Prepared by Jennifer Lockwood, Associate Research Analyst July 21, FS020

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1 FACT SHEET W Y O M I N G L E G I S L A T I V E S E R V I C E O F F I C E Prepared by Jennifer Lockwood, Associate Research Analyst July 21, FS020 BONDING AUTHORITY PROVISIONS Table 1, below, displays the statutory references regarding each type of hospital within the state of Wyoming, the specific bonding authority related to each hospital type, and the manner in which a bonding authority may issue bonds to assist with specific related costs. Table 1. Bonding Authority Provisions. Hospital Type County memorial hospital districts Statutory References W.S Definitions; county memorial hospital; authority to issue revenue securities; purpose. (a) When a county memorial hospital as defined in W.S has been established as provided in W.S the board of county commissioners when requested by the board of trustees of a county memorial hospital may issue revenue bonds, notes and warrants or other revenue securities for the purpose of acquiring, erecting, constructing, reconstructing, improving, remodeling, furnishing or equipping hospitals or related facilities, or acquiring a site or sites therefor. The procedure for issuing or refunding revenue bonds is the same as prescribed by W.S through as from time to time amended. (b) The trustees of a county memorial hospital may obtain financing for its operations by entering into agreements for lines of credit with any financial institution as defined in W.S (a)(ix). The line of credit may either be unsecured, or secured by a pledge of revenues anticipated to be received during the current fiscal year. (c) In addition to the authority of the county commissioners to issue certificates of indebtedness to meet the obligations of county memorial hospitals under W.S , with the permission of the board of county commissioners, the trustees of a county memorial hospital may issue tax and revenue anticipation notes in amounts not to exceed eighty percent (80%) of the total amount of taxes levied for operation of the hospital for the fiscal year during which the notes are issued when the board determines that insufficient funds are available to meet the obligations of the hospital during any fiscal year. A county memorial hospital shall not enter into agreements or issue instruments of the type allowed by this section for any fiscal year until all debts financed by such agreements or instruments for any prior fiscal year have been paid in full. Tax and revenue anticipation notes issued under this subsection are subject to the procedural requirements of W.S through for state tax and revenue anticipation notes, except: RESEARCH AND INFORMATION SERVICES 213 State Capitol Cheyenne, Wyoming 82002

2 PAGE 2 OF 6 Hospital Type Statutory References Special hospital districts Rural health care districts Source: LSO Research staff summary of Wyoming State Statutes. (i) The authority of the state treasurer referenced in W.S through shall be exercised by the board issuing the notes; and (ii) Investments of the proceeds of the notes by the trustees are limited to those investments authorized under W.S and (d). W.S General obligation coupon bonds; requirements as to issuance generally; submission of question to electors. The board of trustees of a hospital district may upon approval of the board of county commissioners submit to the electors of the district the question whether the board shall be authorized to issue the general obligation coupon bonds of the district in a certain amount, not to exceed five percent (5%) of the assessed value of the taxable property in the district, and bearing a certain rate of interest, payable and redeemable at a certain time, not exceeding twenty-five (25) years for the purchase of real property, for the construction or purchase of improvements and for equipment for hospital purposes. W.S General obligation coupon bonds; issuance, form, notice, value, rejection of bids, and private sale. If the proposal to issue said bonds shall be approved, the board of trustees may issue such bonds in such form as the board may direct and shall give notice by publication in some newspaper published in the counties in which said district is located and in some newspaper of general circulation in the capital of this state of its intention to issue and negotiate such bonds, and to invite bidders therefor; provided that in no case shall such bonds be sold for less than their full or par value and the accrued interest thereon at the time of their delivery. And the said trustees are authorized to reject any bids, and to sell said bonds at private sale, if they deem it for the best interests of the district. W.S Bond issue. (a) The board of county commissioners at the request of the board of trustees of any rural health care district may submit to the electors of the district the question of whether the board of trustees shall be authorized to issue the bonds of the district in a certain amount, not to exceed two percent (2%) of the assessed value of the taxable property in the district, and bearing a certain rate of interest, not exceeding ten percent (10%) per annum, payable and redeemable at a certain time, not exceeding twenty-five (25) years, for the purchase of real property, for the construction or purchase of improvements and for equipment for rural health care purposes. The question shall be submitted at an election called, conducted, canvassed and returned in the manner provided for bond elections by the Political Subdivision Bond Election Law, W.S through (b) If the proposal to issue bonds is approved, the board of trustees may issue bonds in such form as the board directs, provided any bonds issued under this article shall be in registered or bearer form and shall otherwise comply with W.S through The board of trustees shall give notice by publication in some newspaper published in the counties in which the district is located of its intention to issue and negotiate the bonds and to invite bidders therefor. In no case shall the bonds be sold for less than their full or par value and the accrued interest thereon at the time of their delivery. The trustees are authorized to reject any bids, and to sell the bonds at private sale, if they deem it for the best interests of the district.

3 PAGE 3 OF 6 RELATED STATUTES Listed below are additional Wyoming statutes that pertain to the issue of bonding for county memorial hospital districts, special hospital districts and rural health care districts. COUNTY MEMORIAL HOSPIT AL DISTRICTS Securities for acquiring and improving hospitals and related facilities; issuance authorized; lines of credit and tax and revenue anticipation notes. (a) The trustees of a hospital district established pursuant to W.S , are hereby authorized to issue revenue bonds, notes and warrants or other revenue securities, hereinafter referred to as securities, for the purpose of acquiring, erecting, constructing, reconstructing, improving, remodeling, furnishing and equipping hospitals and related facilities, and acquiring a site or sites therefor, from time to time hereafter as the trustees may determine. (b) If there are no monies available to the trustees of a hospital district before receipt of property taxes the trustees may issue warrants in anticipation of the receipt of property taxes for payment of operational expenses. The aggregate amount of the warrants shall not exceed the total amount of taxes levied. The warrants shall be payable solely from the collected taxes. (c) The trustees of a hospital district may obtain financing for its operations by entering into agreements for lines of credit with any financial institution as defined in W.S (a)(ix). The line of credit may either be unsecured, or secured by a pledge of revenues anticipated to be received during the current fiscal year. (d) In addition to its authority to issue warrants under this section, the trustees of a hospital district may issue tax and revenue anticipation notes in amounts not to exceed eighty percent (80%) of the total amount of taxes levied for operation of the district for the fiscal year during which the notes are issued when the board determines that insufficient funds are available to meet the obligations of the hospital during any fiscal year. A hospital district shall not enter into agreements or issue instruments of the type allowed by this section for any fiscal year until all debts financed by such agreements or instruments for any prior fiscal year have been paid in full. Tax and revenue anticipation notes issued under this subsection are subject to the procedural requirements of W.S through for state tax and revenue anticipation notes, except: (i) The authority of the state treasurer referenced in W.S through shall be exercised by the board issuing the notes; and (ii) Notwithstanding W.S (a), investments of the proceeds of the notes by the board are limited to those investments authorized under W.S Securities for acquiring hospitals and related facilities; requirements generally. (a) Except as otherwise provided, securities issued hereunder shall be authorized by resolution adopted by the trustees, shall bear date or dates, shall be in a denomination or denominations, shall mature at a time or times but in no event exceeding fifty (50) years from their date, shall be sold at public or private sale, and the securities and coupons shall be payable in a medium of payment at a banking institution or other place or places within or without the state, as determined by the trustees, may be made subject to prior redemption in advance of maturity in order or by lot or otherwise at a time or times without or with the payment of a premium or premiums not exceeding ten percent (10%) of the principal amount of the security so redeemed, as determined by the trustees. The resolution may provide for the accumulation of net revenue for a reserve fund and shall contain other or further covenants and agreements as may be determined by the governing board for the protection of bondholders. (b) Any resolution authorizing the issuance of securities or other instruments appertaining thereto may provide for the capitalizing of interest on any securities during any period of construction estimated by the trustees and one (1) year thereafter and any other cost of any project herein authorized, by providing for the payment of the amount capitalized from the proceeds of the securities. (c) Securities may be issued with privileges for conversion or registration, or both, for payment as to principal or interest, or both.

4 PAGE 4 OF 6 (d) Any resolution authorizing the issuance of securities, or any other instrument appertaining thereto may provide for their reissuance in other denominations in negotiable or nonnegotiable form and otherwise in such manner and form as the trustees may determine. (e) Any resolution authorizing, or other instrument appertaining to, any securities hereunder may provide that each security therein authorized shall recite that it is issued under authority hereof. Such recital shall conclusively impart full compliance with all of the provisions hereof, and all securities issued containing such recital shall be incontestable for any cause whatsoever after their delivery for value. (f) Subject to the payment provisions herein specifically provided, any securities, any interest coupons thereto attached, shall be fully negotiable within the meaning of and for all the purposes of the Uniform Commercial Code, except as the trustees may otherwise provide, and each holder of such security, or of any coupons appertaining thereto, by accepting such security or coupon shall be conclusively deemed to have agreed that such security or coupon (except as otherwise provided) is and shall be fully negotiable within the meaning and for all purposes of said Uniform Commercial Code. (g) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the trustees in any proceedings authorizing securities hereunder: (i) May provide for the initial issuance of one (1) or more securities aggregating the amount of the entire issue or any part thereof; (ii) May make such provisions for installment payments of the principal amount of any such security as it may consider desirable; (iii) May provide for the making of any such security payable to bearer or otherwise, registrable as to principal or as to both principal and interest, and where interest accruing thereon is not represented by interest coupons, for the endorsing of payment of interest on such securities. (h) Except for any securities which are registrable for payment of interest, interest coupons payable to bearer and appertaining to the securities shall be issued and shall bear the original or facsimile signature of the president of the trustees. (j) Any securities herein authorized may be executed as provided by W.S through (k) The securities and any coupons bearing the signature of the officers in office at the time of the signing thereof, shall be valid and binding obligations of the trustees, notwithstanding that before the delivery thereof and payment therefor, any or all of the persons whose signatures appear thereon shall have ceased to fill their respective offices Securities for acquiring hospitals and related facilities; not a general obligation of hospital district or trustees; payable from special fund. The securities to be issued hereunder shall not constitute a general obligation of the hospital district, nor of the trustees, but shall be payable solely from a special fund to contain the net revenue to be derived from the operation of the hospitals and related facilities, such revenues being defined as those remaining after paying the costs of operating and maintaining said facilities Securities for acquiring hospitals and related facilities; issuance from time to time in one or more series. The securities authorized hereby may be issued from time to time and in one (1) or more series as the trustees may determine Securities for acquiring hospitals and related facilities; obligation of trustees to holders; suit for default, misuse of funds. The obligation of the trustees to the holders of the securities shall be limited to applying the funds, as set forth above, to the payment of interest and principal on said securities, and the securities shall contain a provision to that effect. In the event of default in the payment of said securities or the interest thereon, and in the event that the trustees are misusing such funds or not using them as provided by this act and the resolution authorizing the securities, or in the event of any other breach of any protective covenant or other contractual limitation, then such holders, or any of them, may bring suit against the trustees in the district court of the county in which the hospital

5 PAGE 5 OF 6 or any of its related facilities are located for the purpose of restraining the trustees from using such funds for any purpose other than the payment of the principal and interest on such securities in the manner provided, or for any other appropriate remedy. SPECI AL HOSPITAL DISTRICTS General obligation coupon bonds; requirements as to issuance generally; submission of question to electors. The board of trustees of a hospital district may upon approval of the board of county commissioners submit to the electors of the district the question whether the board shall be authorized to issue the general obligation coupon bonds of the district in a certain amount, not to exceed five percent (5%) of the assessed value of the taxable property in the district, and bearing a certain rate of interest, payable and redeemable at a certain time, not exceeding twenty-five (25) years for the purchase of real property, for the construction or purchase of improvements and for equipment for hospital purposes General obligation coupon bonds; conduct and results of election. The election authorized under W.S shall be called, conducted and the results thereof canvassed and certified in all respects as near as practicable in the same manner as is provided for bond elections by the Political Subdivision Bond Election Law, W.S through General obligation coupon bonds; issuance, form, notice, value, rejection of bids, and private sale. If the proposal to issue said bonds shall be approved, the board of trustees may issue such bonds in such form as the board may direct and shall give notice by publication in some newspaper published in the counties in which said district is located and in some newspaper of general circulation in the capital of this state of its intention to issue and negotiate such bonds, and to invite bidders therefor; provided that in no case shall such bonds be sold for less than their full or par value and the accrued interest thereon at the time of their delivery. And the said trustees are authorized to reject any bids, and to sell said bonds at private sale, if they deem it for the best interests of the district General obligation coupon bonds; preparation and execution; register to be kept. After ascertaining the best terms upon and the lowest interest at which said bonds can be negotiated, the board shall secure the proper engraving and printing and consecutive numbering thereof, and said bonds shall thereupon be otherwise properly prepared and executed. They must bear the signature of the president of the board of trustees and be countersigned by the secretary of the board and bear the district seal and be countersigned by the county treasurer of the county in which said district's funds are kept, and the coupons attached to the bonds must be signed by the said president, secretary and county treasurer; and the secretary of the board shall endorse a certificate upon every such bond, that the same is within the lawful debt limit of such district and is issued according to law and he shall sign such certificate in his official character. When so executed, they shall be registered by the county treasurer where said district's funds are kept in a book provided for that purpose, which must show the number and amount of each bond and the person to whom the same is issued General obligation coupon bonds; payment guaranteed. The full faith and credit of each hospital district is solemnly pledged for the payment of the interest and the redemption of the principal of all bonds which are issued by such district General obligation coupon bonds; payment of interest and principal. The county treasurer where said district's funds are kept may pay out of any moneys belonging to said district tax fund, the interest and the principal upon any bonds issued by such district, when the same becomes due, upon the presentation at his office of the proper coupon or bond, which must show the amount due, and each coupon must

6 PAGE 6 OF 6 also show the number of the bond to which it belonged, and all bonds and coupons so paid, must be reported to the district trustees at their first regular meeting thereafter General obligation coupon bonds; validity. All hospital districts heretofore formed and organized under the provisions of chapter 58 of the Session Laws of Wyoming, 1949, or under the provisions of chapter 141, Session Laws of Wyoming, 1951, are hereby declared to be duly organized and existing hospital districts; and all bonds heretofore issued and sold for the purpose of providing for the purchase of real property and improvements and equipment for hospital purposes, by any hospital district established under the provisions of chapter 58, Session Laws of Wyoming, 1949, or under the provisions of chapter 141, Session Laws of Wyoming, 1951, where the purchase money for such bonds has been actually received and retained for the purpose for which such bonds were sold, are hereby declared to be the valid and legally binding obligations of such district and all proceedings under which such bonds were issued are approved, ratified and declared valid. RURAL HEALTH CARE DISTRICTS Administration of finances; assessment and levy of taxes. (a) The board of trustees shall administer the finances of the district in accordance with W.S through (b) The assessor shall assess the property of each rural health care district. (c) The board of county commissioners, at the time of making the levy for county purposes shall levy a tax for that year upon the taxable property in the district in its county for its proportionate share based on assessed valuation of the estimated amount of funds needed by each rural health care district, but, except as provided in this subsection, in no case shall the tax for the district exceed in any one (1) year the amount of two (2) mills on each dollar of assessed valuation of the property. Up to an additional two (2) mills may be imposed on each dollar of assessed valuation of the property if approved by the board of trustees and if approved by the electors as provided in subsection (d) of this section. (d) If the board of trustees votes to increase the mill levy beyond two (2) mills as authorized by subsection (c) of this section, the board of county commissioners shall call an election within the district upon the question of whether the mill levy should be increased beyond two (2) mills. The election shall be called, conducted and canvassed as provided for bond elections by the Political Subdivision Bond Election Law, W.S through , on the first date authorized under W.S which is not less than sixty (60) days after the trustees vote to increase the mill levy beyond two (2) mills. In no event shall the tax in a district exceed in any one (1) year the amount of four (4) mills on each dollar of assessed valuation of property. The increase in mill levy is effective only if the question is approved by a majority of those voting thereon within the rural health care district. The cost of any special election under this subsection shall be borne by the board of trustees. (e) If the proposition to authorize an additional mill levy is approved, the same proposition or a proposition to impose a mill levy in a different amount, not to exceed two (2) mills, shall be submitted to the voters, until defeated, at the general election held every four (4) years thereafter. If the proposition to impose or continue the tax is defeated, the proposition shall not again be submitted to the electors for at least twenty-three (23) months. If you need anything further, please contact LSO Research at