(a) This title shall be administered by the authority, which shall have and is hereby vested with all powers reasonably necessary or proper to carry out the powers and responsibilities expressly granted or imposed, or reasonably implied, under this title.

(b) (1) The authority may exercise any power common to the county and the trustees necessary to carry out this title, and it shall have the power to issue bonds, notes, and other debt instruments.

(2) Obligations and liabilities of the authority do not constitute debt or liabilities of the state or of any political subdivision thereof, other than the authority, and do not constitute a pledge of the full faith and credit of the state or any of its political subdivisions. All bonds, notes, and other debt instruments issued by the authority shall contain on the face thereof, where applicable, the following statement: “Neither the full faith and credit nor the taxing power of the State of California is pledged to the payment of the principal of, or interest on, the bond.”

(3) Neither the authority nor the California State University shall at any time use or permit the use of the facilities at the site in such a manner or to such a degree that the tax-exempt status of bonds issued by the State of California, the California State Public Works Board, or the California State University would be adversely affected. Both the authority and the California State University shall monitor the use of the facilities improved with the proceeds of the tax-exempt bonds to ensure that the requirements of this section are satisfied.

(c) The authority may do all of the following:

(1) Adopt bylaws for the regulation of its affairs and the conduct of its business.

(2) Adopt an official seal.

(3) Sue and be sued in its own name.

(4) Receive and accept gifts, grants, loans, or donations of money, property, labor, or other things of value, for any of the purposes of this title from any of the following:

(A) A federal agency.

(B) A state agency.

(C) A municipality, county, or other political subdivision of the state.

(D) An individual, association, or corporation.

(5) Engage the services of private consultants to render professional and technical assistance and advice in carrying out the purposes of this title.

(6) (A) Determine the location and character of any project or educational facility and acquire, construct, enlarge, remodel, renovate, alter, improve, furnish, equip, own, maintain, manage, repair, operate, sell, lease as lessee or lessor, or regulate the project or educational facility.

(B) Enter into contracts for any of the purposes specified in this title, including, but not limited to, contracts for the management and operation of a project or other facilities owned by the authority.

(C) Designate a participating institution as its agent, with authority to enter into contracts, for any of the purposes specified in this title.

(7) Acquire, directly or by and through a participating institution as its agent, by purchase solely from funds provided pursuant to this title, or by gift or devise, and sell, by installment or otherwise, lands, structures, real or personal property, tangible or intangible property, rights, rights-of-way, franchises, easements, and other interests in property, including, but not limited to, lands lying under water and riparian rights, which the authority deems necessary or convenient for the acquisition, construction, financing, or operation of a project or an educational facility. The authority may do so upon the terms, and at the prices, it considers reasonable and upon which it can agree with the owner, and may take the title to the interest in the name of the authority.

(8) Make, directly or through a lending institution, secured or unsecured loans to, or purchase secured or unsecured loans from, a participating institution for any of the following purposes:

(A) To finance a project or provide working capital.

(B) To refinance indebtedness incurred by the participating institution in connection with projects undertaken, educational facilities acquired, or working capital financed.

(9) Mortgage all or any portion of interest of the authority in a project or other educational facility and the property on which that project or other educational facility is located whether owned or thereafter acquired, including the granting of a security interest in any property, tangible, or intangible and to assign or pledge all or any portion of the interests of the authority in mortgages, deeds of trust, indentures of mortgage or trust or similar instruments, notes and security interest in property, tangible or intangible, or future payments owed to the authority from participating institutions to which the authority has made loans, and the revenues therefrom, as well as moneys held by the authority on those payments or income from any owned or held by the authority, for the benefit of the holders of bonds issued to finance the project or educational facility or issued to refund or refinance outstanding bonds or indebtedness of participating institutions as permitted by this title.

(10) Upon the terms and conditions the authority deems proper, lease a project or educational facility being financed pursuant to this title to a person, partnership, corporation, or participating institution, and charge and collect rent therefor. The site authority shall ensure that all lease transactions are based upon fair market value rental rates appropriate to the type of facility, the terms of the lease, and the needs of the site authority. The authority may terminate a lease pursuant to this paragraph upon the lessee’s failure to comply with any of its obligations under the lease. The lease may include, but need not be limited to, any of the following provisions:

(A) The lessee shall have the option to renew the term of the lease for the period or periods, and at the rent, determined by the authority, or to purchase any or all of the lease property.

(B) Upon payment by the participating institution of all of the bonds incurred by the authority for the financing of the project or for the refinancing of the participating institution’s outstanding indebtedness, the authority may convey any or all of the leased property to the lessee or lessees, with or without further consideration.

(11) (A) Obtain, or aid in obtaining, from any state or federal agency or any private company, any insurance, guarantee, surety bond, letter or line of credit, or standby purchase agreement regarding, or of, or for, the payment or repayment of all or part of the interest, principal, or both, on any loan, lease, or obligation, or any instrument evidencing or securing the same, made or entered into pursuant to this title, or on any bonds issued pursuant to this title.

(B) Notwithstanding any other provision of this title, enter into any agreement, contract, or any other instrument regarding any insurance, guarantee, surety bond, letter or line of credit or standby purchase agreement specified in subparagraph (A), and accept payment in the manner and form provided therein in the event of default by a participating institution.

(C) Assign any insurance, guarantee, surety bond, letter, or line of credit or standby purchase agreement specified in subparagraph (A) as security for bonds issued by the authority.

(12) At the discretion of the authority, invest any moneys held in reserve or in sinking funds, or any moneys not required for immediate use of disbursement, in eligible securities pursuant to Section 16430 or investments pursuant to Section 53601.

(13) (A) Contract with the participating institution or institutions for insurance coverage from the insurance company or program and for the payment of any expenses in connection therewith, including any bonds issued to fund or finance the insurance company or program.

(B) Participate in joint risk management programs of its participating institutions, including, but not limited to, the California State University Risk Management Authority, with respect to some or all of its activities.

(14) Provide funding for self-insurance for participating institutions. Any self-insurance pooling program entered into by participating institutions that is funded or financed in whole or in part with proceeds of the sale of bonds pursuant to this title shall not be subject to regulation of any kind under the Insurance Code or otherwise as insurance, but shall only be subject to any conditions or restrictions that may be imposed by the authority.

(d) The authority shall have no power of eminent domain.

(Added by Stats. 1998, Ch. 861, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 1999. Conditionally operative as prescribed by Stats. 1998, Ch. 861, Sec. 5.)