2023 Connecticut General Statutes › Title 15 - Navigation and Aeronautics › Chapter 266a - Bradley International Airport Improvements and Financing › Section 15-101l. - Bonds.

(a)
Bond authorization.
The State Bond Commission may authorize the issuance of bonds of the state in one or more series and in principal amounts necessary to carry out the purposes of sections 15-101k to 15-101p, inclusive. Such bonds shall be payable from all or a portion of the revenues of Bradley International Airport, as may be specified in the proceedings authorizing such bonds, and may include, among other types of bonds, special purpose revenue bonds payable solely from revenues derived from special purpose facilities, bonds payable from particular sources of revenues and bonds payable in whole or in part from passenger facility charges to the extent permitted under applicable federal law. The Commissioner of Transportation shall evidence a request to issue bonds by filing with the Treasurer a resolution duly adopted by the board identifying the projects or other improvements to be acquired, constructed and installed at Bradley International Airport and requesting issuance by the state of bonds to finance such projects and other improvements; the Treasurer thereupon shall file a request for the issuance of such bonds with the secretary of the State Bond Commission. The board of directors may appoint a finance or other committee of the board of one or more officers or employees to serve as the board's authorized delegate in connection with the issuance of bonds pursuant to this section.
(b)
Special obligations of state.
Bonds issued pursuant to this section shall be special obligations of the state and shall not be payable from nor charged upon any funds other than the revenues pledged to the payment thereof, nor shall the state or any political subdivision thereof be subject to any liability thereon except to the extent of such pledged revenues. The issuance of bonds under the provisions of sections 15-101k to 15-101p, inclusive, shall not directly or indirectly or contingently obligate the state or any political subdivision thereof to levy or to pledge any form of taxation whatever therefor or to make any appropriation for their payment. The bonds shall not constitute a charge, lien or encumbrance, legal or equitable, upon any property of the state or of any political subdivision thereof, except the property mortgaged or otherwise encumbered under the provisions and for the purposes of sections 15-101k to 15-101p, inclusive. The substance of such limitation shall be plainly stated on the face of each bond. Bonds issued pursuant to sections 15-101k to 15-101p, inclusive, shall not be subject to any statutory limitation on the indebtedness of the state and such bonds, when issued, shall not be included in computing the aggregate indebtedness of the state in respect to and to the extent of any such limitation.
(c)
Execution of bonds, maturity, terms and conditions.
The bonds referred to in this section may be executed and delivered at such time or times, shall be dated, shall bear interest at such rate or rates, including variable rates to be determined in such manner as set forth in the proceedings authorizing the issuance of the bonds, provide for payment of interest on such dates, whether before or at maturity, shall mature at such time or times not exceeding forty years from their date, have such rank or priority, be payable in such medium of payment, be issued in coupon, registered or book entry form, carry such registration and transfer privileges and be subject to purchase or redemption before maturity at such price or prices and under such terms and conditions, including the condition that such bonds be subject to purchase or redemption on the demand of the owner thereof, all as may be determined by the State Bond Commission. The State Bond Commission shall determine the form of the bonds, including any interest coupons to be attached thereto, the manner of execution of the bonds, the denomination or denominations of the bonds and the place or places of payment of principal and interest, which may be at any bank or trust company within or without the state. Prior to the preparation of definitive bonds, the State Bond Commission may, under like restrictions, provide for the issuance of interim receipts or temporary bonds, with or without coupons, exchangeable for definitive bonds when such bonds have been executed and are available for delivery. If any of the officers whose signatures appear on the bonds or coupons cease to be officers before the delivery of any such bonds, such signatures shall, nevertheless, be valid and sufficient for all purposes, the same as if they had remained in office until delivery.
(d)
Sale of bonds.
Any bonds issued under the authority of sections 15-101k to 15-101p, inclusive, may be sold at public sale on sealed proposals or by negotiation in such manner, at such price and at such time or times as may be determined by the Treasurer to be most advantageous, subject to the approval of the State Bond Commission. The state may pay from the proceeds of the bonds all costs and expenses which the Treasurer may deem necessary or advantageous in connection with the authorization, sale and issuance thereof, including the cost of interest on any short-term financing authorized under subsection (b) of section 15-101n.
(e)
Bonds secured by pledge of revenues.
The principal of and interest on any bonds issued pursuant to this section shall be secured by a pledge of the revenues out of which such bonds shall be made payable. They may be secured by a mortgage covering all or any part of the project from which the revenues so pledged may be derived or by a pledge of one or more leases, sale contracts or loan agreements with respect to such project or by a pledge of one or more notes, debentures, bonds or other secured or unsecured debt obligations of any lessee or contracting party under a loan agreement or sale contract or by a pledge of reserve and sinking funds established pursuant to the resolution authorizing the issuance of the bonds and any other funds and accounts, including proceeds from investment of any of the foregoing, established pursuant to this chapter or the proceedings authorizing the issuance of such bonds, and by moneys paid under a credit facility, including but not limited to, a letter of credit or policy of bond insurance, issued by a financial institution pursuant to an agreement authorized by such proceedings.
(f)
Agreements and provisions in instruments securing bonds.
The proceedings under which the bonds are authorized to be issued pursuant to this section, and any mortgage given to secure the same, may, subject to the provisions of the general statutes, contain any agreements and provisions customarily contained in instruments securing bonds, including, but not limited to: (1) Provisions respecting custody of the proceeds from the sale of the bonds, including their investment and reinvestment until used for the cost of the project; (2) provisions respecting the fixing and collection of rents or payments with respect to the facilities of Bradley International Airport and the application and use of passenger facility charges; (3) the terms to be incorporated in the lease, sale contract or loan agreement with respect to the project; (4) the maintenance and insurance of the project; (5) the creation, maintenance, custody, investment and reinvestment and use of the revenues derived from the operation of Bradley International Airport; (6) establishment of reserves or sinking funds, and such accounts thereunder as may be established by the State Bond Commission, and the regulation and disposition thereof; (7) the rights and remedies available in case of a default to the bondholders or to any trustee under any lease, sale contract, loan agreement, mortgage or trust indenture; (8) reimbursement agreements remarketing agreements, standby bond purchase agreements or similar agreements in connection with obtaining any credit or liquidity facilities including, but not limited to, letters of credit or policies of bond insurance and such other agreements entered into pursuant to section 3-20a; (9) provisions for the issuance of additional bonds on a parity with bonds theretofore issued, including establishment of coverage requirements with respect thereto; (10) covenants to do or to refrain from doing such acts and things as may be necessary or convenient or desirable in order to better secure any bonds or to maintain any federal or state exemption from tax of the interest on such bonds; and (11) provisions or covenants of like or different character from the foregoing which are consistent with the provisions of this chapter and which the State Bond Commission determines in such proceedings are necessary, convenient or desirable in order to better secure the bonds or bond anticipation notes, or will tend to make the bonds or bond anticipation notes more marketable, and which are in the best interests of the state. The proceedings under which the bonds are authorized, and any mortgage given to secure the same, may further provide that any cash balances not necessary (A) to pay the cost of maintaining, repairing and operating the facilities of Bradley International Airport, (B) to pay the principal of and interest on the bonds as the same shall become due and payable, and (C) to create and maintain reserve and sinking funds as provided in any authorizing resolution, or other proceedings shall be deposited into a Bradley International Airport working fund to be held in trust by the treasurer and applied to future debt service requirements or other general airport purposes.
(g)
Trust indenture.
In the discretion of the State Bond Commission, bonds issued pursuant to this section may be secured by a trust indenture by and between the state and a corporate trustee, which may be any trust company or bank having the powers of a trust company within or without the state. Such 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 state in relation to the exercise of its powers pursuant to sections 15-101k to 15-101p, inclusive, and the custody, safeguarding and application of all moneys. The state may provide by such trust indenture for the payment of the proceeds of the bonds and the revenues from the operation of Bradley International Airport to the trustee under such trust indenture or other depository, and for the method of disbursement thereof, with such safeguards and restrictions as it may determine. All expenses incurred in carrying out such trust indenture may be treated as a part of the operating expenses of the project. If the bonds shall be secured by a trust indenture, the bondholders shall have no authority to appoint a separate trustee to represent them.
(h)
Validity of pledge.
Any pledge made by the state shall be valid and binding from the time when the pledge is made, and the revenues or property so pledged and thereafter received by the state shall immediately be subject to the lien of such pledge without any physical delivery thereof or further act. The lien of any such pledge shall be valid and binding as against all parties having claims of any kind in tort, contract, or otherwise against the state, irrespective of whether such parties have notice thereof. Neither the resolution nor any other instrument by which a pledge is created need be recorded.
(i)
Treasurer may purchase bonds or notes.
The Treasurer shall have power out of any funds available therefor to purchase bonds or notes of the state issued pursuant to this section and section 15-101n. The Treasurer may hold, pledge, cancel or resell such bonds, subject to and in accordance with agreements with bondholders.
(j)
Negotiable instruments.
Whether or not the notes and bonds are of such form and character as to be negotiable instruments under the terms of the Uniform Commercial Code, the notes and bonds are hereby made negotiable instruments within the meaning of and for all purposes of the Uniform Commercial Code, subject only to the provisions of the notes and bonds for registration.
(k)
Investment of moneys.
Any moneys held by the Treasurer with respect to Bradley International Airport, or by a trustee pursuant to a trust indenture, subject to the provisions of such indenture, including proceeds from the sale of any bonds and notes, and revenues, receipts and income from the operation of Bradley International Airport may be invested and reinvested in such obligations, securities, and other investments, including without limitation participation certificates in the Short Term Investment Fund created in section 3-27a, or deposited or redeposited in such bank or banks, all as shall be authorized by the State Bond Commission in the proceedings authorizing the issuance of the bonds and notes.
(l)
Costs payable out of proceeds.
For the purposes of sections 15-101k to 15-101p, inclusive, the costs of the project payable out of the proceeds of bonds issued pursuant to this section shall include: (i) Expenses and obligations incurred for labor and materials in connection with the construction of the project; (ii) the cost of acquiring by purchase, if such purchase shall be deemed expedient, and the amount of any award or final judgment in any proceedings to acquire by condemnation, such land, property rights, rights-of-way, franchises, easements and other interests in land as may be deemed necessary or convenient in connection with such construction or with the operation of the project, and the amount of any damages incident thereto; (iii) the costs of all machinery and equipment acquired in connection with the project; (iv) reserves for the payment of the principal of and interest on any notes and bonds issued pursuant to this section and section 15-101n, and interest accruing on any such notes, during construction of the project and for six months after completion of such construction; (v) initial working capital, expenses of administration properly chargeable to the construction or acquisition of the project, legal, architectural and engineering expenses and fees, costs of audits, costs of preparing and issuing any notes and bonds pursuant to this section and section 15-101n; and (vi) all other items of expense not elsewhere specified incident to the planning, acquisition and construction of the project or of the placing of the same in operation.
(m)
Request for authorization by secretary.
None of the bonds authorized pursuant to this section shall be issued and sold except upon a finding by the State Bond Commission that there has been filed with it a request for such authorization, which is signed by the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management or on said secretary's behalf and stating such terms and conditions as said commission, in its discretion, may require.
(n)
Definition of “project”.
For purposes of sections 15-101k to 15-101p, inclusive, the term “project” shall refer to the renovations and improvements to be acquired and constructed at Bradley International Airport as may be specified from time to time by the board in a resolution as contemplated by subsection (a) of this section.
(P.A. 81-406, S. 4, 10; P.A. 87-396, S. 2; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 91-4, S. 14, 25; P.A. 93-307, S. 29, 34; 93-413, S. 15, 16; P.A. 98-124, S. 8, 12; 98-259, S. 9, 17; P.A. 99-191, S. 18, 19; P.A. 00-167, S. 62, 69; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 01-5, S. 12, 18.)
History: P.A. 87-396 amended Subsec. (a) by changing the limit in the amount of bonds authorized from $100,000,000 to $200,000,000; amended Subsec. (c) by removing archaic language, providing for the inclusion of variable rates of interest, providing for the issuance in such entry form, providing that bonds be subject to purchase or redemption and providing for the condition that such bonds be subject to purchase or redemption on the demand of the owner thereof; amended Subsec. (e) by providing that bonds may be secured by proceeds from the investment in any instruments in the section and by moneys paid under a credit facility, including, but not limited to, a letter of credit or policy of bond insurance; amended Subsec. (f) by allowing bond proceedings or mortgage given to secure the same to include reimbursement agreements in connection with credit facilities, provisions for the issuance of additional bonds on a parity with bonds theretofore issued and provisions approved by the state bond commission which are desirable in order to better secure the bonds or make them more marketable and made technical amendments to Subsec. (k); June Sp. Sess. P.A. 91-4 amended Subsec. (a) to decrease the bond authorization from $200,000,000 to $104,000,000; P.A. 93-307 and 93-413 both amended Subsec. (a) to exclude special obligation bonds issued to finance self-sustaining special facilities from calculation of maximum aggregate amount of bonds that may be issued, effective July 1, 1993; (Revisor's note: In 1997 the Revisors editorially changed a reference in Subsec. (i) from “section 14-101n” to “section 15-101n”, thereby correcting a clerical error in the codification of P.A. 81-406, S. 4); P.A. 98-124 amended Subsec. (f)(9) to add agreements entered into pursuant to Sec. 3-20a, effective May 27, 1998; P.A. 98-259 amended Subsec. (a) to increase authorization from $104,000,000 to $234,000,000, effective July 1, 1998; P.A. 99-191 amended Subsec. (a) to change authorization to $254,000,000, effective July 1, 1999; P.A. 00-167 amended Subsec. (a) to change authorization to $294,000,000, effective July 1, 2000; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 01-5 amended Subsec. (a) by deleting provisions re aggregate amount of bonds and adding provisions re authorized types of bonds, sources of payment, procedures re issuance and duties of the Bradley Board of Directors, made conforming and technical amendments in Subsecs. (b), (c), (e), (f), (g), (l), (m) and (n), amended Subsec. (f) by adding provisions re passenger facility charges, covenants, liquidity facilities and standby bond purchase agreements and amended Subsec. (n) by deleting reference to Sec. 15-101k and adding provision re board resolution, effective July 2, 2001.