Florida Statutes § 349.05 — Bonds of the authority; bonds not debt or pledges of credit of state.

349.05 Bonds of the authority; bonds not debt or pledges of credit of state.—(1)(a) Bonds may be issued on behalf of the authority pursuant to the State Bond Act or, alternatively, the authority may issue bonds pursuant to paragraph (b). (b)1. The bonds of the authority issued pursuant to the provisions of this chapter, whether an original issuance or on refunding, shall be authorized by resolution of the members thereof and may be issued in one or more series, may be either term or serial bonds, and shall bear such date or dates, be payable on demand or mature at such time or times, not exceeding 40 years from their respective dates, bear interest, fixed or variable, at such rate or rates, not exceeding the maximum lawful interest rate, be in such denominations, be in such form, either coupon or fully registered, carry such registration, exchangeability, and interchangeability privileges, be payable in such medium of payment and at such place or places, be subject to such terms of redemption, with or without premium, and other terms, have such rank, and be entitled to such remedies and priorities on the revenues, rates, fees, rentals, or other charges or receipts of the authority including all or any portion of local option sales tax or county gasoline tax funds received by the authority, as the authority may determine. The bonds shall be executed either by manual or facsimile signature by such officers as the authority shall determine, provided that such bonds shall bear at least one signature that is manually executed thereon, and the coupons attached to such bonds shall bear the facsimile signature or signatures of such officer or officers as shall be designated by the authority and shall have the seal of the authority affixed, imprinted, reproduced, or lithographed thereon, all as may be prescribed in such resolution or resolutions. 2. Such bonds shall be sold at public or private sale at such price or prices as the authority determines to be in its best interest, except that the interest costs to the authority on such bonds may not exceed the maximum lawful interest rate. The authority shall provide a specific finding by resolution as to the reason requiring any negotiated sale. Pending the preparation of definitive bonds, interim certificates may be issued to the purchaser or purchasers of such bonds and may contain such terms and conditions as the authority may determine. 3. The authority may issue bonds pursuant to this paragraph to refund any bonds previously issued regardless of whether the bonds being refunded were issued by the authority pursuant to this chapter or on behalf of the authority pursuant to the State Bond Act. (2) Any such resolution or resolutions authorizing any bonds hereunder may contain provisions, and valid and legally binding covenants of the authority, which shall be part of the contract with the holders of such bonds, as to:(a) The pledging of all or any part of the revenues, rates, fees, rentals, including the sales surtax adopted pursuant to s. 212.055(1) (including all or any portion of the county gasoline tax funds received by the authority), or other charges or receipts of any nature of the authority, whether or not derived by the authority from the Jacksonville Expressway System or its other transportation facilities; (b) The completion, improvement, operation, extension, maintenance, repair, or lease of said system or transportation facilities, and the duties of the authority and others, including the department, with reference thereto; (c) Limitations on the purposes to which the proceeds of the bonds, then or thereafter to be issued, or of any loan or grant, may be applied; (d) The fixing, charging, establishing, and collecting of rates, fees, rentals, or other charges for use of the services and facilities of the Jacksonville Expressway System or any part thereof or its other transportation facilities; (e) The setting aside of reserves or sinking funds or repair and replacement funds and the regulation and disposition thereof; (f) Limitations on the issuance of additional bonds; (g) The terms and provisions of any lease-purchase agreement, deed of trust, or indenture securing the bonds or under which the same may be issued; and (h) Any other or additional provisions, covenants, and agreements with the holders of the bonds which the authority may deem desirable and proper. (3) The State Board of Administration may, upon request by the authority, act as fiscal agent for the authority in the issuance of any bonds that may be issued pursuant to this chapter, and the State Board of Administration may, upon request by the authority, take over the management, control, administration, custody, and payment of any or all debt services or funds or assets now or hereafter available for any bonds issued pursuant to this chapter. The authority may enter into deeds of trust, indentures, or other agreements with a corporate trustee or trustees, which shall act as fiscal agent for the authority and may be any bank or trust company within or without the state, as security for such bonds and may, under such agreements, assign and pledge all or any of the revenues, rates, fees, rentals, or other charges or receipts of the authority, including all or any portion of local option taxes or county gasoline tax funds received by the authority, thereunder. Such deed of trust, indenture, or other agreement may contain such provisions as are customary in such instruments or as the authority may authorize, including, without limitation, provisions as to:(a) The completion, improvement, operation, extension, maintenance, repair, and lease of all or any part of transportation facilities authorized in this chapter to be constructed, acquired, developed, or operated by the authority and the duties of the authority and others with reference thereto; (b) The application of funds and the safeguarding of funds on hand or on deposit; (c) The rights and remedies of the trustee and the holders of the bonds; and (d) The terms and provisions of the bonds or the resolutions authorizing the issuance of the same. (4) Any of the bonds issued pursuant to this chapter are, and are hereby declared to be, negotiable instruments and shall have all the qualities and incidents of negotiable instruments under the law merchant and the negotiable instruments law of the state. (5) Notwithstanding any of the provisions of this chapter, each project, building, or facility that has been financed by the issuance of bonds or other evidences of indebtedness under this chapter and any refinancing thereof is hereby approved as provided for in s. 11(f), Art. VII of the State Constitution. (6) Revenue bonds issued under the provisions of this chapter are not debts of the state or pledges of the faith and credit of the state. Such bonds are payable exclusively from revenues pledged for their payment. Each such bond shall contain a statement on its face that the state is not obligated to pay the same or the interest thereon, except from the revenues pledged for their payment, and that the faith and credit of the state is not pledged to the payment of the principle or interest of such bond. The issuance of revenue bonds under the provisions of this chapter does not directly, indirectly, or contingently obligate the state to levy or to pledge any form of taxation whatsoever or to make any appropriation for their payment.