MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

1997 Regular Session

To: Agriculture

By: Representatives Ford, Holland, Shows, Comans, Davis (7th), Dedeaux, Eaton, Ellzey, Evans, Franks, Gadd, Gibbs, Green (34th), Hamilton, Henderson (26th), Huddleston, Hudson, Ketchings, Malone, Maples, Martinson, Middleton, Miles, Mitchell, Moss, Nettles, Peranich, Robinson (84th), Saucier, Simmons (100th), Smith (27th), Straughter, Stringer, Weathersby

House Bill 1633

(As Sent to Governor)

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 31-25-21, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO AUTHORIZE THE MISSISSIPPI DEVELOPMENT BANK TO ISSUE GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI FOR CERTAIN LIMITED PURPOSES; TO AMEND SECTIONS 31-25-31, 31-25-37, 31-25-39 AND 31-25-105, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, IN CONFORMITY THERETO; TO AMEND SECTION 31-25-28, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REVISE THE PURPOSES FOR WHICH THE MISSISSIPPI DEVELOPMENT BANK MAY MAKE LOANS AND GRANTS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. Section 31-25-21, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

31-25-21. The bank is hereby granted, has and may exercise the power to borrow money and issue its bonds in such principal amounts as it shall deem necessary to provide funds to accomplish a public purpose or purposes of the state provided for under this act, including:

(a) The making of loans to local governmental units by the purchase of municipal securities thereof;

(b) The payment, funding, refunding of the principal of, or interest or redemption premiums on, any bonds issued by it whether the bonds have or have not become due or subject to redemption in accordance with their terms;

(c) The establishment or increase of such debt service reserves and capitalized interest accounts to pay bonds or interest thereon as the bank shall consider necessary or advisable in the marketing of such bonds;

(d) The payment of consultant and legal fees and such other costs of issuance and expenses necessary or incidental to such bond issue;

(e) The deposit of funds into reserve funds established by the bank;

(f) The establishment or increase of reserves to pay all other costs and expenses of the bank incident to and necessary or convenient to carrying out its corporate purposes and powers;

(g) The deposit of funds into the Water Pollution Control Revolving Fund and the Water Pollution Control Emergency Loan Fund created pursuant to Sections 49-17-81 through 49-17-89;

(h) The issuance of up to Fifty Million Dollars ($50,000,000.00) in revenue bonds for regional solid waste authorities and county cooperative service districts;

(i) The advance purchase of energy for any municipality that operates a gas producing, generating, transmission or distribution system, or an electric generating, transmission or distribution system under Sections 21-27-11 through 21-27-71; * * *

(j) The issuance of revenue bonds to fund or assist in funding retirement systems established pursuant to Sections 21-29-1 through 21-29-55 and Sections 21-29-101 through 21-29-151. Before any revenue bonds may be issued for this purpose the municipality whose retirement system is being funded by such bonds shall have an actuary perform a study through the Public Employees' Retirement System to determine the amount of revenue bonds that should be issued to make such retirement system actuarially sound; * * *

(k) To issue general obligation bonds of the State of Mississippi for the purposes provided in Section 31-25-20(g), as such section existed on April 3, 1996. The authority to issue such general obligation bonds of the State of Mississippi shall be repealed from and after the date that the bonds have been issued in their entirety;

(l) Any other lawful, corporate purpose.

SECTION 2. Section 31-25-31, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

31-25-31. (1) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (2) of this section, bonds issued by the bank under this act shall be general obligations of the bank or, if the resolution of the board authorizing their issuance shall so provide, shall be special obligations thereof payable solely from payments of principal, interest and redemption payments on the municipal securities being purchased with their proceeds or from such payments on any or all municipal securities held or to be held by the bank or from other funds available to the bank as provided in such resolution or by any provision of law. Bonds issued by the bank shall not constitute or become an indebtedness, or a debt or liability of the state or of any local governmental unit nor shall any such entity other than the bank (in the case of its general obligations) be liable thereon, nor shall bonds or any powers granted herein to the state or agency thereof or local governmental unit constitute the giving, pledging or loaning of the faith and credit of the state or such agency thereof or of such local governmental unit. The issuance of bonds hereunder shall not directly, indirectly or contingently obligate the state to levy or collect any form of taxes or assessments therefor or to create any indebtedness payable out of taxes or assessments or make any appropriation for their payment nor to pledge the taxing power of the state and such levy or pledge is prohibited; however, notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit any local governmental unit from assuming obligations in accordance with and subject to the limitations of this act or from issuing and selling municipal securities to the bank in accordance herewith. Nothing in this act shall be construed to authorize the bank to create a debt of the state within the meaning of the constitution or statutes of the state or authorize the bank to levy or collect taxes or assessments and bonds issued by the bank pursuant to the provisions of this act are payable and shall state plainly on their face that they are payable solely as general obligations of the bank, or solely from the funds pledged for their payment in accordance with the resolution authorizing their issuance or in any trust indenture or mortgage or deed of trust executed as security therefor, as the case may be, and are not a debt or liability of the state. The state shall not in any event be liable for the payment of the principal or interest on any bonds of the bank or for the performance of any pledge, mortgage, obligations or agreement of any kind whatsoever which may be undertaken by the bank. No breach of any such pledge, mortgage, obligation or agreement shall impose any pecuniary liability upon the state or any charge upon its general credit or against its taxing power.

(2) Bonds issued by the bank under Section 31-25-21(k) for the purposes provided in Section 31-25-20(g) shall be general obligations of the State of Mississippi, and for the payment thereof the full faith and credit of the State of Mississippi is irrevocably pledged. If the funds appropriated by the Legislature are insufficient to pay the principal of and the interest on such bonds as they become due, then the deficiency shall be paid by the State Treasurer from any funds in the State Treasury not otherwise appropriated. All such bonds shall contain recitals on their faces substantially covering the provisions of this subsection (2).

SECTION 3. Section 31-25-37, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

31-25-37. (1) The bank shall have the power, from time to time, to issue bonds for any of its corporate purposes, including without limitation to pay bonds, including the interest thereon, and whenever it deems refunding expedient, to refund any bonds by the issuance of new bonds, whether the bonds to be refunded have or have not matured, and to issue bonds partly to refund bonds then outstanding and partly for any of its corporate purposes. The refunding bonds may be exchanged for bonds to be refunded or sold and the proceeds applied to the purchase, redemption or payment of such bonds.

(2) The bank shall have power to make contracts for the future sale from time to time of bonds, pursuant to which the purchaser shall be committed to purchase and the bank shall have the power to pay such consideration as it shall deem proper for such commitments.

(3) Except as otherwise provided in this subsection (3), every issue of bonds of the bank shall be general obligations of the bank payable out of any revenues or funds of the bank, subject only to the provisions of the resolution of the bank authorizing the issuance of, or to any agreements with the holders of, particular bonds pledging any particular revenues or funds. Any such bonds may be additionally secured by a pledge of any grants, subsidies, contributions, funds or moneys from the United States of America or the state or any agency or instrumentality thereof, or any other governmental unit. However, bonds issued by the bank under Section 31-25-21(k) for the purposes provided in Section 31-25-20(g) shall be general obligations of the State of Mississippi, and for the payment thereof the full faith and credit of the State of Mississippi is irrevocably pledged. If the funds appropriated by the Legislature are insufficient to pay the principal of and the interest on such bonds as they become due, then the deficiency shall be paid by the State Treasurer from any funds in the State Treasury not otherwise appropriated. All such state general obligation bonds shall contain recitals on their faces substantially covering these provisions.

(4) Any law to the contrary notwithstanding, a bond issued under this act is fully negotiable and each holder or owner of a bond, or of any coupon appurtenant thereto, by accepting the bond or coupon shall be conclusively deemed to have agreed that the bond or coupon is fully negotiable for those purposes subject only to any provisions of bonds for registration.

(5) Bonds of the bank shall be authorized by resolution of the board of the bank, may be issued as serial bonds payable in annual installments or as term bonds or as a combination thereof, and shall bear such date or dates, mature at such time or times, be in such denomination or denominations, be in such form, either coupon or registered, carry such conversion or registration privileges, have such rank or priority, be payable from such sources in such medium of payment at such place or places within or without the state, and be subject to such terms of redemption, with or without premiums, as such resolution or resolutions may provide, except that no bond shall mature more than forty (40) years from the date of its issue. The bonds may bear interest at such rate or rates as the bank may by resolution determine, and such rate or rates shall not be limited by any other law relating to the issuance of bonds except that the interest rate on any bonds issued as general obligation bonds of the State of Mississippi shall not exceed the limits set forth in Section 75-17-101. The bonds and coupons appertaining thereto may be executed in such manner as shall be determined by the bank. In case any of the members or officers of the bank whose signatures appear on any bonds or coupons shall cease to be such members or officers before the delivery of such bonds, such signatures shall, nevertheless, be valid and sufficient for all purposes, the same as if such members or officers had remained in office until such delivery.

(6) Bonds of the bank may be sold at public or private sale at such time or times and at such price or prices as the bank shall determine.

(7) In connection with the issuance of bonds, the board of the bank may delegate to the executive director of the bank the power to determine the time or times of sale of such bonds, the amounts of such bonds, the maturities of such bonds, the rate or rates of interest of such bonds, and such other terms and details of the bonds, as may be determined by the board of the bank; provided, however, the board of the bank shall have adopted a resolution making such delegation and such resolution shall specify the maximum amount of the bonds which may be outstanding at any one time, the maximum rate of interest or interest rate formula (to be determined in the manner specified in such resolution) to be incurred through the issuance of such bonds and the maximum maturity date of such bonds. The board of the bank may also provide in the resolution authorizing the issuance of such bonds, in its discretion, (a) for the employment of one or more persons or firms to assist the bank in the sale of the bonds, (b) for the appointment of one or more banks or trust companies, either within or without the State of Mississippi, as depository for safekeeping, and as agent for the delivery and payment, of the bonds, (c) for the refunding of such bonds, from time to time, without further action by the board of the bank, unless and until the board of the bank revokes such authority to refund, and (d) other terms and conditions as the board of the bank may deem appropriate. In connection with the issuance and sale of such bonds, the board of the bank may arrange for lines of credit with any bank, firm or person for the purpose of providing an additional source of repayment for bonds issued pursuant to this section. Amounts drawn on such lines of credit may be evidenced by negotiable or nonnegotiable bonds or other evidences of indebtedness, containing such terms and conditions as the board of the bank may authorize in the resolution approving the same, and such notes or other evidences of indebtedness shall constitute bonds issued under their act. The board of the bank is authorized to pay all costs of issuance of the bonds.

(8) Neither the members of the bank nor any other person executing the bank's bonds issued pursuant to this act shall be liable personally on such bonds by reason of the issuance thereof.

(9) Bonds of the bank may be issued under this act without obtaining the consent of any department, division, commission, board, body, bureau or agency of the state, and without any other proceeding or the happening of any other conditions or things other than those proceedings, conditions or things which are specifically required by this act and by provisions of the resolution authorizing such bonds.

(10) Bonds of the bank may be validated in accordance with the provision of Sections 31-13-1 to 31-13-11 in the same manner as provided therein for bonds issued by a municipality. Any such validation proceedings shall be held in the First Judicial District of Hinds County. Notice thereof shall be given by publication in any newspaper published in the City of Jackson and of general circulation through the state.

SECTION 4. Section 31-25-39, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

31-25-39. In any resolution of the board of the bank authorizing, or relating to the issuance of any bonds, the board, in order to secure the payment of the bonds and in addition to its other powers, may covenant and contract with the holders of the bonds:

(a) To pledge to any payment or purpose all or any part of its revenues to which its right then exists or may thereafter come into existence, and the moneys derived therefrom, and the proceeds of any bonds including, but not limited to, any or all municipal securities held by the bank. Any such bonds may be additionally secured by a pledge of any grants, subsidies, contributions, or other funds or moneys from the United States or the state or any agency or instrumentality thereof, or any other governmental unit;

(b) To covenant against pledging all or any part of its revenues, or against permitting or suffering any lien on those revenues or its property;

(c) To pledge all or any part of the assets of the bank to secure the payment of the notes or bonds or of any issue of notes or bonds, subject to such agreements with holders of bonds as may then exist;

(d) To covenant as to the use and disposition of any payments of principal or interest received by the bank on municipal securities or other investments held by the bank;

(e) To covenant as to establishment of reserves or sinking funds, the making of provision for them and the regulation and disposition thereof;

(f) To covenant with respect to or against limitations on any right to sell or otherwise dispose of any property of any kind;

(g) To covenant as to any bonds to be issued by the bank, or by the local governmental unit the municipal securities of which are being purchased with the proceeds of an issue of bonds or notes of the bank, and their limitations and their terms and conditions and as to the custody, application and disposition of their proceeds, and pledging such proceeds to secure payment of bonds or any issue thereof;

(h) To contract with bond or note holders respecting the terms and conditions of agreements with the state or local governmental units made pursuant to the provisions of this act;

(i) To covenant as to the issuance of additional bonds or as to limitations on the issuance of additional bonds and on the incurring of other debts;

(j) To covenant as to the payment of the principal of or interest on the bonds, as to the sources and methods of payment, as to the rank or priority of any bonds with respect to any lien of security or as to the acceleration of the maturity of any bonds;

(k) To provide for the replacement of lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated bonds;

(l) To covenant against extending the time for the payment of bonds or interest thereon;

(m) To covenant as to the redemption of bonds and privileges of exchange thereof for the other bonds of the bank;

(n) To covenant as to any charges to be established and charged, the amount to be raised each year or other period of time by charges or other revenues and as to the use and disposition to be made thereof;

(o) To limit the amount of money to be expended by the bank for operating expenses of the bank;

(p) To covenant to create or authorize the creation of special funds or moneys to be held in pledge or otherwise for operating expenses, payment or redemption of bonds, reserves or other purposes and as to the use and disposition of the moneys held in those funds;

(q) To establish the procedures, if any, by which the terms of any contract or covenant with or for the benefit of the holders of bonds may be amended or abrogated, the amount of bonds the holders of which must consent thereto, and the manner in which the consent may be given;

(r) To covenant as to the custody of any of its properties or investments, the safekeeping thereof, the insurance to be carried thereon, and the use and disposition of insurance moneys;

(s) To covenant as to the time and manner of enforcement or restraint from enforcement of any rights of the bank arising by reason of or with respect to nonpayment of principal or interest of any municipal securities;

(t) To provide for the rights and liabilities, powers and duties arising upon the breach of any covenant, condition or obligation and to prescribe the events of default and the terms and conditions upon which any or all of the bonds or other obligations of the bank shall become or may be declared due and payable before maturity and the terms and conditions upon which the declaration and its consequences may be waived or rescinded;

(u) To vest in a trustee or trustees within or without the state such property, rights, powers and duties of any trustee as the bank may determine, which may include any of the rights, powers and duties of any trustee appointed by the holders of any bonds and to limit or abrogate the right of the holders of any bonds of the bank to appoint a trustee under this act or limiting the rights, powers and duties of the trustee;

(v) To pay the costs or expenses incident to the enforcement of the bonds or of the resolution or of any covenant or agreement of the bank with the holders of its bonds;

(w) To agree with any corporate trustee which may be any trust company or bank having the powers of a trust company within or without the state, as to the pledging or assigning of any revenues or funds to which the bank has any rights or interest, and may further provide for such other rights and remedies exercisable by the trustee as may be proper for the protection of the holders of any bonds of the bank and not otherwise in violation of law, and which agreement may provide for the restriction of the rights of any individual holder of bonds of the bank;

(x) To appoint and to provide for the duties and obligations of a paying agent or paying agents, or such other fiduciaries as the resolution may provide within or without the state;

(y) To limit the rights of the holders of any bonds to enforce any pledge or covenant securing bonds;

(z) To fix, or agree to fix such asset coverage or other ratios with respect to the security of its bonds and notes as the bank may deem prudent or otherwise advisable; and

(aa) To make covenants other than and in addition to the covenants herein expressly authorized, of like or different character, and to make covenants to do or refrain from doing such things as may be necessary, or covenant and desirable, in order better to secure bonds or which, in the absolute discretion of the bank, will tend to make bonds more marketable, notwithstanding that the covenants or things may not be enumerated herein.

In the discretion of the bank, the bonds may be secured by a trust indenture by and between the bank and a corporate trustee. Such trust indenture may contain such provisions for protecting and enforcing the rights and remedies of the bondholders as may be reasonable and proper and not in violation of law, including covenants setting forth the duties of the bank in relation to the exercise of its corporate powers and the custody, safeguarding and application of all moneys. The bank may provide by such trust indenture for the payment of the proceeds of the bonds and revenues to the trustee under such trust indenture or other depository, and for the method of disbursement thereof with such safeguards and restrictions as it may determine. All expenses incurred in carrying out such trust indenture may be treated as a part of the operating expenses of the bank. If the bonds shall be secured by a trust indenture, the bondholders shall not have the right to appoint a separate trustee to represent them.

Bonds issued by the bank under Section 31-25-21(k) for the purposes provided in Section 31-25-20(g) shall be general obligations of the State of Mississippi, and for the payment thereof the full faith and credit of the State of Mississippi is irrevocably pledged. If the funds appropriated by the Legislature are insufficient to pay the principal of and the interest on such bonds as they become due, then the deficiency shall be paid by the State Treasurer from any funds in the State Treasury not otherwise appropriated. All such bonds shall contain recitals on their faces substantially covering the provisions of this paragraph.

SECTION 5. Section 31-25-105, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

31-25-105. (1) In addition to any other funds it may establish, the Mississippi Development Bank may, by resolution, establish one or more special funds pursuant to this section, referred to herein as "debt service reserve funds," and may pay into such debt service reserve funds:

(a) Any monies appropriated and made available by the state for the purposes of such debt service reserve funds;

(b) Any proceeds from the sale of notes or bonds to the extent provided in the resolutions of the bank authorizing the issuance thereof; and

(c) Any monies which may be made available to the bank from any other sources for the purposes of such debt service reserve funds.

(2) So long as there are bonds outstanding secured by a debt service reserve fund created by this section, all monies held in any debt service reserve fund, except as otherwise permitted in this section, shall be used solely for the payment of the principal of the bonds or of the sinking fund payments mentioned in this section with respect to such bonds, the purchase or redemption of such bonds, the payment of interest on such bonds, or the payment of any redemption premium required to be paid when such bonds are redeemed prior to maturity; except that monies in any such funds shall not be withdrawn at any time in such amount as would reduce such fund to less than the debt service reserve fund requirement, except for the purpose of making with respect to such bonds principal, interest, redemption premium and sinking fund payments for the payment of which other monies of the bank are not available. Except to the extent monies in a debt service reserve fund are needed to satisfy a debt service reserve fund requirement, the amounts on deposit in such debt service reserve fund may be used for any corporate purposes of the bank in accordance with state and federal laws.

(3) The bank may provide by resolution for the establishment of a debt service reserve fund requirement for any debt service reserve fund established pursuant to this section.

(4) The chairman of the bank shall, on or before January 1 of each year make and deliver to the Governor of the state his certificate, stating the sum, if any, required to restore each debt service reserve fund to the debt service reserve fund requirement. The Governor shall transmit to the State Legislature a request for the amount, if any, required to restore each debt service reserve fund to the debt service reserve fund requirement. The State Legislature may, but shall not be required to, make any such appropriations so requested. All sums appropriated by the State Legislature for such restoration and paid shall be deposited by the bank in each such debt service reserve fund. Except as otherwise provided in this subsection (4), nothing provided in this section shall create or constitute a debt or liability of the state. Bonds issued by the bank under Section 31-25-21(k) for the purposes provided in Section 31-25-20(g) shall be general obligations of the State of Mississippi, and for the payment thereof the full faith and credit of the State of Mississippi is irrevocably pledged. If the funds appropriated by the Legislature are insufficient to pay the principal of and the interest on such bonds as they become due, then the deficiency shall be paid by the State Treasurer from any funds in the State Treasury not otherwise appropriated.

(5) The bank may create such other funds as may be necessary or desirable for the corporate purposes of the bank including debt service reserve funds not established pursuant to this section.

(6) Any monies appropriated by the State Legislature for the purposes of any of the debt service reserve funds established pursuant to this section shall not revert to the General Fund of the state at the end of any fiscal year.

SECTION 6. Section 31-25-28, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follow:

31-25-28. (1) Local governmental units may borrow money or receive grants from the bank for any of the purposes set forth in this section or Section 31-25-20(g) and pay to the bank such fees and charges for services as the bank may prescribe. Whenever any such loan is made to a local governmental unit, such local governmental unit may use available revenues for the repayment of the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on such loan, and pledge such available revenues or moneys for the repayment of the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on such loan. It is the intention of the Legislature that any such pledge of revenues or other moneys shall be valid and binding from the date the pledge is made; that such revenues or other moneys so pledged and thereafter received by the local governmental unit shall immediately be subject to the lien of such pledge without any physical delivery thereof or further act, and that the lien of any such pledge shall be valid and binding as against all parties having claims of any kind in tort, contract or otherwise against the local governmental unit irrespective of whether such parties have notice thereof; and neither the resolutions, contracts or any other instrument by which a pledge is created need be recorded.

(2) Local governmental units may contract with the bank with respect to any such loan and such contract shall contain such terms and conditions as may be prescribed by the bank.

(3) Local governmental units may in connection with any such loan enter into any covenants and agreements with respect to such local governmental unit's operations, revenues, assets, moneys, funds or property, or such loan, as may be prescribed by the bank.

(4) Upon the making of any such loan by the bank to any local governmental unit, such local governmental unit shall be held and be deemed to have agreed that if such governmental unit fails to pay the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on any such loan as when due and payable, such governmental unit shall have waived any and all defenses to such nonpayment, and the bank, upon such nonpayment, shall thereupon avail itself of all remedies, rights and provisions of law applicable in such circumstance, including without limitation, any remedies or rights theretofore agreed to by the local governmental unit, and that such loan shall for all of the purposes of this section, be held and be deemed to have become due and payable and to be unpaid. The bank may carry out the provisions of this section and exercise all of the rights and remedies and provisions of law provided or referred to in this section and of all other applicable laws of the state.

(5) Any local governmental unit that borrows from the bank under this section may agree in writing with the bank that, as provided in this subsection, the State Tax Commission or any state agency, department or commission created pursuant to state law shall (a) withhold all or any part (as agreed by the local governmental unit) of any moneys that such local governmental unit is entitled to receive from time to time pursuant to any law and that is in the possession of the State Tax Commission or any state agency, department or commission created pursuant to state law and (b) pay the same over to the bank to satisfy any delinquent payments on any such loan made to such local governmental unit under the provisions of this section and any other delinquent payments due and owing the bank by such local governmental unit, all as the same shall occur. If the bank files a copy of such written agreement, together with a statement of delinquency, with the State Tax Commission or any state agency, department or commission created pursuant to state law, then the State Tax Commission or any state agency, department or commission created pursuant to state law shall immediately make the withholdings provided in such agreement from the amounts due the local governmental unit and shall continue to pay the same over to the bank until all such delinquencies are satisfied.

(6) Before authorizing any loan for any of the purposes enumerated in Section 31-25-20(e), the governing authority of the local governmental unit shall adopt a resolution declaring its intention so to do, stating the amount of the loan proposed to be authorized and the purpose for which the loan is to be authorized, and the date upon which the loan will be authorized. Such resolution shall be published once a week for at least three (3) consecutive weeks in at least one (1) newspaper published in such local governmental unit. The first publication of such resolution shall be made not less than twenty-one (21) days before the date fixed in such resolution for the authorization of the loan and the last publication shall be made not more than seven (7) days before such date. If no newspaper is published in such local governmental unit, then such notice shall be given by publishing the resolution for the required time in some newspaper having a general circulation in such local governmental unit and, in addition, by posting a copy of such resolution for at least twenty-one (21) days next preceding the date fixed therein at three (3) public places in such local governmental unit. If fifteen percent (15%) of the qualified electors of the local governmental unit or fifteen hundred (1500), whichever is the lesser, file a written protest against the authorization of such loan on or before the date specified in such resolution, then an election on the question of the authorization of such loan shall be called and held as otherwise provided for in connection with the issuance of general obligation indebtedness of such local governmental unit. Notice of such election shall be given as otherwise required in connection with the issuance of general obligation indebtedness of such local governmental unit. If three-fifths (3/5) of the qualified electors voting in the election vote in favor of authorizing the loan, then the governing authority of the local governmental unit shall proceed with the loan; however, if less than three-fifths (3/5) of the qualified electors voting in the election vote in favor of authorizing the loan, then the loan shall not be incurred. If no protest be filed, then such loan may be entered into by the local governmental unit without an election on the question of the authorization of such loan, at any time within a period of two (2) years after the date specified in the resolution. However, the governing authority of any local governmental unit in its discretion may nevertheless call an election on such question, in which event it shall not be necessary to publish the resolution declaring its intention to authorize such loan as provided in this subsection.

(7) This section shall be deemed to provide an additional, alternative and complete method for the doing of the things authorized by this section and shall be deemed and construed to be supplemental to any power conferred by other laws on local governmental units and not in derogation of any such powers. Any loan made pursuant to the provisions of this section shall not constitute an indebtedness of the local governmental unit within the meaning of any constitutional or statutory limitation or restriction. In connection with a loan under this act, a local governmental unit shall not be required to comply with the provisions of any other law except as provided in this section.

SECTION 7. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage.