State Energy Conservation Finance Act.
§ 142‑60. Short title.
This Article is the State Energy Conservation Finance Act. (2002‑161, s. 9.)
§ 142‑61. Definitions.
The following definitions apply in this Article:
(1) Certificates of participation. – Certificates or other instruments delivered by a special corporation as provided in this Article evidencing the assignment of proportionate and undivided interests in the rights to receive payments to be made by the State pursuant to one or more financing contracts.
(2) Cost. – The term includes:
a. The cost of construction, modification, rehabilitation, renovation, improvement, acquisition, or installation in connection with an energy conservation measure.
b. The cost of engineering, architectural, and other consulting services as may be required, including the cost of performing the technical analysis in accordance with G.S. 143‑64.17A and inspection and certification in accordance with G.S. 143‑64.17K.
c. Finance charges, reserves for debt service and other types of reserves required pursuant to a financing contract or any other related documentation, and interest prior to and during construction, and, if deemed advisable by the State Treasurer, for a period not exceeding two years after the estimated date of completion of construction.
d. Administrative expenses and charges.
e. The cost of bond insurance, investment contracts, credit and liquidity facilities, interest rate swap agreements and other derivative products, financial and legal consultants, and related costs of the incurrence or issuance of the financing contract to the extent and as determined by the State Treasurer.
f. The cost of reimbursing the State for payments made for any costs described in this subdivision.
g. Any other costs and expenses necessary or incidental to implementing the purposes of this Article.
(3) Credit facility. – An agreement that:
a. Is entered into by the State with a bank, savings and loan association, or other banking institution, an insurance company, reinsurance company, surety company or other insurance institution, a corporation, investment banking firm or other investment institution, or any financial institution or other similar provider of a credit facility, which provider may be located within or without the United States of America; and
b. Provides for prompt payment of all or any part of the principal or purchase price (whether at maturity, presentment or tender for purchase, redemption, or acceleration), redemption premium, if any, and interest with respect to any financing contract payable on demand or tender by the owner in consideration of the State agreeing to repay the provider of the credit facility in accordance with the terms and provisions of the agreement.
(4) Energy conservation measure. – Defined in G.S. 143‑64.17.
(5) Energy conservation property. – Buildings, equipment, or other property with respect to which an energy conservation measure is undertaken.
(6) Financing contract. – An installment financing contract entered into pursuant to the provisions of this Article to finance the cost of an energy conservation measure.
(7) Person. – An individual, a firm, a partnership, an association, a corporation, a limited liability company, or any other organization or group acting as a unit.
(8) Special corporation. – A nonprofit corporation created under Chapter 55A of the General Statutes for the purpose of facilitating the incurrence of certificates of participation indebtedness by the State under this Article.
(9) State governmental unit. – Defined in G.S. 143‑64.17.
(10) State Treasurer. – The incumbent Treasurer, from time to time, of the State. (2002‑161, s. 9.)
§ 142‑62: Reserved for future codification purposes.
§ 142‑63. Authorization of financing contract.
Subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Article, (i) a State governmental unit that is implementing an energy conservation measure pursuant to G.S. 143‑64.17L and financing it pursuant to this Article, (ii) a State governmental unit that has solicited a guaranteed energy conservation measure pursuant to G.S. 143‑64.17A or G.S. 143‑64.17B, or (iii) the State Treasurer, as designated by the Council of State, is authorized to execute and deliver, for and on behalf of the State of North Carolina, a financing contract to finance the costs of the energy conservation measure. The aggregate outstanding amount payable by the State under financing contracts entered pursuant to this Article shall not exceed five hundred million dollars ($500,000,000) at any one time. (2002‑161, s. 9; 2006‑190, s. 6; 2009‑375, s. 1; 2011‑145, s. 9.6D(f); 2013‑396, s. 4(b).)
§ 142‑64. Procedure for incurrence or issuance of financing contract.
(a) When a State governmental unit (i) is implementing an energy conservation measure pursuant to G.S. 143‑64.17L and financing it pursuant to this Article or (ii) has solicited a guaranteed energy conservation measure, the State governmental unit shall request that the State Treasurer approve the State governmental unit's entering into a financing contract to finance the cost of the energy conservation measure. In connection with the request, the State governmental unit shall provide to the State Treasurer any information the State Treasurer requests in order to evaluate the request. In the event that the State Treasurer determines that financing efficiencies will be realized through the combining of financing contracts, then the State Treasurer is authorized to execute and deliver, for and on behalf of the State of North Carolina, subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Article, a financing contract for the purpose of financing the cost of the multiple energy conservation measures.
(b) A financing contract may be entered into pursuant to this Article only after all of the following conditions are met:
(1) The Office of State Budget and Management has certified that resources are expected to be available to the State to pay the payments to fall due under the financing contract as they become due and payable.
(2) The Council of State has approved the execution and delivery of the financing contract by resolution that sets forth all of the following:
a. The not‑to‑exceed term or final maturity of the financing contract, which shall be no later than 20 years from the date of acceptance of the project.
b. The not‑to‑exceed interest rate or rates (or the equivalent thereof), which may be fixed or vary over a period of time, with respect to the financing contract.
c. The appropriate officers of the State to execute and deliver the financing contract and all other documentation relating to it.
(3) The State Treasurer has approved the financing contract and all other documentation related to it, including any deed of trust, security agreement, trust agreement or any credit facility.
The resolution of the Council of State shall include any other matters the Council of State considers appropriate.
(c) In determining whether to approve a financing contract under subdivision (b)(3) of this section, the State Treasurer may consider the factors the State Treasurer considers relevant in order to find and determine all of the following:
(1) The principal amount to be advanced to the State under the financing contract is adequate and not excessive for the purpose of paying the cost of the energy conservation measure.
(2) The increase, if any, in State revenues necessary to pay the sums to become due under the financing contract are not excessive.
(3) The financing contract can be entered into on terms desirable to the State.
(4) In the case of delivery of certificates of participation, the sale of certificates of participation will not have an adverse effect upon any scheduled or proposed sale of obligations of the State or any State agency.
(d) The Office of State Budget and Management is authorized to certify that funds are expected to be available to the State to make the payments due under a financing contract entered into under the provisions of this section as the payments become due and payable. In so certifying, the Office of State Budget and Management may take into account expected decreases in appropriations to the State governmental unit that will offset payments expected to be made under the financing contract. (2002‑161, s. 9; 2006‑190, s. 7; 2011‑145, s. 9.6D(g).)
§ 142‑65. Security; other requirements.
(a) In order to secure the performance by the State of its obligations under a financing contract or any other related documentation, the State may grant a lien on, or security interest in, all or any part of the energy conservation property or the land upon which the energy conservation property is or will be located.
(b) No deficiency judgment may be rendered against the State or any State governmental unit in any action for breach of any obligation contained in a financing contract or any other related documentation, and the taxing power of the State is not and may not be pledged directly or indirectly to secure any moneys due under a financing contract or any other related documentation. In the event that the General Assembly does not appropriate funds sufficient to make payments required under a financing contract or any other related documentation, the net proceeds received from the sale, lease, or other disposition of the property subject to the lien or security interest created pursuant to subsection (a) of this section shall be applied to satisfy these payment obligations in accordance with the deed of trust, security agreement, or other documentation creating the lien or security interest. These net proceeds are hereby appropriated for the purpose of making these payments. Any net proceeds in excess of the amount required to satisfy the obligations of the State under the financing contract or any other related documentation shall be paid to the State Treasurer for deposit to the General Fund of the State.
(c) Neither a financing contract nor any other related documentation shall contain a nonsubstitution clause that restricts the right of the State to (i) continue to provide a service or conduct an activity or (ii) replace or provide a substitute for any State property that is the subject of an energy conservation measure.
(d) A financing contract may include provisions requesting the Governor to submit in the Governor's budget proposal, or any amendments or supplements to it, appropriations necessary to make the payments required under the financing contract.
(e) A financing contract may contain any provisions for protecting and enforcing the rights and remedies of the person advancing moneys or providing funds under the financing contract that are reasonable and not in violation of law, including covenants setting forth the duties of the State in respect of the purposes to which the funds advanced under a financing contract may be applied, and the duties of the State with respect to the property subject to the lien or security interest created pursuant to subsection (a) of this section, including, without limitation, provisions relating to insuring and maintaining any property and the custody, safeguarding, investment, and application of moneys.
(f) The interest component of the installment payments to be made under a financing contract may be calculated based upon a fixed or variable interest rate or rates as determined by the State Treasurer.
(g) If the State Treasurer determines that it is in the best interest of the State, the State may enter into, or arrange for the delivery of, a credit facility to secure payment of the payments due under a financing contract or to secure payment of the purchase price of any certificates of participation delivered as provided in this Article. (2002‑161, s. 9.)
§ 142‑66. Payment provisions.
The payment of amounts payable by the State under a financing contract and any other related documentation during any fiscal biennium or fiscal year shall be limited to funds appropriated for that purpose by the General Assembly in its discretion. No provision of this Article and no financing contract or any other related documentation shall be construed or interpreted as creating a pledge of the faith and credit of the State or any agency, department, or commission of the State within the meaning of any constitutional debt limitation. (2002‑161, s. 9.)
§ 142‑67. Certificates of participation.
(a) If the State Treasurer determines that the State would realize debt service savings under one or more financing contracts if certificates of participation are issued with respect to the rights to receive payments under the financing contract, then the State Treasurer is authorized to take actions, with the consent of the Council of State, that will effectuate the delivery of certificates of participation for that purpose.
(b) Terms; Interest. – Certificates of participation may be sold by the State Treasurer in the manner, either at public or private sale, and for any price or prices that the State Treasurer determines to be in the best interest of the State and to effect the purposes of this Article, except that the terms of the sale must also be approved by the special corporation. Interest payable with respect to certificates of participation shall accrue at the rate or rates determined by the State Treasurer with the approval of the special corporation.
(c) Trust Agreement. – Certificates of participation may be delivered pursuant to a trust agreement or similar instrument with a corporate trustee approved by the State Treasurer. (2002‑161, s. 9.)
§ 142‑68. Tax exemption.
Any financing contract entered pursuant to this Article, and any certificates of participation relating to it, shall at all times be free from taxation by the State or any political subdivision or any of their agencies, excepting income taxes on the gain from the transfer of the financing contract or certificates of participation; and franchise taxes. The interest component of the installment payments made by the State under the financing contract, including the interest component of any certificates of participation, is not subject to taxation as income. (2002‑161, s. 9; 2015‑264, s. 16(g).)
§ 142‑69. Other agreements.
The State Treasurer may authorize, execute, obtain, or otherwise provide for bond insurance, investment contracts, credit and liquidity facilities, credit enhancement facilities, interest rate swap agreements and other derivative products, and any other related instruments and matters the State Treasurer determines are desirable in connection with entering into financing contracts and issuing certificates of participation pursuant to this Article. The State Treasurer is authorized to employ and designate any financial consultants, underwriters, fiduciaries, and bond attorneys to be associated with any financing contracts or certificates of participation under this Article as the State Treasurer considers appropriate. (2002‑161, s. 9.)
§ 142‑70. Investment eligibility.
Financing contracts entered into pursuant to this Article, and any certificates of participation relating to them, are securities or obligations in which all of the following may invest, including capital in their control or belonging to them: public officers, agencies, and public bodies of the State and its political subdivisions; insurance companies, trust companies, investment companies, banks, savings banks, savings and loan associations, credit unions, pension or retirement funds, and other financial institutions engaged in business in the State; and executors, administrators, trustees, and other fiduciaries. Financing contracts entered pursuant to this Article, and any certificates of participation relating to them, are securities or obligations that may properly and legally be deposited with and received by any officer or agency of the State or any political subdivision of the State for any purpose for which the deposit of bonds, notes, or obligations of the State or any political subdivision is now or may later be authorized by law. (2002‑161, s. 9.)
§ 142-71: Reserved for future codification purposes.
§ 142-72: Reserved for future codification purposes.
§ 142-73: Reserved for future codification purposes.
§ 142-74: Reserved for future codification purposes.
§ 142-75: Reserved for future codification purposes.
§ 142-76: Reserved for future codification purposes.
§ 142-77: Reserved for future codification purposes.
§ 142-78: Reserved for future codification purposes.
§ 142-79: Reserved for future codification purposes.