(a) If the committee determines that any bonds then outstanding, including bonds that by their terms are subject to redemption prior to maturity, should be redeemed or retired prior to maturity, and that money sufficient for that redemption or retirement will be available in the fund or the General Fund at the time proposed for the redemption or retirement, it may, by resolution, direct the Treasurer to call and redeem or retire any of these bonds, at a time specified in the resolution, and the Treasurer shall thereupon either give notice of the proposed redemption and redeem the bonds in accordance with the provisions for redemption provided for in the resolution adopted under Section 16731 pursuant to which the bonds were issued or arrange for the purchase and retirement of the bonds.

(b) Money sufficient for the redemption or retirement shall be determined to be available in the General Fund if the Treasurer certifies that either the issuance of refunding bonds under Article 6 (commencing with Section 16780) or the deferral of the planned payment of principal on outstanding bonds has reduced the principal payments required to be made from the General Fund on outstanding bonds during the current fiscal year by an amount equal to, or in excess of, the money required for the redemption or retirement.

(c) Money so determined to be sufficient for the redemption or retirement of bonds and available for that purpose shall be transferred from the General Fund to a separate account within the Refunding Escrow Fund created by Section 16784. Notwithstanding Section 13340, money in that account is continuously appropriated without regard to fiscal years for the purposes of this section. Funds in that account shall be held in trust for the benefit of the holders of the bonds which are to be redeemed or retired and used only for the payment of the principal of, and interest and any redemption premium on, or the purchase price of, the bonds which are to be redeemed or retired. Money in the account shall be invested by the Treasurer and any income from that investment shall be credited to the account. Any funds remaining in the account after all of the bonds are redeemed or retired shall be transferred to the General Fund.

(Amended by Stats. 2001, Ch. 97, Sec. 8. Effective July 24, 2001.)