North Dakota Century Code Title 6. Banks and Banking § 6-09.4-06. Lending and borrowing powers generally

1. The public finance authority may lend money to political subdivisions or other contracting parties through the purchase or holding of municipal securities which, in the opinion of the attorney general, are properly eligible for purchase or holding by the public finance authority under this chapter or chapter 40-57 and for purposes of the public finance authority's capital financing program the principal amount of any one issue does not exceed five hundred thousand dollars. However, the public finance authority may lend money to political subdivisions through the purchase of securities issued by the political subdivisions through the capital financing program without regard to the principal amount of the bonds issued, if the industrial commission approves a resolution that authorizes the public finance authority to purchase the securities. The capital financing program authorizing resolution must state that the industrial commission has determined that private bond markets will not be responsive to the needs of the issuing political subdivision concerning the securities or, if it appears that the securities can be sold through private bond markets without the involvement of the public finance authority, the authorizing resolution must state reasons for the public finance authority's involvement in the bond issue. The public finance authority may hold such municipal securities for any length of time it finds to be necessary. The public finance authority, for the purposes authorized by this chapter or chapter 40-57, may issue its bonds payable solely from the revenues available to the public finance authority which are authorized or pledged for payment of public finance authority obligations, and to otherwise assist political subdivisions or other contracting parties as provided in this chapter or chapter 40-57.

2. The public finance authority may lend money to the Bank of North Dakota under terms and conditions requiring the Bank to use the proceeds to make loans for agricultural improvements that qualify for assistance under the revolving loan fund program established by chapter 61-28.2.

3. The public finance authority may transfer money to the Bank of North Dakota for allocations to infrastructure projects and programs. Bonds issued for these purposes are payable in each biennium solely from amounts the legislative assembly may appropriate for debt service for any biennium or from a reserve fund established for the bonds. Neither the obligation of the state to pay the bonds nor the obligation of the issuer to pay debt service will constitute a debt of the state or any agency or political subdivision of the state within the meaning of any constitutional or statutory provision. The issuance of the bond does not directly or contingently obligate the state to pay the bond payments beyond the appropriation for the current biennium of the state. The issuer has no taxing power. In addition to providing funds for the transfers, the public finance authority may use the bond proceeds to pay the costs of issuance of the bonds, capitalized interest, and establish a reserve fund for the bonds.

4. Bonds of the public finance authority issued under this chapter or chapter 40-57 are not in any way a debt or liability of the state and do not constitute a loan of the credit of the state or create any debt or debts, liability or liabilities, on behalf of the state, or constitute a pledge of the faith and credit of the state, but all such bonds are payable solely from revenues pledged or available for their payment as authorized in this chapter. Each bond must contain on its face a statement to the effect that the public finance authority is obligated to pay such principal or interest, and redemption premium, if any, and that neither the faith and credit nor the taxing power of the state is pledged to the payment of the principal of or the interest on such bonds. Specific funds pledged to fulfill the public finance authority's obligations are obligations of the public finance authority.

5. All expenses incurred in carrying out the purposes of this chapter or chapter 40-57 are payable solely from revenues or funds provided or to be provided under this chapter or chapter 40-57 and nothing in this chapter may be construed to authorize the public finance authority to incur any indebtedness or liability on behalf of or payable by the state.