2023 CODE OF GEORGIA › Title 12 - CONSERVATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES (§§ 12-1-1 — 12-17-6) › Chapter 3 - PARKS, HISTORIC AREAS, MEMORIALS, AND RECREATION (§§ 12-3-1 — 12-3-680) › Article 7 - PUBLIC AUTHORITIES (§§ 12-3-230 — 12-3-580) › Part 6 - OCONEE RIBER GREENWAY AUTHORITY ACT (§§ 12-3-400 — 12-3-414) › Section 12-3-413 - Issuance of bonds

(a)
The authority or any authority or body which may succeed to the powers, duties, and liabilities vested in the authority is authorized at one time, or from time to time, to provide by resolution for the issuance of revenue bonds for the purpose of paying all or any part of the cost, as defined in this part, of any one project or a combination of projects. The principal and interest of such revenue bonds shall be payable solely from the special fund provided in subsection (n) of this Code section for such payment. The bonds of each issue shall be dated and shall mature at such times and bear interest at such rates as may be determined by the authority, payable in such medium of payment as to both principal and interest as may be determined by the authority, and may be made redeemable before maturity, at the option of the authority, at such price or prices and under such terms and conditions as may be fixed by the authority in the resolution providing for the issuance of the bonds.
(b)
The authority shall determine the form of the bonds, including any interest coupons to be attached thereto, and shall fix the denomination or denominations of the bonds and the place or places of payment of principal and interest thereof, which may be at any bank or trust company inside or outside the state. The bonds may be issued in coupon or registered form, or both, as the authority may determine, and provision may be made for the registration of any coupon bond as to principal alone and also as to both principal and interest.
(c)
In case any officer whose signature appears on any bonds or whose facsimile signature appears on any coupon ceases to be such officer before the delivery of such bonds, such signature shall nevertheless be valid and sufficient for all purposes the same as if such person had remained in office until such delivery. All such bonds shall be signed by the chairperson or vice chairperson of the authority, and the official seal of the authority shall be affixed thereto and attested by the secretary or assistant secretary of the authority; and any coupons attached thereto shall bear the signature or facsimile signature of the chairperson or vice chairperson of the authority. Any coupon may bear the facsimile signature of such person, and any bond may be signed, sealed, and attested on behalf of the authority by such persons as at the actual time of the execution of such bonds shall be duly authorized or hold the proper office, although at the date of such bonds such persons may not have been so authorized or shall not have held such office.
(d)
All revenue bonds issued under this part shall have and are declared to have all the qualities and incidents of negotiable instruments. Such bonds and the income therefrom shall be exempt from all taxation within the state.
(e)
The authority may sell bonds in such manner and for such price as it may determine to be for the best interests of the authority.
(f)
The proceeds of bonds shall be used solely for the payment of the cost of the project and shall be disbursed upon requisition or order of the chairperson or vice chairperson of the authority under such restrictions, if any, as provided by the resolution authorizing the issuance of the bonds or by the trust indenture mentioned in subsection (k) of this Code section.
(g)
Prior to the preparation of definitive bonds, the authority may, under like restrictions, issue interim receipts, interim certificates, or temporary bonds, with or without coupons, exchangeable for definitive bonds upon the issuance of the latter.
(h)
The authority may provide for the replacement of any bond which becomes mutilated or is destroyed or lost.
(i)
Revenue bonds may be issued without the conducting of any proceedings, the existence of any conditions, or the happening of any events other than those proceedings, conditions, and events which are specified or required by this part. In the discretion of the authority, revenue bonds of a single issue may be issued for the purpose of paying the cost of any one or more, including a combination of, projects at any one institution or any number of institutions. Any resolution providing for the issuance of revenue bonds under this part shall become effective immediately upon its passage and need not be published or posted. Any such resolution may be passed at any regular, special, or adjourned meeting of the authority by a majority of its members.
(j)
Revenue bonds issued under this part shall not be deemed to constitute a debt of the State of Georgia or a pledge of the faith and credit of the state. Such bonds shall be payable solely from the fund provided for in subsections (m) through (p) of this Code section, and the issuance of such revenue bonds shall not directly, indirectly, or contingently obligate the state to levy or to pledge any form of taxation whatever therefor or to make any appropriation for their payment. All such bonds shall contain recitals on their faces covering substantially the foregoing provisions of this Code section. Anything in this Code section to the contrary notwithstanding, such funds as may be received from state appropriations or from any other source are declared to be available and may be used by any department, board, commission, or agency of the State of Georgia for the performance of any lease contract entered into by such department, board, commission, or agency with the authority.
(k)
(1)
In the discretion of the authority, any issue of revenue bonds may be secured by a trust indenture by and between the authority and a corporate trustee, which may be any trust company or bank having the powers of a trust company inside or outside of the state. Such trust indenture may pledge or assign rents, revenues, and earnings to be received by the authority.
(2)
Either the resolution providing for the issuance of revenue bonds or the trust indenture may contain such provisions for protecting and enforcing the rights and remedies of the bondholders as may be reasonable and proper and not in violation of law, including covenants setting forth the duties of the authority in relation to the acquisition of property, the construction of the project, the maintenance, operation, repair, and insurance of the project, and the custody, safeguarding, and application of all moneys. The resolution or indenture may also provide that any project shall be constructed and paid for under the supervision and approval of consulting engineers or architects employed or designated by the authority and satisfactory to the original purchasers of the bonds issued therefor. The resolution or indenture may also require that the security given by contractors and by any depository of the proceeds of the bonds or revenues or other moneys be satisfactory to such purchasers and may also contain provisions concerning the conditions, if any, upon which additional revenue bonds may be issued.
(3)
The indenture may set forth the rights and remedies of the bondholders and of the trustee and may restrict the individual right of action of bondholders as is customary in trust indentures securing bonds and debentures of corporations. In addition to the foregoing provisions of this Code section, the trust indenture may contain such other provisions as the authority may deem reasonable and proper for the security of the bondholders.
(4)
It shall be lawful for any bank or trust company incorporated under the laws of this state to act as such depository and to furnish such indemnifying bonds or pledge such securities as may be required by the authority.
(5)
All expenses incurred in carrying out the trust indenture may be treated as a part of the cost of maintenance, operation, and repair of the project and of the cost of the project affected by such indenture.
(l)
The authority shall, in the resolution providing for issuance of revenue bonds or in the trust indenture, provide for the payment of the proceeds of the sale of the bonds to any officer or person who, or any agency, bank, or trust company which, shall act as trustee of such funds and shall hold and apply the same to the purposes expressed in this part, subject to such regulations as this part and such resolution or trust indenture may provide.
(m)
Unless otherwise pledged and allocated, any and all revenues, rents, and earnings received by the authority, regardless of whether or not such revenues, rents, and earnings were produced by a particular project for which bonds have been issued, may be pledged and allocated by the authority to the payment of the principal and interest on revenue bonds of the authority as the trust indenture or the resolution authorizing the issuance of the bonds may provide.
(n)
Such funds so pledged from whatever source received, which pledge may include funds received from one or more or all sources, shall be set aside at regular intervals, as may be provided in the resolution or trust indenture, into a sinking fund which shall be pledged to and charged with the payment of:
(1)
The interest upon such revenue bonds as such interest shall fall due;
(2)
The principal of the bonds as the same shall fall due;
(3)
The necessary charges of paying agents for paying principal and interest; and
(4)
Any premium upon bonds retired by call or purchase.
(o)
The use and disposition of such sinking fund shall be subject to such regulations as may be provided in the resolution authorizing the issuance of the revenue bonds or in the trust indenture, but, except as may otherwise be provided in such resolution or trust indenture, such sinking fund shall be a fund for the benefit of all revenue bonds without distinction or priority of one over another.
(p)
Subject to the provisions of the resolution authorizing the issuance of the bonds, or subject to the trust indenture, surplus moneys in the sinking fund may be applied to the purchasing or redemption of bonds, and any such bonds so purchased or redeemed shall forthwith be canceled and shall not again be issued.
(q)
Except to the extent the rights given in this Code section may be restricted by resolution passed before the issuance of bonds or by a trust indenture, any holder of revenue bonds or interest coupons issued under this part, any receiver for such holders, or any indenture trustee, if any, may either at law or in equity, by action, mandamus, or other proceedings, protect and enforce any and all rights under the laws of the State of Georgia or granted by this part or under such resolution or trust indenture. Such holder, receiver, or trustee may enforce and compel performance of all duties required by this part, or by resolution or trust indenture, to be performed by the authority or any officer thereof, including the fixing, charging, and collecting of revenues, rents, and other charges for the use of the project or projects. In the event of default of the authority upon the principal and interest obligations of any revenue bond issue, such holder, receiver, or trustee shall be subrogated to each and every right which the authority may possess and, in the pursuit of remedies as subrogee, may proceed either at law or in equity, by action, mandamus, or other proceedings to collect any sums by such proceedings due and owing to the authority and pledged or partially pledged directly or indirectly to the benefit of the revenue bond issue of which such holder, receiver, or trustee is representative. No holder, receiver, or trustee shall have the right to compel any exercise of the taxing power of the state to pay any such bond or the interest thereon, or to enforce the payment thereof against any property of the state, nor shall any such bond constitute a charge, lien, or encumbrance, legal or equitable, upon the property of the state.
(r)
The authority is authorized to provide by resolution for the issuance of revenue refunding bonds of the authority for the purpose of refunding any revenue bonds issued under this part and then outstanding, together with accrued interest thereon. The issuance of such revenue refunding bonds, the maturities, and all other details thereof, the rights of the holders thereof, and the duties of the authority in respect to the same shall be governed by the foregoing provisions of this part insofar as the same may be applicable.
(s)
While any of the bonds issued by the authority remain outstanding, the powers, duties, or existence of the authority, or of its officers, employees, or agents, or of any department, board, commission, or agency of the state shall not be diminished or impaired in any manner that will affect adversely the interests and rights of the holders of such bonds. This part shall be for the benefit of the state, the authority, and the holders of any such bonds and, upon the issuance of bonds under this part, shall constitute a contract with the holders of such bonds.
(t)
Bonds of the authority shall be confirmed and validated in accordance with the procedure of Article 3 of Chapter 82 of Title 36. The petition for validation shall also make party defendant to such action any authority, division, subdivision, instrumentality, or agency of the State of Georgia which, or any person who, has contracted with the Oconee River Greenway Authority for the use of any building, structure, or facilities for which bonds have been issued and sought to be validated. Such authority, division, subdivision, instrumentality, agency, or person shall be required to show cause, if any, why such contract or contracts and the terms and conditions thereof should not be inquired into by the court, the validity of the terms thereof determined, and the contract adjudicated as security for the payment of any such bonds of the authority. The bonds when validated and the judgment of validation shall be final and conclusive with respect to such bonds and against the authority issuing the same and against any authority, division, subdivision, instrumentality, department, agency, or person contracting with the authority.
(u)
No bonds shall be issued by the authority under this part unless the issuance of such bonds has been reviewed and approved by the Georgia State Financing and Investment Commission.
(v)
The bonds authorized by this part are made securities in which all public officers and bodies of this state; all municipalities and all municipal subdivisions; all insurance companies and associations and other persons carrying on an insurance business; all banks, bankers, trust companies, savings banks, and savings associations, including savings and loan associations, building and loan associations, investment companies, and other persons carrying on a banking business; all administrators, guardians, executors, trustees, and other fiduciaries; and all other persons whatsoever who are now or may hereafter be 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. The bonds are also made securities which may be deposited with and shall be received by all public officers and bodies of this state and all municipalities and municipal subdivisions for any purpose for which the deposit of the bonds or other obligations of this state is now or may hereafter be authorized.
Added by 2002 Ga. Laws 833, § 1, eff. 7/1/2002.
Former Part 6 consisting of §§ 400 through 427 was repealed and reserved by 2001 Ga. Laws 280, § 2.