(a) Financing entities may issue water rate relief bonds upon approval by the commission in the financing order. Water rate relief bonds shall be nonrecourse to the credit or any assets of the qualifying water utility, other than the water supply property as specified in the financing order.
(b) A qualifying water utility may sell and assign all or portions of its interest in water supply property to an affiliate. A qualifying water utility or its affiliates may sell or assign their interests to one or more financing entities authorized under this article that make that property the basis for issuance of water rate relief bonds to the extent approved in the financing order. A qualifying water utility, its affiliates, or financing entities may pledge and assign water supply property as collateral, directly or indirectly, to the extent approved in the financing order providing for a security interest in the water supply property, in the manner set forth in Section 849.4. In addition, water supply property may be sold or assigned by either of the following:
(1) The financing entity or a trustee for the holders of water rate relief bonds or the holder of an ancillary agreement in connection with the exercise of remedies upon a default.
(2) A person acquiring the water supply property after a sale or assignment made pursuant to this article.
(c) To the extent that any interest in water supply property is sold, assigned, or pledged as collateral, the commission shall authorize the qualifying water utility to contract with the financing entity or entities that it will continue to operate its system to provide service to its customers, will collect water supply charges for the benefit and account of the financing entities and their pledgees, and will account for and remit these amounts to or for the account of the financing entities and their pledgees. Contracting with a financing entity in accordance with that authorization shall not impair or negate the characterization of the sale, assignment, or pledge as an absolute transfer, a true sale, or security interest, as applicable.
(d) Water supply property that is specified in a financing order shall constitute an existing, present property right, notwithstanding the fact that the imposition and collection of water supply charges depend on the qualifying water utility continuing to provide water service or continuing to perform its servicing functions relating to the collection of water supply charges or on the level of future water consumption. Water supply property shall exist whether or not the water supply charges have been billed, have accrued, or have been collected and notwithstanding the fact that the value for a security interest in the water supply property, or amount of the water supply property, is dependent on the future provision of service to customers by the qualifying water utility. All water supply property specified in a financing order shall continue to exist until the water supply bonds issued pursuant to a financing order and all other financing costs are paid in full.
(e) If a qualifying water utility defaults on any required payment of water supply charge revenues, a court, upon application by an interested party and without limiting any other remedies available to the applying party, shall order the sequestration and payment of the water supply charges, and the proceeds of the water supply charges, for the benefit of bondholders, any assignee and financing entities or their pledgees, and the counterparties to any ancillary agreement. The order shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding bankruptcy, reorganization, or other insolvency proceedings with respect to the qualifying water utility or any affiliate of the qualifying water utility.
(f) Water supply property, water supply charges, and the interests of an assignee, bondholder or financing entity, or any pledgee in water supply property and water supply charges are not subject to setoff, counterclaim, surcharge, or defense by the qualifying utility or any other person or in connection with the bankruptcy, reorganization, or other insolvency proceeding of the qualifying water utility, any affiliate of the qualifying water utility, or any other entity.
(g) Notwithstanding Section 1708 or any other provision of law, any requirement under this article, or a financing order, that the commission take action with respect to the subject matter of a financing order, shall be binding upon the commission, as it may be constituted from time to time, and any successor agency exerting functions similar to the commission. The commission shall not have authority to rescind, alter, or amend that requirement in a financing order. The approval by the commission in a financing order of the issuance by the qualifying water utility or a financing entity of water rate relief bonds shall include the approvals, if any, required by Article 5 (commencing with Section 816) and Section 701.5. Section 701.5 shall not be construed to prohibit the issuance of water rate relief bonds upon the terms and conditions approved by the commission in a financing order. Section 851 is not applicable to the transfer or pledge of water supply property, the issuance of water rate relief bonds, or related transactions approved in a financing order.
(h) A financing entity issuing water rate relief bonds shall include in its preliminary notice and final report for the water rate relief bonds submitted to the California Debt and Investment Advisory Commission pursuant to Section 8855 of the Government Code, a statement that the water rate relief bonds are being issued pursuant to this section. A financing entity issuing water rate relief bonds shall include in its final report for the water rate relief bonds submitted to the California Debt and Investment Advisory Commission pursuant to Section 8855 of the Government Code, the savings realized by issuing the water rate relief bonds rather than using traditional utility financing mechanisms.
(Added by Stats. 2014, Ch. 482, Sec. 6. (SB 936) Effective January 1, 2015.)