SENATE BILL 623

54th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2019

INTRODUCED BY

Elizabeth "Liz” Stefanics

 

 

 

 

 

AN ACT

RELATING TO THE NEW MEXICO RENEWABLE ENERGY TRANSMISSION AUTHORITY; PROVIDING FOR FUNDING OF OPERATING COSTS THROUGH THE PUBLIC PROJECT REVOLVING FUND; AMENDING THE POWERS OF THE NEW MEXICO FINANCE AUTHORITY AND THE NEW MEXICO RENEWABLE ENERGY TRANSMISSION AUTHORITY.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

     SECTION 1. Section 6-21-5 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1992, Chapter 61, Section 5, as amended) is amended to read:

     "6-21-5. POWERS OF THE AUTHORITY.--The authority is granted all powers necessary and appropriate to carry out and effectuate its public and corporate purposes, including the following powers:

          A. to sue or be sued;

          B. to adopt and alter an official seal;

          C. to make and alter bylaws for its organization and internal management and to adopt, subject to the review and approval of the New Mexico finance authority oversight committee, such rules as are necessary and appropriate to implement the provisions of the New Mexico Finance Authority Act;

          D. to appoint officers, agents and employees, prescribe their duties and qualifications and fix their compensation;

          E. to make, enter into and enforce all contracts, agreements and other instruments necessary, convenient or desirable in the exercise of the authority's powers and functions and for the purposes of the New Mexico Finance Authority Act;

          F. to acquire, construct, hold, improve, grant mortgages of, accept mortgages of, sell, lease, convey or dispose of real and personal property for its public purposes;

          G. to acquire, construct or improve real property, buildings and facilities for lease and to pledge rentals and other income received from such leases to the payment of bonds;

          H. to make loans, leases and purchase securities and contract to make loans, leases and purchase securities;

          I. to make grants to qualified entities to finance public projects; provided that such grants are not made from the public project revolving fund;

          J. to procure insurance to secure payment on any loan, lease or purchase payments owed to the authority by a qualified entity in such amounts and from such insurers, including the federal government, as it may deem necessary or desirable and to pay any premiums for such insurance;

          K. to fix, revise from time to time, charge and collect fees and other charges in connection with the making of loans, leases and any other services rendered by the authority;

          L. to accept, administer, hold and use all funds made available to the authority from any sources;

          M. to borrow money and to issue bonds and provide for the rights of the holders of the bonds;

          N. to establish and maintain reserve and sinking fund accounts to insure against and have funds available for maintenance of other debt service accounts;

          O. to invest and reinvest its funds and to take and hold property as security for the investment of such funds as provided in the New Mexico Finance Authority Act;

          P. to employ attorneys, accountants, underwriters, financial advisers, trustees, paying agents, architects, engineers, contractors and such other advisers, consultants and agents as may be necessary and to fix and pay their compensation;

          Q. to apply for and accept gifts or grants of property, funds, services or aid in any form from the United States, any unit of government or any person and to comply, subject to the provisions of the New Mexico Finance Authority Act, with the terms and conditions of the gifts or grants;

          R. to maintain an office at any place in the state it may determine;

          S. subject to any agreement with bondholders, to:

                (1) renegotiate any loan, lease or agreement;

                (2) consent to any modification of the terms of any loan, lease or agreement; and

                (3) purchase bonds, which may upon purchase be canceled; [and]

          T. to ensure that sufficient funding exists for the operations of the New Mexico renewable energy transmission authority and, to the extent necessary, fund the New Mexico renewable energy transmission authority's operating costs through the public project revolving fund; and

          [T.] U. to do any and all things necessary or convenient to carry out its purposes and exercise the powers given and granted in the New Mexico Finance Authority Act."

    SECTION 2. Section 6-21-6 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1992, Chapter 61, Section 6, as amended) is amended to read:

     "6-21-6. PUBLIC PROJECT REVOLVING FUND--PURPOSE--

ADMINISTRATION.--

          A. The "public project revolving fund" is created within the authority. The fund shall be administered by the authority as a separate account, but may consist of such subaccounts as the authority deems necessary to carry out the purposes of the fund. The authority may establish procedures and adopt rules as required to administer the fund in accordance with the New Mexico Finance Authority Act.

          B. Except as otherwise provided in the New Mexico Finance Authority Act, money from payments of principal of and interest on loans and payments of principal of and interest on securities held by the authority for public projects authorized specifically by law shall be deposited in the public project revolving fund. The fund shall also consist of any other money appropriated, distributed or otherwise allocated to the fund for the purpose of financing public projects authorized specifically by law.

          C. Except as otherwise provided in Subsection D of this section, money appropriated to pay administrative costs, money available for administrative costs from other sources and money from payments of interest on loans or securities held by the authority, including payments of interest on loans and securities held by the authority for public projects authorized specifically by law, that represents payments for administrative costs shall not be deposited in the public project revolving fund and shall be deposited in a separate account of the authority and may be used by the authority to meet administrative costs of the authority.

          D. Except as otherwise provided in the New Mexico Finance Authority Act, money in the public project revolving fund is appropriated to the authority to pay the reasonably necessary costs of originating and servicing loans, grants or securities funded by the fund and to make loans or grants; [and] to purchase or sell securities to assist qualified entities in financing public projects in accordance with the New Mexico Finance Authority Act and pursuant to specific authorization by law for each project; and to fund the operations of the New Mexico renewable energy transmission authority.

          E. Money in the public project revolving fund not needed for immediate disbursement, including money held in reserve, may be deposited with the state treasurer for

short-term investment pursuant to Section 6-10-10.1 NMSA 1978 or may be invested in direct and general obligations of or obligations fully and unconditionally guaranteed by the United States, obligations issued by agencies of the United States, obligations of this state or any political subdivision of the state, interest-bearing time deposits, commercial paper issued by corporations organized and operating in the United States and rated "prime" quality by a national rating service, other investments permitted by Section 6-10-10 NMSA 1978 or as otherwise provided by the trust indenture or bond resolution, if money is pledged for or secures payment of bonds issued by the authority.

          F. The authority shall establish fiscal controls and accounting procedures that are sufficient to assure proper accounting for public project revolving fund payments, disbursements and balances.

          G. Money on deposit in the public project revolving fund may be used to make interim loans for a term not exceeding two years to qualified entities for the purpose of providing interim financing for any project approved or funded by the legislature.

          H. Money on deposit in the public project revolving fund may be used to acquire securities or to make loans to qualified entities in connection with the small loan program. As used in this subsection, "small loan program" means the program of the authority designed to provide financing for public projects in amounts not to exceed one million dollars ($1,000,000) per project. A public project financed pursuant to the small loan program shall not require specific authorization by law.

           I. Money on deposit in the public project revolving fund may be designated as a reserve for any bonds issued by the authority, including bonds payable from sources other than the public project revolving fund, and the authority may covenant in any bond resolution or trust indenture to maintain and replenish the reserve from money deposited in the public project revolving fund after issuance of bonds by the authority.

          J. Money on deposit in the public project revolving fund may be used to purchase bonds issued by the authority, which are payable from any designated source of revenues or collateral. Purchasing and holding the bonds in the public project revolving fund shall not, as a matter of law, result in cancellation or merger of the bonds notwithstanding the fact that the authority as the issuer of the bonds is obligated to make the required debt service payments and the public project revolving fund held by the authority is entitled to receive the required debt service payments.

          K. Money on deposit in the public project revolving fund may be used to capitalize other financing programs of the authority authorized by law, either directly or from proceeds of bonds issued by the authority and secured by money in the public project revolving fund."

     SECTION 3. Section 62-16A-4 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 2007, Chapter 3, Section 4) is amended to read:

     "62-16A-4. AUTHORITY--DUTIES AND POWERS.--

          A. The authority shall:

                (1) do any and all things necessary or proper to accomplish the purposes of the New Mexico Renewable Energy Transmission Authority Act;

                (2) hire an executive director and such other employees or other agents as it deems necessary for the performance of its powers and duties, including consultants, financial advisors and legal advisors, and prescribe the powers and duties and fix the compensation of the employees and agents. The executive director of the authority shall direct the affairs and business of the authority, subject to the policies, control and direction of the authority; [and]

                (3) maintain such records and accounts of revenues and expenditures as required by the state auditor. The state auditor or the state auditor's designee shall conduct an annual financial and legal compliance audit of the accounts of the authority and file copies with the governor and the legislature; and

                (4) if funding is needed for the operational costs of the authority, annually submit an operating budget to the New Mexico finance authority and work with the New Mexico finance authority to ensure that the authority's operating costs, to the extent necessary, are sufficiently provided for from the public project revolving fund each fiscal year.

          B. The authority may:

                (1) make and execute agreements, contracts and other instruments necessary or convenient in the exercise of its powers and functions with any person or governmental agency;

                (2) enter into contractual agreements with respect to one or more projects upon the terms and conditions the authority considers advisable;

                (3) utilize the services of executive departments of the state upon mutually agreeable terms and conditions;

                (4) enter into partnerships with public or private entities;

                (5) identify and establish corridors for the transmission of electricity within the state;

                (6) through participation in appropriate regional transmission forums, coordinate, investigate, plan, prioritize and negotiate with entities within and outside the state for the establishment of interstate transmission corridors;

                (7) pursuant to Subsection C of this section, finance or plan, acquire, maintain and operate eligible facilities necessary or useful for the accomplishment of the purposes of the New Mexico Renewable Energy Transmission Authority Act;

                (8) pursuant to the provisions of the Eminent Domain Code, exercise the power of eminent domain for acquiring property or rights of way for public use if needed for projects if such action does not involve taking utility property or does not materially diminish electric service reliability of the transmission system in New Mexico, as determined by the public regulation commission;

                [(9) receive by gift, grant, donation or otherwise, any sum of money, aid or assistance from the United States, the state of New Mexico, any other state, any political subdivision or any other public or private entity;

                (10)] (9) for any project, provide information and training to employees of the project regarding any unique hazards that may be posed by the project, as well as training in safety work practices and emergency procedures;

                [(11)] (10) issue bonds pursuant to the New Mexico Renewable Energy Transmission Authority Act as necessary to undertake a project;

                [(12)] (11) enter into contracts for the lease and operation by the authority of eligible facilities owned by a public utility or other private person;

                [(13)] (12) enter into contracts for leasing eligible facilities owned by the authority; provided that any revenue derived pursuant to the lease shall be deposited in the renewable energy transmission bonding fund;

                [(14)] (13) collect payments of reasonable rates, fees, interest or other charges from persons using eligible facilities to finance eligible facilities and for other services rendered by the authority; provided that any revenue derived from payments made to the authority shall be deposited in the renewable energy transmission bonding fund;

                [(15)] (14) borrow money necessary to carry out the purposes of the New Mexico Renewable Energy Transmission Authority Act and mortgage and pledge any leases, loans or contracts executed and delivered by the authority;

                [(16)] (15) sue and be sued; and

                [(17)] (16) adopt such reasonable administrative and procedural rules as may be necessary or appropriate to carry out its powers and duties.

          C. Except as provided in this subsection, the authority shall not enter into any project if public utilities or other private persons are performing the acts, are constructing or have constructed the facilities, or are providing the services contemplated by the authority, and are willing to provide funds for and own new infrastructure to meet an identified need and market. Before entering into a project, the following procedures shall be implemented:

                (1) the authority shall provide to each public utility and the public regulation commission and publish one time in a newspaper of general circulation in New Mexico and one time in a newspaper in the area where the eligible facilities are contemplated and on a publicly accessible web page maintained by the authority, an initial notice describing the project that the authority is contemplating, including a detailed description of the existing or anticipated renewable energy sources that justify the determination by the authority that the project facilities are eligible facilities. The description shall contain, at a minimum, the names of all persons that already are developing or will develop the renewable energy sources, all persons that will own the renewable energy sources and the peak output capacity, source type, location and anticipated connection date of the renewable energy sources;

                (2) any person with an interest that may be affected by the proposed project shall have thirty days from the date of the last publication of the initial notice to challenge, in writing, the determination by the authority that the facilities are eligible facilities. If a challenge is received by the authority within the thirty days, the authority shall hold a public hearing no sooner than thirty days after receiving the challenge and after a minimum of two weeks notice in the same newspapers and web page in which the initial notice was given. Following the public hearing, the authority shall make a final determination of eligibility and give notice of the determination pursuant to Section 39-3-1.1 NMSA 1978. Any person or governmental entity participating in the hearing may appeal the final determination by filing a notice of appeal with the district court pursuant to Section 39-3-1.1 NMSA 1978;

                (3) public utilities and other persons willing and able to provide money for, acquire, maintain and operate the eligible facilities described in the notice shall have the following time period to notify the authority of intention and ability to provide money for, acquire, maintain and operate the eligible facilities described in the notice:

                     (a) within ninety days of the date of the last publication of the initial notice if no challenge is received pursuant to Paragraph (2) of this subsection; or

                     (b) within ninety days of the date of the notice of determination if a challenge is received pursuant to Paragraph (2) of this subsection; and

                (4) in the absence of notification by a public utility or other person pursuant to Paragraph (3) of this subsection, or if a person, having given notice of intention to provide money for, acquire, maintain and operate the eligible facilities contemplated by the authority, fails to make a good faith effort to commence the same within twelve months from the date of notification by the authority of its intention, the authority may proceed to finance or plan, acquire, maintain and operate the eligible facilities originally contemplated; provided that a person that, within the time required, has made necessary applications to acquire federal, state, local or private permits, certificates or other approvals necessary to acquire the eligible facilities shall be deemed to have commenced the same as long as the person diligently pursues the permits, certificates or other approvals.

          D. In soliciting and entering into contracts for the transmission or storage of electricity, the authority and any person leasing or operating eligible facilities financed or acquired by the authority shall, if practical, give priority to those contracts that will transmit or store electricity to be sold and consumed in New Mexico.

          E. The authority and any eligible facilities acquired by the authority are not subject to the supervision, regulation, control or jurisdiction of the public regulation commission; provided that nothing in this subsection shall be interpreted to allow a public utility to include the cost of using eligible facilities in its rate base without the approval of the public regulation commission.

          F. In exercising its powers and duties, the authority shall not own or control facilities unless:

                (1) the facilities are leased to or held for lease or sale to a public utility or such other person approved by the public regulation commission;

                (2) the operation, maintenance and use of the facilities are vested by lease or other contract in a public utility or such other person approved by the public regulation commission;

                (3) the facilities are owned or controlled for a period of not more than one hundred eighty days after termination of a lease or contract described in Paragraph (1) or (2) of this subsection or after the authority gains possession of the facilities following a breach of such a lease or contract or as a result of bankruptcy proceedings; or

                (4) the facilities do not affect in-state retail rates or electric service reliability.

          G. A public utility subject to regulation of the public regulation commission pursuant to the Public Utility Act may recover the capital cost of a project undertaken pursuant to the New Mexico Renewable Energy Transmission Authority Act from its retail customers only if the project has received a certificate of public convenience and necessity from the public regulation commission. A municipal utility exempt from regulation of the public regulation commission may recover such costs only if the project has been approved by the governing body of the municipality. Costs associated with a project undertaken pursuant to the New Mexico Renewable Energy Transmission Authority Act are not recoverable from retail utility customers except to the extent the costs are prudently incurred and the project is used and useful in serving those customers as determined by the public regulation commission."

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