(a) An authority that was in existence at the time of the enactment of this section may purchase, with the proceeds of its bonds or its revenue, VLF receivables from one or more local agencies. The authority may pledge, assign, resell or otherwise transfer or hypothecate any VLF receivables for the purpose of securing bonds issued to finance the purchase price of the VLF receivables.

(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, local agencies may sell VLF receivables to the authority, at one time or from time to time, and to enter into one or more sales agreements with an authority as and on the terms the local agency deems appropriate. The sales agreement may include covenants of, and binding on, the local agency necessary to establish and maintain the security of bonds issued by the authority for the purpose of purchasing the VLF receivables and, if applicable, the exclusion from gross income of interest on the bonds for federal income tax purposes. Any transfer of some or all of a VLF receivable by a local agency to the authority under this article that the governing documents state is a sale shall be treated as an absolute sale and transfer of the property so transferred to the authority and not as a pledge or grant of a security interest by the local agency to secure a borrowing. The characterization of the transfer of any VLF receivable as an absolute sale by the local agency shall not be negated or adversely affected by any of the following:

(1) The fact that only a portion of the VLF receivable is transferred.

(2) By the local agency’s acquisition of an ownership interest in any residual interest or a subordinate interest in the VLF receivable.

(3) By any characterization of the authority or its bonds for purposes of accounting, taxation, or securities regulation.

(4) By any other factor.

(c) On and after the effective date of each transfer of a VLF receivable under this article that the governing documents state is a sale, the local agency shall have no right, title, or interest in or to the VLF receivable transferred, and the VLF receivable so transferred shall be the property of the authority and not of the local agency, and shall be owned, received, held, and disbursed only by the authority or any trustee or agent of the authority appointed by the authority. Any sale of some or all of any VLF receivable shall automatically be perfected without the need for physical delivery, recordation, filing, or further act, and the provisions of Division 9 (commencing with Section 9101) of the Commercial Code and Sections 954.5 to 955.1, inclusive, of the Civil Code shall not apply to the sale. None of the VLF receivables sold by the local agency pursuant to this article shall be subject to garnishment, levy, execution, attachment, or other process, writ, including, but not limited to, a writ of mandate, or remedy in connection with the assertion or enforcement of any debt, claim, settlement, or judgment against the local agency. On or before the effective date of any sale of a VLF receivable, the local agency shall notify the Controller that the VLF receivable has been sold to the authority and irrevocably instruct the payor that, as of the effective date, payments on the VLF receivable so sold are to be made directly to the authority or any trustee or agent appointed by the authority.

(d) The state hereby covenants, for the benefit of the holders of any bonds issued by the authority pursuant to this article payable from VLF receivables purchased by the authority, that it will not take any action that would materially adversely affect the interest of the holders of these bonds or otherwise impair the security of these bonds, so long as any of these bonds remain outstanding.

(Added by Stats. 2004, Ch. 211, Sec. 4. Effective August 5, 2004.)