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SB245 SUB1 Senate Bill 245 History

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Key: Green = existing Code. Red = new code to be enacted

COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE

FOR

Senate Bill No. 245

(By Senators Kessler (Acting President), Snyder, Browning, Foster, Laird, Yost, Stollings, Beach, Fanning, Unger, Wills, Barnes, Miller, Edgell, McCabe, Plymale, Klempa and Williams)

____________

[Originating in the Committee on the Judiciary;

reported February 15, 2011.]

___________

 

 

A BILL to amend and reenact §22C-1-27 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended; to amend and reenact §29-22-18a of said code; to amend said code by adding thereto a new section, designated §29-22-18d; to amend and reenact §31-15A-9 of said code; and to amend said code by adding thereto a new section, designated §31-15A-17b, all relating to protection of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed; increasing the bonding authority of the Water Development Authority for limited purpose; increasing amount of excess lottery revenue deposited to infrastructure fund; providing for distribution to infrastructure fund where excess lottery revenue shortfall occurs; providing exemption for excess lottery revenue deposited to infrastructure fund; creating the West Virginia Infrastructure Lottery Revenue Debt Service Fund and providing for purpose of new fund; authorizing Water Development Authority to issue revenue bonds for certain Chesapeake Bay Watershed projects; establishing deadline for publicly owned wastewater facilities subject to Chesapeake Bay compliance standards to submit ten-year projected capital funding plan to Infrastructure Council for review and approval; providing eligibility for funding; requiring Water Development Authority to report to Joint Committee on Government and Finance regarding total cost of Chesapeake Bay compliance projects; making Chesapeake Bay compliance projects with funding approved before a certain date eligible for grant funding; and limiting eligibility of grant funding.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:

    That §22C-1-27 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, be amended and reenacted; that §29-22-18a of said code be amended and reenacted; that said code be amended by adding thereto a new section, designated §29-22-18d; that §31-15A-9 of said code be amended and reenacted; and that said code be amended by adding thereto a new section, designated §31-15A-17b, all to read as follows:

CHAPTER 22C. ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES; BOARDS,

AUTHORITIES, COMMISSIONS AND COMPACTS.

ARTICLE 1. WATER DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY.

§22C-1-27. Authorized limit on borrowing.

    (a) The aggregate principal amount of bonds and notes issued by the authority may not exceed §500 million outstanding at any one time: Provided, That before the authority issues bonds and notes in excess of §400 million the Legislature must pass a resolution authorizing this action: Provided, however, That in computing the total amount of bonds and notes which may at any one time be outstanding, the principal amount of any outstanding bonds or notes refunded or to be refunded either by application of the proceeds of the sale of any refunding bonds or notes of the authority or by exchange for any refunding bonds or notes, shall be excluded.

    (b) In addition to the amounts authorized by subsection (a) of this section, the authority may issue, pursuant to section seventeen-b, article fifteen-a, chapter thirty-one of this code, bonds or notes in the aggregate principal amount not to exceed $180 million. This authorization is for the limited purpose of providing grants for capital improvements for publicly owned wastewater treatment facilities with an authorized permitted flow of four hundred thousand gallons per day or more which are required to maintain compliance with nutrient standards for discharges to the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.

CHAPTER 29. MISCELLANEOUS BOARDS AND OFFICERS.

ARTICLE 22. STATE LOTTERY ACT.

§29-22-18a. State Excess Lottery Revenue Fund.

    (a) The State Lottery Fund in the State Treasury which is designated and known as the State Excess Lottery Revenue Fund is continued. The fund consists of all appropriations to the fund and all interest earned from investment of the fund and any gifts, grants or contributions received by the fund. All revenues received under the provisions of sections ten-b and ten-c, article twenty-two-a of this chapter and under article twenty-two-b of this chapter, except the amounts due the commission under subdivision (1), subsection (a), section one thousand four hundred eight, article twenty-two-b of this chapter, shall be deposited in the State Treasury and placed into the State Excess Lottery Revenue Fund. The revenue shall be disbursed in the manner provided in this section for the purposes stated in this section and shall not be treated by the State Auditor and the State Treasurer as part of the general revenue of the state.

    (b) For the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2002, the commission shall deposit: (1) $65 million into the subaccount of the state Excess Lottery Revenue Fund hereby created in the State Treasury to be known as the General Purpose Account to be expended pursuant to appropriation of the Legislature; (2) $10 million into the Education Improvement Fund for appropriation by the Legislature to the PROMISE Scholarship Fund created in section seven, article seven, chapter eighteen-c of this code; (3) $19 million into the Economic Development Project Fund created in subsection (e) of this section for the issuance of revenue bonds and to be spent in accordance with the provisions of said subsection; (4) $20 million into the School Building Debt Service Fund created in section six, article nine-d, chapter eighteen of this code for the issuance of revenue bonds; (5) $40 million into the West Virginia Infrastructure Fund created in section nine, article fifteen-a, chapter thirty-one of this code to be spent in accordance with the provisions of said article; (6) $10 million into the Higher Education Improvement Fund for Higher Education; and (7) $5 million into the State Park Improvement Fund for Park Improvements. For the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2003, the commission shall deposit: (1) $65 million into the General Purpose Account to be expended pursuant to appropriation of the Legislature; (2) $17 million into the Education Improvement Fund for appropriation by the Legislature to the PROMISE Scholarship Fund created in section seven, article seven, chapter eighteen-c of this code; (3) $19 million into the Economic Development Project Fund created in subsection (e) of this section for the issuance of revenue bonds and to be spent in accordance with the provisions of said subsection; (4) $20 million into the School Building Debt Service Fund created in section six, article nine-d, chapter eighteen of this code for the issuance of revenue bonds; (5) $40 million into the West Virginia Infrastructure Fund created in section nine, article fifteen-a, chapter thirty-one of this code to be spent in accordance with the provisions of said article; (6) $10 million into the Higher Education Improvement Fund for Higher Education; and (7) $7 million into the State Park Improvement Fund for Park Improvements.

    (c) For the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2004, and subsequent fiscal years through the fiscal year ending June 30, 2009, the commission shall deposit: (1) $65 million into the General Purpose Account to be expended pursuant to appropriation of the Legislature; (2) $27 million into the Education Improvement Fund for appropriation by the Legislature to the PROMISE Scholarship Fund created in section seven, article seven, chapter eighteen-c of this code; (3) $19 million into the Economic Development Project Fund created in subsection (e) of this section for the issuance of revenue bonds and to be spent in accordance with the provisions of said subsection; (4) $19 million into the School Building Debt Service Fund created in section six, article nine-d, chapter eighteen of this code for the issuance of revenue bonds: Provided, That for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2008, and subsequent fiscal years, no moneys shall be deposited in the School Building Debt Service Fund pursuant to this subsection and instead $19 million shall be deposited into the Excess Lottery School Building Debt Service Fund; (5) $40 million into the West Virginia Infrastructure Fund created in section nine, article fifteen-a, chapter thirty-one of this code to be spent in accordance with the provisions of said article; (6) $10 million into the Higher Education Improvement Fund for Higher Education; and (7) $5 million into the State Park Improvement Fund for Park Improvements. No portion of the distributions made as provided in this subsection and subsection (b) of this section, except distributions made in connection with bonds issued under subsection (f) of this section, may be used to pay debt service on bonded indebtedness until after the Legislature expressly authorizes issuance of the bonds and payment of debt service on the bonds through statutory enactment or the adoption of a concurrent resolution by both houses of the Legislature. Until subsequent legislative enactment or adoption of a resolution that expressly authorizes issuance of the bonds and payment of debt service on the bonds with funds distributed under this subsection and subsection (b) of this section, except distributions made in connection with bonds issued under subsection (d) of this section, the distributions may be used only to fund capital improvements that are not financed by bonds and only pursuant to appropriation of the Legislature.

    (d) For the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2009, and subsequent fiscal years, the commission shall deposit: (1) $65 million into the General Purpose Account to be expended pursuant to appropriation of the Legislature; (2) $29 million into the Education Improvement Fund for appropriation by the Legislature to the PROMISE Scholarship Fund created in section seven, article seven, chapter eighteen-c of this code; (3) $19 million into the Economic Development Project Fund created in subsection (e) of this section for the issuance of revenue bonds and to be spent in accordance with the provisions of said subsection; (4) $19 million into the Excess Lottery School Building Debt Service Fund created in section six, article nine-d, chapter eighteen of this code; (5) $40 million into the West Virginia Infrastructure Fund created in section nine, article fifteen-a, chapter thirty-one of this code to be spent in accordance with the provisions of said article; (6) $10 million into the Higher Education Improvement Fund for Higher Education; and (7) $5 million into the State Park Improvement Fund for Park Improvements. No portion of the distributions made as provided in this subsection and subsection (b) of this section, except distributions made in connection with bonds issued under subsection (f) of this section, may be used to pay debt service on bonded indebtedness until after the Legislature expressly authorizes issuance of the bonds and payment of debt service on the bonds through statutory enactment or the adoption of a concurrent resolution by both houses of the Legislature. Until subsequent legislative enactment or adoption of a resolution that expressly authorizes issuance of the bonds and payment of debt service on the bonds with funds distributed under this subsection and subsection (b) of this section, except distributions made in connection with bonds issued under subsection (f) of this section, the distributions may be used only to fund capital improvements that are not financed by bonds and only pursuant to appropriation of the Legislature.

    (e) The Legislature finds and declares that in order to attract new business, commerce and industry to this state, to retain existing business and industry providing the citizens of this state with economic security and to advance the business prosperity of this state and the economic welfare of the citizens of this state, it is necessary to provide public financial support for constructing, equipping, improving and maintaining economic development projects, capital improvement projects and infrastructure which promote economic development in this state.

    (1) The West Virginia Economic Development Authority created and provided for in article fifteen, chapter thirty-one of this code shall, by resolution, in accordance with the provisions of this article and article fifteen, chapter thirty-one of this code, and upon direction of the Governor, issue revenue bonds of the Economic Development Authority in no more than two series to pay for all or a portion of the cost of constructing, equipping, improving or maintaining projects under this section or to refund the bonds at the discretion of the authority. Any revenue bonds issued on or after July 1, 2002, which are secured by state excess lottery revenue proceeds shall mature at a time or times not exceeding thirty years from their respective dates. The principal of and the interest and redemption premium, if any, on the bonds shall be payable solely from the special fund provided in this section for the payment.

    (2) The special revenue fund named the Economic Development Project Fund into which shall be is deposited the amounts to be deposited in the fund as specified in subsections (b), (c), and (d) of this section is continued. The Economic Development Project Fund shall consist of all such moneys, all appropriations to the fund, all interest earned from investment of the fund and any gifts, grants or contributions received by the fund. All amounts deposited in the fund shall be pledged to the repayment of the principal, interest and redemption premium, if any, on any revenue bonds or refunding revenue bonds authorized by this section, including any and all commercially customary and reasonable costs and expenses which may be incurred in connection with the issuance, refunding, redemption or defeasance of the bonds. The West Virginia Economic Development Authority may further provide in the resolution and in the trust agreement for priorities on the revenues paid into the Economic Development Project Fund that are necessary for the protection of the prior rights of the holders of bonds issued at different times under the provisions of this section. The bonds issued pursuant to this subsection shall be separate from all other bonds which may be or have been issued, from time to time, under the provisions of this article.

    (3) After the West Virginia Economic Development Authority has issued bonds authorized by this section and after the requirements of all funds have been satisfied, including any coverage and reserve funds established in connection with the bonds issued pursuant to this subsection, any balance remaining in the Economic Development Project Fund may be used for the redemption of any of the outstanding bonds issued under this subsection which, by their terms, are then redeemable or for the purchase of the outstanding bonds at the market price, but not to exceed the price, if any, at which redeemable, and all bonds redeemed or purchased shall be immediately canceled and shall not again be issued.

    (4) Bonds issued under this subsection shall state on their face that the bonds do not constitute a debt of the State of West Virginia; that payment of the bonds, interest and charges thereon cannot become an obligation of the State of West Virginia; and that the bondholders' remedies are limited in all respects to the Special Revenue Fund established in this subsection for the liquidation of the bonds.

    (5) The West Virginia Economic Development Authority shall expend the bond proceeds from the revenue bond issues authorized and directed by this section for projects certified under the provision of this subsection: Provided, That the bond proceeds shall be expended in accordance with the requirements and provisions of article five-a, chapter twenty-one of this code and either article twenty-two or twenty-two-a, chapter five of this code, as the case may be: Provided, however, That if the bond proceeds are expended pursuant to article twenty-two-a, chapter five of this code and if the Design-Build Board created under said article determines that the execution of a design-build contract in connection with a project is appropriate pursuant to the criteria set forth in said article and that a competitive bidding process was used in selecting the design builder and awarding the contract, the determination shall be conclusive for all purposes and shall be considered to satisfy all the requirements of said article.

    (6) For the purpose of certifying the projects that will receive funds from the bond proceeds, a committee is hereby established and comprised of the Governor, or his or her designee, the Secretary of the Department of Revenue, the Executive Director of the West Virginia Development Office and six persons appointed by the Governor: Provided, That at least one citizen member must be from each of the state's three congressional districts. The committee shall meet as often as necessary and make certifications from bond proceeds in accordance with this subsection. The committee shall meet within thirty days of the effective date of this section.

    (7) Applications for grants submitted on or before July 1, 2002, shall be considered refiled with the committee. Within ten days from the effective date of this section as amended in the year 2003, the lead applicant shall file with the committee any amendments to the original application that may be necessary to properly reflect changes in facts and circumstances since the application was originally filed with the committee.

    (8) When determining whether or not to certify a project, the committee shall take into consideration the following:

    (A) The ability of the project to leverage other sources of funding;

    (B) Whether funding for the amount requested in the grant application is or reasonably should be available from commercial sources;

    (C) The ability of the project to create or retain jobs, considering the number of jobs, the type of jobs, whether benefits are or will be paid, the type of benefits involved and the compensation reasonably anticipated to be paid persons filling new jobs or the compensation currently paid to persons whose jobs would be retained;

    (D) Whether the project will promote economic development in the region and the type of economic development that will be promoted;

    (E) The type of capital investments to be made with bond proceeds and the useful life of the capital investments; and

    (F) Whether the project is in the best interest of the public.

    (9) A grant may not be awarded to an individual or other private person or entity. Grants may be awarded only to an agency, instrumentality or political subdivision of this state or to an agency or instrumentality of a political subdivision of this state. The project of an individual or private person or entity may be certified to receive a low-interest loan paid from bond proceeds. The terms and conditions of the loan, including, but not limited to, the rate of interest to be paid and the period of the repayment, shall be determined by the Economic Development Authority after considering all applicable facts and circumstances.

    (10) Prior to making each certification, the committee shall conduct at least one public hearing, which may be held outside of Kanawha County. Notice of the time, place, date and purpose of the hearing shall be published in at least one newspaper in each of the three congressional districts at least fourteen days prior to the date of the public hearing.

    (11) The committee may not certify a project unless the committee finds that the project is in the public interest and the grant will be used for a public purpose. For purposes of this subsection, projects in the public interest and for a public purpose include, but are not limited to:

    (A) Sports arenas, fields, parks, stadiums and other sports and sports-related facilities;

    (B) Health clinics and other health facilities;

    (C) Traditional infrastructure, such as water and wastewater treatment facilities, pumping facilities and transmission lines;

    (D) State-of-the-art telecommunications infrastructure;

    (E) Biotechnical incubators, development centers and facilities;

    (F) Industrial parks, including construction of roads, sewer, water, lighting and other facilities;

    (G) Improvements at state parks, such as construction, expansion or extensive renovation of lodges, cabins, conference facilities and restaurants;

    (H) Railroad bridges, switches and track extension or spurs on public or private land necessary to retain existing businesses or attract new businesses;

    (I) Recreational facilities, such as amphitheaters, walking and hiking trails, bike trails, picnic facilities, restrooms, boat docking and fishing piers, basketball and tennis courts, and baseball, football and soccer fields;

    (J) State-owned buildings that are registered on the National Register of Historic Places;

    (K) Retail facilities, including related service, parking and transportation facilities, appropriate lighting, landscaping and security systems to revitalize decaying downtown areas; and

    (L) Other facilities that promote or enhance economic development, educational opportunities or tourism opportunities thereby promoting the general welfare of this state and its residents.

    (12) Prior to the issuance of bonds under this subsection, the committee shall certify to the Economic Development Authority a list of those certified projects that will receive funds from the proceeds of the bonds. Once certified, the list may not thereafter be altered or amended other than by legislative enactment.

    (13) If any proceeds from sale of bonds remain after paying costs and making grants and loans as provided in this subsection, the surplus may be deposited in an account in the State Treasury known as the Economic Development Project Bridge Loan Fund administered by the Economic Development Authority created in article fifteen, chapter thirty-one of this code. Expenditures from the fund are not authorized from collections but are to be made only in accordance with appropriation by the Legislature and in accordance with the provisions of article three, chapter twelve of this code and upon fulfillment of the provisions of article two, chapter five-a of this code. Loan repayment amounts, including the portion attributable to interest, shall be paid into the fund created in this subdivision.

    (f) If the commission receives revenues in an amount that is not sufficient to fully comply with the requirements of subsections (b), (c), (d), and (i) of this section, the commission shall first make the distribution to the Economic Development Project Fund; second, make the distribution or distributions to the other funds from which debt service is to be paid; third, make the distribution to the Education Improvement Fund for appropriation by the Legislature to the PROMISE Scholarship Fund; fourth, make the distribution to the West Virginia Infrastructure Fund; and fourth fifth, make the distribution to the General Purpose Account: Provided, That, subject to the provisions of this subsection, to the extent the revenues are not pledged in support of revenue bonds which are or may be issued, from time to time, under this section, the revenues shall be distributed on a pro rata basis.

    (g) Each fiscal year, the commission shall, after meeting the requirements of subsections (b), (c), (d), and (i) of this section and after transferring to the State Lottery Fund created under section eighteen of this article an amount equal to any transfer from the State Lottery Fund to the Excess Lottery Fund pursuant to subsection (f), section eighteen of this article, deposit fifty percent of the amount by which annual gross revenue deposited in the State Excess Lottery Revenue Fund exceeds $225 million in a fiscal year in a separate account in the State Lottery Fund to be available for appropriation by the Legislature.

    (h) When bonds are issued for projects under subsections (d) and (e) of this section or for the School Building Authority, infrastructure, higher education or park improvement purposes described in this section that are secured by profits from lotteries deposited in the State Excess Lottery Revenue Fund, the Lottery Director shall allocate first to the Economic Development Project Fund an amount equal to one tenth of the projected annual principal, interest and coverage requirements on any and all revenue bonds issued, or to be issued as certified to the Lottery Director; and second, to the fund or funds from which debt service is paid on bonds issued under this section for the School Building Authority, infrastructure, higher education and park improvements an amount equal to one tenth of the projected annual principal, interest and coverage requirements on any and all revenue bonds issued, or to be issued as certified to the Lottery Director. In the event there are insufficient funds available in any month to transfer the amounts required pursuant to this subsection, the deficiency shall be added to the amount transferred in the next succeeding month in which revenues are available to transfer the deficiency.

    (i) Prior to the distributions provided in subsection (d) of this section, the Lottery Commission shall deposit into the General Revenue Fund amounts necessary to provide reimbursement for the refundable credit allowable under section twenty-one, article twenty-one, chapter eleven of this code.

    (j) (1) The Legislature considers the following as priorities in the expenditure of any surplus revenue funds:

    (A) Providing salary and/or increment increases for professional educators and public employees;

    (B) Providing adequate funding for the Public Employees Insurance Agency; and

    (C) Providing funding to help address the shortage of qualified teachers and substitutes in areas of need, both in number of teachers and in subject matter areas.

    (2) The provisions of this subsection may not be construed by any court to require any appropriation or any specific appropriation or level of funding for the purposes set forth in this subsection.

    (k) The Legislature further directs the Governor to focus resources on the creation of a prescription drug program for senior citizens by pursuing a Medicaid waiver to offer prescription drug services to senior citizens; by investigating the establishment of purchasing agreements with other entities to reduce costs; by providing discount prices or rebate programs for seniors; by coordinating programs offered by pharmaceutical manufacturers that provide reduced cost or free drugs; by coordinating a collaborative effort among all state agencies to ensure the most efficient and cost-effective program possible for the senior citizens of this state; and by working closely with the state's congressional delegation to ensure that a national program is implemented. The Legislature further directs that the Governor report his or her progress back to the Joint Committee on Government and Finance on an annual basis until a comprehensive program has been fully implemented.

    (l) After all of the expenditures in subsections (a) through (i) of this section have been satisfied in any fiscal year, the next $2 million shall be distributed as follows:

    (1) On the last day of the fiscal year that begins on July 1, 2010, and for each fiscal year thereafter, forty-six percent shall be placed in the general purse fund of a thoroughbred racetrack licensee that did not participate in the Thoroughbred Development Fund for at least four consecutive calendar years prior to December 31, 1992, for payment of regular purses;

    (2) Forty-three and one half percent shall be distributed to the racing commission special account - unredeemed pari-mutual tickets established on behalf of a thoroughbred racetrack licensee that did participate in the Thoroughbred Development Fund for at least four consecutive calendar years prior to December 31, 1992;

    (3) Five and one half percent shall be distributed to the racing commission special account - unredeemed pari-mutuel tickets established on behalf of a thoroughbred racetrack licensee that did not participate in the Thoroughbred Development Fund for at least four consecutive calendar years prior to December 31, 1992; and

    (4) Five percent shall be distributed to the West Virginia racing commission special account - Greyhound Breeding Development Fund.

§29-22-18d. Increase in allocation to West Virginia Infrastructure Fund from State Excess Lottery Revenue Fund.

    Notwithstanding any provision of subsection (d), section eighteen-a of this article to the contrary, the deposit of $40 million into the West Virginia Infrastructure Fund set forth above is for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2010, only. For the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2011, and subsequent fiscal years, the commission shall deposit $46 million into the West Virginia Infrastructure Fund.

CHAPTER 31. CORPORATIONS.

ARTICLE 15A. WEST VIRGINIA INFRASTRUCTURE AND JOBS DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL.

§31-15A-9. Infrastructure fund; deposits in fund; disbursements to provide loans, loan guarantees, grants and other assistance; loans, loan guarantees, grants and other assistance shall be subject to assistance agreements.

    (a) The Water Development Authority shall create and establish a special revolving fund of moneys made available by appropriation, grant, contribution or loan to be known as the "West Virginia Infrastructure Fund". This fund shall be governed, administered and accounted for by the directors, officers and managerial staff of the Water Development Authority as a special purpose account separate and distinct from any other moneys, funds or funds owned and managed by the Water Development Authority. The infrastructure fund shall consist of sub-accounts, as deemed necessary by the council or the Water Development Authority, for the deposit of: (1) Infrastructure revenues; (2) any appropriations, grants, gifts, contributions, loan proceeds or other revenues received by the infrastructure fund from any source, public or private, except for the first $6 million deposited pursuant to section eighteen-d, article twenty-two, chapter twenty-nine of this code; (3) amounts received as payments on any loans made by the Water Development Authority to pay for the cost of a project or infrastructure project; (4) insurance proceeds payable to the Water Development Authority or the infrastructure fund in connection with any infrastructure project or project; (5) all income earned on moneys held in the infrastructure fund; (6) all funds deposited in accordance with section four of article fifteen-b; and (7) all proceeds derived from the sale of bonds issued pursuant to article fifteen-b of this chapter.

    Any money collected pursuant to this section shall be paid into the West Virginia infrastructure fund by the state agent or entity charged with the collection of the same, credited to the infrastructure fund, and used only for purposes set forth in this article or article fifteen-b.

    Amounts in the infrastructure fund shall be segregated and administered by the water development authority separate and apart from its other assets and programs. Amounts in the infrastructure fund may not be transferred to any other fund or account or used, other than indirectly, for the purposes of any other program of the Water Development Authority, except that the Water Development Authority may use funds in the infrastructure fund to reimburse itself for any administrative costs incurred by it and approved by the council in connection with any loan, loan guarantee, grant or other funding assistance made by the Water Development Authority pursuant to this article.

    (b) Notwithstanding any provision of this code to the contrary, amounts in the infrastructure fund shall be deposited by the Water Development Authority in one or more banking institutions: Provided, That any moneys so deposited shall be deposited in a banking institution located in this state. The banking institution shall be selected by the Water Development Authority by competitive bid. Pending the disbursement of any money from the infrastructure fund as authorized under this section, the Water Development Authority shall invest and reinvest the moneys subject to the limitations set forth in article eighteen, chapter thirty-one of this code.

    (c) To further accomplish the purposes and intent of this article and article fifteen-b of this chapter, the Water Development Authority may pledge infrastructure revenues and from time to time establish one or more restricted accounts within the infrastructure fund for the purpose of providing funds to guarantee loans for infrastructure projects or projects: Provided, That for any fiscal year the Water Development Authority may not deposit into the restricted accounts more than twenty percent of the aggregate amount of infrastructure revenues deposited into the infrastructure fund during the fiscal year. No loan guarantee shall be made pursuant to this article unless recourse under the loan guarantee is limited solely to amounts in the restricted account or accounts. No person shall have any recourse to any restricted accounts established pursuant to this subsection other than those persons to whom the loan guarantee or guarantees have been made.

    (d) Each loan, loan guarantee, grant or other assistance made or provided by the Water Development Authority shall be evidenced by a loan, loan guarantee, grant or assistance agreement between the Water Development Authority and the project sponsor to which the loan, loan guarantee, grant or assistance shall be made or provided, which agreement shall include, without limitation and to the extent applicable, the following provisions:

    (1) The estimated cost of the infrastructure project or project, the amount of the loan, loan guarantee or grant or the nature of the assistance, and in the case of a loan or loan guarantee, the terms of repayment and the security therefor, if any;

    (2) The specific purposes for which the loan or grant proceed shall be expended or the benefits to accrue from the loan guarantee or other assistance, and the conditions and procedure for disbursing loan or grant proceeds;

    (3) The duties and obligations imposed regarding the acquisition, construction, improvement or operation of the project or infrastructure project; and

    (4) The agreement of the governmental agency to comply with all applicable federal and state laws, and all rules and regulations issued or imposed by the Water Development Authority or other state, federal or local bodies regarding the acquisition, construction, improvement or operation of the infrastructure project or project and granting the Water Development Authority the right to appoint a receiver for the project or infrastructure if the project sponsor should default on any terms of the agreement.

    (e) Any resolution of the Water Development Authority approving loan, loan guarantee, grant or other assistance shall include a finding and determination that the requirements of this section have been met.

    (f) The interest rate on any loan to governmental, quasi- governmental, or not for profit project sponsors for projects made pursuant to this article shall not exceed three percent per annum. Due to the limited availability of funds available for loans for projects, it is the public policy of this state to prioritize funding needs to first meet the needs of governmental, quasi- governmental and not for profit project sponsors and to require that loans made to for-profit entities shall bear interest at the current market rates. Therefore, no loan may be made by the council to a for-profit entity at an interest rate which is less than the current market rate at the time of the loan agreement.

    (g) The Water Development Authority shall cause an annual audit to be made by an independent certified public accountant of its books, accounts and records, with respect to the receipts, disbursements, contracts, leases, assignments, loans, grants and all other matters relating to the financial operation of the infrastructure fund, including the operating of any sub-account within the infrastructure fund. The person performing such audit shall furnish copies of the audit report to the commissioner of finance and administration, where they shall be placed on file and made available for inspection by the general public. The person performing such audit shall also furnish copies of the audit report to the Legislature's Joint Committee on Government and Finance.

    (h) There is hereby created in the Water Development Authority a separate, special account which shall be designated and known as the “West Virginia Infrastructure Lottery Revenue Debt Service Fund,” into which shall be deposited annually commencing July 1, 2011, the first $6 million transferred pursuant to section eighteen-d, article twenty-two, chapter twenty-nine of this code, any assessments collected pursuant to section five, article one, chapter twenty-two-c of this code and any other funds provided therefor: Provided, That such deposits and transfers are not subject to the reservations of funds established by sections ten and eleven of this article. Moneys in the West Virginia Infrastructure Lottery Revenue Debt Service Fund shall be used to pay debt service on bonds or notes issued by the Water Development Authority for Chesapeake Bay projects as provided in section seventeen-b of this article, and to the extent not needed to pay debt service, for the design of improvements for Chesapeake Bay projects.

§31-15A-17b. Infrastructure lottery revenue bonds for Chesapeake Bay watershed projects.

    (a) The Chesapeake Bay has been identified as an impaired water body due to excessive nutrients entering the Bay from various sources in six states, including wastewater facilities in West Virginia. To restore the Chesapeake Bay, the states have agreed to reduce their respective nutrient contributions to the Chesapeake Bay.

    (b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this code to the contrary, the Water Development Authority may issue, in accordance with the provisions of section seventeen of this article, infrastructure lottery revenue bonds payable from the West Virginia Infrastructure Lottery Revenue Debt Service Fund created by section nine of this article and such other sources as may be legally pledged for such purposes other than the West Virginia Infrastructure Revenue Debt Service Fund created by section seventeen of this article.

    (c) The council shall direct the Water Development Authority to issue bonds when it has approved Chesapeake Bay projects with an authorized permitted flow of four hundred thousand gallons per day or more. The proceeds of the bonds shall be used solely to pay costs of issuance, fund a debt service reserve account and to make grants to governmental instrumentalities of the state for the construction of approved Chesapeake Bay projects. To the extent funds are available in the West Virginia Infrastructure Lottery Revenue Debt Service Fund that are not needed for debt service, the council may direct the water development authority to make grants to project sponsors for the design of approved Chesapeake Bay projects.

    (d) No later than June 30, 2012, each publicly owned facility with an authorized permitted flow of 400,000 gallons per day or more that is subject to meeting Chesapeake Bay compliance standards shall submit to the Council a ten year projected capital funding plan for Bay compliance projects, including a general project description, cost estimate and estimated or actual project start date and project completion date, if any. Council shall timely review the submitted capital funding plans and forward approved plans to the water development authority for further processing and implementation pursuant to this article. If the Council finds a plan to be incomplete, inadequate or otherwise problematic, it shall return the plan to the applicant with comment on the plan shortcomings. The applicant may then resubmit to council an amended capital funding plan for further consideration pursuant to the terms of this paragraph.

    (e) Upon approval, each Chesapeake Bay project or portion of a larger project, which portion is dedicated to compliance with nutrient standards established for the protection and restoration of the Chesapeake Bay, shall be eligible for grant funding by funds generated by the infrastructure revenue bonds described in section (b) of this section.

    (f) No later than December 1, 2012, the water development authority shall report to the Joint Committee on Government and Finance the total cost of Chesapeake Bay compliance projects and the proposed grant awards for each eligible project. Grant awards shall be of equal percentage among applicants of the total cost of each applicant project or the cost of a portion of a larger project, which portion is dedicated to compliance with nutrient standards established for the Chesapeake Bay. At the request of the applicant, the remaining percentage of project funding not otherwise funded by grant under the provisions of this article may be administered as a normal project funding application.

    (g) Existing or planned publicly owned facilities with an authorized permitted flow of 400,000 gallons per day or more that have obtained project financing prior to December 31, 2011 for required nutrient removal projects may apply to the Council for grant funding under the provisions of this section. These funding applications shall be processed and considered as all other projects, and any grant funding obtained for these projects shall be dedicated solely to payment of principal and interest of funding previously awarded to governmental instrumentalities of the state for required Chesapeake Bay compliant nutrient removal projects. Funding provided by agreement between a political subdivision and one or more private entities, either by direct capital investment or debt service obligation, shall not be eligible for grant funding under the provisions of this article. The Legislature specifically finds that nothing shall prohibit the use of grant funding to retire part or all of the debt service associated with the funding previously awarded to the governmental entity of the state that qualifies for Grant funding under this section.

 

 

 

    Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from the present law, and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.

 

    §29-22-18d and §31-15A-17b are new; therefore, strike-throughs and underscoring have been omitted.

 

    This bill was recommended for introduction and passage during the Regular Session of the Legislature by the Joint Judiciary Committee.

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