SENATE BILL No. 424

 

 

April 26, 2005, Introduced by Senators GARCIA, KUIPERS, BISHOP and CASSIS and referred to the Committee on Appropriations.

 

 

 

 

 

     A bill to amend 1951 PA 51, entitled

 

"An act to provide for the classification of all public roads,

streets, and highways in this state, and for the revision of that

classification and for additions to and deletions from each

classification; to set up and establish the Michigan transportation

fund; to provide for the deposits in the Michigan transportation

fund of specific taxes on motor vehicles and motor vehicle fuels;

to provide for the allocation of funds from the Michigan

transportation fund and the use and administration of the fund for

transportation purposes; to set up and establish the truck safety

fund; to provide for the allocation of funds from the truck safety

fund and administration of the fund for truck safety purposes; to

set up and establish the Michigan truck safety commission; to

establish certain standards for road contracts for certain

businesses; to provide for the continuing review of transportation

needs within the state; to authorize the state transportation

commission, counties, cities, and villages to borrow money, issue

bonds, and make pledges of funds for transportation purposes; to

authorize counties to advance funds for the payment of deficiencies

necessary for the payment of bonds issued under this act; to

provide for the limitations, payment, retirement, and security of

the bonds and pledges; to provide for appropriations and tax levies

by counties and townships for county roads; to authorize


contributions by townships for county roads; to provide for the

establishment and administration of the state trunk line fund,

local bridge fund, comprehensive transportation fund, and certain

other funds; to provide for the deposits in the state trunk line

fund, critical bridge fund, comprehensive transportation fund, and

certain other funds of money raised by specific taxes and fees; to

provide for definitions of public transportation functions and

criteria; to define the purposes for which Michigan transportation

funds may be allocated; to provide for Michigan transportation fund

grants; to provide for review and approval of transportation

programs; to provide for submission of annual legislative requests

and reports; to provide for the establishment and functions of

certain advisory entities; to provide for conditions for grants; to

provide for the issuance of bonds and notes for transportation

purposes; to provide for the powers and duties of certain state and

local agencies and officials; to provide for the making of loans

for transportation purposes by the state transportation department

and for the receipt and repayment by local units and agencies of

those loans from certain specified sources; and to repeal acts and

parts of acts,"

 

by amending section 18b (MCL 247.668b), as amended by 2002 PA 498.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

     Sec. 18b. (1)  The  Subject to subsection (13), the state

 

transportation commission may borrow money and issue notes or bonds

 

for the following purposes:

 

     (a) To pay all or any portion of or to make loans, grants, or

 

contract payments to pay all or any portion of any capital costs

 

for the purposes described in section 9 of article IX of the state

 

constitution of 1963.

 

     (b) To pay the principal or the principal and interest on

 

notes and, if the state transportation commission considers

 

refunding to be expedient, to refund bonds payable from money in

 

the state trunk line fund or the comprehensive transportation fund

 

or received or to be received from the motor vehicle highway fund

 

or the Michigan transportation fund regardless of when the refunded

 

bonds were issued, by the issuance of new bonds, whether or not the

 

bonds to be refunded have matured or are subject to prior


 

redemption or are to be paid, redeemed, or surrendered at the time

 

of issuance of the refunding bonds; and to issue new bonds partly

 

to refund bonds or pay notes then outstanding and partly for any

 

other transportation purpose authorized by this act.

 

     (c) To pay all costs relating to the issuance of the bonds or

 

notes described in this section, including, but not limited to,

 

legal, engineering, accounting, and consulting services, interest

 

on bonds or notes for  such  the period as determined by the state

 

transportation commission in the resolution authorizing the bonds

 

or notes and a reserve for payment of principal, interest, and

 

redemption premiums on the bonds or notes in an amount determined

 

by the state transportation commission in the resolution

 

authorizing the bonds or notes.

 

     (2) The refunding bonds described in subsection (1)(b) shall

 

be sold and the proceeds and the earnings or profits from the

 

investment of those proceeds applied in whole or in part to the

 

purchase, redemption, or payment of the principal or the principal

 

and interest of the bonds to be refunded and the refunding bonds

 

issued by the state transportation commission under subsection

 

(1)(b) and the costs described in subsection (1)(c). Refunding

 

notes or bonds shall be considered to be issued for the same

 

purpose or purposes for which the notes or bonds to be refunded

 

were issued.

 

     (3) The notes or bonds authorized by this section shall be

 

issued only after authorization by resolution of the state

 

transportation commission  , which  and the authorization by

 

concurrent resolution of the legislature in subsection (13). The


 

state transportation commission resolution shall contain the

 

following:

 

     (a) An irrevocable pledge providing for the payment of the

 

principal and interest on the notes or bonds from money which is

 

restricted as to use by section 9 of article IX of the state

 

constitution of 1963 and which is deposited or to be deposited in

 

the comprehensive transportation fund, in the case of bonds or

 

notes issued for comprehensive transportation purposes as defined

 

by law, or in the state trunk line fund, in the case of bonds or

 

notes issued for transportation purposes described in the second

 

paragraph of section 9 of article IX of the state constitution of

 

1963, or in the case of notes or bonds, if the resolution

 

authorizing the notes or bonds provides, from money received or to

 

be received by the state transportation department from the

 

proceeds of bonds or renewal notes to be issued after the date of

 

the resolution or from money received or to be received from the

 

proceeds of the grants described in subsection (9). If the

 

resolution authorizing the bonds or notes so provides, a portion of

 

the principal or interest on the bonds or notes may be secured by

 

an irrevocable pledge of money deposited in the comprehensive

 

transportation fund or the state trunk line fund, and the balance

 

of the principal and interest secured by an irrevocable pledge of

 

the proceeds of bonds or renewal notes or money received or to be

 

received from the proceeds of the grants described in subsection

 

(9).

 

     (b) A brief statement describing the projects for which the

 

notes or bonds are to be issued and in the case of notes or bonds


 

to pay notes or refund bonds, a description of the notes or bonds

 

to be paid or refunded. For purposes of this section and section

 

18k, in connection with bonds issued to fund the loan program

 

established under section  11(6) to (11), the loan program shall

 

constitute the project, and it shall not be necessary to specify

 

the particular item or costs of a particular item to be financed

 

from any particular loan made under the loan program.

 

     (c) The estimated cost of the projects or refunding or

 

refinancing.

 

     (d) The detail of the notes or bonds including the date of

 

issue, maturity date or dates of the bonds or notes, the maximum

 

interest rate, the dates of payment of interest, the paying agents,

 

the transfer agent or agents, the provisions for registration, the

 

redemption provisions, and the manner of execution or, as provided

 

in subsection (11)(d), the limitations within which such detail may

 

be determined by the person designated by the commission.

 

     (4) If after the issuance of notes or bonds, the state

 

transportation commission or the legislature determines that a

 

project for which the notes or bonds are to be issued should be

 

changed, the state transportation commission, by resolution,

 

adopted after  the  30 days' notice of intention to adopt the

 

resolution has been given to the appropriations committees of the

 

senate and the house of representatives, or after the legislature

 

has authorized bond issuance in a concurrent resolution under

 

subsection (13) shall amend the state transportation commission

 

resolution authorizing the bonds or notes to change the description

 

of the project or projects or to substitute a different project or


 

projects for the project for which the notes or bonds were issued

 

and shall make other revisions in the resolution authorizing the

 

notes or bonds with respect to cost as may be necessary to permit

 

the change in or substitution of a project or projects.

 

     (5) Before October 1, 1979, the total amount of bonds and

 

notes issued pursuant to this section for comprehensive

 

transportation purposes as defined by law shall not exceed an

 

amount as will be serviced as to maximum principal and interest

 

requirements by a sum equal to the amount deposited to the credit

 

of the general transportation fund for the fiscal year ending

 

September 30, 1977. After September 30, 1979, the total amount of

 

bonds and notes issued pursuant to this section for comprehensive

 

transportation purposes as defined by law shall not exceed an

 

amount as will be serviced, out of state funds only, as to maximum

 

annual principal and interest requirements by an amount equal to

 

50% of the total amount of money from taxes, the use of which money

 

is restricted by section 9 of article IX of the state constitution

 

of 1963, and which money is deposited in the state treasury to the

 

credit of the comprehensive transportation fund during the state

 

fiscal year immediately preceding the issuance of the bonds or

 

notes.

 

     (6) The total amount of bonds and notes issued pursuant to

 

this section for transportation purposes described in the second

 

paragraph of section 9 of article IX of the state constitution of

 

1963 shall not exceed an amount as will be serviced as to the

 

maximum principal and interest requirements by a sum equal to 50%

 

of the total of the amount of money received from taxes, the use of


 

which is restricted by section 9 of article IX of the state

 

constitution of 1963 and which is deposited in the state treasury

 

to the credit of the state trunk line fund during the state fiscal

 

year immediately preceding the issuance of the bonds or notes.

 

     (7) The principal or principal and interest or the portion of

 

principal or interest of bonds or notes which are issued in

 

anticipation of the issuance of bonds or renewal notes or of

 

federal grants as provided in subsection (9) and which do not

 

pledge for their payment money in the state trunk line fund or the

 

comprehensive transportation fund or money received or to be

 

received by the state transportation department from the Michigan

 

transportation fund or the motor vehicle highway fund shall not be

 

considered to be principal and interest requirements subject to the

 

limitation set forth in subsections (5) and (6). The principal of

 

and interest on notes or bonds refunded or for the refunding of

 

which refunding bonds have been sold, whether the bonds to be

 

refunded are to be retired at the time of delivery of the refunding

 

bonds or not, shall not be considered to be principal and interest

 

requirements subject to the limitation set forth in subsections (5)

 

and (6).

 

     (8) In computing the maximum annual principal and interest

 

requirements under subsection (6), the total outstanding maximum

 

annual contributions required to be made by the state highway

 

commission and the state transportation commission pursuant to

 

contracts entered into under the authorization of section 18d,

 

which contributions are pledged to the payment of bonds issued

 

under section 18d, shall be included in the amount.


 

     (9)  The  Subject to subsection (13), the state transportation

 

commission may borrow money and issue notes or bonds in

 

anticipation of the receipt of grants from the United States of

 

America or any agency or instrumentality  thereof  of the United

 

States and may pledge for the payment of the principal, interest,

 

and redemption premiums on  such  the notes or bonds 1 or more of

 

the following:

 

     (a) The proceeds of any grant and any investment earnings or

 

gain on the grant.

 

     (b) If deemed advisable by the state transportation

 

commission, money which is restricted as to use by section 9 of

 

article IX of the state constitution of 1963, and which is

 

deposited or to be deposited in the comprehensive transportation

 

fund, in the case of bonds or notes issued for comprehensive

 

transportation purposes as defined by law, or in the state trunk

 

line fund, in the case of bonds or notes issued for transportation

 

purposes described in the second paragraph of section 9 of article

 

IX of the state constitution of 1963.

 

     (c) If deemed advisable by the state transportation

 

commission, money received or to be received by the state from the

 

sale of the bonds or notes described in this section to be issued

 

after the issuance of the notes or bonds described in this

 

subsection and any investment earnings or gain  thereon  on the

 

notes or bonds.

 

     (10) Bonds or notes may be issued under this section as

 

separate issues or series with different dates of issuance, but the

 

aggregate of the bonds or notes shall be subject to the limitations  


 

set forth in  of this section.

 

     (11)  The  After the legislature has approved the issuance of

 

bonds or notes under subsection (13), the state transportation

 

commission in determining to issue bonds or notes may do 1 or more

 

of the following:

 

     (a) Authorize and enter into insurance contracts, agreements

 

for lines of credit, letters of credit, commitments to purchase

 

obligations, remarketing agreements, reimbursement agreements, and

 

any other transactions to provide security to assure timely payment

 

of any bonds or notes.

 

     (b) Authorize payment from the proceeds of the bonds or notes

 

or other funds available, of the cost of issuance, including, but

 

not limited to, fees for placement, fees or charges for insurance,

 

letters of credit, lines of credit, remarketing agreements,

 

reimbursement agreements, or purchase or sales agreements or

 

commitments, or other agreements to provide security to assure

 

timely payment of bonds or notes.

 

     (c) Authorize principal and interest to be payable from 1 or

 

more of the following:

 

     (i) Money described in subsection (3)(a).

 

     (ii) Proceeds of bonds or notes.

 

     (iii) Earning on proceeds of bonds or notes or other funds held

 

for payment of bonds or notes.

 

     (iv) Proceeds of any other security provided to assure timely

 

payment of the bonds or notes.

 

     (v) Proceeds of federal grants and other money described in

 

subsection (9).


 

     (vi) Any combination of the sources described in subparagraphs

 

(i) to (v).

 

     (d) Authorize or provide for a person designated by the state

 

transportation commission, but only within limitations which shall

 

be contained in the authorization resolution of the state

 

transportation commission, to do 1 or more of the following:

 

     (i) Sell and deliver and receive payment for bonds or notes.

 

     (ii) Refund bonds or notes by the delivery of new bonds or

 

notes, whether or not the bonds or notes to be refunded have

 

matured or are subject to redemption prior to maturity on the date

 

of delivery of the refunding bonds or notes.

 

     (iii) Deliver bonds or notes partly to refund bonds or notes and

 

partly for any other authorized purposes.

 

     (iv) Buy, hold without cancellation, or sell bonds or notes so

 

issued.

 

     (v) Approve interest rates or methods for fixing interest

 

rates, prices, discounts, maturities, principal amounts,

 

denominations, dates of issuance, interest payment dates, optional

 

or mandatory redemption or tender rights and obligations to be

 

exercised by the state transportation commission or the holder, the

 

place of delivery and payment, and other matters and procedures

 

necessary to complete the transactions authorized.

 

     (e) In connection with outstanding bonds, notes, or other

 

obligations issued under this act, or in connection with the

 

issuance or proposed issuance of bonds, notes, or other

 

indebtedness, the state transportation commission may authorize by

 

resolution the execution and delivery of agreements providing for


 

interest rate exchanges or swaps, hedges, or similar agreements.

 

The obligations of this state under the agreements, including

 

termination payments, may be made payable from and secured by a

 

pledge of the same sources of funds as the bonds, notes, or other

 

obligations in connection with which the agreements are entered

 

into, or from any other sources of funds available as a payment

 

source of bonds, notes, or other obligations issued under this act.

 

In calculating debt service on bonds, notes, and other obligations,

 

the payments and receipts under the agreements authorized by this

 

subsection, without regard to termination payments, and the payment

 

obligations under the bonds, notes, or other obligations in

 

connection with which the agreements are entered into, shall be

 

aggregated and treated as a single obligation.

 

     (f) Bonds and notes issued under this act are not subject to

 

the revised municipal finance act, 2001 PA 34, MCL 141.2101 to

 

141.2821.

 

     (g) The issuance of bonds and notes under this section is

 

subject to the agency financing reporting act.

 

     (12) If additionally secured as provided in  this  subsection

 

(11), the bonds or notes, notwithstanding other provisions of this

 

act, may be made payable or subject to purchase on demand or prior

 

to maturity at the option of the holder at the time and in the

 

manner as determined by the state transportation commission or the

 

designated person as provided in the resolution authorizing the

 

bonds or notes. Any bonds or notes authorized by this section may

 

bear no interest or interest at a rate or rates which may be

 

variable but which shall be subject to the limitations provided in


 

section 18e as provided in the resolution authorizing the

 

obligations. If bonds or notes are subject to payment or purchase

 

on demand or prior to maturity at the option of the holder, and the

 

obligation of the state to make payment or effect purchases on

 

demand or prior to maturity, at the option of the holder is limited

 

to the proceeds of 1 or more of the additional security devices

 

described in this subsection and is not payable from

 

constitutionally restricted funds deposited in the comprehensive

 

transportation fund or the state trunk line fund, for purposes of

 

computing maximum annual principal and interest requirements under

 

subsections (5) and (6), the principal and interest on the bonds or

 

notes subject to payment or purchase on demand or prior redemption

 

at the option of the holder shall be disregarded and the maximum

 

annual principal and interest requirements which would arise with

 

respect to the repayment of the proceeds of the additional security

 

device shall be substituted  therefor  for principal and interest

 

requirements.

 

     (13) The notes and bonds authorized under this section shall

 

be issued only after the submittal of the resolution of the state

 

transportation commission to the legislature, which, by concurrent

 

resolution adopted by a majority vote of those elected to and

 

serving in each house, on a record roll call vote shall approve,

 

alter, amend, or reject the resolution of the state transportation

 

commission no later than 60 days after the submittal of the

 

resolution to the legislature. If the concurrent resolution of the

 

legislature alters or amends the resolution of the state

 

transportation commission, bonds or notes under this section shall


 

be issued in accordance with the altered or amended resolution.