As used in this chapter, the following words and terms shall have the following meanings, unless the context indicates or requires another or different meaning or intent:

(a) “Act” means the California School Finance Authority Act.

(b) “Agent” means a county or city board of education or superintendent of schools acting with the board’s consent, on behalf of one or more school districts for any purpose of this chapter, the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges or the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges acting with the Board of Governors’ consent, on behalf of one or more community college districts for any purpose of this chapter, and the school district, county office of education, or other chartering entity acting with the consent of, and on behalf of, one or more charter schools for any purpose of this chapter.

(c) “Authority” means the California School Finance Authority, or any board, body, commission, department, or officer succeeding to the principal functions of the authority, or to which the powers conferred upon the authority by this chapter shall be given by law.

(d) “Bonds” or “revenue bonds” means bonds, notes, lease obligations, certificates of participation, commercial paper, and any other evidences of indebtedness.

(e) “Certificate of participation” means an undivided interest in one or more bonds, leases, loans, installment sales, or other agreements of a participating party or parties.

(f) “Charter school” means a school established pursuant to Part 26.8 (commencing with Section 47600) of Division 4 of Title 2.

(g) “Cost,” as applied to all or part of a project financed or refinanced pursuant to this chapter, means and includes all or any part of the cost of any of the following:

(1) Construction.

(2) Acquisition or improvement of all lands, structures, real or personal property, rights, rights-of-way, franchises, easements, and interests acquired or used for a project.

(3) Demolition or removal of any buildings or structures on land acquired for a project, including the acquisition of any lands to which the buildings or structures may be moved.

(4) All machinery and equipment.

(5) Financing or refinancing charges, including, but not limited to, credit enhancement costs, and prepayment penalties.

(6) Interest before, during, and for a period following, the completion of any construction or improvement determined by the authority.

(7) Provisions for working capital.

(8) Reserves for principal and interest, and for extensions, enlargements, additions, replacements, renovations, and improvements.

(9) Engineering, architectural, financial, and legal services, plans, specifications, studies, surveys, estimates, administrative expenses, and other expenses necessary or incident to the construction, acquisition, or improvement of any project or any financing or refinancing under this chapter.

(h) “Educational facility” means any property, facility, structure, equipment, or furnishings used or operated in conjunction with one or more public schools, including charter schools, or community colleges, including, but not limited to, all of the following:

(1) Classrooms.

(2) Auditoriums.

(3) Student centers.

(4) Administrative offices.

(5) Sports facilities.

(6) Maintenance, storage, or utility facilities.

(7) All necessary or usual attendant and related facilities and equipment, including streets, parking, and supportive service facilities or structures required or useful for the effective operation of the educational facility.

(i) “Participating party” means:

(1) A school district, charter school, county office of education, or community college district that undertakes, itself or through an agent, the financing or refinancing of a project or of working capital pursuant to this chapter.

(2) Any person, company, association, state or municipal government entity, partnership, firm, or other entity or group of entities that undertakes the financing or refinancing of a project pursuant to this chapter in conjunction with an entity described in paragraph (1).

(3) “Participating party” shall also be deemed to refer to the agent to the extent the agent is acting on behalf of the school district, charter school, county office of education, or community college district for any purpose of this chapter.

(4) For purposes of subdivision (d) of Section 17183, subdivisions (a) and (b) of Section 17199.1, and Section 17199.4, “participating party” shall be deemed to refer to an entity described in paragraph (1) in conjunction with which an entity described in paragraph (2), if any, applied for financing from the authority.

(j) “Project” means the acquisition, construction, expansion, remodeling, renovation, improvement, furnishing, or equipping of an educational facility to be financed or refinanced pursuant to this chapter. “Project” may include reimbursement for the costs of acquisition, construction, expansion, remodeling, renovation, improvement, furnishing, or equipping of an educational facility to be financed or refinanced pursuant to this chapter, provided that reimbursement from bond proceeds is required to comply with federal tax law in accordance with an opinion of counsel that supports special treatment under federal tax law for the bonds issued for the applicable financing or refinancing. “Project” may include any combination of the foregoing undertaken jointly by any participating party with one or more other participating parties.

(k) “Working capital” means funds to be used by, or on behalf of, a participating party to pay maintenance or operating expenses, or any other costs that would be treated as an expense item under generally accepted accounting principles in connection with the ownership or operation of an educational facility, including, but not limited to, all of the following:

(1) Reserves for maintenance or operating expenses.

(2) Interest for a period not to exceed two years on any loan for working capital made pursuant to this chapter.

(3) Reserves for debt service, and any other costs necessary or incidental to, financing pursuant to this chapter.

(4) Payments made by a participating party for the rent or lease of an educational facility.

(Amended by Stats. 2014, Ch. 416, Sec. 1. (AB 1979) Effective January 1, 2015.)