(1) The issuance of revenue bonds to provide sufficient funds to achieve the purposes of this part; pay interest on bonds; pay expenses incident to the issuance and sale of any bond issued pursuant to this part, including costs of validating, printing, and delivering the bonds, printing the official statement, publishing notices of sale of the bonds, and related administrative expenses; and pay all other capital expenditures of the corporation incident to and necessary or convenient to carry out the purposes and powers granted by this part is authorized, subject and pursuant to the provisions of s. 16, Art. VII of the State Constitution. The provisions of ss. 215.57-215.83 shall not be applicable to the corporation. Revenue bonds shall be payable solely from pledged revenues and shall not be secured by the full faith and credit of the state. (2) The corporation is designated as the state fiscal agency to make the determinations required by s. 16, Art. VII of the State Constitution in connection with the issuance of such bonds that in no state fiscal year will the debt service requirements of the bonds proposed to be issued and all other bonds secured by the same pledged revenues exceed the pledged revenues available for such debt service requirements. The corporation’s board of directors may delegate to its executive director the authority and power to perform that function. The determinations pursuant to this subsection are limited to a review of the matters essential to making the determinations required by s. 16, Art. VII of the State Constitution. The executive director shall report annually to the board and the Legislature regarding the number of bond issues considered and the determination with respect thereto.
(3) All such bonds shall be issued by the corporation on behalf of the state with a term of not more than 45 years, and except as otherwise provided herein, in such principal amounts as shall be necessary to provide sufficient funds to achieve the purposes of the corporation in carrying out this part and purposes incident thereto.
(4) Bonds of the corporation may:(a) Bear interest at a rate or rates not exceeding the interest rate limitation set forth in s. 159.825 or s. 215.84, as applicable; (b) Have such provisions for payment at maturity and redemption before maturity at such time or times and at such price or prices; and
(c) Be payable at such place or places within or without the state as the board determines by resolution.
(5) The bonds may be signed by the officers of the corporation as is provided for by resolution of the board. The signatures may be manual or facsimile signatures as established by the board. In case any officer whose signature or a facsimile of whose signature appears on any bonds ceases to be an officer before delivery of bonds, the signature or facsimile signature is nevertheless valid and sufficient for all purposes as fully and to the same extent as if he or she had remained in office until the delivery.
(6) All bonds issued under the provisions of this act are declared to be negotiable instruments under the Uniform Commercial Code—Investment Securities law of the state.
(7) Bonds of the corporation may not be issued unless the face or reverse thereof contains a certificate, executed either manually or with a facsimile signature by the secretary of the board, to the effect that the issuance of the bonds has been approved under this act by the board. The certificate is conclusive evidence as to approval of the issuance of the bonds by the corporation and that the requirements of this act and all of the laws relating to the bonds have been complied with.
(8) The corporation has the authority to issue bond anticipation notes in anticipation of the receipt of the proceeds of the bonds in the same manner and subject to the same limitations and conditions as provided by s. 215.431. The rights and remedies of the holders of the notes are the same rights and remedies they would have if they were the holders of the definitive bonds in anticipation of which they are issued; and all of the covenants, agreements, or other proceedings relating to the definitive bonds in anticipation of which the bond anticipation notes are issued are a part of the proceedings relating to the issuance of the notes as fully and to the same extent as if incorporated verbatim therein. (9) Before the preparation of definitive bonds, the corporation may issue interim receipts or temporary bonds, exchangeable for definitive bonds when the bonds have been executed and are available for delivery under the terms and conditions the board deems advisable. The board may also provide for the replacement of any bonds that become mutilated or destroyed, stolen, or lost under the terms and conditions the board deems advisable.
(10) Bonds of the corporation may be validated pursuant to chapter 75. In actions to validate such bonds pursuant to chapter 75, the complaint shall be filed in the Circuit Court of Leon County, the notice required by s. 75.06 shall be published only in Leon County and in two newspapers of general circulation in the state, and the complaint and order of the court shall be served only on the state attorney of the Second Judicial Circuit. (11) Any resolution or resolutions authorizing any bonds issued by the corporation may contain provisions, without limitation, which shall be a part of the contract or contracts with the holders thereof, as to:(a) Pledging all or any part of the income or revenues of the corporation to secure the payment of bonds or of any issue thereof, subject to such agreements with holders of bonds as may then exist.
(b) Pledging all or any part of the assets of the corporation, including mortgages and obligations securing the same, to secure the payment of bonds or of any issue of bonds, subject to such agreements with holders of bonds as may then exist.
(c) The use and disposition of the income from mortgages owned by the corporation and payment of the principal of mortgages owned by the corporation.
(d) The procedure, if any, by which the terms of any contract with holders of bonds may be amended or abrogated, the amount of bonds the holders of which must consent thereto, and the manner in which such consent may be given.
(e) Limitations on the amount of moneys to be expended by the corporation for its operating expenses.
(f) Vesting, for the life of the bonds, in a trustee or trustees such property, rights, powers, and duties in trust as the corporation may determine, which may include any or all of the rights, powers, and duties of the trustee appointed by the holders of bonds pursuant to this part, and limiting or abrogating the right of holders of bonds to appoint a trustee under this part or limiting the rights, powers, and duties of such trustee.
(g) Defining the acts or omissions to act which shall constitute a default in the obligations and duties of the corporation to the holders of bonds in providing for the rights and remedies of holders of bonds in the event of such default, including, as a matter of right, the appointment of a receiver; provided such rights and remedies shall not be inconsistent with the general laws of the state and the other provisions of this part.
(h) Any other matters, of like or different character, which in any way affect the security or protection of holders of bonds.
(12)(a) Subject to paragraph (b), the bonds issued by the corporation shall be sold at public sale in the manner provided by s. 215.68, with the corporation performing the duties of the board as provided in such section. However, if the corporation shall by official action at a public meeting determine that a negotiated sale of the bonds is in the best interest of the corporation, the corporation may negotiate for sale of the bonds to, or the placement of bonds through, the underwriter or underwriters designated by the corporation. In the official action authorizing the negotiated sale, the corporation shall provide specific findings as to the reasons for the negotiated sale. The reasons shall include, but shall not be limited to, characteristics of the bond issue and prevailing market conditions that necessitate a negotiated sale. In the event the corporation decides to negotiate for a sale of bonds, the managing underwriter, or financial consultant or adviser, if applicable, shall provide to the corporation, prior to the award of bonds to the managing underwriter, a disclosure statement containing the following information:1. An itemized list setting forth the nature and estimated amounts of expenses to be incurred by the managing underwriter in connection with the issuance of such bonds. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any such list may include an item for miscellaneous expenses, provided it includes only minor items of expense which cannot be easily categorized elsewhere in the statement.
2. The names, addresses, and estimated amounts of compensation of any finders connected with the issuance of the bonds.
3. The amount of underwriting spread expected to be realized.
4. Any management fee charged by the managing underwriter.
5. Any other fee, bonus, or compensation estimated to be paid by the managing underwriter in connection with the bond issue to any person not regularly employed or retained by it.
6. The name and address of the managing underwriter or underwriters, if any, connected with the bond issue.
7. Any other disclosure that the corporation may require.
This paragraph is not intended to restrict or prohibit the employment of professional services relating to bonds issued under this chapter.
(b) In the event an offer of an issue of bonds at public sale produces no bid, or in the event all bids received are rejected, the corporation is authorized to negotiate for the sale of the bonds under such rates and terms as are acceptable; provided that no bonds shall be so sold or delivered on terms less favorable than the terms contained in any bids rejected at the public sale thereof or, if no bids were received at such public sale, the terms contained in the notice of public sale.
(c) The failure of the corporation to comply with one or more provisions of this section shall not affect the validity of the bond issue.
(13)(a) No underwriter, commercial bank, investment banker, or financial consultant or adviser shall pay any finder any bonus, fee, or gratuity in connection with the sale of revenue bonds issued by the corporation unless full disclosure is made to the corporation prior to or concurrently with the submission of a purchase proposal for bonds by the underwriter, commercial bank, investment banker, or financial consultant or adviser and is made subsequently in the official statement or offering circular, if any, detailing the name and address of any finder and the amount of bonus, fee, or gratuity paid to such finder.
(b) The willful violation of this subsection is a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084. (c) No violation of this subsection shall affect the validity of the bond issue.
(14) As used in this section, the term “finder” means a person who is neither regularly employed by, nor a partner or officer of, an underwriter, bank, banker, or financial consultant or adviser and who enters into an understanding with either the issuer or the managing underwriter, or both, for any paid or promised compensation or valuable consideration, directly or indirectly, expressly or impliedly, to act solely as an intermediary between such issuer and managing underwriter for the purpose of influencing any transaction in the purchase of such bonds.
(15) All bonds issued by the corporation shall state on the face thereof that they are payable, both as to principal and interest, solely out of the assets of the corporation and do not constitute an obligation, either general or special, of the state or of any local government.
(16) All bonds issued by the corporation are hereby declared to have all the qualities and incidents of negotiable instruments under the applicable laws of the state.
(17) It is the intention of the Legislature that any pledge of earnings, revenues, or other moneys made by the corporation shall be valid and binding from the time when the pledge is made; that the earnings, revenues, or other moneys so pledged and thereafter received by the corporation shall immediately be subject to the lien of that pledge without any physical delivery thereof or further act; and that the lien of the pledge shall be valid and binding as against the corporation irrespective of whether the parties have notice thereof. Neither the resolution nor any other instrument by which a pledge is created need be recorded or filed pursuant to the Uniform Commercial Code.
(18) Neither the members of the corporation nor any person executing the bonds of the corporation shall be liable personally on the bonds or be subject to any personal liability or accountability by reason of the issuance thereof.
(19) If the proceeds of an issue of revenue bonds the interest on which is not exempt from federal taxation are used to finance a project, 20 percent of the tenants of the project must have annual income under 80 percent of the state or county median income, whichever is higher.
