31-17-103 - Issuance of notes authorized; terms and conditions.
§ 31-17-103. Issuance of notes authorized; terms and conditions.
(1) For the purposes of offsetting any temporary cash flow deficiencies in the General Fund and to maintain a working balance in the General Fund, the commission is authorized at any time and from time to time to borrow money in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed seven and one-half percent (7-1/2%) of the total appropriation made by the State Legislature from the General Fund for the fiscal year in which such deficiency or deficiencies occur, issuing therefor notes as authorized hereunder. Notes may be issued from time to time as the proceeds thereof are needed. The notes shall be authorized by the commission and shall have such terms and details as may be provided by resolution of the commission; provided, however, each resolution of the commission authorizing notes shall:
(a) Describe the need for the proceeds of the notes to be issued; and
(b) Specify the principal amount of the notes or maximum principal amount of the notes which may be outstanding at any one (1) time, the rate or rates of interest or maximum rate of interest or interest rate formula (to be determined in the manner specified in the resolution authorizing the notes) to be incurred through the issuance of such notes, and the maturity date or maximum maturity date of the notes, which maturity date or maximum maturity date shall not extend beyond the last day of the third month following the end of the fiscal year in which the notes were issued.
(2) The commission may also provide in any authorizing resolution for the form of the notes (either fully registered form, bearer form or registered as to principal only form), denominations, place or places of payment (either within or without the State of Mississippi), registration provisions, exchange privileges and manner of execution (including the use of facsimile signatures and a facsimile of the seal of the State of Mississippi). Subject to the limitations contained in this section and the standards and limitations prescribed in the authorizing resolution, the commission, in its discretion, may provide for the notes to be issued and sold, in whole or in part, from time to time, and may delegate to the State Treasurer the power to determine the time or times of sale, the amounts, the maturities, the rate or rates of interest, and such other terms and details of the notes, as may be deemed appropriate by the commission, or the State Treasurer in the event of such delegation. The commission may also provide in the resolution authorizing the issuance of notes, in its discretion, but subject to the limitations contained in this section, (a) for the employment of one or more persons or firms to assist the commission in the sale of the notes, (b) for the appointment of one or more banks or trust companies, either within or without the State of Mississippi, as depository for safekeeping, and as agent for the delivery and payment, of the notes, (c) for the refunding of the notes, from time to time, without further action by the commission, unless and until the commission revokes such authority to refund, provided that in no event shall any refunding note be issued with a maturity date later than the last day of the third month following the end of the fiscal year in which the notes to be refunded were issued, (d) for the rating of the notes by one or more nationally recognized rating agencies, and (e) for such other terms and conditions as the commission may deem appropriate. In connection with the issuance and sale of notes as provided in this section, the commission may arrange for lines of credit with any bank, firm or person for the purpose of providing an additional source of repayment for notes issued pursuant to this section. Amounts drawn on such lines of credit may be evidenced by negotiable or nonnegotiable notes or other evidences of indebtedness, containing such terms and conditions as the commission may authorize in the resolution approving the same. The commission is authorized to pay all cost of issuance of the notes, including, without limitation, rating agency fees, printing costs, legal fees, bank or trust company fees, cost to employ persons or firms to assist in the sale of the notes, line of credit fees and charges and all other amounts related to the costs of issuing the notes from amounts available therefor in the General Fund or from the proceeds of the notes, in the discretion of the commission.
Sources: Laws, 1966, ch. 557 § 2; Laws, 1979, ch. 466, § 1; Laws, 1982, ch. 334, § 1; Laws, 1992, ch. 484 § 15, eff from and after passage (approved May 7, 1992).