12.81 General and specific bonding powers — school infrastructure program.

1. The treasurer of state may issue bonds for purposes of the school infrastructure program established in section 292.2. Excluding the issuance of refunding bonds, the treasurer of state shall not issue bonds which result in the deposit of bond proceeds of more than fifty million dollars into the school infrastructure fund. The treasurer of state shall have all of the powers which are necessary to issue and secure bonds and carry out the purposes of the fund. The treasurer of state may issue bonds in principal amounts which are necessary to provide funds for the fund as provided by this section, the payment of interest on the bonds, the establishment of reserves to secure the bonds, the costs of issuance of the bonds, other expenditures of the treasurer of state incident to and necessary or convenient to carry out the bond issue for the fund, and all other expenditures of the treasurer of state necessary or convenient to administer the fund. The bonds are investment securities and negotiable instruments within the meaning of and for purposes of the uniform commercial code, chapter 554.

2. Bonds issued under this section are payable solely and only out of the moneys, assets, or revenues of the school infrastructure fund and any bond reserve funds, all of which may be deposited with trustees or depositories in accordance with bond or security documents and pledged by the treasurer of state to the payment thereof. Bonds issued under this section shall contain on their face a statement that the bonds do not constitute an indebtedness of the state. The treasurer of state shall not pledge the credit or taxing power of this state or any political subdivision of this state or make bonds issued pursuant to this section payable out of any moneys except those in the school infrastructure fund.

3. The proceeds of bonds issued by the treasurer of state and not required for immediate disbursement may be deposited with a trustee or depository as provided in the bond documents and invested or reinvested in any investment approved by the treasurer of state and specified in the trust indenture, resolution, or other instrument pursuant to which the bonds are issued without regard to any limitation otherwise provided by law.

4. The bonds shall be:

a. In a form, issued in denominations, executed in a manner, and payable over terms and with rights of redemption, and be subject to such other terms and conditions as prescribed in the trust indenture, resolution, or other instrument authorizing their issuance.

b. Negotiable instruments under the laws of the state and may be sold at prices, at public or private sale, and in a manner, as prescribed by the treasurer of state. Chapters 73A, 74, 74A, and 75 do not apply to the sale or issuance of the bonds.

c. Subject to the terms, conditions, and covenants providing for the payment of the principal, redemption premiums, if any, interest, and other terms, conditions, covenants, and protective provisions safeguarding payment, not inconsistent with this section and as determined by the trust indenture, resolution, or other instrument authorizing their issuance.

5. The bonds are securities in which public officers and bodies of this state; political subdivisions of this state; insurance companies and associations and other persons carrying on an insurance business; banks, trust companies, savings associations, and investment companies; administrators, guardians, executors, trustees, and other fiduciaries; and other persons authorized to invest in bonds or other obligations of the state, may properly and legally invest funds, including capital, in their control or belonging to them.

6. Bonds must be authorized by a trust indenture, resolution, or other instrument of the treasurer of state. However, a trust indenture, resolution, or other instrument authorizing the issuance of bonds may delegate to an officer of the issuer the power to negotiate and fix the details of an issue of bonds.

7. Neither the resolution, trust agreement, nor any other instrument by which a pledge is created needs to be recorded or filed under the Iowa uniform commercial code, chapter 554, to be valid, binding, or effective.

8. Bonds issued under the provisions of this section are declared to be issued for a general public and governmental purpose and all bonds issued under this section shall be exempt from taxation by the state of Iowa and the interest on the bonds shall be exempt from the state income tax and the state inheritance tax.

9. Subject to the terms of any bond documents, moneys in the school infrastructure fund may be expended for administration expenses.

10. The treasurer of state may issue bonds for the purpose of refunding any bonds or notes issued pursuant to this section then outstanding, including the payment of any redemption premiums thereon and any interest accrued or to accrue to the date of redemption of the outstanding bonds or notes. Until the proceeds of bonds issued for the purpose of refunding outstanding bonds or notes are applied to the purchase or retirement of outstanding bonds or notes or the redemption of outstanding bonds or notes, the proceeds may be placed in escrow and be invested and reinvested in accordance with the provisions of this section. The interest, income, and profits earned or realized on an investment may also be applied to the payment of the outstanding bonds or notes to be refunded by purchase, retirement, or redemption. After the terms of the escrow have been fully satisfied and carried out, any balance of proceeds and interest earned or realized on the investments may be returned and deposited in the school infrastructure fund. All refunding bonds shall be issued and secured and subject to the provisions of this chapter in the same manner and to the same extent as other bonds issued pursuant to this section.

2000 Acts, ch 1174, §21; 2005 Acts, ch 3, §9; 2008 Acts, ch 1119, §2; 2010 Acts, ch 1138, §46; 2012 Acts, ch 1017, §32; 2014 Acts, ch 1076, §10

Referred to in §8.57F, 12.82, 12.85, 12.86, 422.7(2)(b)