Sec. 53. (a) An authority may enter into a lease of any infrastructure that could be financed with the proceeds of bonds issued under this chapter with a lessor for a term not to exceed fifty (50) years, and the lease may provide for payments to be made by the authority from any revenues of the authority.

     (b) A lease may provide that payments by the authority to the lessor are required only to the extent and only for the period that the lessor is able to provide the leased infrastructure in accordance with the lease. The terms of each lease must be based upon the value of the infrastructure leased and may not create a debt of the authority or a member for purposes of the Constitution of the State of Indiana.

     (c) A lease may be entered into by the authority only after a public hearing by the board at which all interested parties are provided the opportunity to be heard. After the public hearing, the board may adopt a resolution authorizing the execution of the lease on behalf of the authority if the board finds that the service to be provided throughout the term of the lease will serve the public purpose of the authority and is in the best interests of its residents.

     (d) The authority may:

(1) pledge revenues to make payments under the lease; and

(2) establish a special fund to make the payments.

     (e) Lease rentals may be limited to money in the special fund so that the obligations of the authority to make the lease rental payments are not considered debt of the authority or a member for purposes of the Constitution of the State of Indiana.

     (f) Except as provided in this section, no approvals of any governmental body or agency are required before the authority enters into a lease under this section.

As added by P.L.346-1989(ss), SEC.7. Amended by P.L.86-1999, SEC.19.