Minnesota Session Laws - 2014, Regular Session

CHAPTER 292--S.F.No. 2255

An act

relating to deposits and investments of public funds; granting the Metropolitan Council additional investment authority; authorizing certain investments by a Minnesota joint powers investment trust; making certain conforming technical changes;

amending Minnesota Statutes 2012, sections 118A.03, subdivision 5; 118A.04, subdivisions 7, 8; 118A.05, subdivision 4; 118A.07; 473.543, subdivision 3.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 118A.03, subdivision 5, is amended to read:

Subd. 5.

Withdrawal of excess collateral.

A financial institution may withdraw excess collateral or substitute other collateral after giving written notice to the deleted text begin governmental deleted text end new text begin government new text end entity and receiving confirmation. The authority to return any delivered and assigned collateral rests with the government entity.

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 118A.04, subdivision 7, is amended to read:

Subd. 7.

Temporary general obligation bonds.

Funds may be invested in general obligation temporary bonds of the same deleted text begin governmental deleted text end new text begin government new text end entity issued under section 429.091, subdivision 7, 469.178, subdivision 5, or 475.61, subdivision 6.

Sec. 3.

Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 118A.04, subdivision 8, is amended to read:

Subd. 8.

Debt service funds.

Funds held in a debt service fund may be used to purchase any obligation, whether general or special, of an issue which is payable from the fund, at such price, which may include a premium, as shall be agreed to by the holder, or may be used to redeem any obligation of such an issue prior to maturity in accordance with its terms. The securities representing any such investment may be sold by the deleted text begin governmental deleted text end new text begin government new text end entity at any time, but the money so received remains part of the fund until used for the purpose for which the fund was created. Any obligation held in a debt service fund from which it is payable may be canceled at any time unless otherwise provided in a resolution or other instrument securing obligations payable from the fund.

Sec. 4.

Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 118A.05, subdivision 4, is amended to read:

Subd. 4.

Minnesota joint powers investment trust.

Government entities may enter into agreements or contracts for:

(1) shares of a Minnesota joint powers investment trust whose investments are restricted to securities described in this section deleted text begin and deleted text end new text begin , new text end section 118A.04 new text begin , and section 118A.07, subdivision 7 new text end ;

(2) units of a short-term investment fund established and administered pursuant to regulation 9 of the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, in which investments are restricted to securities described in this section and section 118A.04;

(3) shares of an investment company which is registered under the Federal Investment Company Act of 1940 and which holds itself out as a money market fund meeting the conditions of rule 2a-7 of the Securities and Exchange Commission and is rated in one of the two highest rating categories for money market funds by at least one nationally recognized statistical rating organization; or

(4) shares of an investment company which is registered under the Federal Investment Company Act of 1940, and whose shares are registered under the Federal Securities Act of 1933, as long as the investment company's fund receives the highest credit rating and is rated in one of the two highest risk rating categories by at least one nationally recognized statistical rating organization and is invested in financial instruments with a final maturity no longer than 13 months.

Sec. 5.

Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 118A.07, is amended to read:

118A.07 ADDITIONAL INVESTMENT AUTHORITY.

Subdivision 1.

Authority provided.

As used in this section, "governmental entity" means a city with a population in excess of 200,000 deleted text begin or deleted text end new text begin , new text end a county that contains a city of that size new text begin , or the Metropolitan Council new text end . If a governmental entity meets the requirements of subdivisions 2 and 3, it may exercise additional investment authority under subdivisions 4, 5, and 6.

Subd. 2.

Written policies and procedures.

Prior to exercising any additional authority under subdivisions 4, 5, and 6, the governmental entity must have written investment policies and procedures governing the following:

(1) the use of or limitation on mutual bond funds or other securities authorized or permitted investments under law;

(2) specifications for and limitations on the use of derivatives;

(3) the final maturity of any individual security;

(4) the maximum average weighted life of the portfolio;

(5) the use of and limitations on reverse repurchase agreements;

(6) credit standards for financial institutions with which the deleted text begin government deleted text end new text begin governmental new text end entity deals; and

(7) credit standards for investments made by the deleted text begin government deleted text end new text begin governmental new text end entity.

Subd. 3.

Oversight process.

Prior to exercising any authority under subdivisions 4, 5, and 6, the governmental entity must establish an oversight process that provides for review of the deleted text begin government deleted text end new text begin governmental new text end entity's investment strategy and the composition of the financial portfolio. This process shall include one or more of the following:

(1) audit reviews;

(2) internal or external investment committee reviews; and

(3) internal management control.

Additionally, the governing body of the governmental entity must, by resolution, authorize its treasurer to utilize the additional authorities under this section within their prescribed limits, and in conformance with the written limitations, policies, and procedures of the governmental entity.

If the governing body of a governmental entity exercises the authority provided in this section, the treasurer of the governmental entity must annually report to the governing body on the findings of the oversight process required under this subdivision. If the governing body intends to continue to exercise the authority provided in this section for the following calendar year, it must adopt a resolution affirming that intention by December 1.

Subd. 4.

Repurchase agreements.

A deleted text begin government deleted text end new text begin governmental new text end entity may enter into repurchase agreements as authorized under section 118A.05, provided that the exclusion of mortgage-backed securities defined as "high-risk mortgage-backed securities" under section 118A.04, subdivision 6, shall not apply to repurchase agreements under this authority if the margin requirement is 101 percent or more.

Subd. 5.

Reverse repurchase agreements.

Notwithstanding the limitations contained in section 118A.05, subdivision 2, the deleted text begin county deleted text end new text begin governmental entity new text end may enter into reverse repurchase agreements to:

(1) meet cash flow needs; or

(2) generate cash for investments, provided that the total securities owned shall be limited to an amount not to exceed 130 percent of the annual daily average of general investable monies for the fiscal year as disclosed in the most recently available audited financial report. Excluded from this limit are:

(i) securities with maturities of one year or less; and

(ii) securities that have been reversed to maturity.

There shall be no limit on the term of a reverse repurchase agreement. Reverse repurchase agreements shall not be included in computing the net debt of the governmental entity, and may be made without an election or public sale, and the interest payable thereon shall not be subject to the limitation in section 475.55. The interest shall not be deducted or excluded from gross income of the recipient for the purpose of state income, corporate franchise, or bank excise taxes, or if so provided by federal law, for the purpose of federal income tax.

Subd. 6.

Options and futures.

A deleted text begin government deleted text end new text begin governmental new text end entity may enter into futures contracts, options on futures contracts, and option agreements to buy or sell securities authorized under law as legal investments for deleted text begin counties deleted text end new text begin governmental entities new text end , but only with respect to securities owned by the governmental entity, including securities that are the subject of reverse repurchase agreements under this section that expire at or before the due date of the option agreement.

new text begin Subd. 7. new text end

new text begin Negotiable certificates of deposit. new text end

new text begin A Minnesota joint powers investment trust may invest funds in negotiable certificates of deposit or other evidences of deposit, with a remaining maturity of three years or less, issued by a nationally or state-chartered bank, a federal or state savings and loan association, or a state-licensed branch of a foreign bank, except that for obligations with a maturity of one year or less, the debt obligations of the issuing institution or its parent are rated in the top short-term rating category by at least two nationally recognized statistical ratings organizations and for obligations with a maturity in excess of one year, the senior debt obligations of the issuing institution or its parent are rated at least A or its equivalent by at least two nationally recognized statistical ratings organizations. Investments in these instruments shall not be subject to the collateralization requirements of section 118A.03. new text end

Sec. 6.

Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 473.543, subdivision 3, is amended to read:

Subd. 3.

Where to deposit; how to invest.

The moneys on hand in said funds and accounts may be deposited in the official depositories of the council or invested as hereinafter provided. The amount thereof not currently needed or required by law to be kept in cash on deposit may be invested in obligations authorized for the investment of public funds by deleted text begin section 118A.04 deleted text end new text begin chapter 118A new text end . Such moneys may also be held under certificates of deposit issued by any official depository of the council.

Sec. 7.

new text begin APPLICATION. new text end

new text begin Section 6 applies in the counties of Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, Scott, and Washington. new text end

Presented to the governor May 17, 2014

Signed by the governor May 21, 2014, 10:25 a.m.