Montana Title 7. Local Government § 7-7-2316. Advance refunding bonds

(1) The board of county commissioners may issue refunding bonds pursuant to this section to refund outstanding bonds in advance of the date on which the bonds mature or are subject to redemption, provided that the proceeds of the refunding bonds, less any accrued interest or premium received upon the sale of the refunding bonds, are deposited with other funds appropriated to the payment of the outstanding bonds in escrow with a suitable banking institution in or out of the state.

(2) Except as provided in subsection (3), the funds deposited must be invested in securities that are general obligations of the United States or the principal and interest of which are guaranteed by the United States and that mature or are callable at the option of the holder on those dates and bear interest at those rates and are payable on the dates that are required to provide funds sufficient, with any cash retained in the escrow account, to pay when due the interest to accrue on each bond being refunded to its maturity or redemption date, if called for redemption, to pay the principal of the bond at maturity or upon the redemption date, and to pay any redemption premium.

(3) If the funds initially deposited in escrow are sufficient, without regard to any investment income on those funds, to redeem in full the bonds being refunded as of their redemption date and to pay the principal of and interest and premium on the bonds being refunded at their stated maturities, the funds may be invested in the securities described in subsection (2) or in a money market fund composed exclusively of eligible securities described in 7-6-202 and that otherwise satisfies the requirements of 7-6-202(4).

(4) The escrow account is irrevocably appropriated to the payment of the principal of and interest and redemption premium on the bonds being refunded. Funds in the sinking fund account for the payment of the bonds being refunded and not required for the payment of principal of or interest on the bonds being refunded due prior to issuance of the refunding bonds may be appropriated by the county to the escrow account. The county may pay the reasonable costs and expenses of printing the refunding bonds and of establishing and maintaining the escrow account. Bonds that are refunded pursuant to this part are not to be considered outstanding for purposes of 7-7-2203 or any other debt limitation.