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A.  Notwithstanding the provisions of La. Rev. Stat. 39:1403 or any other law to the contrary, the authority is hereby authorized and empowered to issue and sell from time to time bonds, notes, renewal notes, refunding bonds, interim certificates, certificates of indebtedness, certificates of participation, debentures, warrants, commercial paper, or other obligations or evidences of indebtedness on behalf of or for the benefit of any participating political subdivision or organization as provided in La. Rev. Stat. 33:4548.3(B)(2)(e), to provide funds for and to fulfill and achieve its authorized public functions or corporate purposes, as set forth in the Chapter, including but not limited to the payment of all or a portion of the project costs of authorized projects, to provide amounts necessary for any corporate purposes, including incidental expenses in connection with the issuance of the obligations, the payment of principal and interest on the obligations of the authority, the establishment of reserves to secure such obligations, and all other purposes and expenditures of the authority incident to and necessary or convenient to carry out its public functions or corporate purposes, and any credit enhancement for said obligations.

B.  Except as may otherwise be provided by the authority, all obligations issued by the authority shall be negotiable instruments and payable out of any money, assets, or revenues of the authority or from any other sources whatsoever, that may be available to the authority but shall not be secured by the full faith and credit of the state.

C.  Obligations shall be authorized, issued, and sold by a resolution or resolutions of the authority adopted as provided in this Chapter.  Such bonds or obligations may be of such series, bear such date or dates, mature at such time or times, bear interest at such rate or rates, including variable, adjustable, or zero interest rates, be payable at such time or times, be in such denominations, be sold at such price or prices, at public or private negotiated sale, after advertisement as is provided for in La. Rev. Stat. 39:1421 et seq., be in such form, carry such registration and exchangeability privileges, be payable at such place or places, be subject to such terms of redemption, and be entitled to such priorities on the income, revenue, and receipts of, or available to, the authority as may be provided by the authority in the resolution or resolutions providing for the issuance and sale of the bonds or obligations of the authority.

D.  The obligations of the authority shall be signed by such members or officers of the authority by either manual or facsimile signatures, as shall be determined by resolution or resolutions of the authority, and shall have impressed or imprinted thereon the seal of the authority, or a facsimile thereof.

E.  Any obligations of the authority may be validly issued, sold, and delivered, notwithstanding that one or more of the members or officers of the authority signing such obligations, or whose facsimile signature or signatures may be on the obligations, shall have ceased to be such member or officer of the authority at the time such obligations shall actually have been delivered.

F.  Obligations of the authority may be sold in such manner and from time to time as may be determined by the authority to be most beneficial, subject to approval of the State Bond Commission, and the authority may pay all expenses, premiums, fees, or commission, which it may deem necessary or advantageous in connection with the issuance and sale thereof, subject to the provisions of this Chapter.

G.  The authority may authorize the establishment of a fund or funds for the creation of a debt service reserve, a renewal and replacement reserve, or such other funds or reserves as the authority may approve with respect to the financing and operation of any project and as may be authorized by any bond resolution, trust agreement, indenture of trust or similar instrument or agreement pursuant to the provisions of which the issuance of bonds or other obligations of the authority may be authorized.

H.  Any cost, obligation, or expense incurred for any of the purposes specified in this Chapter shall be a part of the project costs and may be paid or reimbursed as such out of the proceeds of bonds or other obligations issued by the authority.

I.  For a period of thirty days from the date of publication of the resolution authorizing the issuance of bonds hereunder, any persons in interest shall have the right to contest the legality of the resolution and the legality of the bond issue for any cause after which time no one shall have any cause or right of action to contest the legality of said resolution or of the bonds authorized thereby for any cause whatsoever.  If no suit, action, or proceeding is begun contesting the validity of the bond issue within the thirty days herein prescribed, the authority to issue the bonds and to provide for the payment thereof, and the legality thereof and all of the provisions of the resolution authorizing the issuance of the bonds shall be conclusively presumed, and no court shall have authority to inquire into such matters.

J.  Notwithstanding any provision in this Chapter to the contrary, the authority, in connection with the public or private offering of any bonds, may cause the issuance of any bonds to be by, through, or in cooperation with a public trust having the state as its beneficiary, if legally possible.  The authority is further empowered to enter into contracts, cooperative endeavor agreements, and other agreements with a public trust having the state as its beneficiary to the extent necessary or convenient for the issuance of bonds or the security therefor or as otherwise necessary or convenient for the implementation of the provisions of this Chapter.

K.  Neither the directors of the board nor any person executing the bonds shall be personally liable for the bonds or be subject to any personal liability by reason of the issuance thereof.  No earnings or assets of the authority shall accrue to the benefit of any private persons, and all of its assets shall be owned by its members.  However, the limitation of liability provided for in this Subsection shall not apply to any gross negligence or criminal negligence on the part of any director or person executing the bonds.

L.  Bonds issued under the provisions of this Chapter shall be limited obligations of the authority payable solely from the sources pledged for the payment thereof.  The issuance of bonds under the provisions of this Chapter shall not directly, indirectly, or contingently obligate the state to levy any taxes or to make any appropriation for their payment.  The state and its agencies may otherwise contract with the authority as provided in this Chapter.  No bond or other obligation shall be issued under any provision of this Chapter unless first authorized by the State Bond Commission.

M.(1)  A political subdivision may borrow funds from the authority if allowed by any other law to incur debt for the purpose of the loan.  Such obligation to the authority may be evidenced by a loan or financing agreement.  The authority and its participating political subdivisions proceeding under this Chapter shall not be subject to any restrictions on their power to issue debt not contained in this Chapter.  Approval of the issuance of bonds of the authority by the State Bond Commission shall include approval of the incurring of debt by participating political subdivisions, including approval by the Board of Liquidation, City Debt regarding the issuance of obligations by the city of New Orleans.

(2)  A political subdivision may create a restricted account or accounts for the segregation of any funds which are to be received prospectively by the political subdivision from the federal government, the state or any of its agencies, or from any other source in connection with the issuance of bonds by the authority.  A political subdivision is authorized to pledge such restricted accounts which pledge shall be irrevocable during the term of such bond or obligation, shall be according to such terms, and shall have such priority on the revenues of such restricted account as shall be provided by resolution or ordinance of the political subdivision, any law to the contrary notwithstanding.  The state, through the office of the state treasurer, is hereby directed to accept the irrevocable election of a political subdivision to deposit any funds held by the state and due to such political subdivision described above, and thereafter the state treasurer shall be required to make any payments of such funds directly to the restricted account pursuant to instructions from the political subdivision.

(3)  Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, a political subdivision may, through an authority program, finance improvements, facilities, and equipment by entering sale, sale-back, lease, lease-back, and sublease agreements or other agreements or any combination of the foregoing under such terms and conditions as may be agreed to by such political subdivision and the authority.

N.  A political subdivision or other eligible entity may borrow money from the authority loaned under any loan guaranty program of any department or agency of the United States, including the United States Department of Agriculture Rural Utility Services Water and Waste Disposal Guaranteed Loan Program and Community Program Guaranteed Loan Program or any such successor guaranty program.

O.  Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, a political subdivision may contract with the authority for the exercise by the authority of any of the authority’s powers as set out in this Chapter.

Acts 1991, No. 813, §1; Acts 1997, No. 1151, §1, eff. July 14, 1997; Acts 2003, No. 588, §1, eff. June 27, 2003.

NOTE:  See Acts 2003, No. 588, §2, relative to intent and construction of Act.