SB0388sam001 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Sen. A. J. Wilhelmi

Filed: 3/15/2010

09600SB0388sam001 LRB096 06419 MJR 38787 a

AMENDMENT TO SENATE BILL 388

AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend Senate Bill 388 by replacing everything after the enacting clause with the following:

"Section 5. The Illinois Finance Authority Act is amended by changing Section 825-90 as follows:

(20 ILCS 3501/825-90)

Sec. 825-90. Illinois Power Agency Bonds.

(a) In this Section:

"Agency" means the Illinois Power Agency.

"Agency loan agreement" means any agreement pursuant to which the Illinois Finance Authority agrees to loan the proceeds of its revenue bonds issued with respect to a specific Illinois Power Agency project to the Illinois Power Agency upon terms providing for loan repayment installments at least sufficient to pay when due all principal of, interest and premium, if any, on any revenue bonds of the Authority, if any, issued with respect to the Illinois Power Agency project, and providing for maintenance, insurance, and other matters as may be deemed desirable by the Authority.

"Authority" means the Illinois Finance Authority.

"Director" means the Director of the Illinois Power Agency.

"Facility" means an electric generating unit or a co-generating unit that produces electricity along with related equipment necessary to connect the facility to an electric transmission or distribution system.

"Governmental aggregator" means one or more units of local government that individually or collectively procures electricity to serve residential retail electrical loads located within its or their jurisdiction.

"Local government" means a unit of local government as defined in Section 1 of Article VII of the Illinois Constitution of 1970.

"Project" means any project as defined in the Illinois Power Agency Act.

"Real property" means any interest in land, together with all structures, fixtures, and improvements thereon, including lands under water and riparian rights, any easements, covenants, licenses, leases, rights-of-way, uses, and other interests, together with any liens, judgments, mortgages, or other claims or security interests related to real property.

"Revenue bond" means any bond, note, or other evidence of indebtedness issued by the Illinois Finance Authority on behalf of the Illinois Power Agency, the principal and interest of which is payable solely from revenues or income derived from any project or activity of the Agency.

(b) Powers and duties; Illinois Power Agency Program. The Authority has the power:

(1) To accept from time to time pursuant to an Agency loan agreement any pledge or a pledge agreement by the Agency subject to the requirements and limitations of the Illinois Power Agency Act.

(2) To issue revenue bonds in one or more series pursuant to one or more resolutions of the Authority to loan funds to the Agency pursuant to one or more Agency loan agreements meeting the requirements of the Illinois Power Agency Act and providing for the payment of any interest deemed necessary on those revenue bonds, paying for the cost of issuance of those revenue bonds, providing for the payment of the cost of any guarantees, letters of credit, insurance contracts or other similar credit support or liquidity instruments, or providing for the funding of any reserves deemed necessary in connection with those revenue bonds and refunding or advance refunding of any such revenue bonds and the interest and any premium thereon, pursuant to this Act. Authority for the agreements shall conform to the requirements of the Illinois Power Agency Act. The Authority may issue up to $4,000,000,000 aggregate principal amount of revenue bonds, the net proceeds of which shall be loaned to the Agency pursuant to one or more Agency loan agreements. No revenue bonds issued to refund or advance refund revenue bonds issued under this Section may mature later than the longest maturity date of the series of bonds being refunded. After the aggregate original principal amount of revenue bonds authorized in this Section has been issued, the payment of any principal amount of those revenue bonds does not authorize the issuance of additional revenue bonds (except refunding revenue bonds). Revenue refunding bonds may be issued under this Section to refund or advance refund revenue bonds issued under this Section. Any revenue refunding bond shall mature no later than 40 years after the original issuance of capital improvement revenue bonds that financed the project. Such revenue bond authorization is in addition to any other bonds authorized in this Act. All bonds issued on behalf of the Agency must be issued by the Authority and must be revenue bonds. These revenue bonds may be taxable or tax-exempt.

(3) To provide for the funding of any reserves or other funds or accounts deemed necessary by the Authority on behalf of the Agency in connection with its issuance of Agency revenue bonds.

(4) To accept the pledge of any Agency revenue, including any payments thereon, and any other property or funds of the Agency or funds made available to the Authority through the applicable Agency loan agreement with the Agency that may be applied to such purpose, as security for any revenue bonds or any guarantees, letters of credit, insurance contracts, or similar credit support or liquidity instruments securing the revenue bonds.

(5) To enter into agreements or contracts with third parties, whether public or private, including without limitation the United States of America, the State, or any department or agency thereof, to obtain any grants, loans, or guarantees that are deemed necessary or desirable by the Authority. Any such guarantee, agreement, or contract may contain terms and provisions necessary or desirable in connection with the program, subject to the requirements established by this Article.

(6) To charge reasonable fees to defray the cost of obtaining letters of credit, insurance contracts, or other similar documents, and to charge such other reasonable fees to defray the cost of trustees, depositories, paying agents, legal counsel, bond registrars, escrow agents, and other administrative expenses. Any such fees shall be payable by the Agency, in such amounts and at such times as the Authority shall determine.

(7) To obtain and maintain guarantees, letters of credit, insurance contracts, or similar credit support or liquidity instruments that are deemed necessary or desirable in connection with any revenue bonds or other obligations of the Authority for any Agency revenue bonds.

(8) To provide technical assistance, at the request of the Agency, with respect to the financing or refinancing for any public purpose.

(9) To sell, transfer, or otherwise defease revenue bonds issued on behalf of the Agency at the request and authorization of the Agency.

(10) To enter into agreements or contracts with any person necessary or appropriate to place the payment obligations of the Agency relating to revenue bonds in whole or in part on any interest rate basis, cash flow basis, or other basis desired by the Authority, including without limitation agreements or contracts commonly known as "interest rate swap agreements", "forward payment conversion agreements", and "futures", or agreements or contracts to exchange cash flows or a series of payments, or agreements or contracts, including without limitation agreements or contracts commonly known as "options", "puts" or "calls", to hedge payment, rate spread, or similar exposure; provided, that any such agreement or contract shall not constitute an obligation for borrowed money, and shall not be taken into account under Section 845-5 of this Act or any other debt limit of the Authority or the State of Illinois.

(11) To make and enter into all other agreements and contracts and execute all instruments necessary or incidental to performance of its duties and the execution of its powers under this Article.

(12) To contract for and finance the costs of audits and to contract for and finance the cost of project monitoring. Any such contract shall be executed only after it has been jointly negotiated by the Authority and the Agency.

(13) To exercise such other powers as are necessary or incidental to the foregoing.

(c) Illinois Power Agency participation. The Agency is authorized to voluntarily participate in this program as described in the Illinois Power Agency Act. The Authority may issue revenue bonds on behalf of the Agency pursuant to an Agency loan agreement entered into by the parties as set forth in the Illinois Power Agency Act. Any proceeds from the sale of those revenue bonds shall be deposited into the Illinois Power Agency Facilities Fund to be used by the Agency for the purposes set forth in the Illinois Power Agency Act.

(d) Pledge of revenues by the Agency. Any pledge of revenues or other moneys made by the Agency shall be binding from the time the pledge is made. Revenues and other moneys so pledged shall be held in the Illinois Power Agency Facilities Fund, Illinois Power Agency Debt Service Fund, or other funds as directed by the Agency loan agreement. Revenues or other moneys so pledged and thereafter received by the State Treasurer shall immediately be subject to the lien of the pledge without any physical delivery thereof or further act, and the lien of any pledge shall be binding against all parties having claims of any kind of tort, contract, or otherwise against the Authority, irrespective of whether the parties have notice thereof. Neither the resolution nor any other instrument by which a pledge is created need be filed or recorded except in the records of the Authority. The State pledges to and agrees with the holders of revenue bonds, and the beneficial owners of the revenue bonds issued on behalf of the Agency, that the State shall not limit or restrict the rights hereby vested in the Authority to purchase, acquire, hold, sell, or defease revenue bonds or other investments or to establish and collect such fees or other charges as may be convenient or necessary to produce sufficient revenues to meet the expenses of operation of the Authority, and to fulfill the terms of any agreement made with the holders of the revenue bonds issued by the Authority on behalf of the Agency or in any way impair the rights or remedies of the holders of those revenue bonds or the beneficial owners of the revenue bonds until those revenue bonds are fully paid and discharged or provision for their payment has been made. The revenue bonds shall not be a debt of the State, the Authority, any political subdivision thereof (other than the Agency to the extent provided therein), any governmental aggregator as defined in the Illinois Power Agency Act, or any local government, and neither the State, the Authority, any political subdivision thereof (other than the Agency to the extent provided therein), any governmental aggregator, nor any local government shall be liable thereon. The Authority shall not have the power to pledge the credit, the revenues, or the taxing power of the State, any political subdivision thereof (other than the Agency to the extent provided in the Agency loan agreement relating to the revenue bonds in question), any governmental aggregator, or of any local government, and neither the credit, the revenues, nor the taxing power of the State, any political subdivision thereof (other than the Agency to the extent provided in the Agency loan agreement relating to the revenue bonds in question), any governmental aggregator, or of any local government shall be, or shall be deemed to be, pledged to the payment of any revenue bonds, or obligations of the Agency.

(e) Exemption from taxation. The creation of the Illinois Power Agency is in all respects for the benefit of the people of Illinois and for the improvement of their health, safety, welfare, comfort, and security, and its purposes are public purposes. In consideration thereof, the revenue bonds issued on behalf of the Agency pursuant to this Act and the income from these revenue bonds may be free from all taxation by the State or its political subdivisions, except for estate, transfer, and inheritance taxes. The exemption from taxation provided by the preceding sentence shall apply to the income on any revenue bonds issued on behalf of the Agency only if the Authority with concurrence of the Agency in its sole judgment determines that the exemption enhances the marketability of the revenue bonds or reduces the interest rates that would otherwise be borne by the revenue bonds and that the project for which the revenue bonds will be issued will be owned by the Agency or another governmental entity and that the project is used for public consumption. For purposes of Section 250 of the Illinois Income Tax Act, the exemption of the Agency shall terminate after all of the revenue bonds have been paid. The amount of the income that shall be added and then subtracted on the Illinois income tax return of a taxpayer, subject to Section 203 of the Illinois Income Tax Act, from federal adjusted gross income or federal taxable income in computing Illinois base income shall be the interest net of any bond premium amortization.

(Source: P.A. 95-481, eff. 8-28-07; 95-876, eff. 8-21-08.)

Section 10. The Illinois Power Agency Act is amended by changing Sections 1-20, 1-45, and 1-57 as follows:

(20 ILCS 3855/1-20)

Sec. 1-20. General powers of the Agency.

(a) The Agency is authorized to do each of the following:

(1) Develop electricity procurement plans to ensure adequate, reliable, affordable, efficient, and environmentally sustainable electric service at the lowest total cost over time, taking into account any benefits of price stability, for electric utilities that on December 31, 2005 provided electric service to at least 100,000 customers in Illinois. The procurement plans shall be updated on an annual basis and shall include electricity generated from renewable resources sufficient to achieve the standards specified in this Act.

(2) Conduct competitive procurement processes to procure the supply resources identified in the procurement plan, pursuant to Section 16-111.5 of the Public Utilities Act.

(3) Develop electric generation and co-generation facilities that use indigenous coal or renewable resources, or both, financed with bonds issued by the Illinois Finance Authority.

(4) If an electric generation facility is owned and operated by the Agency, then supply Supply electricity from the facility Agency's facilities at cost to one or more of the following: municipal electric systems, governmental aggregators, or rural electric cooperatives in Illinois.

(b) Except as otherwise limited by this Act, the Agency has all of the powers necessary or convenient to carry out the purposes and provisions of this Act, including without limitation, each of the following:

(1) To have a corporate seal, and to alter that seal at pleasure, and to use it by causing it or a facsimile to be affixed or impressed or reproduced in any other manner.

(2) To use the services of the Illinois Finance Authority necessary to carry out the Agency's purposes.

(3) To negotiate and enter into loan agreements and other agreements with the Illinois Finance Authority.

(4) To obtain and employ personnel and hire consultants that are necessary to fulfill the Agency's purposes, and to make expenditures for that purpose within the appropriations for that purpose.

(5) To purchase, receive, take by grant, gift, devise, bequest, or otherwise, lease, or otherwise acquire, own, hold, improve, employ, use, and otherwise deal in and with, real or personal property whether tangible or intangible, or any interest therein, within the State.

(6) To acquire real or personal property, whether tangible or intangible, including without limitation property rights, interests in property, franchises, obligations, contracts, and debt and equity securities, and to do so by the exercise of the power of eminent domain in accordance with Section 1-21; except that any real property acquired by the exercise of the power of eminent domain must be located within the State.

(7) To sell, convey, lease, exchange, transfer, abandon, or otherwise dispose of, or mortgage, pledge, or create a security interest in, any of its assets, properties, or any interest therein, wherever situated.

(8) To purchase, take, receive, subscribe for, or otherwise acquire, hold, make a tender offer for, vote, employ, sell, lend, lease, exchange, transfer, or otherwise dispose of, mortgage, pledge, or grant a security interest in, use, and otherwise deal in and with, bonds and other obligations, shares, or other securities (or interests therein) issued by others, whether engaged in a similar or different business or activity.

(9) To make and execute agreements, contracts, and other instruments necessary or convenient in the exercise of the powers and functions of the Agency under this Act, including contracts with any person, local government, State agency, or other entity; and all State agencies and all local governments are authorized to enter into and do all things necessary to perform any such agreement, contract, or other instrument with the Agency. No such agreement, contract, or other instrument shall exceed 40 years.

(10) To lend money, invest and reinvest its funds in accordance with the Public Funds Investment Act, and take and hold real and personal property as security for the payment of funds loaned or invested.

(11) To borrow money at such rate or rates of interest as the Agency may determine, issue its notes, bonds, or other obligations to evidence that indebtedness, and secure any of its obligations by mortgage or pledge of its real or personal property, machinery, equipment, structures, fixtures, inventories, revenues, grants, and other funds as provided or any interest therein, wherever situated.

(12) To enter into agreements with the Illinois Finance Authority to issue bonds whether or not the income therefrom is exempt from federal taxation.

(13) To procure insurance against any loss in connection with its properties or operations in such amount or amounts and from such insurers, including the federal government, as it may deem necessary or desirable, and to pay any premiums therefor.

(14) To negotiate and enter into agreements with trustees or receivers appointed by United States bankruptcy courts or federal district courts or in other proceedings involving adjustment of debts and authorize proceedings involving adjustment of debts and authorize legal counsel for the Agency to appear in any such proceedings.

(15) (Blank) To file a petition under Chapter 9 of Title 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code or take other similar action for the adjustment of its debts.

(16) To enter into management agreements for the operation of any of the property or facilities owned by the Agency.

(17) To enter into an agreement to transfer and to transfer any land, facilities, fixtures, or equipment of the Agency to one or more municipal electric systems, governmental aggregators, or rural electric agencies or cooperatives, for such consideration and upon such terms as the Agency may determine to be in the best interest of the citizens of Illinois.

(18) To enter upon any lands and within any building whenever in its judgment it may be necessary for the purpose of making surveys and examinations to accomplish any purpose authorized by this Act.

(19) To maintain an office or offices at such place or places in the State as it may determine.

(20) To request information, and to make any inquiry, investigation, survey, or study that the Agency may deem necessary to enable it effectively to carry out the provisions of this Act.

(21) To accept and expend appropriations.

(22) To engage in any activity or operation that is incidental to and in furtherance of efficient operation to accomplish the Agency's purposes.

(23) To adopt, revise, amend, and repeal rules with respect to its operations, properties, and facilities as may be necessary or convenient to carry out the purposes of this Act, subject to the provisions of the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act and Sections 1-22 and 1-35 of this Act.

(24) To establish and collect charges and fees as described in this Act.

(25) To manage procurement of substitute natural gas from a facility that meets the criteria specified in subsection (a) of Section 1-58 1-56 of this Act, on terms and conditions that may be approved by the Agency pursuant to subsection (d) of Section 1-58 1-56 of this Act, to support the operations of State agencies and local governments that agree to such terms and conditions. This procurement process is not subject to the Procurement Code.

(Source: P.A. 95-481, eff. 8-28-07; 96-784, eff. 8-28-09; revised 10-13-09.)

(20 ILCS 3855/1-45)

Sec. 1-45. Illinois Power Agency Facilities Fund.

(a) The Illinois Power Agency Facilities Fund is created as a special fund in the State treasury.

(b) The Illinois Power Agency Facilities Fund shall be administered by the Agency for costs incurred in connection with the development and construction of a facility by the Agency as well as costs incurred in connection with the operation and maintenance of an Agency facility.

(c) (Blank) All moneys used by the Agency from the Illinois Power Agency Facilities Fund are subject to appropriation by the General Assembly.

(d) (Blank) All disbursements from the Illinois Power Agency Facilities Fund shall be made only upon warrants of the State Comptroller drawn upon the State Treasurer as custodian of the Fund upon vouchers signed by the Director or by the person or persons designated by the Director for that purpose. The Comptroller is authorized to draw the warrant upon vouchers so signed. The State Treasurer shall accept all warrants so signed and shall be released from liability for all payments made on those warrants.

(Source: P.A. 95-481, eff. 8-28-07.)

(20 ILCS 3855/1-57)

Sec. 1-57. Facility financing.

(a) The Agency shall have the power (1) to borrow from the Authority, through one or more Agency loan agreements, the net proceeds of revenue bonds for costs incurred in connection with the development and construction of a facility, provided that the stated maturity date of any of those revenue bonds shall not exceed 40 years from their respective issuance dates, (2) to accept prepayments from purchasers of electric energy from a project and to apply the same to costs incurred in connection with the development and construction of a facility, subject to any obligation to refund the same under the circumstances specified in the purchasers' contract for the purchase and sale of electric energy from that project, (3) to enter into leases or similar arrangements to finance the property constituting a part of a project and associated costs incurred in connection with the development and construction of a facility, provided that the term of any such lease or similar arrangement shall not exceed 40 years from its inception, and (4) to enter into agreements for the sale of revenue bonds that bear interest at a rate or rates not exceeding the maximum rate permitted by the Bond Authorization Act. All Agency loan agreements shall include terms making the obligations thereunder subject to redemption before maturity.

(b) The Agency may from time to time engage the services of the Authority, attorneys, appraisers, architects, engineers, accountants, credit analysts, bond underwriters, bond trustees, credit enhancement providers, and other financial professionals and consultants, if the Agency deems it advisable.

(c) The Agency may pledge, as security for the payment of its revenue bonds in respect of a project, (1) revenues derived from the operation of the project in whole or in part, including moneys derived from any power purchase agreements that require the power purchaser to make payments whether or not the project is operating or operable revenues derived from the operation of the project in part or whole, (2) the real and personal property, machinery, equipment, structures, fixtures, and inventories directly associated with the project, (3) grants or other revenues or taxes expected to be received by the Agency directly linked to the project, (4) payments to be made by another governmental unit or other entity pursuant to a service, user, or other similar agreement with that governmental unit or other entity that is a result of the project, (5) any other revenues or moneys deposited or to be deposited directly linked to the project, (6) all design, engineering, procurement, construction, installation, management, and operation agreements associated with the project, (7) any reserve or debt service funds created under the agreements governing the indebtedness, (8) the Illinois Power Agency Facilities Fund or the Illinois Power Agency Debt Service Fund, (9) moneys derived from any power purchase agreements or arrangements, or (10) (9) any combination thereof. Any such pledge shall be authorized in a writing, signed by the Director of the Agency, and then signed by the Governor of Illinois. At no time shall the funds contained in the Illinois Power Agency Trust Fund be pledged or used in any way to pay for the indebtedness of the Agency. The Director shall not authorize the issuance or grant of any pledge until he or she has certified that any associated project or proposed project is or will be in full compliance with Sections 1-85 and 1-86 of this Act. The certification shall be duly attached or referenced in the agreements reflecting the pledge. Any such pledge made by the Agency shall be valid and binding from the time the pledge is made. The revenues, property, or funds that are pledged and thereafter received by the Agency shall immediately be subject to the lien of the pledge without any physical delivery thereof or further act; and, subject only to the provisions of prior liens, the lien of the pledge shall be valid and binding as against all parties having claims of any kind in tort, contract, or otherwise against the Agency irrespective of whether the parties have notice thereof. All bonds issued on behalf of the Agency must be issued by the Authority and must be revenue bonds. These revenue bonds may be taxable or tax-exempt.

(d) All indebtedness issued by or on behalf of the Agency, including, without limitation, any revenue bonds issued by the Authority on behalf of the Agency, shall not be a debt of the State, the Authority, any political subdivision thereof (other than the Agency to the extent provided in agreements governing the indebtedness), any local government, any governmental aggregator as defined in the this Act, or any local government, and none of the State, the Authority, any political subdivision thereof (other than the Agency to the extent provided in agreements governing the indebtedness), any local government, or any government aggregator shall be liable thereon. Neither the Authority nor the Agency shall have the power to pledge the credit, the revenues, or the taxing power of the State, any political subdivision thereof (other than the Agency), any governmental aggregator, or of any local government, and neither the credit, the revenues, nor the taxing power of the State, any political subdivision thereof (other than the Agency), any governmental aggregator, or any local government shall be, or shall be deemed to be, pledged to the payment of any revenue bonds, notes, or other obligations of the Agency. In addition, the agreements governing any issue of indebtedness shall provide that all holders of that indebtedness, by virtue of their acquisition thereof, have agreed to waive and release all claims and causes of action against the State of Illinois in respect of the indebtedness or any project associated therewith based on any theory of law. However, the waiver shall not prohibit the holders of indebtedness issued on behalf of the Agency from filing any cause of action against or recovering damages from the Agency, recovering from any property or funds pledged to secure the indebtedness, or recovering from any property or funds to which the Agency holds title, provided the property or funds are directly associated with the project for which the indebtedness was specifically issued. Each evidence of indebtedness of the Agency, including the revenue bonds issued by the Authority on behalf of the Agency, shall contain a clear and explicit statement of the provisions of this Section.

(e) The Agency may from time to time enter into an agreement or agreements to defease indebtedness issued on its behalf or to refund, at maturity, at a redemption date or in advance of either, any indebtedness issued on its behalf or pursuant to redemption provisions or at any time before maturity. All such refunding indebtedness shall be subject to the requirements set forth in subsections (a), (c), and (d) of this Section. Any refunding bond shall mature no later than 40 years after the original issuance of capital improvements bonds that financed the project. No revenue bonds issued to refund or advance refund revenue bonds issued under this Section may mature later than the longest maturity date of the series of bonds being refunded. After the aggregate original principal amount of revenue bonds authorized in this Section has been issued, the payment of any principal amount of those revenue bonds does not authorize the issuance of additional revenue bonds (except refunding revenue bonds).

(f) If the Agency fails to pay the principal of, interest, or premium, if any, on any indebtedness as the same becomes due, a civil action to compel payment may be instituted in the appropriate circuit court by the holder or holders of the indebtedness on which the default of payment exists or by any administrative agent, collateral agent, or indenture trustee acting on behalf of those holders. Delivery of a summons and a copy of the complaint to the Director of the Agency shall constitute sufficient service to give the circuit court jurisdiction over the subject matter of the suit and jurisdiction over the Agency and its officers named as defendants for the purpose of compelling that payment. Any case, controversy, or cause of action concerning the validity of this Act shall relate to the revenue of the Agency. Any such claims and related proceedings are subject in all respects to the provisions of subsection (d) of this Section. The State of Illinois shall not be liable or in any other way financially responsible for any indebtedness issued by or on behalf of the Agency or the performance or non-performance of any covenants associated with any such indebtedness. The foregoing statement shall not prohibit the holders of any indebtedness issued on behalf of the Agency from filing any cause of action against or recovering damages from the Agency recovering from any property pledged to secure that indebtedness or recovering from any property or funds to which the Agency holds title provided such property or funds are directly associated with the project for which the indebtedness is specifically issued.

(g) Upon each delivery of the revenue bonds authorized to be issued by the Authority under this Act, the Agency shall compute and certify to the State Comptroller the total amount of principal of and interest on the Agency loan agreement supporting the revenue bonds issued that will be payable in order to retire those revenue bonds and the amount of principal of and interest on the Agency loan agreement that will be payable on each payment date during the then current and each succeeding fiscal year. As soon as possible after the first day of each month, beginning on the date set forth in the Agency loan agreement where that date specifies when the Agency shall begin setting aside revenues and other moneys for repayment of the revenue bonds per the agreed to schedule, the Agency shall certify to the Comptroller and the Comptroller shall order transferred and the Treasurer shall transfer from the Illinois Power Agency Facilities Fund to the Illinois Power Agency Debt Service Fund for each month remaining in the State fiscal year a sum of money, appropriated for that purpose, equal to the result of the amount of principal of and interest on those revenue bonds payable on the next payment date divided by the number of full calendar months between the date of those revenue bonds, and the first such payment date, and thereafter divided by the number of months between each succeeding payment date after the first. The Comptroller is authorized and directed to draw warrants on the State Treasurer from the Illinois Power Agency Facilities Fund and the Illinois Power Agency Debt Service Fund for the amount of all payments of principal and interest on the Agency loan agreement relating to the Authority revenue bonds issued under this Act. The State Treasurer or the State Comptroller shall deposit or cause to be deposited any amount of grants or other revenues expected to be received by the Agency that the Agency has pledged to the payment of revenue bonds directly into the Illinois Power Agency Debt Service Fund.

(h) The State of Illinois pledges to and agrees with the holders of the bonds and notes of the Agency and the Illinois Finance Authority issued pursuant to this Act or the Illinois Finance Authority Act that the State will not limit or alter the rights and powers vested in the Agency or the Authority by this Act so as to impair the terms of any contract made by the Agency with such holders or in any way impair the rights and remedies of such holders until such bonds and notes, together with interest thereon, with interest on any unpaid installments of interest, and all costs and expenses in connection with any action or proceedings by or on behalf of such holders, are fully met and discharged. In addition, the State pledges to and agrees with the holders of the bonds and notes of the Agency and the Authority issued pursuant to this Act that the State will not limit or alter the basis on which State funds are to be allocated, deposited, and paid to the Agency as provided in this Act, or the use of such funds, so as to impair the terms of any such contract. The Authority and the Agency are authorized to include these pledges and agreements of the State in any contract with the holders of bonds or notes issued pursuant to this Section.

(Source: P.A. 95-481, eff. 8-28-07.)

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.".