Article 5. Bonds And Notes of California Health And Safety Code >> Division 27. >> Chapter 1. >> Article 5.

The authority is authorized to incur indebtedness and to issue securities of any kind or class, and to renew the same, provided that all such indebtedness, howsoever evidenced, shall be payable solely from revenues of the authority.

At such times as the authority desires to issue bonds, as defined in Section 44542, it shall adopt a resolution specifying the total amount of such bonds proposed to be issued.

(a) (1) The authority is authorized from time to time to issue its negotiable bonds, notes, debentures, or other securities (hereinafter collectively called "bonds") for any corporate purpose. These 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.
  (2) In anticipation of the sale of the bonds as authorized by Section 44540, or as may be authorized pursuant to Section 44541, the authority may issue negotiable bond anticipation notes and may renew the same from time to time. These 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 thereto and bond anticipation notes, hereinafter collectively called notes, and the resolution or resolutions authorizing the same may contain any provisions, conditions, or limitations that a bond, agreement relating thereto, and bond resolution of the authority may contain, except that the note or renewal thereof shall mature at a time not exceeding three 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 obligation shall be general obligations of the authority payable from any revenues or moneys of the authority available therefor 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 bonds, notes, or other obligations may be payable from a special fund, they shall be and be deemed to be for all purposes negotiable instruments, subject only to the provisions of the bonds, notes, or other obligations for registration.
  (c) 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 fixed rate or rates, or at the variable rates, including multiple methods of setting rates from time to time while the bonds are outstanding, be payable at the time or times, be in the denominations, be executed in the manner, be payable in lawful money of the United States of America at the place or places, and be subject to the terms of redemption or tender, as resolution or resolutions may provide. The bonds or notes shall be sold by the Treasurer as agent for sale. The bond or notes may be sold at a public or private sale, and for the price or prices and on 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 which shall be exchanged for definitive bonds. The Treasurer may sell any bonds, notes, or other evidence of indebtedness at a price below the par value thereof.
  (d) Any resolution or resolutions authorizing any bonds or any issue of bonds may contain provisions, which shall be a part of the contract with the holders of the bonds or any provider of credit enhancement to be authorized, as to all of the following:
  (1) Pledging the full faith and credit of the authority or pledging all or any part of the revenues of any project or any revenue-producing contract or contracts made by the authority with any 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 agreements with bondholders or any providers of credit enhancement as may then exist.
  (2) The rentals, fees, purchase payments, loan payments, and other charges to be charged, and the amounts to be raised in each year thereby, and the use and disposition of the revenues.
  (3) The setting aside of reserves or sinking funds, and the regulation and disposition thereof.
  (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 any issue of bonds then or thereafter to be issued may be applied and pledging these proceeds to secure the payment of the bonds or any 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 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 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 these holders in the event of a default.
  (10) The mortgaging of any project and the site thereof 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) Provisions for the security of any provider of credit enhancement supporting payment on the bonds, but only in a manner subordinate to the rights of bondholders.
  (e) Neither the members of the authority nor any person executing the bonds or notes shall be liable personally on the bonds or notes or be subject to any personal liability or accountability by reason of the issuance thereof.
  (f) The authority shall have power out of any funds available therefor to purchase its bonds or notes without the cancellation thereof. The authority may hold, pledge, cancel, or resell bonds, subject to, and in accordance with, agreements with bondholders.

(a) 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 trustee or trustees, which may be any trust company or bank having the powers of a trust company within or without the state. The trust agreement or the resolution providing for the issuance of 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 bonds. The trust agreement or resolution providing for the issuance of bonds may contain provisions for protecting and enforcing the rights and remedies of the bondholders, or any provider of credit enhancement, as may be reasonable and proper and not in violation of law, including particular 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 that may act as depository of the proceeds of bonds or of revenues or other moneys may furnish these indemnifying bonds or pledge securities as may be required by the authority. Any 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 or any provider of credit enhancement. In addition to the foregoing, any trust agreement or resolution may contain other provisions as the authority may deem reasonable and proper for the security of the bondholders. Notwithstanding any other law, the Treasurer shall not be deemed to have a conflict of interest by reason of acting as trustee pursuant to this division.
  (b) All expenses incurred in carrying out the provisions of a trust agreement or resolution may be treated as a part of the cost of the operation of a project.

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 or any local agency 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 in this section contained 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.

(a) The authority may provide for the issuance of bonds of the authority for the purpose of refunding, directly or indirectly, any bonds, notes, or other evidences of indebtedness of the authority or a public agency 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 these 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 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 outstanding bonds either on their earliest or any subsequent redemption date or upon the purchase or retirement at the maturity thereof and may, pending application, be placed in escrow to be applied to purchase or retirement at maturity or redemption on a date as may be determined by the authority.
  (c) Pending this use, any of these escrowed proceeds may be invested and reinvested by the Treasurer or any trustee in instruments as may be specified in the resolution or indenture governing the bonds to be refunded, maturing at the time or times as shall be appropriate to ensure 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 this type of 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 these 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) All of these 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. If the authority refunds bonds or evidences of indebtedness not originally issued by the authority, the authority shall make findings that the project being refinanced qualifies as a project under this division.

(a) (1) Subject to any prior contractual obligations to any of its bondholders, the authority may establish one or more small business assistance funds in order to do any of the following:
  (A) Assist small businesses to achieve financing of pollution control facilities.
  (B) Assist with the financing of the costs of, among other things, assessment, remedial planning and reporting, technical assistance, cleanup, remediation, and development of brownfield sites, and with other similar or related costs, by providing loans pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 44526.
  (C) Fund a capital access program for small businesses pursuant to Article 8 (commencing with Section 44559).
  (2) For the purpose of establishing and maintaining small business assistance funds as it determines to be necessary or desirable to secure its bonds or any issuance thereof or for other authorized purposes, the authority, pursuant to its contracts with participating parties, may levy fees or other charges on, or require deposits from, participating parties receiving financing for a project under this division. The total amount of these fees, charges, and deposits with respect to a single issue of bonds shall not exceed 3 percent of the principal amount of that issue of bonds.
  (3) Prior to levying any fees or charges or requiring deposits, the authority shall adopt regulations for the operation of the small business assistance funds, the amounts and any payment schedule for the fees, charges, or deposits, eligibility standards for small businesses desiring to use or benefit from the small business assistance funds, and any other matters the authority determines to be necessary for the establishment and maintenance of small business assistance funds. The regulations may provide for differential fees from participating parties based upon the size of a project financed by the authority or other factors determined to be relevant by the authority, and the regulations may restrict any benefits to those eligible small businesses specified in the regulations.
  (4) The authority may transfer any funds available to it or set aside for its administrative expenses to any small business assistance fund established under this section.
  (b) (1) The forms of financial assistance that the authority may provide under this section include, but are not limited to all of the following:
  (A) Payments to reduce, but not eliminate, the interest rate on loans.
  (B) Payments of part or all of the cost of acquiring letters of credit.
  (C) Payments of part or all of the cost of acquiring insurance.
  (D) Payments of part or all of the cost of acquiring guarantees.
  (E) Payments of part or all of the cost of acquiring other forms of credit support.
  (F) Payments of part or all of the authority's expenses in issuing revenue bonds or providing other assistance.
  (2) The authority may also pledge any small business assistance fund, on an individual or pooled basis, to repay, directly or indirectly, the principal of, or interest or premium on, any issue of bonds of the authority or any loan made or acquired pursuant to this section.
  (3) The authority may also use moneys in a small business assistance fund to assist in the financing of the costs of assessment of, remedial planning and reporting for, technical assistance for, and the cleanup, remediation or development of, brownfield sites, and of other similar or related costs, by providing loans, pursuant to, and under the terms permitted by, subdivision (h) of Section 44526.
  (4) In addition to other purposes set forth in this section, the authority may use moneys in a small business assistance fund to make or acquire loans or guarantee commercial loans to participating parties eligible for assistance from those funds.
  (5) Any moneys repaid or returned to the authority in connection with or as a result of any loan or financial assistance made pursuant to this section shall be deposited in the small business assistance fund from which the loan or assistance was originally provided.
  (6) The authority may contract with qualified financial institutions, including, but not limited to, banks, investment and mortgage bankers, insurance companies, sureties, and guarantors, to provide any necessary assistance in the granting of credit for these purposes.
  (c) Each small business assistance fund established pursuant to this section shall be deposited in a special account that the Controller shall create. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, and subject to any requirements of federal tax law or regulations relative to maintaining the tax-exempt status of the obligations of the authority, all interest or other gains earned by investment or deposit of money in the special account pursuant to any provision of Part 2 (commencing with Section 16300) of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code or pursuant to any other provision of law shall be credited to, and deposited in, the account.
  (d) In carrying out this section, the authority shall participate with the air pollution control districts and air quality management districts in providing financial assistance in its lending programs.

Any funds of the authority, including proceeds from the sale of bonds or notes issued after the effective date of this section, money set aside for the authority's administrative expenses, and small business assistance funds created under Section 44548, may be invested in any obligations of any state or local government meeting the requirements of subdivision (a) of Section 103 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 (26 U.S.C. Sec. 103 (a)) including mutual funds, trusts, and similar instruments representing a pool of obligations. The Treasurer may adopt regulations providing appropriate investment standards for these investments. If the Treasurer determines it to be necessary to assure compliance with federal tax laws or regulations, the authority may, notwithstanding any other provision of law, deposit funds received as fees from the issuance of its obligations, including small business assistance funds, with a bank or trust company acting on behalf of the authority. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the authority may also make investments of moneys set aside for the authority's administrative expenses or in any small business assistance funds by making or purchasing interest-bearing loans to qualified small businesses which are to be assisted pursuant to Section 44548, or under terms and with such security as the authority determines to be appropriate.