Bill Text: NY S04197 | 2019-2020 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Relates to the sale of bonds and notes of the city of New York, the issuance of bonds or notes with variable rates of interest, interest rate exchange agreements of the city of New York, the refunding of bonds, and the down payment for projects financed by bonds; amends the New York state financial emergency act for the city of New York; makes further amendments relating to the effectiveness thereof.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Passed) 2019-07-03 - SIGNED CHAP.75 [S04197 Detail]

Download: New_York-2019-S04197-Introduced.html


                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________
                                          4197
                               2019-2020 Regular Sessions
                    IN SENATE
                                      March 4, 2019
                                       ___________
        Introduced  by  Sen. JACKSON -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
          printed to be committed to the Committee on Local Government
        AN ACT to amend the local finance law, in relation to the sale of  bonds
          and notes of the city of New York, the issuance of bonds or notes with
          variable  rates  of interest, interest rate exchange agreements of the
          city of New York, the refunding of bonds, and  the  down  payment  for
          projects  financed  by  bonds;  to  amend the New York state financial
          emergency act for the city of New York, in relation to  a  pledge  and
          agreement  of the state; and to amend chapter 142 of the laws of 2004,
          amending the local finance law  relating  to  interest  rate  exchange
          agreements  of  the city of New York and refunding bonds of such city,
          in relation to the effectiveness thereof
          The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and  Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:
     1    Section  1. The opening paragraph of paragraph (a) of section 54.10 of
     2  the local finance law, as amended by chapter 91 of the laws of 2018,  is
     3  amended to read as follows:
     4    To facilitate the marketing of any issue of bonds or notes of the city
     5  of  New York issued on or before June thirtieth, two thousand [nineteen]
     6  twenty-two, the mayor and comptroller of such city may, subject  to  the
     7  approval  of  the state comptroller and the limitations on private sales
     8  of bonds and notes, respectively, provided by law:
     9    § 2. The closing paragraph of paragraph a  of  section  54.90  of  the
    10  local  finance  law,  as  amended  by chapter 91 of the laws of 2018, is
    11  amended to read as follows:
    12    Notwithstanding the foregoing, whenever in the judgment of the finance
    13  board of the city of New York the interest of such city would be  served
    14  thereby,  the  city of New York may without further approval issue bonds
    15  or notes, on or before July fifteenth, two thousand  [nineteen]  twenty-
    16  two,  with  interest  rates  that  vary  in accordance with a formula or
    17  procedure and are subject to a maximum rate of  interest  set  forth  or
         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD10405-01-9

        S. 4197                             2
     1  referred  to  in  the bonds or notes and may provide the holders thereof
     2  with such rights to require the city or other persons to  purchase  such
     3  bonds or notes or renewals thereof from the proceeds of the resale ther-
     4  eof  or  otherwise from time to time prior to the final maturity of such
     5  bonds or notes as the finance board of the city of New York  may  deter-
     6  mine  and  the city may resell, at any time prior to final maturity, any
     7  such bonds or notes acquired as a result of the exercise of such rights;
     8  provided, however, that at no time shall the total principal  amount  of
     9  bonds  and  notes  issued by the city of New York pursuant to this para-
    10  graph (other than bonds and notes (1) bearing interest at rates and  for
    11  periods of time that are specified without reference to future events or
    12  contingencies,  or  (2)  described  in  section  136.00 of this article)
    13  exceed twenty-five percent of the limit prescribed by section 104.00  of
    14  this article.
    15    §  3. The opening paragraph of subdivision 1 of paragraph d of section
    16  54.90 of the local finance law, as amended by chapter 91 of the laws  of
    17  2018, is amended follows:
    18    On  or  before  July fifteenth, two thousand [nineteen] twenty-two the
    19  mayor and comptroller of the city of New York may:
    20    § 4. The opening paragraph of paragraph a  of  section  57.00  of  the
    21  local  finance  law,  as  amended  by chapter 91 of the laws of 2018, is
    22  amended to read as follows:
    23    Bonds shall be sold only at public sale and  in  accordance  with  the
    24  procedure set forth in this section and sections 58.00 and 59.00 of this
    25  title, except as otherwise provided in this paragraph. Bonds may be sold
    26  at private sale to the United States government or any agency or instru-
    27  mentality  thereof, the state of New York municipal bond bank agency, to
    28  any sinking fund or pension fund of the municipality, school district or
    29  district corporation selling such bonds, or, in the case of sales by the
    30  city  of  New  York  prior  to  July  first,  two  thousand   [nineteen]
    31  twenty-two, also to the municipal assistance corporation for the city of
    32  New York or to any other purchaser with the consent of the mayor and the
    33  comptroller  of  such city and approval of the state comptroller, or, in
    34  the case of sales by the county of  Nassau  prior  to  December  thirty-
    35  first,  two  thousand  seven,  also to the Nassau county interim finance
    36  authority with the approval of the state comptroller, or, in the case of
    37  sales by the city of Buffalo prior to June thirtieth, two thousand thir-
    38  ty-seven, also to  the  Buffalo  fiscal  stability  authority  with  the
    39  approval  of  the  state  comptroller, or, in the case of bonds or other
    40  obligations of a municipality issued for the construction of any  sewage
    41  treatment  works,  sewage  collecting  system,  storm  water  collecting
    42  system, water management facility, air  pollution  control  facility  or
    43  solid  waste disposal facility, also to the New York state environmental
    44  facilities corporation, or, in the case of bonds or other obligations of
    45  a school district or a city acting on behalf of a city  school  district
    46  in a city having a population in excess of one hundred twenty-five thou-
    47  sand  but  less  than  one  million  inhabitants according to the latest
    48  federal census, issued to  finance  or  refinance  the  cost  of  school
    49  district  capital  facilities  or  school district capital equipment, as
    50  defined in section sixteen hundred seventy-six of the public authorities
    51  law, also to the dormitory authority of the state of New York. Bonds  of
    52  a  river  improvement  or  drainage district established by or under the
    53  supervision of the department of environmental conservation may be  sold
    54  at private sale to the state of New York as investments for any funds of
    55  the state which by law may be invested, provided, however, that the rate
    56  of  interest  on  any  such bonds so sold shall be approved by the water

        S. 4197                             3
     1  power and control commission and the state comptroller. Bonds  may  also
     2  be  sold  at private sale as provided in section 63.00 of this title. No
     3  bonds shall be sold on option or on a deferred payment plan, except that
     4  options  to purchase, effective for a period not exceeding one year, may
     5  be given:
     6    § 5. Subdivision 3 of paragraph  g  of  section  90.00  of  the  local
     7  finance law, as amended by chapter 91 of the laws of 2018, is amended to
     8  read as follows:
     9    Outstanding  bonds  may,  pursuant  to a power to recall and redeem or
    10  with the consent of the holders  thereof,  be  exchanged  for  refunding
    11  bonds (i) if the refunding bonds are to bear interest at a rate equal to
    12  or  lower than that borne by the bonds to be refunded or (ii) if, in the
    13  case of the city of New York prior to July first,  two  thousand  [nine-
    14  teen] twenty-two, the annual payment required for principal and interest
    15  on the refunding bond is less than the annual payment required for prin-
    16  cipal  and interest on the bond to be refunded, in each case such annual
    17  payments to be determined by dividing the total principal  and  interest
    18  payments  due over the remaining life of the bond by the number of years
    19  to maturity of the bond or (iii) if the bonds to be refunded were issued
    20  by the city of New York after June thirtieth, nineteen hundred  seventy-
    21  eight  and  prior  to July first, two thousand [nineteen] twenty-two and
    22  contain covenants referring to the  existence  of  the  New  York  state
    23  financial  control board for the city of New York or any other covenants
    24  relating to matters other than  the  prompt  payment  of  principal  and
    25  interest  on  the  obligations  when due and the refunding bond omits or
    26  modifies any such covenant.
    27    § 6. Subdivision 8 of paragraph d  of  section  107.00  of  the  local
    28  finance law, as amended by chapter 91 of the laws of 2018, is amended to
    29  read as follows:
    30    8.  Notwithstanding  any  other provision of law, the financing by the
    31  city of New York prior to July first, two thousand [nineteen] twenty-two
    32  of any object or purpose which  has  a  period  of  probable  usefulness
    33  determined  by  law by the issuance of any bonds or notes, including (i)
    34  the issuance of bonds or notes to obtain reimbursement for funds hereto-
    35  fore advanced for the object or purpose for which the bonds or notes are
    36  being issued, (ii) the issuance of bonds or notes to redeem notes previ-
    37  ously issued for the object or purpose for which the bonds or notes  are
    38  being  issued  or (iii) the issuance of bonds to refund bonds previously
    39  issued for the object or purpose for which bonds are being issued.
    40    § 7. Subdivision 1 of section 10-a of section 2 of chapter 868 of  the
    41  laws  of  1975,  constituting the New York state financial emergency act
    42  for the city of New York, as amended by chapter 91 of the laws of  2018,
    43  is amended to read as follows:
    44    1.  In  the  event that after the date on which the provisions of this
    45  act become operative, any notes or bonds are issued by the city prior to
    46  July 1, [2019] 2022, or any bonds are issued by a state financing  agen-
    47  cy,  the state of New York hereby authorizes the city and authorizes and
    48  requires such state financing agency to include a pledge  and  agreement
    49  of the state of New York in any agreement made by the city or such state
    50  financing  agency with holders or guarantors of such notes or bonds that
    51  the state will not take any action which will (a)  substantially  impair
    52  the authority of the board during a control period, as defined in subdi-
    53  vision  twelve  of section two of this act as in effect on the date such
    54  notes or bonds are issued (i) to  approve,  disapprove,  or  modify  any
    55  financial  plan  or  financial  plan modification, including the revenue
    56  projections (or any item thereof)  contained  therein,  subject  to  the

        S. 4197                             4
     1  standards set forth in paragraphs a, c, d, e and f of subdivision one of
     2  section  eight  of this act as in effect on the date such notes or bonds
     3  are issued and paragraph b of such subdivision as in effect from time to
     4  time,  (ii)  to disapprove a contract of the city or a covered organiza-
     5  tion if the performance of such contract would be inconsistent with  the
     6  financial  plan or to approve or disapprove proposed short-term or long-
     7  term borrowing of the city or a covered organization or any agreement or
     8  other arrangement referred to in subdivision four of  section  seven  of
     9  this act, or (iii) to establish and adopt procedures with respect to the
    10  deposit  in  and  disbursement from the board fund of city revenues; (b)
    11  substantially impair the authority of  the  board  to  review  financial
    12  plans,  financial  plan  modifications,  contracts  of  the  city or the
    13  covered organizations and proposed short-term or long-term borrowings of
    14  the city and the covered organizations;  (c)  substantially  impair  the
    15  independent  maintenance  of  a  separate  fund  for the payment of debt
    16  service on bonds and notes of the city; (d) alter the composition of the
    17  board so that the majority of the voting members of the  board  are  not
    18  officials  of  the state of New York elected in a state-wide election or
    19  appointees of the governor; (e) terminate the  existence  of  the  board
    20  prior  to  the time to be determined in accordance with section thirteen
    21  of this act as in effect on the date such notes or bonds are issued; (f)
    22  substantially modify the requirement that the  city's  financial  state-
    23  ments be audited by a nationally recognized independent certified public
    24  accounting  firm  or consortium of firms and that a report on such audit
    25  be furnished to the board; or (g) alter  the  definition  of  a  control
    26  period set forth in subdivision twelve of section two of this act, as in
    27  effect  on  the  date  such  notes or bonds are issued, or substantially
    28  alter the authority of the board, as set forth in  said  subdivision  to
    29  reimpose  or  terminate  a  control  period; provided, however, that the
    30  foregoing pledge and agreement shall be of no further force  and  effect
    31  if  at any time (i) there is on deposit in a separate trust account with
    32  a bank, trust company or other fiduciary  sufficient  moneys  or  direct
    33  obligations of the United States or obligations guaranteed by the United
    34  States, the principal of and/or interest on which will provide moneys to
    35  pay  punctually when due at maturity or prior to maturity by redemption,
    36  in accordance with their terms, all principal of  and  interest  on  all
    37  outstanding  notes  and bonds of the city or such state financing agency
    38  containing this pledge and agreement and irrevocable  instructions  from
    39  the  city  or such state financing agency to such bank, trust company or
    40  other fiduciary for such payment of such  principal  and  interest  with
    41  such moneys shall have been given, or (ii) such notes and bonds, togeth-
    42  er  with  interest  thereon,  have been paid in full at maturity or have
    43  otherwise been refunded, redeemed, defeased, or discharged; and provided
    44  further that the foregoing pledge and agreement shall be of  full  force
    45  and effect upon its inclusion in any agreement made by the city or state
    46  financing agency with holders or guarantors of such notes or bonds.
    47    Upon  payment  for such obligations issued pursuant to this act by the
    48  original and all subsequent holders inclusion of the foregoing  covenant
    49  shall  be  deemed conclusive evidence of valuable consideration received
    50  by the state and city for such covenant and of reliance upon such pledge
    51  and agreement by any such holder. The state hereby grants any such bene-
    52  fited holder the right to sue the state in a court of  competent  juris-
    53  diction and enforce this covenant and agreement and waives all rights of
    54  defense based on sovereign immunity in such an action or suit.
    55    §  8. Section 5 of chapter 142 of the laws of 2004, amending the local
    56  finance law relating to interest rate exchange agreements of the city of

        S. 4197                             5
     1  New York and refunding bonds of such city, as amended by chapter  91  of
     2  the laws of 2018, is amended to read as follows:
     3    §  5.  This  act shall take effect immediately, provided, that section
     4  three of this act shall expire and be deemed repealed  July  15,  [2019]
     5  2022.
     6    § 9. Separability. If any clause, sentence, paragraph, section or part
     7  of  this act shall be adjudged by any court of competent jurisdiction to
     8  be invalid, such judgment shall not affect,  impair  or  invalidate  the
     9  remainder thereof, but shall be confined in its operation to the clause,
    10  sentence,  paragraph,  section  or part thereof directly involved in the
    11  controversy in which such judgment shall have been rendered.
    12    § 10. This act shall take effect immediately.
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