1-16A-79. Criteria for issuance of education savings bonds. Bonds issued by the authority or certificates of participation issued in connection with an authority program may be eligible for designation by the authority pursuant to § 1-16A-78 if the authority determines that the following criteria are satisfied:

(1) The bonds or certificates are structured and are to be marketed initially in such a manner as to attract a broad range of investors including parents, guardians or conservators, grandparents or other family members who are interested in planning for the education of children;

(2) The bonds or certificates, at the time such instruments are designated as education savings bonds or certificates, are either:

(a) Rated in one of the three highest rating categories by one or more nationally recognized organizations which regularly rate such obligations, without regard to any modifier such as a plus or minus, arabic numeral or similar designation; or

(b) Otherwise determined by the authority pursuant to § 1-16A-80 to be eligible for designation as education savings bonds or certificates; and

(3) The bonds or certificates are either current interest obligations, capital appreciation bonds, zero-coupon, deep discount, or comparable instruments and the maturity dates of such instruments are structured to the extent possible to accommodate the financing needs of the authority or the entity or program on whose behalf the instruments are being issued and to fulfill the needs of persons planning on using the proceeds of such instruments for educational purposes.Source: SL 1990, ch 10, § 2; SL 1993, ch 213, § 74.