (a) The authority may incur indebtedness and issue and renew negotiable bonds, notes, debentures, or other securities of any kind or class. All indebtedness, however evidenced, shall be payable solely from revenues of the authority and the proceeds of its negotiable bonds, notes, debentures, or other securities, and shall not exceed the sum of one billion dollars ($1,000,000,000) of total debt outstanding. (b) As used in this section, "total debt outstanding" does not include either of the following: (1) A bond for which provisions have been made for prepayment through irrevocable escrow or other means, so that the bond is not considered outstanding under its authorizing document. (2) Indebtedness that is incurred to refund existing debts, except to the extent that the indebtedness exceeds the amount of those debts. 26021. The Legislature may, by statute, authorize the authority to issue bonds, as defined in Section 26022, in excess of the amount provided in Section 26020. 26022. (a) The authority is authorized from time to time to issue its negotiable bonds, notes, debentures, or other securities (hereinafter collectively called "bonds") for any of its purposes. The bonds may be authorized, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, to finance a single project for a single participating party, a series of projects for a single participating party, a single project for several participating parties, or several projects for several participating parties, or the purchase and sale of alternative source energy or projects pursuant to subdivision (g) of Section 26011. In anticipation of the sale of bonds as authorized by Section 26020, or as may be authorized pursuant to Section 26021, the authority may issue negotiable bond anticipation notes and may renew the notes from time to time. The bond anticipation notes may be paid from the proceeds of sale of the bonds of the authority in anticipation of which they were issued. Notes and agreements relating to the notes and bond anticipation notes, collectively called notes, and the resolution or resolutions authorizing the notes may contain any provisions, conditions or limitations that a bond, agreement relating to the bond, and bond resolution of the authority may contain. However, a note or renewal of the note shall mature at a time not exceeding two years from the date of issue of the original note. (b) Except as may otherwise be expressly provided by the authority, every issue of its bonds, notes, or other obligations shall be general obligations of the authority payable from any revenues or moneys of the authority available for these purposes and not otherwise pledged, subject only to any agreements with the holders of particular bonds, notes, or other obligations pledging any particular revenues or moneys and subject to any agreements with any participating party. Notwithstanding that the bonds, notes, or other obligations may be payable from a special fund, they are for all purposes negotiable instruments, subject only to the provisions of the bonds, notes, or other obligations for registration. (c) Subject to the limitations in Sections 26020 and 26021, the bonds may be issued as serial bonds or as term bonds, or the authority, in its discretion, may issue bonds of both types. The bonds shall be authorized by resolution of the authority and shall bear the date or dates, mature at the time or times, not exceeding 50 years from their respective dates, bear interest at the rate or rates, be payable at the time or times, be in the denominations, be in the form, either coupon or registered, carry the registration privileges, be executed in a manner, be payable in lawful money of the United States of America at a place or places, and be subject to terms of redemption, as the resolution or resolutions may provide. The bonds or notes shall be sold by the Treasurer within 60 days of receipt of a certified copy of the authority's resolution authorizing the sale of the bonds. However, the authority, at its discretion, may adopt a resolution extending the 60-day period. The sales may be a public or private sale, and for the price or prices and on the terms and conditions, as the authority shall determine after giving due consideration to the recommendations of any participating party to be assisted from the proceeds of the bonds or notes. Pending preparation of the definitive bonds, the Treasurer may issue interim receipts, certificates, or temporary bonds that shall be exchanged for the definitive bonds. The Treasurer may sell bonds, notes, or other evidence of indebtedness at a price below their par value. However, the discount on a security sold pursuant to this section shall not exceed 6 percent of the par value. (d) A resolution or resolutions authorizing bonds or an issue of bonds may contain provisions that shall be a part of the contract with the holders of the bonds to be authorized, as to all of the following: (1) Pledging the full faith and credit of the authority or pledging all or part of the revenues of a project or a revenue-producing contract or contracts made by the authority with an individual, partnership, corporation, or association or other body, public or private, or other moneys of the authority, to secure the payment of the bonds or of any particular issue of bonds, subject to the agreements with bondholders as may then exist. (2) The rentals, fees, purchase payments, loan repayments, and other charges to be charged, and the amounts to be raised in each year by the charges, and the use and disposition of the revenues. (3) The setting aside of reserves or sinking funds, and the regulation and disposition of the reserves or sinking funds. (4) Limitations on the right of the authority or its agent to restrict and regulate the use of the project or projects to be financed out of the proceeds of the bonds or any particular issue of bonds. (5) Limitations on the purpose to which the proceeds of sale of an issue of bonds then or thereafter to be issued may be applied and pledging those proceeds to secure the payment of the bonds or the issue of the bonds. (6) Limitations on the issuance of additional bonds, the terms upon which additional bonds may be issued and secured, and the refunding of outstanding bonds. (7) The procedure, if any, by which the terms of a contract with bondholders may be amended or abrogated, the amount of bonds the holders of which must consent to the amendment or abrogation, and the manner in which that consent may be given. (8) Limitations on expenditures for operating, administrative, or other expenses of the authority. (9) Defining the acts or omissions to act that constitute a default in the duties of the authority to holders of its obligations and providing the rights and remedies of the holders in the event of a default. (10) The mortgaging of a project and the site of the project for the purpose of securing the bondholders. (11) The mortgaging of land, improvements, or other assets owned by a participating party for the purpose of securing the bondholders. (12) Procedures for the selection of projects to be financed with the proceeds of the bonds authorized by the resolution, if the bonds are to be sold in advance of the designation of the projects and participating parties to receive the financing. (e) Neither the members of the authority nor a person executing the bonds or notes shall be liable personally on the bonds or notes or be subject to personal liability or accountability by reason of the issuance of the bond or note. (f) The authority shall have power out of any funds available for these purposes to purchase its bonds or notes. The authority may hold, pledge, cancel, or resell those bonds, subject to and in accordance with agreements with bondholders. 26023. In the discretion of the authority, any bonds issued under the provisions of this division may be secured by a trust agreement by and between the authority and a corporate trustee or trustees, which may be the State Treasurer or any trust company or bank having the powers of a trust company within or without the state. Such trust agreement or the resolution providing for the issuance of such bonds may pledge or assign the revenues to be received or proceeds of any contract or contracts pledged and may convey or mortgage the project or projects, or any portion thereof, to be financed out of the proceeds of such bonds. Such trust agreement or resolution providing for the issuance of such bonds may contain such provisions for protecting and enforcing the rights and remedies of the bondholders as may be reasonable and proper and not in violation of law, including particularly such provisions as have hereinabove been specifically authorized to be included in any resolution or resolutions of the authority authorizing bonds thereof. Any bank or trust company doing business under the laws of this state which may act as depositary of the proceeds of bonds or of revenues or other moneys may furnish such indemnifying bonds or pledge such securities as may be required by the authority. Any such trust agreement may set forth the rights and remedies of the bondholders and of the trustee or trustees, and may restrict the individual right of action by bondholders. In addition to the foregoing, any such trust agreement or resolution may contain such other provisions as the authority may deem reasonable and proper for the security of the bondholders. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the State Treasurer shall not be deemed to have a conflict of interest by reason of acting as trustee pursuant to this division. All expenses incurred in carrying out the provisions of such trust agreement or resolution may be treated as a part of the cost of the operation of a project. 26024. Bonds issued under the provisions of this division shall not be deemed to constitute a debt or liability of the state or of any political subdivision thereof, other than the authority, or a pledge of the faith and credit of the state or of any such political subdivision, other than the authority, but shall be payable solely from the funds herein provided therefor. All such bonds shall contain on the face thereof a statement to the following effect: "Neither the faith and credit nor the taxing power of the State of California is pledged to the payment of the principal of or interest on this bond." The issuance of bonds under the provisions of this division shall not directly or indirectly or contingently obligate the state or any political subdivision thereof to levy or to pledge any form of taxation whatever therefor or to make any appropriation for their payment. Nothing contained in this section shall prevent nor be construed to prevent the authority from pledging its full faith and credit to the payment of bonds or issue of bonds authorized pursuant to this division. 26025. (a) The authority is hereby authorized to provide for the issuance of bonds of the authority for the purpose of refunding any bonds, notes, or other securities of the authority then outstanding, including the payment of any redemption premium thereon and any interest accrued or to accrue to the earliest or subsequent date of redemption, purchase, or maturity of such bonds, and, if deemed advisable by the authority, for the additional purpose of paying all or any part of the cost of constructing and acquiring additions, improvements, extensions, or enlargements of a project or any portion thereof. (b) The proceeds of any such bonds issued for the purpose of refunding outstanding bonds, notes, or other securities may, in the discretion of the authority, be applied to the purchase or retirement at maturity or redemption of such outstanding bonds either on their earliest or any subsequent redemption date or upon the purchase or retirement at the maturity thereof and may, pending such application, be placed in escrow to be applied to such purchase or retirement at maturity or redemption on such date as may be determined by the authority. (c) Pending such use, any such escrowed proceeds may be invested and reinvested by the State Treasurer in obligations of, or guaranteed by, the United States of America, or in certificates of deposit or time deposits secured by obligations of, or guaranteed by, the United States of America, maturing at such time or times as shall be appropriate to assure the prompt payment, as to principal, interest, and redemption premium, if any, of the outstanding bonds to be so refunded. The interest, income, and profits, if any, earned or realized on any such investment may also be applied to the payment of the outstanding bonds to be so refunded. After the terms of the escrow have been fully satisfied and carried out, any balance of such proceeds and interest, income, and profits, if any, earned or realized on the investments thereof may be returned to the authority for use by it in any lawful manner. (d) The portion of the proceeds of any such bonds issued for the additional purpose of paying all or any part of the cost of constructing and acquiring additions, improvements, extensions, or enlargements of a project may be invested and reinvested by the State Treasurer in obligations of, or guaranteed by, the United States of America, or in certificates of deposit or time deposits secured by obligations of, or guaranteed by, the United States of America, maturing not later than the time or times when such proceeds will be needed for the purpose of paying all or any part of such cost. The interest, income and profits, if any, earned or realized on such investment may be applied to the payment of all or any part of such cost or may be used by the authority in any lawful manner. (e) All such bonds shall be subject to the provisions of this division in the same manner and to the same extent as other bonds issued pursuant to this division. 26026. Bonds issued by the authority are legal investments for all trust funds, the funds of all insurance companies, banks, both commercial and savings, trust companies, savings and loan associations, and investment companies, for executors, administrators, trustees, and other fiduciaries, for state school funds, and for any funds which may be invested in county, municipal, or school district bonds, and such bonds are securities which may properly and legally be deposited with, and received by, any state or municipal officer or agency or political subdivision of the state for any purpose for which the deposit of bonds or obligations of the state, is now, or may hereafter be, authorized by law, including deposits to secure public funds if, and only to the extent that, evidence of indebtedness or debt securities of the participating party receiving financing through the issuance of such bonds qualify or are eligible for such purposes and uses. 26027. No liability shall be incurred by the authority beyond the extent to which moneys have been provided under this division; except that for the purposes of meeting the necessary expenses of initial organization and operation until such date as the authority derives revenues or proceeds from bonds or notes as provided under this division, the authority may borrow money as needed for such expenses from the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Special Account in the General Fund in the State Treasury. Such borrowed moneys shall be repaid with interest within a reasonable time after the authority receives revenues or proceeds from bonds or notes as provided under this division.