Article 3. Fiscal Provisions of California Streets And Highways Code >> Division 3. >> Chapter 20. >> Article 3.

(a) Bonds in the total amount of nine billion nine hundred fifty million dollars ($9,950,000,000), exclusive of refunding bonds issued in accordance with Section 2704.19, or so much thereof as is necessary, may be issued and sold to provide a fund to be used for carrying out the purposes expressed in this chapter and to be used to reimburse the General Obligation Bond Expense Revolving Fund pursuant to Section 16724.5 of the Government Code. The bonds, when sold, shall be and constitute a valid and binding obligation of the State of California, and the full faith and credit of the State of California is hereby pledged for the punctual payment of both principal of, and interest on, the bonds as the principal and interest become due and payable.
  (b) The Treasurer shall sell the bonds authorized by the committee pursuant to this section. The bonds shall be sold upon the terms and conditions specified in a resolution to be adopted by the committee pursuant to Section 16731 of the Government Code.

(a) Except as provided in subdivision (b), the bonds authorized by this chapter shall be prepared, executed, issued, sold, paid, and redeemed as provided in the State General Obligation Bond Law, Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 16720) of Part 3 of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code, and all of the provisions of that law apply to the bonds and to this chapter and are hereby incorporated in this chapter as though set forth in full in this chapter.
  (b) Notwithstanding any provision of the State General Obligation Bond Law, each issue of bonds authorized by the committee shall have a final maturity of not more than 40 years from the date of original issuance thereof.

(a) Solely for the purpose of authorizing the issuance and sale of the bonds authorized by this chapter and the making of those determinations and the taking of other actions as are authorized by this chapter, pursuant to the State General Obligation Bond Law, the High-Speed Passenger Train Finance Committee is hereby created. For purposes of this chapter, the High-Speed Passenger Train Finance Committee is "the committee" as that term is used in the State General Obligation Bond Law. The committee consists of the Treasurer, the Director of Finance, the Controller, the Secretary of Business, Transportation and Housing, and the chairperson of the authority. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any member of the committee may designate a representative to act as that member in his or her place and stead for all purposes, as though the member were personally present. The Treasurer shall serve as chairperson of the committee. A majority of the committee shall constitute a quorum of the committee, and may act for the committee.
  (b) For purposes of the State General Obligation Bond Law, the authority is designated the "board."

The committee shall determine whether or not it is necessary or desirable to issue bonds authorized pursuant to this chapter in order to carry out the actions specified in Sections 2704.06 and 2704.095 and, if so, the amount of bonds to be issued and sold. Successive issues of bonds may be issued and sold to carry out those actions progressively, and it is not necessary that all of the bonds authorized be issued and sold at any one time. The committee shall consider program funding needs, revenue projections, financial market conditions, and other necessary factors in determining the term for the bonds to be issued. In addition to all other powers specifically granted in this chapter and the State General Obligation Bond Law, the committee may do all things necessary or convenient to carry out the powers and purposes of this article, including the approval of any indenture relating to the bonds, and the delegation of necessary duties to the chairperson and to the Treasurer as agent for the sale of the bonds. Any terms of any bonds issued under this chapter may be provided under an indenture instead of under a resolution, as determined by the committee.

There shall be collected each year and in the same manner and at the same time as other state revenue is collected, in addition to the ordinary revenues of the state, a sum in an amount required to pay the principal of, and interest on, the bonds each year. It is the duty of all officers charged by law with any duty in regard to the collection of the revenue to do and perform each and every act which is necessary to collect that additional sum.

Notwithstanding Section 13340 of the Government Code, there is hereby appropriated from the General Fund in the State Treasury, for the purposes of this chapter, an amount equal to the total of the following: (a) that sum annually necessary to pay the principal of, and interest on, bonds issued and sold pursuant to this chapter, as the principal and interest become due and payable, and (b) the sum necessary to carry out Section 2704.17, appropriated without regard to fiscal years.

The board may request the Pooled Money Investment Board to make a loan from the Pooled Money Investment Account, in accordance with Section 16312 of the Government Code, for purposes of this chapter. The amount of the request shall not exceed the amount of the unsold bonds which the committee has, by resolution, authorized to be sold for the purpose of this chapter, less any amount borrowed pursuant to Section 2701.17. The board shall execute such documents as required by the Pooled Money Investment Board to obtain and repay the loan. Any amount loaned shall be deposited in the fund to be allocated by the board in accordance with this chapter.

For the purpose of carrying out this chapter, the Director of Finance may authorize the withdrawal from the General Fund of an amount or amounts not to exceed the amount of unsold bonds which have been authorized by the committee to be sold for the purpose of carrying out this chapter, less any amount borrowed pursuant to Section 2704.16. Any amount withdrawn shall be deposited in the fund. Any money made available under this section shall be returned to the General Fund, plus the interest that the amounts would have earned in the Pooled Money Investment Account, from the sale of bonds for the purpose of carrying out this chapter.

All money deposited in the fund which is derived from premium on bonds sold shall be available to pay costs of issuing the bonds, and to the extent not so needed, together with accrued interest derived from sale of the bonds, shall be available for transfer to the General Fund as a credit to expenditures for bond interest.

The bonds may be refunded in accordance with Article 6 (commencing with Section 16780) of the State General Obligation Bond Law. Approval by the electors of the state for the issuance of bonds shall include approval of the issuance of any bonds issued to refund any bonds originally issued or any previously issued refunding bonds.

The Legislature hereby finds and declares that, inasmuch as the proceeds from the sale of bonds authorized by this chapter are not "proceeds of taxes" as that term is used in Article XIII B of the California Constitution, the disbursement of these proceeds is not subject to the limitations imposed by that article.

Notwithstanding any provision of this chapter or the State General Obligation Bond Law, if the Treasurer sells bonds pursuant to this chapter that include a bond counsel opinion to the effect that the interest on the bonds is excluded from gross income for federal tax purposes under designated conditions, the Treasurer may maintain separate accounts for the bond proceeds invested and the investment earnings on those proceeds, and may use or direct the use of those proceeds or earnings to pay any rebate, penalty, or other payment required under federal law, or take any other action with respect to the investment and use of those bond proceeds, as may be required or desirable under federal law in order to maintain the tax-exempt status of those bonds and to obtain any other advantage under federal law on behalf of the funds of this state.