3-617 Authority; bonds; notes; issuance; requirements; terms; effects of pledge; personal liability; repurchase.
3-617. Authority; bonds; notes; issuance; requirements; terms; effects of pledge; personal liability; repurchase.(1) An authority shall have the power and is hereby authorized from time to time to issue its negotiable bonds for any corporate purpose in such amounts as may be required to carry out and fully perform the purposes for which such authority is established. Such authorities shall have power, from time to time and whenever refunding is deemed expedient, to issue bonds in amounts sufficient to refund any bonds, including any premiums payable upon the redemption of the bonds to be refunded, by the issuance of new bonds, whether the bonds to be refunded have or have not matured. It may issue bonds partly to refund bonds then outstanding and partly for any other corporate purpose. The refunding bonds may be exchanged for the bonds to be refunded with such cash adjustments as may be agreed, or may be sold and the proceeds applied to the purchase, redemption, or payment of the bonds to be refunded. All bonds shall be general obligations of the authority issuing the same and shall be payable out of any revenue, income, receipts, profits, or other money of the authority, unless the authority shall expressly provide otherwise in the resolution authorizing their issuance, in which event the bonds shall be limited obligations of the authority issuing the same and shall be payable only out of that part of the revenue, income, receipts, profits, or other money of the authority as shall be specified by the authority in such resolution. All bonds issued pursuant to the provisions of sections 3-601 to 3-622 shall be and are hereby made negotiable instruments within the meaning of and for all the purposes of the Uniform Commercial Code, subject only to any provisions contained in such bonds for the registration of the principal thereof.(2) All such bonds shall be authorized by a resolution or resolutions of the board and shall bear such date or dates, mature at such time or times, bear interest at such rate or rates, be in such denominations, be in such form either coupon or registered, carry such registration privileges, be executed in such manner, be payable in such medium of payment, at such place or places within or without the State of Nebraska, and be subject to such terms of redemption and at such redemption premiums as such resolution or resolutions may provide. The bonds may be sold at public or private sale for such price or prices as the authority shall determine. No proceedings for the issuance of bonds of an authority shall be required other than those required by the provisions of sections 3-601 to 3-622, and the provisions of all other laws, if any, relative to the terms and conditions for the issuance, payment, redemption, registration, sale, or delivery of bonds of public bodies, corporations, or political subdivisions of this state shall not be applicable to bonds issued by authorities pursuant to sections 3-601 to 3-622.(3) Any resolution or resolutions authorizing any bonds or any issue of bonds of an authority may contain covenants and agreements on the part of the authority to protect and safeguard the security and payment of such bonds, which shall be a part of the contract with the holders of the bonds thereby authorized, as to:(a) Pledging all or any part of the revenue, income, receipts, profits, and other money derived by the authority issuing such bonds from the operation, management, or sale of property of any or all such projects of the authority to secure the payment of the bonds or of any issue of the bonds;(b) The rates, rentals, tolls, charges, license fees, and other fees to be charged by the authority and the amounts to be raised in each year for the services and commodities sold, furnished, or supplied by the authority, and the use and disposition of the revenue of the authority received therefrom;(c) The setting aside of reserves or sinking funds and the regulation, investment, and disposition thereof;(d) Limitations on the purpose to which the proceeds of sale of any issue of bonds then or thereafter issued may be applied, and pledging such proceeds to secure the payment of bonds, or of any issue of bonds;(e) Limitations on the issuance of additional bonds of the authority, the terms and conditions upon which such additional bonds may be issued and secured, and the refunding of outstanding or other bonds;(f) The procedure if any by which the terms of any contract with bondholders may be amended or abrogated, the amount of bonds the holders of which must consent thereto, and the manner in which such consent may be given;(g) Limitations on the amount of money derived from any project to be expended for operating, administrative, or other expenses of the authority; and(h) Any other matters, of like or different character, which in any way affect the security or protection of bonds of the authority.(4) An authority shall have power from time to time to issue bond anticipation notes, referred to as notes herein, and from time to time to issue renewal notes, such notes in any case to mature not later than thirty months from the date of incurring the indebtedness represented thereby in an amount not exceeding the total estimated cost of the project for which the notes are to be issued including issuance expenses. Payment of such notes shall be made from any money or revenue which the authority may have available for such purpose or from the proceeds of the sale of bonds of the authority, or such notes may be exchanged for a like amount of such bonds. The authority may pledge such money or revenue of the authority, subject to prior pledges thereof, if any, for the payment of such notes, and may in addition secure the notes in the same manner as herein provided for bonds. All notes shall be issued and sold in the same manner as bonds, and any authority shall have power to make contracts for the future sale from time to time of notes on terms and conditions stated in such contracts, and the authority shall have power to pay such consideration as it shall deem proper for any commitments to purchase notes in the future. Such notes may also be collaterally secured by pledges and deposits with a bank or trust company, in trust for the payment of such notes, of bonds in an aggregate amount at least equal to the amount of such notes and, in any event, in an amount deemed by the issuing authority sufficient to provide for the payment of the notes in full at the maturity thereof. The authority issuing such notes may provide in the collateral agreement that the notes may be exchanged for bonds held as collateral security for the notes, or that the trustee may sell the bonds if the notes are not otherwise paid at maturity, and apply the proceeds of such sale to the payment of the notes. The notes may be sold at public or private sale for such price or prices as the authority shall determine.(5) It is the intention hereof that any pledge of revenue, income, receipts, profits, charges, fees, or other money made by an authority for the payment of bonds shall be valid and binding from the time such pledge is made, that the revenue, income, receipts, profits, charges, fees, and other money so pledged and thereafter received by the authority shall immediately be subject to the lien of such pledge without the physical delivery thereof or further act, and that the lien of any such pledge shall be valid and binding as against all parties having claims of any kind in tort, contract, or otherwise against the authority irrespective of whether such parties have notice thereof. Neither the resolution nor any other instrument by which a pledge is created need be recorded.(6) Neither the members of a board nor any person executing bonds or notes shall be liable personally thereon or be subject to any personal liability or accountability by reason of the issuance thereof.(7) An authority shall have power out of any funds available therefor to purchase bonds or notes of such authority. Any bonds so purchased may be held, canceled, or resold by the authority subject to and in accordance with any agreements with bondholders. SourceLaws 1969, c. 141, § 17, p. 657; Laws 1971, LB 1, § 1; Laws 1985, LB 307, § 2.