BUSINESS AND OPERATIONS:  INTERCEPT AGREEMENTS                      [LAW]

 

 

If the school has amended its charter to provide for intercept agreements, the school may enter into such an agreement with the Texas Bond Review Board (TBRB) and the Comptroller of Public Accounts to increase its credit rating.

 

19 Tex. Admin. Code § 100.1201.

 

1.         Notification to the Bond Review Board

 

Prior to issuing any obligation, the board may notify the TBRB of the proposed issuance of an obligation and enter into an agreement with the TBRB to authorize and direct the comptroller, to withhold from the school, sufficient money from any payment to which the school may be entitled, and apply so much as shall be necessary to pay the principal of and interest on such obligation then due, and to continue withholding additional payments until an amount sufficient to satisfy the amount then due has been met.

 

2.         Agreement Requirements

 

The agreement with the TBRB and the comptroller shall set forth:

 

A.        The proposed date of issuance of the obligation and the name and series of the proposed obligation;

 

B.         Each payment date with respect to the obligation and the principal of and interest on the obligation coming due on each such date; and

 

C.        The name and address of the financial institution serving as paying agent for the obligation to whom any payment by the comptroller should be made.

 

The agreement terminates at the time the final payment of principal and interest on the obligation is made or the obligation is refunded.

 

3.         Failure to Make Payments

 

A.        If the school enters into an intercept agreement with the TBRB, the TBRB may, on notification from the school, the custodian bank, or the paying agent for the school, that the school is unable or has failed to pay amounts required by the agreement or to pay principal of or interest on the obligation when due, shall notify the comptroller, who shall withhold sufficient money from any payment to which such local government may be entitled and apply so much thereof as shall be necessary to pay the amounts then due.

 

B.         The school may, in the agreement, agree to make monthly deposits of one-sixth of the semiannual debt service requirement, or such other amount, at such other times as specified in the agreement, into an interest and sinking fund in a custodian bank.  If a bank agrees to serve as custodian for the interest and sinking fund, it shall be the duty of the bank to notify the TBRB if the agreed upon amount of funds is not deposited each month or other specified time on a timely basis.

 

C.        On receipt of notification and direction from the TBRB, the comptroller may withhold from any payment an amount equal to any amount approved by the school in the agreement.  The comptroller shall continue to withhold payments until the required amounts have been deposited in the interest and sinking fund with the custodian bank or with the paying agent.  If the required amounts have not been deposited at the time interest on or principal of the obligation of the school is required to be deposited pursuant to the agreement, the comptroller shall transmit, from payments withheld, the appropriate amount to the custodian bank or to the paying agent, as directed by the TBRB.

 

D.        Any notice described above in subparagraphs (A)-(C) above shall be provided to the school.

 

4.         Right to Pledge Payments

 

A.        The school may pledge payments to secure any obligation only if the amount of payments received by the school in the state fiscal year preceding the proposed issuance equals or exceeds the amount required in each year to pay the sum of an amount equal to two (2) times:

 

(1)        the maximum annual principal and interest requirements for the obligation; and

 

(2)        the maximum annual principal and interest requirements on any additional obligation for which payments have been pledged.

 

The school shall provide evidence that these requirements are met.

 

B.         A pledge of payments under this policy is a first priority for the application of payments.  The comptroller shall apply such payments as provided by this policy prior to applying such payments pursuant to any other authorization to withhold or intercept such payments.

 

Tex. Loc. Gov’t Code §§ 271.091-.095.