Section 16965.

(a) (1) The Transportation Debt Service Fund is hereby created in the State Treasury. Moneys in the fund shall be dedicated to all of the following purposes:

(A) Payment of debt service with respect to designated bonds, as defined in subdivision (c) of Section 16773, and as further provided in paragraph (3) and subdivision (b).

(B) To reimburse the General Fund for debt service with respect to bonds.

(C) To redeem or retire bonds, pursuant to Section 16774, maturing in a subsequent fiscal year.

(2) The bonds eligible under subparagraph (B) or (C) of paragraph (1) include bonds issued pursuant to the Clean Air and Transportation Improvement Act of 1990 (Part 11.5 (commencing with Section 99600) of Division 10 of the Public Utilities Code), the Passenger Rail and Clean Air Bond Act of 1990 (Chapter 17 (commencing with Section 2701) of Division 3 of the Streets and Highways Code), the Seismic Retrofit Bond Act of 1996 (Chapter 12.48 (commencing with Section 8879) of Division 1 of Title 2), and the Safe, Reliable High-Speed Passenger Train Bond Act for the 21st Century (Chapter 20 (commencing with Section 2704) of Division 3 of the Streets and Highways Code), and nondesignated bonds under Proposition 1B, as defined in subdivision (c) of Section 16773.

(3) (A) The Transportation Bond Direct Payment Account is hereby created in the State Treasury, as a subaccount within the Transportation Debt Service Fund, for the purpose of directly paying the debt service, as defined in paragraph (4), of designated bonds of Proposition 1B, as defined in subdivision (c) of Section 16773. Notwithstanding Section 13340, moneys in the Transportation Bond Direct Payment Account are continuously appropriated for payment of debt service with respect to designated bonds as provided in subdivision (c) of Section 16773. So long as any designated bonds remain outstanding, the moneys in the Transportation Bond Direct Payment Account may not be used for any other purpose, and may not be borrowed by or available for transfer to the General Fund pursuant to Section 16310 or any similar law, or to the General Cash Revolving Fund pursuant to Section 16381 or any similar law.

(B) Once the Treasurer makes a certification that payment of debt service with respect to all designated bonds has been paid or provided for, any remaining moneys in the Transportation Bond Direct Payment Account shall be transferred back to the Transportation Debt Service Fund.

(C) The moneys in the Transportation Bond Direct Payment Account shall be invested in the Surplus Money Investment Fund, and all investment earnings shall accrue to the account.

(D) The Controller may establish subaccounts within the Transportation Bond Direct Payment Account as may be required by the resolution, indenture, or other documents governing any designated bonds.

(4) For purposes of this subdivision and subdivision (b), and subdivision (c) of Section 16773, "debt service" means payment of all of the following costs and expenses with respect to any designated bond:

(A) The principal of and interest on the bonds.

(B) Amounts payable as the result of tender on any bonds, as described in clause (iv) of subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (d) of Section 16731.

(C) Amounts payable under any contractual obligation of the state to repay advances and pay interest thereon under a credit enhancement or liquidity agreement as described in clause (iv) of subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (d) of Section 16731.

(D) Any amount owed by the state to a counterparty after any offset for payments owed to the state on any hedging contract as described in subparagraph (A) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (d) of Section 16731.

(b) From the moneys transferred to the fund pursuant to paragraph (2) or (3) of subdivision (c) of Section 9400.4 of the Vehicle Code, there shall first be deposited into the Transportation Bond Direct Payment Account in each month sufficient funds to equal the amount designated in a certificate submitted by the Treasurer to the Controller and the Director of Finance at the start of each fiscal year, and as may be modified by the Treasurer thereafter upon issuance of any new issue of designated bonds or upon change in circumstances that requires such a modification. This certificate shall be calculated by the Treasurer to identify, for each month, the amount necessary to fund all of the debt service with respect to all designated bonds. This calculation shall be done in a manner provided in the resolution, indenture, or other documents governing the designated bonds. In the event that transfers to the Transportation Bond Direct Payment Account in any month are less than the amounts required in the Treasurer's certificate, the shortfall shall carry over to be part of the required payment in the succeeding month or months.

(c) The state hereby covenants with the holders from time to time of any designated bonds that it will not alter, amend, or restrict the provisions of subdivision (c) of Section 16773 of the Government Code, or Sections 9400, 9400.1, 9400.4, and 42205 of the Vehicle Code, which provide directly or indirectly for the transfer of weight fees to the Transportation Debt Service Fund or the Transportation Bond Direct Payment Account, or subdivisions (a) and (b) of this section, or reduce the rate of imposition of vehicle weight fees under Sections 9400 and 9400.1 of the Vehicle Code as they existed on the date of the first issuance of any designated bonds, if that alteration, amendment, restriction, or reduction would result in projected weight fees for the next fiscal year determined by the Director of Finance being less than two times the maximum annual debt service with respect to all outstanding designated bonds, as such calculation is determined pursuant to the resolution, indenture, or other documents governing the designated bonds. The state may include this covenant in the resolution, indenture, or other documents governing the designated bonds.

(d) Once the required monthly deposit, including makeup of any shortfalls from any prior month, has been made pursuant to subdivision (b), from moneys transferred to the fund pursuant to paragraph (2) or (3) of subdivision (c) of Section 9400.4 of the Vehicle Code, or pursuant to Section 16965.1 or 63048.67, the Controller shall transfer as an expenditure reduction to the General Fund any amount necessary to offset the cost of current year debt service payments made from the General Fund with respect to any bonds issued pursuant to Proposition 192 (1996) and three-quarters of the amount of current year debt service payments made from the General Fund with respect to any nondesignated bonds, as defined in subdivision (c) of Section 16773, issued pursuant to Proposition 1B (2006). In the alternative, these funds may also be used to redeem or retire the applicable bonds, pursuant to Section 16774, maturing in a subsequent fiscal year as directed by the Director of Finance.

(e) From moneys transferred to the fund pursuant to Section 183.1 of the Streets and Highways Code, the Controller shall transfer as an expenditure reduction to the General Fund any amount necessary to offset the cost of current year debt service payments made from the General Fund with respect to any bonds issued pursuant to Proposition 116 (1990). In the alternative, these funds may also be used to redeem or retire the applicable bonds, pursuant to Section 16774, maturing in a subsequent fiscal year as directed by the Director of Finance.

(f) Once the required monthly deposit, including makeup of any shortfalls from any prior month, has been made pursuant to subdivision (b), from moneys transferred to the fund pursuant to paragraph (2) or (3) of subdivision (c) of Section 9400.4 of the Vehicle Code, or pursuant to Section 16965.1 or 63048.67, the Controller shall transfer as an expenditure reduction to the General Fund any amount necessary to offset the eligible cost of current year debt service payments made from the General Fund with respect to any bonds issued pursuant to Proposition 108 (1990) and Proposition 1A (2008), and one-quarter of the amount of current year debt service payments made from the General Fund with respect to any nondesignated bonds, as defined in subdivision (c) of Section 16773, issued pursuant to Proposition 1B (2006). The Department of Finance shall notify the Controller by July 30 of every year of the percentage of debt service that is expected to be paid in that fiscal year with respect to bond-funded projects that qualify as eligible guideway projects consistent with the requirements applicable to the expenditure of revenues under Article XIX of the California Constitution, and the Controller shall make payments only for those eligible projects. In the alternative, these funds may also be used to redeem or retire the applicable bonds, pursuant to Section 16774, maturing in a subsequent fiscal year as directed by the Director of Finance.

(g) On or before the second business day following the date on which transfers are made to the Transportation Debt Service Fund, and after the required monthly deposits for that month, including makeup of any shortfalls from any prior month, have been made to the Transportation Bond Direct Payment Account, the Controller shall transfer the funds designated for reimbursement of bond debt service with respect to nondesignated bonds, as defined in subdivision (c) of Section 16773, and other bonds identified in subdivisions (d), (e), and (f) in that month from the fund to the General Fund pursuant to this section.

(Amended by Stats. 2013, Ch. 35, Sec. 4. Effective June 27, 2013.)