§ 142-89.  Issuance of limited obligation bonds and notes.

(a) (Effective January 1, 2019, and expires December 31, 2031) Terms and Conditions. - Bonds or notes may bear any dates; may be serial or term bonds or notes, or any combination of these; may mature in any amounts and at any times, not exceeding 15 years from their dates for Build NC Bonds and 40 years from their dates for all other bonds and notes; may be payable at any places, either within or without the United States, in any coin or currency of the United States that at the time of payment is legal tender for payment of public and private debts; may bear interest at any rates, which may vary from time to time; and may be made redeemable before maturity, at the option of the State or otherwise as may be provided by the State, at any prices, including a price greater than the face amount of the bonds or notes, and under any terms and conditions, all as may be determined by the State Treasurer, by and with the consent of the Council of State.

(a) (Effective January 1, 2032) Terms and Conditions. - Bonds or notes may bear any dates; may be serial or term bonds or notes, or any combination of these; may mature in any amounts and at any times, not exceeding 40 years from their dates; may be payable at any places, either within or without the United States, in any coin or currency of the United States that at the time of payment is legal tender for payment of public and private debts; may bear interest at any rates, which may vary from time to time; and may be made redeemable before maturity, at the option of the State or otherwise as may be provided by the State, at any prices, including a price greater than the face amount of the bonds or notes, and under any terms and conditions, all as may be determined by the State Treasurer, by and with the consent of the Council of State.

(b) Signatures; Form and Denomination; Registration. - Bonds or notes may be issued in certificated or uncertificated form. If issued in certificated form, bonds or notes shall be signed on behalf of the State by the Governor or bear the Governor's facsimile signature, shall be signed by the State Treasurer or bear the State Treasurer's facsimile signature, and shall bear the great seal of the State or a facsimile of the seal impressed or imprinted on them. If bonds or notes bear the facsimile signatures of the Governor and the State Treasurer, the bonds or notes shall also bear a manual signature which may be that of a bond registrar, trustee, paying agent, or designated assistant of the State Treasurer. If any officer whose signature or facsimile signature appears on bonds or notes issued under this Article ceases to be that officer before the delivery of the bonds or notes, the signature or facsimile signature shall nevertheless have the same validity for all purposes as if the officer had remained in office until delivery of the bonds or notes. Bonds or notes issued under this Article may bear the facsimile signatures of persons who, at the actual time of the execution of the bonds or notes, were the proper officers to sign any bond or note although at the date of the bond or note those persons may not have been officers.

The form and denomination of bonds or notes, including the provisions with respect to registration of the bonds or notes and any system for their registration, shall be as prescribed by the State Treasurer in conformity with this Article.

(c) Manner of Sale; Expenses. - Subject to the approval by the Council of State as to the manner in which bonds or notes will be offered for sale, whether at public or private sale, whether within or without the United States, and whether by publishing notices in certain newspapers and financial journals, mailing notices, inviting bids by correspondence, negotiating contracts of purchase, or otherwise, the State Treasurer is authorized to sell bonds or notes at one time or from time to time at any rates of interest, which may vary from time to time, and at any prices, including a price less than the face amount of the bonds or notes, as the State Treasurer may determine. All expenses incurred in the preparation, sale, and issuance of bonds or notes shall be paid by the State Treasurer from the proceeds of bonds or notes or other available moneys.

(d) Application of Proceeds. - The proceeds of any bonds or notes shall be used solely for the purposes for which the bonds or notes were issued and shall be disbursed in the manner and under the restrictions, if any, that the Council of State may provide in the resolution authorizing the issuance of, or in any trust agreement securing, the bonds or notes.

Any additional moneys that may be received by means of a grant or grants from the United States or any agency or department thereof or from any other source to aid in financing the cost of a capital facility may be disbursed, to the extent permitted by the terms of the grant or grants, without regard to any limitations imposed by this Article.

(e) Notes; Repayment. - By and with the consent of the Council of State, the State Treasurer is authorized to borrow money and to execute and issue notes of the State for the same, but only in any of the following circumstances and under the following conditions:

(1) For anticipating the sale of bonds, the issuance of which the Council of State has approved, if the State Treasurer considers it advisable to postpone the issuance of the bonds.

(2) For the payment of interest on or any installment of principal of any bonds then outstanding, if there are not sufficient funds in the State treasury with which to pay the interest or installment of principal as they respectively become due.

(3) For the renewal of any loan evidenced by notes authorized in this Article.

(4) For the purposes authorized in this Article.

(5) For refunding bonds or notes or financing contract indebtedness as authorized in this Article.

Funds derived from the sale of limited obligation bonds or notes may be used in the payment of any bond anticipation notes issued under this Article. Funds provided by the General Assembly for the payment of interest on or principal of bonds shall be used in paying the interest on or principal of any notes and any renewals thereof, the proceeds of which have been used in paying interest on or principal of the bonds.

(f) Refunding Bonds and Notes. - By and with the consent of the Council of State, the State Treasurer is authorized to issue and sell refunding bonds and notes for the purpose of refunding special indebtedness and to pay the cost of issuance of the refunding bonds or notes. The refunding bonds and notes may be combined with any other issues of State bonds and notes issued pursuant to this Article. Refunding bonds or notes may be issued at any time prior to the final maturity of the debt or obligation to be refunded. The proceeds from the sale of any refunding bonds or notes shall be applied to the immediate payment and retirement of the obligations being refunded or, if not required for the immediate payment of the obligations being refunded, the proceeds shall be deposited in trust to provide for the payment and retirement of the obligations being refunded and to pay any expenses incurred in connection with the refunding. Money in a trust fund may be invested in (i) direct obligations of the United States government, (ii) obligations the principal of and interest on which are guaranteed by the United States government, (iii) to the extent then permitted by law, obligations of any agency or instrumentality of the United States government, or (iv) certificates of deposit issued by a bank or trust company located in the State if the certificates are secured by a pledge of any of the obligations described in (i), (ii), or (iii) above having an aggregate market value, exclusive of accrued interest, equal at least to the principal amount of the certificates so secured. This section does not limit the duration of any deposit in trust for the retirement of obligations being refunded but that have not matured and are not presently redeemable or, if presently redeemable, have not been called for redemption.

(g) Security. - Payment of the principal of and the interest on bonds and notes shall be secured as provided in G.S. 142-85.

(h) Trust Agreement. - In the discretion of the State Treasurer, any bonds and notes issued under this Article may be secured by a trust agreement or similar instrument between the State and a corporate trustee or by a resolution of the Council of State providing for the appointment of a corporate trustee. The corporate trustee may be, in either case, any trust company or bank that has the powers of a trust company within or without the State. The trust agreement or similar instrument or resolution, hereinafter referred to as "the trust", may provide for security and pledges and assignments that are permitted under this Article and may provide for the granting of a lien or security interest as authorized by G.S. 142-85. The trust may contain any provisions for protecting and enforcing the rights and remedies of the owners of any bonds or notes issued under the trust that are reasonable and not in violation of law, including covenants setting forth the duties of the State with respect to the purposes for which bond or note proceeds may be applied, the disposition and application of the revenues or assets of the State, the duties of the State with respect to the capital facilities financed, the disposition of any charges and collection of any revenues and administrative charges, the terms and conditions of the issuance of additional bonds and notes, and the custody, safeguarding, investment, and application of all moneys. All bonds and notes issued under this Article pursuant to the same trust shall be equally and ratably secured as provided in the trust, without priority by reasons of number, dates of bonds or notes, execution, or delivery, in accordance with the provisions of this Article and of the trust. The trust may, however, provide that bonds or notes issued pursuant to the trust shall, to the extent and in the manner prescribed in the trust, be subordinated and junior in standing, with respect to the payment of principal and interest and to the security of the payment, to any other bonds or notes issued pursuant to the trust. It is lawful for any bank or trust company that may act as depositary of the proceeds of bonds or notes, revenues, or any other money under this Article to furnish any indemnifying bonds or to pledge any securities that may be required by the State Treasurer. The trust may set out the rights and remedies of the owners of any bonds or notes and of any trustee and may restrict the individual rights of action by the owners. In addition to the foregoing, the trust may contain any other provisions the State Treasurer considers appropriate for the security of the owners of any bonds or notes. Expenses incurred in carrying out the provisions of the trust may be treated as a part of the cost of any capital facility or as an administrative charge and may be paid from the proceeds of the bonds or notes or from any other available funds.  (2003-284, s. 46.2; 2003-314, s. 1; 2004-203, s. 79; 2018-16, s. 5; 2024-15, s. 9.)