2023 Montana Code Annotated › Title 17. State Finance › Chapter 5. Public Bond Issues › Part 8. General Obligation Bonds and Notes › 17-5-802. Authority to authorize and issue general obligation bonds and notes

17-5-802. Authority to authorize and issue general obligation bonds and notes.
(1) When authorized by and within the limits of a bond act and as provided in this part, the board may issue and sell bonds of the state in the manner that it considers necessary and proper to provide funds for the purpose set forth in the bond act.
(2) The full faith and credit and taxing powers of the state must be pledged for the payment of all bonds and notes issued pursuant to this part, with all interest on the bonds and notes and premiums payable upon the redemption of the bonds and notes. All principal, interest, and redemption premium, if any, becoming due during a fiscal year must be included in the state budget for that fiscal year, and sufficient revenue must be appropriated for the payment of principal, interest, and redemption premiums from the general fund and, if the general fund is not sufficient, from any other funds of the state legally available for the payment of principal, interest, and redemption premiums. Bonds may not be issued to cover deficits incurred because appropriations exceeded anticipated revenue. Money transferred for the payment of bonds and notes must be deposited in the debt service account.
(3) Except as provided in subsection (8), the legislature may not authorize general obligation bonds paid from the general fund if the issuance of those bonds would cause the total amount of the state debt to exceed 0.6% of the fair market value of all taxable property within the state.
(4) Except as provided in subsection (8), the legislature may not authorize new general obligation bonds paid from the general fund if the issuance of those bonds would create an obligation for fiscal year debt service on general obligation bonds paid from the general fund that have been issued that exceeds 1.5% of the amount of the certified unaudited state general fund revenue, including transfers into the general fund, as determined by the state treasurer on or before August 15 of the year preceding a legislative session.
(5) For purposes of subsections (3) and (4):
(a) "fair market value of all taxable property within the state" includes all real and personal property subject to ad valorem taxation within the state as enumerated in the department of revenue's biennial report issued pursuant to 15-1-205;
(b) "general obligation bonds paid from the general fund" means bonds issued as general obligation bonds of the state that are payable from only the general fund and that are not payable from or secured by funds or specific sources of revenue outside the general fund;
(c) "state debt" means:
(i) the outstanding principal of issued general obligation bonds paid from the general fund as of July 1 of the current fiscal year;
(ii) the principal amount of all authorized but unissued general obligation bonds paid from the general fund; and
(iii) the total amount of unfunded actuarial accrued liability of the public retirement systems established in Title 19 that does not amortize in 30 years as identified in those systems' most recent actuarial valuation of the assets and liabilities of their plans.
(6) For purposes of calculating the total fiscal year debt service of proposed bonds to determine whether the limitations described in subsection (4) are satisfied, the debt service amounts set forth in the fiscal note for the proposed bond act regarding the bonds are used and are final and conclusive.
(7) The passage and approval of a bond act is final and conclusive authority for the issuance of the bonds authorized under that act. The board of examiners may rely on that authority without regard to condition or circumstance existing as of the date of the issuance of the bonds.
(8) The limits on legislative authority to authorize general obligation bonds paid from the general fund do not apply to bonds authorized during a state of emergency or a state of disaster as provided in Title 10, chapter 3.
History: En. Sec. 2, Ch. 184, L. 1983; amd. Sec. 3, Ch. 374, L. 2005; amd. Sec. 9, Ch. 469, L. 2019.