In addition to other powers specified in an agreement pursuant to Article 1 (commencing with Section 6500) and Article 2 (commencing with Section 6540), the authority may do any or all of the following:
(a) Adopt bylaws for the regulation of its affairs and the conduct of its business.
(b) Sue and be sued in its own name.
(c) Issue bonds, including, at the option of the authority, bonds bearing interest, to pay the cost of any public capital improvement, working capital, or liability or other insurance program. In addition, for any purpose for which an authority may execute and deliver or cause to be executed and delivered certificates of participation in a lease or installment sale agreement with any public or private entity, the authority, at its option, may issue or cause to be issued bonds, rather than certificates of participation, and enter into a loan agreement with the public or private entity.
(d) Engage the services of private consultants to render professional and technical assistance and advice in carrying out the purposes of this article.
(e) As provided by applicable law, employ and compensate bond counsel, financial consultants, and other advisers determined necessary by the authority in connection with the issuance and sale of any bonds.
(f) Contract for engineering, architectural, accounting, or other services determined necessary by the authority for the successful development of a public capital improvement.
(g) Pay the reasonable costs of consulting engineers, architects, accountants, and construction, land-use, recreation, and environmental experts employed by any sponsor or participant if the authority determines those services are necessary for the successful development of public capital improvements.
(h) Take title to, sell by installment sale or otherwise, or lease lands, structures, real or personal property, rights, rights-of-way, franchises, easements, and other interests in lands that are located within the state that the authority determines are necessary or convenient for the financing of public capital improvements, or any portion thereof.
(i) Receive and accept from any source, loans, contributions, or grants, in either money, property, labor, or other things of value, for, or in aid of, the construction financing, or refinancing of public capital improvement, or any portion thereof or for the financing of working capital or insurance programs, or for the payment of the principal of and interest on bonds if the proceeds of those bonds are used for one or more of the purposes specified in this section.
(j) Make secured or unsecured loans to any local agency in connection with the financing of capital improvement projects, working capital or insurance programs in accordance with an agreement between the authority and the local agency. However, no loan shall exceed the total cost of the public capital improvements, working capital or insurance needs of the local agency as determined by the local agency and by the authority.
(k) Make secured or unsecured loans to any local agency in accordance with an agreement between the authority and the local agency to refinance indebtedness incurred by the local agency in connection with public capital improvements undertaken and completed.
(l) Mortgage all or any portion of its interest in public capital improvements and the property on which any project is located, whether owned or thereafter acquired, including the granting of a security interest in any property, tangible or intangible.
(m) Assign or pledge all or any portion of its interests in mortgages, deeds of trust, indentures of mortgage or trust, or similar instruments, notes, and security interests in property, tangible or intangible, of a local agency to which the authority has made loans, and the revenues therefrom, including payment or income from any interest owned or held by the authority, for the benefit of the holders of bonds issued to finance public capital improvements. The pledge of moneys, revenues, accounts, contract rights, or rights to payment of any kind made by or to the authority pursuant to the authority granted in this part shall be valid and binding from the time the pledge is made for the benefit of the pledgees and successors thereto, against all parties irrespective of whether the parties have notice of the claim.
(n) Lease the public capital improvements being financed to a local agency, upon terms and conditions that the authority deems proper; charge and collect rents therefor; terminate any lease upon the failure of the lessee to comply with any of the obligations of the lease; include in any lease provisions that the lessee shall have options to renew the lease for a period or periods, and at rents as determined by the authority; purchase or sell by an installment agreement or otherwise any or all of the public capital improvements; or, upon payment of all the indebtedness incurred by the authority for the financing or refinancing of the public capital improvements, the authority may convey any or all of the project to the lessee or lessees.
(o) Charge and apportion to local agencies that benefit from its services the administrative costs and expenses incurred in the exercise of the powers authorized by this article. These fees shall be set at a rate sufficient to recover, but not exceed, the authority’s costs of issuance and administration. The fee charged to each local obligation acquired by the pool shall not exceed that obligation’s proportionate share of those costs. The level of these fees shall be disclosed to the California Debt and Investment Advisory Commission pursuant to Section 6599.1.
(p) Issue, obtain, or aid in obtaining, from any department or agency of the United States or of the state, or any private company, any insurance or guarantee to, or for, the payment or repayment of interest or principal, or both, or any part thereof, on any loan, lease, or obligation or any instrument evidencing or securing the same, made or entered into pursuant to this article.
(q) Notwithstanding any other provision of this article, enter into any agreement, contract, or any other instrument with respect to any insurance or guarantee; accept payment in the manner and form as provided therein in the event of default by a local agency; and assign any insurance or guarantee that acts as security for the authority’s bonds.
(r) Enter into any agreement or contract, execute any instrument, and perform any act or thing necessary, convenient, or desirable to carry out any power authorized by this article.
(s) Invest any moneys held in reserve or sinking funds, or any moneys not required for immediate use or disbursement, in obligations that are authorized by law for the investment of trust funds.
(t) At the request of affected local agencies, combine and pledge revenues to public capital improvements for repayment of one or more series of bonds issued pursuant to this article.
(u) Delegate to any of its individual parties or other responsible individuals the power to act on its behalf subject to its general direction, guidelines, and oversight.
(v) Purchase, with the proceeds of its bonds or its revenue, bonds issued by any local agency at public or negotiated sale. Bonds purchased pursuant to this subdivision may be held by the authority or sold to public or private purchasers at public or negotiated sale, in whole or in part, separately or together with other bonds issued by the authority.
(w) Purchase, with the proceeds of its bonds or its revenue, VLF receivables sold to the authority pursuant to Section 6588.5. VLF receivables so purchased may be pledged to the payment of bonds issued by the authority or may be resold to public or private purchasers at public or negotiated sale, in whole or in part, separately or together with other VLF receivables purchased by the authority.
(x) (1) Purchase, with the proceeds of its bonds or its revenue, Proposition 1A receivables pursuant to Section 6588.6. Proposition 1A receivables so purchased may be pledged to the payment of bonds issued by the authority or may be resold to public or private purchasers at public or negotiated sales, in whole or in part, separately or together with other Proposition 1A receivables purchased by the authority.
(2) (A) All entities subject to a reduction of ad valorem property tax revenues required under Section 100.06 of the Revenue and Taxation Code pursuant to the suspension set forth in Section 100.05 of the Revenue and Taxation Code shall be afforded the opportunity to sell their Proposition 1A receivables to the authority.
(B) If these entities offer Proposition 1A receivables to the authority for purchase and duly authorize the sale of the Proposition 1A receivable pursuant to documentation approved by the authority, the authority shall purchase all Proposition 1A receivables so offered to the extent it can sell bonds therefor. If the authority does not purchase all Proposition 1A receivables offered, it shall purchase a pro rata share of each entity’s offered Proposition 1A receivables.
(C) The authority may establish a deadline, no earlier than November 3, 2009, by which these entities shall offer their Proposition 1A receivables for sale to the authority and complete the application required by the authority.
(3) For purposes of meeting costs incurred in performing its duties relative to the purchase and sale of Proposition 1A receivables, the authority shall be authorized to charge a fee to each entity from which it purchases a Proposition 1A receivable. The fee shall be computed based on the percentage value of the Proposition 1A receivable purchased from each entity, in relation to the value of all Proposition 1A receivables purchased by the authority. The amount of the fee shall be paid from the proceeds of the bonds and shall be included in the principal amount of the bonds.
(4) Terms and conditions of any and all fees and expenses charged by the authority, or those it contracts with, and the terms and conditions of sales of Proposition 1A receivables and bonds issued pursuant to this subdivision, including the terms of optional early redemption provisions, if any, shall be approved by the Treasurer and the Director of Finance, who shall not unreasonably withhold their approval. The aggregate principal amount of all bonds issued pursuant to this subdivision shall not exceed two billion two hundred fifty million dollars ($2,250,000,000), and the rate of interest paid on those bonds shall not exceed 8 percent per annum. The authority shall exercise its best efforts to obtain the lowest cost financing possible. Any and all premium obtained shall be used for either of the following:
(A) Applied to pay the costs of issuance of the bonds.
(B) Deposited in a trust account that is pledged to bondholders and used solely for the payment of interest on, or for repayment of, the bonds.
(5) (A) In connection with any financing backed by Proposition 1A receivables, the Treasurer may retain financial advisors, legal counsel, and other consultants to assist in performing the duties required by this chapter and related to that financing.
(B) Notwithstanding any other law, none of the following shall apply to any agreements entered into by the Treasurer pursuant to subparagraph (A) in connection with any Proposition 1A financing:
(i) Section 11040 of the Government Code.
(ii) Section 10295 of the Public Contract Code.
(iii) Article 3 (commencing with Section 10300) and Article 4 (commencing with Section 10335) of, Chapter 2 of Part 2 of Division 2 of the Public Contract Code, except for the authority of the Department of Finance under Section 10336 of the Public Contract Code to direct a state agency to transmit to it a contract for review, and except for Section 10348.5 of the Public Contract Code.
(C) Any costs incurred by the Treasurer in connection with any Proposition 1A financing shall be reimbursed out of the proceeds of the financing.
(y) Set any other terms and conditions on any purchase or sale pursuant to this section as it deems by resolution to be necessary, appropriate, and in the public interest, in furtherance of the purposes of this article.
(Amended by Stats. 2013, Ch. 219, Sec. 1. (SB 692) Effective January 1, 2014.)