Connecticut 2019 Regular Session

Connecticut House Bill HB07348 Compare Versions

OldNewDifferences
11
22
3-LCO 5460 \\PRDFS1\HCOUSERS\BARRYJN\WS\2019HB-07348-R01-
4-HB.docx
5-1 of 10
3+LCO No. 5460 1 of 10
64
75 General Assembly Raised Bill No. 7348
86 January Session, 2019
97 LCO No. 5460
108
119
1210 Referred to Committee on ENVIRONMENT
1311
1412
1513 Introduced by:
1614 (ENV)
15+
1716
1817
1918
2019 AN ACT CONCERNING BO NDING AUTHORIZATIONS FOR C LEAN
2120 WATER FUND PROJECTS.
2221 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
2322 Assembly convened:
2423
2524 Section 1. Section 22a-483 of the general statutes is repealed and the 1
2625 following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage): 2
2726 (a) For the purposes of sections 22a-475 to 22a-483, inclusive, the 3
2827 State Bond Commission shall have the power, from time to time to 4
2928 authorize the issuance of bonds of the state in one or more series and 5
3029 in principal amounts, not exceeding in the aggregate one billion [seven 6
3130 hundred fifteen] eight hundred ninety-five million one hundred 7
3231 twenty-five thousand nine hundred seventy-six dollars, provided 8
3332 [eighty-five] ninety million dollars of said authorization shall be 9
3433 effective July 1, [2018] 2020. 10
3534 (b) The proceeds of the sale of any bonds, state bond anticipation 11
3635 notes or state grant anticipation notes issued pursuant to sections 22a-12
3736 475 to 22a-483, inclusive, shall be deposited in the Clean Water Fund 13
38-and not less than [fifty] one hundred million dollars of such proceeds 14
39-shall be deposited in the Long Island Sound clean-up account of said 15 Raised Bill No. 7348
37+and not less than [fifty] one hundred million dollars of such proceeds 14 Raised Bill No. 7348
4038
4139
42-LCO 5460 {\\PRDFS1\HCOUSERS\BARRYJN\WS\2019HB-07348-
43-R01-HB.docx }
44-2 of 10
4540
41+LCO No. 5460 2 of 10
42+
43+shall be deposited in the Long Island Sound clean-up account of said 15
4644 fund, not less than five million dollars of such proceeds shall be made 16
4745 available for physical improvements to coves, embayments, coastal 17
4846 wetlands and salt marshes in physical proximity to Long Island Sound 18
4947 and not less than twenty million dollars of such proceeds shall be 19
5048 made available for the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental 20
5149 Protection to provide grants on a competitive basis for demonstration 21
5250 projects to reduce nonpoint source pollution of Long Island Sound, 22
5351 following establishment by the commissioner of criteria for the 23
5452 awarding of such grants. 24
5553 (c) All provisions of section 3-20, or the exercise of any right or 25
5654 power granted thereby which are not inconsistent with the provisions 26
5755 of sections 22a-475 to 22a-483, inclusive, are hereby adopted and shall 27
5856 apply to all bonds authorized by the State Bond Commission pursuant 28
5957 to said sections, and temporary notes in anticipation of the money to 29
6058 be derived from the sale of any such bonds so authorized may be 30
6159 issued in accordance with said section 3-20 and from time to time 31
6260 renewed. None of said bonds shall be authorized except upon a 32
6361 finding by the State Bond Commission that there has been filed with it 33
6462 a request for such authorization, which is signed by or on behalf of the 34
6563 Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management and states such 35
6664 terms and conditions as said commission, in its discretion, may 36
6765 require. Said bonds issued pursuant to sections 22a-475 to 22a-483, 37
6866 inclusive, may be general obligations of the state and in such case the 38
6967 full faith and credit of the state of Connecticut are pledged for the 39
7068 payment of the principal of and interest on said bonds as the same 40
7169 become due, and accordingly and as part of the contract of the state 41
7270 with the holders of said bonds, appropriation of all amounts necessary 42
7371 for punctual payment of such principal and interest is hereby made, 43
7472 and the Treasurer shall pay such principal and interest as the same 44
7573 become due. Such general obligation bonds shall mature at such time 45
7674 or times not exceeding twenty years from their respective dates as may 46
7775 be provided in or pursuant to the resolution or resolutions of the State 47
78-Bond Commission authorizing such general obligation bonds. The 48
79-state, acting by and through the State Bond Commission, is hereby 49 Raised Bill No. 7348
76+Bond Commission authorizing such general obligation bonds. The 48 Raised Bill No. 7348
8077
8178
82-LCO 5460 {\\PRDFS1\HCOUSERS\BARRYJN\WS\2019HB-07348-
83-R01-HB.docx }
84-3 of 10
8579
80+LCO No. 5460 3 of 10
81+
82+state, acting by and through the State Bond Commission, is hereby 49
8683 authorized to issue from time to time general obligation bonds in such 50
8784 sums as is appropriate and necessary to meet the state's matching 51
8885 requirement for eligibility pursuant to the federal Water Quality Act of 52
8986 1987 or the federal Safe Drinking Water Act or other similar federal act, 53
9087 provided such sums shall not exceed the aggregate principal amounts 54
9188 of bonds authorized pursuant to subsection (a) of this section. 55
9289 Whenever such bonds are so authorized, the state's obligations shall be 56
9390 issued on such terms and conditions as shall be determined and 57
9491 established by the Treasurer. Such bonds shall bear such rate of 58
9592 interest as the treasurer shall determine, by reference to such open 59
9693 market indices for obligations having similar terms and characteristics 60
9794 as the Treasurer shall determine relevant, in order to arrive at a taxable 61
9895 rate of interest on the obligations of the state issued and sold to the 62
9996 Clean Water Fund. The Treasurer shall deliver such bonds to the Clean 63
10097 Water Fund upon the receipt of evidence from the Environmental 64
10198 Protection Agency evidencing satisfaction by the state of its federal 65
10299 matching requirement pursuant to the federal Water Quality Act of 66
103100 1987 or the federal Safe Drinking Water Act or other similar federal act. 67
104101 (d) Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing herein shall preclude 68
105102 the State Bond Commission from authorizing the issuance of revenue 69
106103 bonds, in principal amounts not exceeding in the aggregate [three] 70
107104 four billion [eight] two hundred eighty-four million eighty thousand 71
108105 dollars, provided three hundred fifty million three hundred thousand 72
109106 dollars of said authorization shall be effective July 1, [2018] 2020, that 73
110107 are not general obligations of the state of Connecticut to which the full 74
111108 faith and credit of the state of Connecticut are pledged for the payment 75
112109 of the principal and interest. Such revenue bonds shall mature at such 76
113110 time or times not exceeding thirty years from their respective dates as 77
114111 may be provided in or pursuant to the resolution or resolutions of the 78
115112 State Bond Commission authorizing such revenue bonds. The revenue 79
116113 bonds, revenue state bond anticipation notes and revenue state grant 80
117114 anticipation notes authorized to be issued under sections 22a-475 to 81
118-22a-483, inclusive, shall be special obligations of the state and shall not 82
119-be payable from nor charged upon any funds other than the revenues 83 Raised Bill No. 7348
115+22a-483, inclusive, shall be special obligations of the state and shall not 82 Raised Bill No. 7348
120116
121117
122-LCO 5460 {\\PRDFS1\HCOUSERS\BARRYJN\WS\2019HB-07348-
123-R01-HB.docx }
124-4 of 10
125118
119+LCO No. 5460 4 of 10
120+
121+be payable from nor charged upon any funds other than the revenues 83
126122 or other receipts, funds or moneys pledged therefor as provided in 84
127123 said sections 22a-475 to 22a-483, inclusive, including the repayment of 85
128124 municipal loan obligations; nor shall the state or any political 86
129125 subdivision thereof be subject to any liability thereon except to the 87
130126 extent of such pledged revenues or the receipts, funds or moneys 88
131127 pledged therefor as provided in said sections 22a-475 to 22a-483, 89
132128 inclusive. The issuance of revenue bonds, revenue state bond 90
133129 anticipation notes and revenue state grant anticipation notes under the 91
134130 provisions of said sections 22a-475 to 22a-483, inclusive, shall not 92
135131 directly or indirectly or contingently obligate the state or any political 93
136132 subdivision thereof to levy or to pledge any form of taxation whatever 94
137133 therefor or to make any appropriation for their payment. The revenue 95
138134 bonds, revenue state bond anticipation notes and revenue state grant 96
139135 anticipation notes shall not constitute a charge, lien or encumbrance, 97
140136 legal or equitable, upon any property of the state or of any political 98
141137 subdivision thereof, except the property mortgaged or otherwise 99
142138 encumbered under the provisions and for the purposes of said sections 100
143139 22a-475 to 22a-483, inclusive. The substance of such limitation shall be 101
144140 plainly stated on the face of each revenue bond, revenue state bond 102
145141 anticipation note and revenue state grant anticipation note issued 103
146142 pursuant to said sections 22a-475 to 22a-483, inclusive, shall not be 104
147143 subject to any statutory limitation on the indebtedness of the state and 105
148144 such revenue bonds, revenue state bond anticipation notes and 106
149145 revenue state grant anticipation notes, when issued, shall not be 107
150146 included in computing the aggregate indebtedness of the state in 108
151147 respect to and to the extent of any such limitation. As part of the 109
152148 contract of the state with the owners of such revenue bonds, revenue 110
153149 state bond anticipation notes and revenue state grant anticipation 111
154150 notes, all amounts necessary for the punctual payment of the debt 112
155151 service requirements with respect to such revenue bonds, revenue 113
156152 state bond anticipation notes and revenue state grant anticipation 114
157153 notes shall be deemed appropriated, but only from the sources 115
158154 pledged pursuant to said sections 22a-475 to 22a-483, inclusive. The 116
159-proceeds of such revenue bonds or notes may be deposited in the 117
160-Clean Water Fund for use in accordance with the permitted uses of 118 Raised Bill No. 7348
155+proceeds of such revenue bonds or notes may be deposited in the 117 Raised Bill No. 7348
161156
162157
163-LCO 5460 {\\PRDFS1\HCOUSERS\BARRYJN\WS\2019HB-07348-
164-R01-HB.docx }
165-5 of 10
166158
159+LCO No. 5460 5 of 10
160+
161+Clean Water Fund for use in accordance with the permitted uses of 118
167162 such fund. Any expense incurred in connection with the carrying out 119
168163 of the provisions of this section, including the costs of issuance of 120
169164 revenue bonds, revenue state bond anticipation notes and revenue 121
170165 state grant anticipation notes may be paid from the accrued interest 122
171166 and premiums or from any other proceeds of the sale of such revenue 123
172167 bonds, revenue state bond anticipation notes or revenue state grant 124
173168 anticipation notes and in the same manner as other obligations of the 125
174169 state. All provisions of subsections (g), (k), (l), (s) and (u) of section 126
175170 3-20 or the exercise of any right or power granted thereby which are 127
176171 not inconsistent with the provisions of said sections 22a-475 to 22a-483, 128
177172 inclusive, are hereby adopted and shall apply to all revenue bonds, 129
178173 state revenue bond anticipation notes and state revenue grant 130
179174 anticipation notes authorized by the State Bond Commission pursuant 131
180175 to said sections 22a-475 to 22a-483, inclusive. For the purposes of 132
181176 subsection (o) of section 3-20, "bond act" shall be construed to include 133
182177 said sections 22a-475 to 22a-483, inclusive. 134
183178 (e) Any pledge made by the state pursuant to sections 22a-475 to 135
184179 22a-483, inclusive, is a statutory pledge and shall be valid and binding 136
185180 from the time when the pledge is made, and any revenues or other 137
186181 receipts, funds or moneys so pledged and thereafter received by the 138
187182 state shall be subject immediately to the lien of such pledge without 139
188183 any physical delivery thereof or further act. The lien of any such 140
189184 pledge shall be valid and binding as against all parties having claims 141
190185 of any kind in tort, contract or otherwise against the state, irrespective 142
191186 of whether such parties have notice thereof. Neither the resolution nor 143
192187 any other instrument by which a pledge is created need be recorded. 144
193188 Any pledge made by the state pursuant to sections 22a-475 to 22a-483, 145
194189 inclusive, to secure revenue bonds issued to finance eligible water 146
195190 quality projects shall secure only revenue bonds issued for such 147
196191 purpose and any such pledge made by the state to secure revenue 148
197192 bonds issued to finance eligible drinking water projects shall secure 149
198193 only revenue bonds issued for such purpose. 150
199194 (f) Whenever the General Assembly has authorized the State Bond 151 Raised Bill No. 7348
200195
201196
202-LCO 5460 {\\PRDFS1\HCOUSERS\BARRYJN\WS\2019HB-07348-
203-R01-HB.docx }
204-6 of 10
197+
198+LCO No. 5460 6 of 10
205199
206200 Commission to authorize bonds of the state for clean water projects 152
207201 and uses and has found that such projects and uses are for any of the 153
208202 purposes set forth in sections 22a-475 to 22a-483, inclusive, and 154
209203 whenever the State Bond Commission finds that the authorization of 155
210204 such bonds will be in the best interests of the state, the State Bond 156
211205 Commission shall authorize the issuance of such bonds from time to 157
212206 time in one or more series and in principal amounts not exceeding the 158
213207 aggregate amount authorized by the General Assembly. 159
214208 (g) Whenever the state has a written commitment to receive a grant-160
215209 in-aid or similar form of assistance with respect to a project or program 161
216210 for which the issuance of bonds has been authorized pursuant to 162
217211 sections 22a-475 to 22a-483, inclusive, the Treasurer may issue state 163
218212 grant anticipation notes in anticipation of the issuance of such a grant-164
219213 in-aid or other assistance provided (1) the total amount of such notes 165
220214 shall not exceed the amount of the grant commitment which has not 166
221215 been paid to the state and (2) all grant payments with respect to such 167
222216 project or program received by the state, to the extent required, shall 168
223217 be applied promptly toward repayment of such temporary notes as the 169
224218 same shall become due and payable, or shall be deposited in trust for 170
225219 such purpose. Notes evidencing such borrowings shall be signed by 171
226220 the manual or facsimile signature of the Treasurer or his deputy. The 172
227221 principal of and interest on any state grant anticipation notes issued 173
228222 pursuant to this subsection may be repaid from the proceeds of 174
229223 renewals thereof, from grants-in-aid or other assistance pledged for the 175
230224 payment thereof, or from the proceeds of a credit facility including, but 176
231225 not limited to, a letter of credit or policy of bond insurance. 177
232226 (h) Bonds, state bond anticipation notes and state grant anticipation 178
233227 notes issued pursuant to sections 22a-475 to 22a-483, inclusive, are 179
234228 hereby made securities in which public officers and public bodies of 180
235229 the state and its political subdivisions, all insurance companies, credit 181
236230 unions, building and loan associations, investment companies, 182
237231 banking associations, trust companies, executors, administrators, 183
238-trustees and other fiduciaries and pension, profit-sharing and 184 Raised Bill No. 7348
232+trustees and other fiduciaries and pension, profit-sharing and 184
233+retirement funds may properly and legally invest funds, including 185 Raised Bill No. 7348
239234
240235
241-LCO 5460 {\\PRDFS1\HCOUSERS\BARRYJN\WS\2019HB-07348-
242-R01-HB.docx }
243-7 of 10
244236
245-retirement funds may properly and legally invest funds, including 185
237+LCO No. 5460 7 of 10
238+
246239 capital in their control or belonging to them. Such bonds, state bond 186
247240 anticipation notes and state grant anticipation notes are hereby made 187
248241 securities which may properly and legally be deposited with and 188
249242 received by any state or municipal officer or any agency or political 189
250243 subdivision of the state for any purpose for which the deposit of 190
251244 bonds, state bond anticipation notes, state grant anticipation notes or 191
252245 other obligations of the state is now or may hereafter be authorized by 192
253246 law. 193
254247 (i) The proceedings under which bonds are authorized to be issued 194
255248 may, subject to the provisions of the general statutes, contain any or all 195
256249 of the following: (1) Provisions respecting custody of the proceeds 196
257250 from the sale of the bonds and any bond anticipation notes, including 197
258251 any requirements that such proceeds be held separate from or not be 198
259252 commingled with other funds of the state; (2) provisions for the 199
260253 investment and reinvestment of bond proceeds utilized to pay project 200
261254 costs and for the disposition of any excess bond proceeds or 201
262255 investment earnings thereon; (3) provisions for the execution of 202
263256 reimbursement agreements or similar agreements in connection with 203
264257 credit facilities, including, but not limited to, letters of credit or policies 204
265258 of bond insurance, remarketing agreements and agreements for the 205
266259 purpose of moderating interest rate fluctuations, and of such other 206
267260 agreements entered into pursuant to section 3-20a; (4) provisions for 207
268261 the collection, custody, investment, reinvestment and use of the 208
269262 pledged revenues or other receipts, funds or moneys pledged therefor 209
270263 as provided in sections 22a-475 to 22a-483, inclusive; (5) provisions 210
271264 regarding the establishment and maintenance of reserves, sinking 211
272265 funds and any other funds and accounts as shall be approved by the 212
273266 State Bond Commission in such amounts as may be established by the 213
274267 State Bond Commission, and the regulation and disposition thereof, or 214
275268 the establishment of a reserve fund of the state into which may be 215
276269 deposited any moneys appropriated and made available by the state 216
277270 for such fund, any proceeds of the sale of bonds or notes, to the extent 217
278-provided in the resolution of the state authorizing the issuance thereof, 218 Raised Bill No. 7348
271+provided in the resolution of the state authorizing the issuance thereof, 218
272+and any other moneys which may be made available to the state for 219 Raised Bill No. 7348
279273
280274
281-LCO 5460 {\\PRDFS1\HCOUSERS\BARRYJN\WS\2019HB-07348-
282-R01-HB.docx }
283-8 of 10
284275
285-and any other moneys which may be made available to the state for 219
276+LCO No. 5460 8 of 10
277+
286278 the purpose of such fund from any source whatever and, in lieu of the 220
287279 deposit of any such moneys, evidence by the state of the satisfaction of 221
288280 a federal matching requirement on the part of the state pursuant to the 222
289281 federal Water Quality Act of 1987 or the federal Safe Drinking Water 223
290282 Act or other related federal act, as applicable, including requirements 224
291283 that any such funds and accounts be held separate from or not be 225
292284 commingled with other funds of the state; (6) covenants for the 226
293285 establishment of pledged revenue coverage requirements for the bonds 227
294286 and state bond anticipation notes; (7) provisions for the issuance of 228
295287 additional bonds on a parity with bonds theretofore issued, including 229
296288 establishment of coverage requirements with respect thereto as herein 230
297289 provided; (8) provisions regarding the rights and remedies available in 231
298290 case of a default to bondowners, noteowners or any trustee under any 232
299291 contract, loan agreement, document, instrument or trust indenture, 233
300292 including the right to appoint a trustee to represent their interests 234
301293 upon occurrence of an event of default, as defined in said proceedings, 235
302294 provided that if any bonds or state bond anticipation notes shall be 236
303295 secured by a trust indenture, the respective owners of such bonds or 237
304296 notes shall have no authority except as set forth in such trust indenture 238
305297 to appoint a separate trustee to represent them; (9) provisions for the 239
306298 payment of rebate amounts; and (10) provisions or covenants of like or 240
307299 different character from the foregoing which are consistent with 241
308300 sections 22a-475 to 22a-483, inclusive, and which the State Bond 242
309301 Commission determines in such proceedings are necessary, convenient 243
310302 or desirable in order to better secure the bonds or state bond 244
311303 anticipation notes, or will tend to make the bonds or state bond 245
312304 anticipation notes more marketable, and which are in the best interests 246
313305 of the state. Any provision which may be included in proceedings 247
314306 authorizing the issuance of bonds hereunder may be included in an 248
315307 indenture of trust duly approved in accordance with sections 22a-475 249
316308 to 22a-483, inclusive, which secures the bonds and any notes issued in 250
317309 anticipation thereof, and in such case the provisions of such indenture 251
318310 shall be deemed to be a part of such proceedings as though they were 252
319311 expressly included therein. 253 Raised Bill No. 7348
320312
321313
322-LCO 5460 {\\PRDFS1\HCOUSERS\BARRYJN\WS\2019HB-07348-
323-R01-HB.docx }
324-9 of 10
314+
315+LCO No. 5460 9 of 10
325316
326317 (j) Whether or not any bonds, state bond anticipation notes or state 254
327318 grant anticipation notes issued pursuant to sections 22a-475 to 22a-483, 255
328319 inclusive, are of such form and character as to be negotiable 256
329320 instruments under the terms of title 42a, such bonds, state bond 257
330321 anticipation notes and state grant anticipation notes are hereby made 258
331322 negotiable instruments within the meaning of and for all purposes of 259
332323 title 42a, subject only to the provisions of such bonds, state bond 260
333324 anticipation notes and state grant anticipation notes for registration. 261
334325 (k) The state covenants with the purchasers and all subsequent 262
335326 owners and transferees of bonds, state bond anticipation notes and 263
336327 state grant anticipation notes issued by the state pursuant to sections 264
337328 22a-475 to 22a-483, inclusive, in consideration of the acceptance of and 265
338329 payment for the bonds, state bond anticipation notes and state grant 266
339330 anticipation notes, that such bonds, state bond anticipation notes and 267
340331 state grant anticipation notes shall be free at all times from taxes levied 268
341332 by any municipality or political subdivision or special district having 269
342333 taxing powers of the state and the principal and interest of any bonds, 270
343334 state bond anticipation notes and grant anticipation notes issued under 271
344335 the provisions of sections 22a-475 to 22a-483, inclusive, their transfer 272
345336 and the income therefrom, including revenues derived from the sale 273
346337 thereof, shall at all times be free from taxation of every kind by the 274
347338 state of Connecticut or under its authority, except for estate or 275
348339 succession taxes. The Treasurer is authorized to include this covenant 276
349340 of the state in any agreement with the owner of any such bonds, state 277
350341 bond anticipation notes or state grant anticipation notes. 278
351342 (l) Pending the use and application of any bond proceeds, such 279
352343 proceeds may be invested by, or at the direction of the State Treasurer, 280
353344 in obligations listed in section 3-20 or in investment agreements rated 281
354345 within the top rating categories of any nationally recognized rating 282
355346 service or in investment agreements secured by obligations, of or 283
356347 guaranteed by, the United States or agencies or instrumentalities of the 284
357348 United States. 285
358349 (m) Any revenue bonds issued under the provisions of sections 22a-286 Raised Bill No. 7348
359350
360351
361-LCO 5460 {\\PRDFS1\HCOUSERS\BARRYJN\WS\2019HB-07348-
362-R01-HB.docx }
363-10 of 10
352+
353+LCO No. 5460 10 of 10
364354
365355 475 to 22a-483, inclusive, and at any time outstanding may, at any time 287
366356 and from time to time, be refunded by the state by the issuance of its 288
367357 revenue refunding bonds in such amounts as the State Bond 289
368358 Commission may deem necessary, but not to exceed an amount 290
369359 sufficient to refund the principal of the revenue bonds to be so 291
370360 refunded, to pay any unpaid interest thereon and any premiums and 292
371361 commissions necessary to be paid in connection therewith and to pay 293
372362 costs and expenses which the Treasurer may deem necessary or 294
373363 advantageous in connection with the authorization, sale and issuance 295
374364 of refunding bonds. Any such refunding may be effected whether the 296
375365 revenue bonds to be refunded shall have matured or shall thereafter 297
376366 mature. All revenue refunding bonds issued hereunder shall be 298
377367 payable solely from the revenues or other receipts, funds or moneys 299
378368 out of which the revenue bonds to be refunded thereby are payable 300
379369 and shall be subject to and may be secured in accordance with the 301
380370 provisions of this section. 302
381371 (n) The Treasurer shall have power, out of any funds available 303
382372 therefor, to purchase revenue bonds, state revenue bond anticipation 304
383373 notes and state revenue grant anticipation notes of the state issued 305
384374 pursuant to sections 22a-475 to 22a-483, inclusive. The Treasurer may 306
385375 hold, pledge, cancel or resell such bonds or notes, subject to and in 307
386376 accordance with agreements with bondholders or noteholders, as 308
387377 applicable. 309
388378 This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
389379 sections:
390380
391381 Section 1 from passage 22a-483
392382
393-ENV Joint Favorable
383+Statement of Purpose:
384+To increase bonding authorizations for Clean Water Fund projects.
385+[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline,
386+except that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is
387+not underlined.]
394388