Section 20-3-344. Issuance of bonds and notes of authority; amount; interest; form; execution; use of proceeds; validation

   (a) The authority is authorized to provide for the issuance of bonds of the authority not to exceed $300 million aggregate principal amount outstanding at any one time excluding bonds issued to refund outstanding bonds of the authority to carry out and effectuate its purposes and powers under this subpart. In anticipation of the issuance of such bonds, the authority also is authorized to provide for the issuance of notes. Such bonds or notes may be issued at one time or from time to time, provided the aggregate principal amount of such bonds and notes outstanding at any one time shall not exceed the amount authorized by this subsection, excluding bonds or notes issued to refund outstanding bonds or notes of the authority. The principal of, premium, if any, and the interest on such bonds or notes shall be payable solely from the funds provided for in this subpart for such payment. Any such notes may be made payable from the proceeds of bonds or renewal notes, or in the event bond or renewal note proceeds are not available, such notes may be paid from revenues or assets available to the authority for this purpose under this subpart in accordance with resolutions or other agreements with holders of any outstanding bonds or other obligations of the authority. The bonds or notes of each issue shall be dated, shall bear interest at such rates, may be redeemable before maturity at the option of the authority at such price or prices as may be determined by the authority, and shall be under such other terms and conditions as may be determined by the authority. Notes shall mature at such time or times, not exceeding five years from their date or dates, and bonds shall mature at such time or times, not exceeding 40 years from their date or dates, as may be determined by the authority. The authority shall determine the form of such bonds or notes, including coupon form, registered form, registration as to principal only, or all of the foregoing forms, and shall determine the right of reconversion or interchange into other forms. The authority shall fix the denomination or denominations and the place or places of payment of principal and interest, which may be any bank or trust company within or outside the state. All such bonds shall be executed in the name of the authority by the chairperson and the secretary of authority and shall be sealed with the official seal of the authority or a facsimile thereof. Coupons shall be executed in the name of the authority by the chairperson of the authority. The facsimile signature of either the chairperson or the secretary of the authority may be imprinted in lieu of the manual signature if the authority so directs and the facsimile of the chairperson's signature shall be used on coupons. In case any officer whose signature or a facsimile of whose signature shall appear on any bonds or notes or coupons attached thereto shall cease to be such officer before the delivery thereof, his or her signature or facsimile signature shall nevertheless be valid and sufficient for all purposes as if he or she had remained in office until such delivery. The authority may also provide for the authentication of the bonds or notes by a trustee or fiscal agent. Prior to the preparation of definitive bonds, the board of directors may issue interim receipts, interim certificates, or temporary bonds exchangeable for definitive bonds upon the issuance of the latter. The authority may also provide for the replacement of any bond which shall become mutilated or be destroyed or lost. Such revenue bonds may be issued without any other proceedings or the happening of any other conditions or things than those proceedings, conditions, and things which are specified or required by this part. Upon the approval of a resolution of the authority authorizing the sale of its bonds or notes, such bonds or notes may be sold in such manner, either at public or private sale, and for such price as the authority shall determine to be in the best interests of the authority and to effectuate best its purposes under this subpart.

(b) The proceeds of any bonds or notes issued by the authority shall be used solely for the purpose for which issued and shall be disbursed in such manner and under such restrictions, if any, as the authority may provide in a resolution authorizing the issuance of such bonds or notes or in a trust agreement securing such bonds or notes. No such bond proceeds may be expended for the making or the purchase of any loan unless such loan is an educational loan as defined in paragraph (13) of Code Section 20-3-312.

(c) All revenue bonds issued by the authority under this part shall be executed, confirmed, and validated under and in accordance with Article 3 of Chapter 82 of Title 36, except as otherwise provided in this part. The venue for all bond validation proceedings pursuant to this part shall be Fulton County, and the Superior Court of Fulton County shall have exclusive trial court jurisdiction over such proceedings. Bonds issued shall have a certificate of validation bearing the facsimile signature of the clerk of the Superior Court of Fulton County, stating the date on which such bonds were validated; and such entry shall be original evidence of the fact of judgment and shall be received as original evidence in any court in this state. The authority shall reimburse the district attorney for his actual costs associated with the bond validation proceedings, if any. The fees payable to the clerk of the Superior Court of Fulton County for validation and confirmation shall be as follows for each bond, regardless of the denomination of such bond: $1.00 each for the first 100 bonds; 25 cent(s) for each of the next 400 bonds; and 10 cent(s) for each such bond over 500.

Ga. L. 1969, p. 683, §§ 16-20, 23; Code 1933, § 32-3730, enacted by Ga. L. 1980, p. 835, § 3; Ga. L. 1981, p. 735, § 37; Ga. L. 2003, p. 158, § 7; Ga. L. 2005, p. 1134, § 3/HB 298.