Public Approval of Tax-Exempt Private Activity Bonds, 45233-45241 [2017-20661]
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Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 187 / Thursday, September 28, 2017 / Proposed Rules
552a; or the Indian Gaming Regulatory
Act, 25 U.S.C. 2716(a).
Dated: September 19, 2017.
Jonodev O. Chaudhuri,
Chairman.
Kathryn Isom-Clause,
Vice Chair.
E. Sequoyah Simermeyer,
Associate Commissioner.
[FR Doc. 2017–20635 Filed 9–27–17; 8:45 am]
Paperwork Reduction Act
BILLING CODE 7565–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
Internal Revenue Service
26 CFR Parts 1 and 5f
[REG–128841–07]
RIN 1545–BG91
Public Approval of Tax-Exempt Private
Activity Bonds
Internal Revenue Service (IRS),
Treasury.
ACTION: Withdrawal of notice of
proposed rulemaking and notice of
proposed rulemaking.
AGENCY:
This document contains
proposed regulations to update and
streamline the public approval
requirement provided in section 147(f)
of the Internal Revenue Code applicable
to tax-exempt private activity bonds
issued by State and local governments.
The proposed regulations would update
the existing regulations on the public
approval requirement to reflect statutory
changes, to streamline the public
approval process, and to reduce burden
on State and local governments that
issue tax-exempt private activity bonds.
This document also withdraws two
previous notices of proposed
rulemaking on this topic. The proposed
regulations affect State and local
governments that issue tax-exempt
private activity bonds.
DATES: Comments and requests for a
public hearing must be received by
December 27, 2017.
ADDRESSES: Send submissions to
CC:PA:LPD:PR (REG–128841–07), Room
5203, Internal Revenue Service, P.O.
Box 7604, Ben Franklin Station,
Washington, DC 20044. Submissions
may be hand-delivered Monday through
Friday between the hours of 8 a.m. and
4 p.m. to CC:PA:LPD:PR (REG–128841–
07), Courier’s Desk, Internal Revenue
Service, 1111 Constitution Avenue NW.,
Washington, DC 20224, or sent
electronically via the Federal
eRulemaking Portal at
jstallworth on DSKBBY8HB2PROD with PROPOSALS
SUMMARY:
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www.regulations.gov (IRS REG–128841–
07).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Concerning the proposed regulations,
Spence Hanemann at (202) 317–6980;
concerning submissions of comments
and requesting a hearing, Regina
Johnson at (202) 317–6901 (not toll-free
numbers).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
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The collection of information
contained in this notice of proposed
rulemaking has been submitted to the
Office of Management and Budget for
review under OMB Control Number
1545–2185 in accordance with the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44
U.S.C. 3507(d)). The collection of
information in this proposed regulation
is the requirement in § 1.147(f)–1 that
certain information be contained in a
public notice or public approval and,
consequently, disclosed to the public.
This information is required to meet the
statutory public approval requirement
provided in section 147(f). The likely
respondents are the governmental units
required to approve an issue of private
activity bonds under section 147(f).
Estimated total annual burden: 2,600
hours.
Estimated average annual burden per
respondent: 1.3 Hours.
Estimated number of respondents:
2,000.
Estimated frequency of responses:
Annual.
Comments on the collection of
information should be sent to the Office
of Management and Budget, Attn: Desk
Officer for the Department of the
Treasury, Office of Information and
Regulatory Affairs, Washington, DC
20503, with copies to the Internal
Revenue Service, Attn: IRS Reports
Clearance Officer, SE:CAR:MP:T:T:SP,
Washington, DC 20224. Comments on
the collection of information should be
received by November 27, 2017.
Comments are specifically requested
concerning:
Whether the proposed collection of
information is necessary for the proper
performance of the functions of the IRS,
including whether the information will
have practical utility;
The accuracy of the estimated burden
associated with the proposed collection
of information;
How the quality, utility, and clarity of
the information to be collected may be
enhanced;
How the burden of complying with
the proposed collection of information
may be minimized, including through
the application of automated collection
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techniques or other forms of information
technology; and
Estimates of capital or start-up costs
and costs of operation, maintenance,
and purchase of services to provide
information.
An agency may not conduct or
sponsor, and a person is not required to
respond to, a collection of information
unless it displays a valid control
number assigned by the Office of
Management and Budget.
Books or records relating to a
collection of information must be
retained as long as their contents may
become material in the administration
of any internal revenue law. Generally,
tax returns and tax return information
are confidential, as required by 26
U.S.C. 6103.
Background
This document contains proposed
amendments to 26 CFR part 1 under
section 147(f) of the Internal Revenue
Code of 1986 (the Code) and 26 CFR
part 5f under section 103(k) of the
Internal Revenue Code of 1954 (the 1954
Code). In the Tax Equity and Fiscal
Responsibility Act of 1982 (TEFRA),
Public Law 97–248, 96 Stat. 324,
Congress added section 103(k) to the
1954 Code to impose a public approval
requirement on tax-exempt industrial
development bonds. On May 11, 1983,
the Department of the Treasury
(Treasury Department) and the IRS
published in the Federal Register (48
FR 21117) temporary regulations under
section 103(k) of the 1954 Code (TD
7892) (the Existing Regulations). See
§ 5f.103–2. A notice of proposed
rulemaking (LR–221–82) by crossreference to the temporary regulations
was published in the Federal Register
(48 FR 21166) on the same day.
In the Tax Reform Act of 1986 (1986
Tax Act), Public Law 99–514, 100 Stat.
2085, Congress reorganized the taxexempt bond provisions and carried
forward the public approval
requirement of section 103(k) of the
1954 Code in expanded form in section
147(f) of the Code. In section 147(f),
Congress extended the public approval
requirement to apply to all types of taxexempt private activity bonds, as
provided in section 141(e). The
legislative history of the 1986 Tax Act
indicates that ‘‘[t]he conferees intend
that, to the extent not amended, all
principles of present law continue to
apply under the reorganized
provisions.’’ H.R. Rep. No. 99–841, at II–
686 (1986) (Conf. Rep.). Thus, the
Existing Regulations in § 5f.103–2
remain in effect.
On September 9, 2008, the Treasury
Department and the IRS published a
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Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 187 / Thursday, September 28, 2017 / Proposed Rules
notice of proposed rulemaking (REG–
128841–07) in the Federal Register (73
FR 52220) that proposed regulations to
amend and supplement the Existing
Regulations (the 2008 Proposed
Regulations). The Treasury Department
and the IRS received public comments
on the 2008 Proposed Regulations and
held a public hearing on January 26,
2009. As discussed more fully in the
Explanation of Provisions section of this
preamble, the Treasury Department and
the IRS have decided to withdraw the
2008 Proposed Regulations in full and
to propose new regulations. This
document contains those new proposed
regulations (the Proposed Regulations).
Explanation of Provisions
1. Introduction
In general, pursuant to section 103 of
the Code, interest received by investors
on eligible State and local bonds is taxexempt for Federal income tax
purposes. Interest on private activity
bonds qualifies for this tax-exempt
treatment only if the bonds meet the
requirements for ‘‘qualified bonds’’ as
defined in section 141(e) and other
applicable requirements provided in
section 103. Section 141(e) of the Code
requires, among other things, that
qualified bonds meet the public
approval requirement of section 147(f).
The Proposed Regulations would
update the Existing Regulations to
address subsequent statutory changes
and to streamline the public approval
process. The Proposed Regulations
provide greater flexibility to State and
local governments with respect to the
public approval process to reduce
administrative burdens associated with
the public approval requirement. The
Proposed Regulations recognize
advances in technology and electronic
communication that may facilitate more
streamlined procedures for providing
reasonable public notice of a public
hearing.
jstallworth on DSKBBY8HB2PROD with PROPOSALS
2. The 2008 Proposed Regulations
The 2008 Proposed Regulations
proposed to update, clarify, and
simplify discrete aspects of the Existing
Regulations regarding the public
approval requirement. The 2008
Proposed Regulations focused on the
scope, information content, methods,
and timing for the public approval
process, and generally did not focus on
the governmental entities from which
public approval is required. Overall, the
public comments on the 2008 Proposed
Regulations were favorable.
The Proposed Regulations generally
incorporate the amendments proposed
in the 2008 Proposed Regulations with
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modifications in response to the public
comments. One comment focused on
the structure of the 2008 Proposed
Regulations. The 2008 Proposed
Regulations would have revised the
Existing Regulations by amending
existing rules and adding new rules.
The 2008 Proposed Regulations further
provided that the Existing Regulations
would remain in effect to the extent not
inconsistent with the final version of the
2008 Proposed Regulations.
Commenters expressed concern about
potential confusion over two distinct
and partially inconsistent regulation
sections governing the public approval
requirement. The Treasury Department
and the IRS understand this concern.
Accordingly, the Proposed Regulations
consolidate the guidance in the Existing
Regulations and the 2008 Proposed
Regulations, with modifications in
response to the public comments and
other recent developments, into new
proposed guidance and provide a
further opportunity for public comment.
The Treasury Department and the IRS
also received numerous comments
regarding the level of specificity of
information required to be contained in
reasonable public notice of a public
hearing or a public approval. Generally,
the 2008 Proposed Regulations
proposed to allow the issuer to provide
streamlined information about projects
to be financed, and the Existing
Regulations require a greater level of
specificity of information about such
projects. The 2008 Proposed Regulations
also proposed to afford issuers more
flexibility regarding the effect of postissuance changes from the reasonably
expected facts provided in the
reasonable public notice or public
approval. Commenters expressed
differing views on whether these
proposed amendments in the 2008
Proposed Regulations should be
adopted. Commenters in favor of these
amendments generally applauded the
reduced burden that issuers would bear
under the 2008 Proposed Regulations
and suggested ways in which that
burden could be reduced further.
Commenters opposed to these
amendments generally argued that
reducing the amount of public
information would limit the public’s
ability to approve or oppose on an
informed basis new private activity
bonds and proposed projects to be
financed. The legislative history of the
public approval requirement
emphasizes the importance of ‘‘a
reasonable opportunity for persons with
differing views on both issuance of the
bonds and the location and nature of the
proposed facility to be heard.’’ S. Rep.
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No. 97–494, at 171 (1982). With respect
to these proposed amendments, the
Treasury Department and the IRS have
determined that the information that
would have been required by the 2008
Proposed Regulations is sufficient to
permit the public to evaluate the merits
of both the issuance of the bonds and
the location and nature of the financed
facility. Thus, the burden imposed by
the Existing Regulations may be reduced
as provided in the 2008 Proposed
Regulations without significantly
impairing the public’s consideration of
new private activity bonds.
Accordingly, the Proposed Regulations
generally retain the streamlined
information and post-issuance
flexibility proposed in the 2008
Proposed Regulations and provide for
additional post-issuance flexibility. (See
section 6 of this Explanation of
Provisions.)
Commenters also provided differing
views on the amendments in the 2008
Proposed Regulations that proposed
changes to the procedures for providing
reasonable public notice of a public
hearing. The Existing Regulations
generally permit an issuer to publicize
notice by newspaper, radio, or
television, and presume notice to be
reasonable if published at least 14 days
prior to the date of the public hearing.
The 2008 Proposed Regulations
proposed to expand the permitted
methods of providing public notice to
include notice by newspaper, radio,
television, Web site, or other permitted
methods of giving public notice under
State law, and would have shortened
the presumptively reasonable notice
period to seven days in advance of the
hearing. Commenters in favor of these
amendments generally stated that the
proposed amendments would ease the
burden of providing the public notice.
Commenters opposed to these
amendments generally expressed
concern that seven days’ notice of a
public hearing would not provide the
public sufficient time to make an
informed decision and to make
arrangements to be present at the
hearing. The legislative history of
TEFRA indicates that Congress expected
notice to be published no fewer than 14
days before the scheduled date of the
hearing. See S. Rep. No. 97–494, at 171
(1982). In response to these comments,
the Proposed Regulations adopt and
expand the permitted methods for
giving notice of a public hearing that
were proposed in the 2008 Proposed
Regulations, but retain the 14-day notice
period presumed reasonable under the
Existing Regulations consistent with the
expectations of Congress.
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Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 187 / Thursday, September 28, 2017 / Proposed Rules
3. Host Approval and Issuer Approval
Section 147(f) generally requires that
both the governmental unit that issues
the bonds (or on behalf of which the
bonds are issued) and a governmental
unit with jurisdiction over the location
of the financed project approve an issue
of private activity bonds (and the
approvals are referred to as the issuer
approval and the host approval,
respectively). The Proposed Regulations
generally carry forward the rules on
issuer approval and host approval from
the Existing Regulations, with limited
revisions to address statutory changes
that affect the application of these rules
to certain types of private activity
bonds. Thus, for example, the Proposed
Regulations include guidance to address
subsequent statutory changes in section
147(f)(3) and (4) that added special
provisions regarding the issuer approval
and host approval requirements for
certain financings involving airports,
high-speed rail facilities, qualified
scholarship funding corporations, and
volunteer fire departments.
The 1986 Tax Act extended the public
approval requirement beyond the
traditional, facility-focused industrial
development bonds subject to the
requirement under the 1954 Code to
include certain special types of
financings that are not facility-specific,
including ‘‘qualified mortgage bonds’’ as
defined in section 143(a), ‘‘qualified
veterans’ mortgage bonds’’ as defined in
section 143(b), ‘‘qualified student loan
bonds’’ as defined in section 144(b), and
‘‘qualified 501(c)(3) bonds’’ as defined
in section 145. For these types of bonds,
obtaining a host approval may be
impractical or unworkable. For
example, for qualified mortgage bonds,
the locations of many of the homes to
be financed with qualified mortgage
loans generally are unknown at the time
of issuance of the bonds and thus it may
be difficult to identify appropriate
governmental units to provide host
approval. Moreover, for qualified
student loan bonds and for qualified
501(c)(3) bonds used to finance working
capital expenditures, the application of
the host approval requirement is
unworkable because the assets and
expenditures financed have no physical
location. In recognition of the practical
difficulties faced by issuers of these
types of bonds under the Existing
Regulations, the Proposed Regulations
provide that no host approval is
necessary for mortgage revenue bonds
(defined as qualified mortgage bonds,
qualified veterans’ mortgage bonds, and
certain refundings of bonds issued to
finance mortgages of owner-occupied
residences under the law prior to
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enactment of section 143), qualified
student loan bonds, or qualified
501(c)(3) bonds used to finance working
capital expenditures.
4. Reasonable Public Notice and Public
Hearing
The Existing Regulations generally
provide that an applicable elected
representative of the approving
governmental unit may approve an issue
following a public hearing for which
there was reasonable public notice. The
Existing Regulations provide guidance
on permitted methods for giving
reasonable public notice and holding
public hearings. The Proposed
Regulations would expand these
methods to provide greater flexibility to
State and local governments for
providing reasonable public notice.
The Existing Regulations provide
generally that reasonable public notice
must be published in a newspaper of
general circulation available to residents
of the relevant locality or announced by
radio or television broadcast to those
residents. The Proposed Regulations
would expand the permitted methods of
providing reasonable public notice to
provide greater flexibility and to
recognize advances in technology and
electronic communications. Thus, the
Proposed Regulations would allow
reasonable public notice by newspaper
publication, radio or television
broadcast, postings on a governmental
unit’s public Web site, or alternative
methods permitted under a general State
law for public notices for public
hearings of a governmental unit. The
Treasury Department and the IRS solicit
comment on other possible methods of
providing reasonable public notice to
foster flexibility and to reduce
administrative burdens.
5. Content of Reasonable Public Notice
and Public Approval
A. General Rules for Content of
Reasonable Public Notice and Public
Approval
The Existing Regulations generally
require that the reasonable public notice
and the public approval contain the
following information: A general,
functional description of the type and
use of the facility to be financed; the
maximum aggregate face amount of the
bonds to be issued for the facility; the
initial owner, operator, or manager of
the facility; and the location of the
facility by street address or, if none, by
a general description designed to inform
readers of the specific location. The
required level of specificity of
information for the public approval
process under the Existing Regulations
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has proven to be unduly limiting and
burdensome in certain respects. The
Proposed Regulations generally retain
the requirements that information
(public approval information) be
provided for the public approval
process but refine the required public
approval information to reduce burden
and enhance flexibility.
Initially, the Existing Regulations
focus on an individual ‘‘facility’’ as the
unit of financed property for which the
issuer must provide the relevant
information. The definition of ‘‘facility’’
in the Existing Regulations includes
facilities on multiple tracts of land only
if the facilities are used in an integrated
operation. Whether facilities are part of
an ‘‘integrated operation’’ has proven
difficult to determine.
The Proposed Regulations use the
term ‘‘project’’ in lieu of the term
‘‘facility’’ because ‘‘project’’ more
clearly indicates that financed property
may consist of multiple buildings and
multiple sites. The Proposed
Regulations define the term ‘‘project’’
generally to mean one or more capital
projects or facilities, including land,
buildings, equipment, and other
property, to be financed with an issue,
that are located on the same site, or
adjacent or proximate sites used for
similar purposes. In addition, to address
certain special types of loan financings,
the definition of a project under the
Proposed Regulations also includes
mortgage loans financed by mortgage
revenue bonds, student loans financed
by qualified student loan bonds, and
working capital expenditures financed
by qualified 501(c)(3) bonds.
The Proposed Regulations would
continue to require a general functional
description of the type and use of the
financed project. The Proposed
Regulations, however, would mitigate
the required level of specificity of that
information. Thus, the Proposed
Regulations would allow an issuer of
exempt facility bonds to satisfy this
requirement through a statement that
identifies the category of exempt facility
bond (for example, bonds financing an
airport or a mass commuting facility).
Similarly, an issuer of other types of
private activity bonds may satisfy this
requirement through a statement that
identifies the type of bonds and the type
and use of the project (for example,
qualified small issue bonds for a
manufacturing facility).
The Proposed Regulations would
continue to require that the public
approval information include the name
of the expected initial owner or the
principal user of the project. The
Proposed Regulations, however, would
permit an issuer to name the true
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beneficial party of interest as an
alternative to naming a legal owner or
user (for example, the name of a
nonprofit hospital organization instead
of a limited liability company that
serves as the legal owner of a hospital).
The Proposed Regulations would
continue to require that the public
approval information include the
location of the project by street address.
The Proposed Regulations, however,
would clarify that a description by
boundary streets or other geographic
boundaries suffices to meet this location
requirement. The Proposed Regulations
would allow a consolidated description
of the location of a project on the same
site or on adjacent or proximate sites
(for example, a college campus).
B. Special Rules for Mortgage Revenue
Bonds, Qualified Student Loan Bonds,
and Certain Qualified 501(c)(3) Bonds
The 1986 Tax Act extended the public
approval requirement to mortgage
revenue bonds, qualified student loan
bonds, and qualified 501(c)(3) bonds.
The Existing Regulations were
promulgated before the 1986 Tax Act
and thus provide no guidance tailored
to the application of the public approval
requirement to these types of bonds. In
the General Explanation of the 1986 Tax
Act, the Staff of the Joint Committee on
Taxation stated that, ‘‘[i]n extending this
requirement to all private activity
bonds, Congress intended that the
applicable Treasury regulations will be
amended for student loan bonds (where
no facilities are financed), mortgage
revenue bonds (where the exact
residences to be financed may not be
identified before issuance of the bonds),
and qualified 501(c)(3) bonds that
qualify for the special exception to the
maturity limitation for pooled
financings (where the facilities need not
be identified before issuance of the
bonds).’’ Joint Committee on Taxation,
General Explanation of the Tax Reform
Act of 1986 (JCS–10–87), at 1219 (May
4, 1987). Accordingly, the Proposed
Regulations provide special rules for
public approval of mortgage revenue
bonds, qualified student loan bonds,
and qualified 501(c)(3) bonds issued for
pooled financings as described in
section 147(b)(4).
For mortgage revenue bonds, the
Proposed Regulations would require the
public approval information to state that
the bonds will finance residential
mortgages, provide the maximum stated
principal amount of the bonds, and
generally describe the issuer’s
geographic jurisdiction in which the
residences to be financed with the
mortgage loans are expected to be
located. Similarly, for qualified student
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loan bonds, the Proposed Regulations
would require the public approval
information to state that the bonds will
finance student loans and provide the
maximum stated principal amount of
the bonds. For these two types of bonds,
the Proposed Regulations would not
require the names of borrowers to be
included in the public approval
information.
For qualified 501(c)(3) bonds that
finance loans described in the special
provision for pooled loan financings in
section 147(b)(4), the Proposed
Regulations would permit the issuer to
choose to apply a two-stage public
approval process if the issuer has
insufficient information at the time of
the reasonable public notice or public
approval to meet the general public
approval information requirements. To
apply this special rule, the issuer must
first obtain public approval within the
time specified in the Proposed
Regulations for public approval
generally. For this first-stage public
approval, the public approval
information must state that the bonds
will be qualified 501(c)(3) bonds used to
finance loans described in section
147(b)(4)(B), provide the maximum
stated principal amount of the bonds,
generally describe the type of project to
be financed with such loans (for
example, loans for hospital facilities or
college facilities), and state that the
issuer will obtain an additional public
approval with specific project
information before origination of any
such loans. In addition, before loan
origination, the issuer must obtain a
supplemental public approval of that
loan containing all of the projectspecific information that the public
approval information rules generally
require.
6. Deviations From the Information in
the Reasonable Public Notice and Public
Approval
Differences or ‘‘deviations’’ between
information regarding a proposed
project to be financed with a proposed
issuance of private activity bonds that
serves as the basis for a public approval
and the actual project financed with the
bonds may affect the validity of the
public approval. The Existing
Regulations and the Proposed
Regulations provide that insubstantial
deviations do not invalidate a public
approval. The Proposed Regulations
provide additional guidance concerning
differences that constitute insubstantial
deviations and also allow remedial
actions to cure certain substantial
deviations.
The Proposed Regulations provide
that whether a deviation is substantial
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generally depends on all of the facts and
circumstances. The Proposed
Regulations, however, would always
treat a change in the fundamental nature
or type of a project as a substantial
deviation.
The Proposed Regulations would treat
certain specified deviations from the
public approval information provided as
insubstantial deviations. For example, a
deviation from the size of a proposed
bond issue for a proposed project
specified in public approval information
is an insubstantial deviation if the stated
principal amount of bonds actually
issued and used for the project is no
more than ten percent (10%) greater
than the maximum stated principal
amount publicly approved for the
project or is any amount less than that
maximum stated principal amount.
Furthermore, if an issuer applies
proceeds of an issue approved for use
on one project to pay working capital
expenditures directly associated with
any project approved in the same public
approval, that deviation is an
insubstantial deviation. Finally, a
deviation between the initial owner or
principal user of the project identified
in the public approval information and
the actual initial owner or principal user
of the project is an insubstantial
deviation if the parties are related on the
issue date.
The Proposed Regulations would
allow supplemental post-issuance
public approvals to cure certain
substantial deviations that result from
unexpected events or unforeseen
changes in circumstances that occur
after the issuance of the bonds. This
remedial action is similar to a permitted
post-issuance public approval under
§ 1.141–12(e)(2) and (f) used for
remedial actions for purposes of the
private business restrictions.
7. Applicability Dates and Reliance
The Proposed Regulations are
proposed to apply to bonds issued
pursuant to a public approval that
occurs on or after the date that is 90
days after publication of a Treasury
decision adopting these rules as final
regulations in the Federal Register.
Issuers may apply the Proposed
Regulations, in whole but not in part, to
bonds that are issued pursuant to a
public approval that occurs on or after
September 28, 2017 and before the
applicability date provided in a
Treasury decision adopting these rules
as final regulations in the Federal
Register.
In addition, the Treasury Department
and the IRS propose to remove the
Existing Regulations under § 5f.103–2
from 26 CFR part 5f effective on the
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general applicability date of the final
regulations, which is proposed to be the
date that is 90 days after publication of
a Treasury decision adopting these rules
as final regulations in the Federal
Register.
jstallworth on DSKBBY8HB2PROD with PROPOSALS
Special Analyses
Certain IRS regulations, including
these, are exempt from the requirements
of Executive Order 12866, as
supplemented and reaffirmed by
Executive Order 13563. Therefore, a
regulatory impact assessment is not
required. It is hereby certified that these
regulations will not have a significant
economic impact on a substantial
number of small entities. The Existing
Regulations provide guidance on the
minimum informational content,
procedures, and timing for the
statutorily required public notices,
public hearings, and public approvals.
Although the Proposed Regulations are
expected to affect a significant number
of small State or local governmental
units that issue tax-exempt private
activity bonds, the Proposed
Regulations are not expected to have a
significant economic effect on those
governmental units because the
Proposed Regulations generally would
streamline and simplify the Existing
Regulations in various respects to
reduce the administrative burdens of
meeting the statutory public approval
requirement. For example, the Proposed
Regulations would permit publication of
public notice by Web site to reduce
costs associated with print publication
or radio or television broadcast, reduce
the information required to be contained
in public notice and public approval for
certain types of bonds, liberalize the
consequences of insubstantial changes
in project information, and permit
curative actions to address certain
circumstances in which finished
projects differ from descriptions
provided in the public notice or public
approval. Accordingly, a regulatory
flexibility analysis is not required.
Pursuant to section 7805(f) of the Code,
this notice of proposed rulemaking will
be submitted to the Chief Counsel for
Advocacy of the Small Business
Administration for comment on its
impact on small entities.
Comments and Requests for Public
Hearing
Before the Proposed Regulations are
adopted as final regulations,
consideration will be given to any
comments that are submitted timely to
the IRS as prescribed in this preamble
under the ADDRESSES heading. The
Treasury Department and the IRS
request comments on all aspects of the
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proposed rules. All comments will be
available at www.regulations.gov or
upon request. A public hearing will be
scheduled if requested in writing by any
person that timely submits written
comments. If a public hearing is
scheduled, notice of the date, time, and
place for the hearing will be published
in the Federal Register.
Drafting Information
The principal authors of these
regulations are Spence Hanemann and
Vicky Tsilas, Office of Associate Chief
Counsel (Financial Institutions and
Products). However, other personnel
from the Treasury Department and the
IRS participated in their development.
List of Subjects
26 CFR Part 1
Income taxes, Reporting and
recordkeeping requirements.
26 CFR Part 5f
Income taxes, Reporting and
recordkeeping requirements.
Withdrawal of Notice of Proposed
Rulemaking
Accordingly, under the authority of
26 U.S.C. 7805, the notice of proposed
rulemaking (REG–128841–07) that was
published in the Federal Register (73
FR 52220) on September 9, 2008, is
withdrawn. Also, under the authority of
26 U.S.C. 7805, § 1.103–17 of the notice
of proposed rulemaking (LR–221–82)
published in the Federal Register (48
FR 21166) on May 11, 1983, is
withdrawn.
Proposed Amendments to the
Regulations
Accordingly, 26 CFR parts 1 and 5f
are proposed to be amended as follows:
PART 1—INCOME TAXES
Paragraph 1. The authority citation
for part 1 continues to read in part as
follows:
■
Authority: 26 U.S.C. 7805 * * *
Par. 2. Section 1.147(f)–1 is added to
read as follows:
■
§ 1.147(f)–1 Public approval of private
activity bonds.
(a) In general. Interest on a private
activity bond is excludable from gross
income under section 103(a) only if the
bond meets the requirements for a
qualified bond as defined in section
141(e) and other applicable
requirements provided in section 103.
In order to be a qualified bond as
defined in section 141(e), among other
requirements, a private activity bond
must meet the requirements of section
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45237
147(f). A private activity bond meets the
requirements of section 147(f) only if
the bond is publicly approved pursuant
to paragraph (b) of this section or the
bond qualifies for the exception for
refunding bonds in section 147(f)(2)(D).
(b) Public approval requirement—(1)
In general. Except as otherwise
provided in this section, a bond meets
the requirements of section 147(f) if,
before the issue date, the issue of which
the bond is a part receives issuer
approval and host approval (each a
public approval) as defined in
paragraphs (b)(2) and (3) of this section
in accordance with the method and
process set forth in paragraphs (c)
through (f) of this section.
(2) Issuer approval. Except as
otherwise provided in this section,
issuer approval means an approval that
meets the requirements of this
paragraph (b)(2). Either the
governmental unit that issues the issue
or the governmental unit on behalf of
which the issue is issued must approve
the issue. For this purpose, § 1.103–1
applies to the determination of whether
an issuer issues bonds on behalf of
another governmental unit. If an issuer
issues bonds on behalf of more than one
governmental unit (for example, in the
case of an authority that acts for two
counties), any one of those
governmental units may provide the
issuer approval.
(3) Host approval. Except as otherwise
provided in this section, host approval
means an approval that meets the
requirements of this paragraph (b)(3).
Each governmental unit the geographic
jurisdiction of which contains the site of
a project to be financed by the issue
must approve the issue. If, however, the
entire site of a project to be financed by
the issue is within the geographic
jurisdiction of more than one
governmental unit within a State
(counting the State as a governmental
unit within such State), then any one of
those governmental units may provide
host approval for the issue for that
project. For purposes of the host
approval, if a project to be financed by
the issue is located within the
geographic jurisdiction of two or more
governmental units but not entirely
within any one of those governmental
units, each portion of the project that is
located entirely within the geographic
jurisdiction of the respective
governmental units may be treated as a
separate project. The issuer approval
provided pursuant to paragraph (b)(2) of
this section may be treated as a host
approval if the governmental unit
providing the issuer approval is also a
governmental unit eligible to provide
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the host approval pursuant to this
paragraph (b)(3).
(4) Special rule for host approval of
airports or high-speed intercity rail
facilities. Pursuant to a special rule in
section 147(f)(3), if the proceeds of an
issue are to be used to finance a project
that consists of either facilities located
at an airport (within the meaning of
section 142(a)(1)) or high-speed intercity
rail facilities (within the meaning of
section 142(a)(11)) and the issuer of that
issue is the owner or operator of the
airport or high-speed intercity rail
facilities, the issuer is the only
governmental unit that is required to
provide the host approval for that
project.
(5) Special rule for issuer approval of
scholarship funding bond issues and
volunteer fire department bond issues.
In the case of a qualified scholarship
funding bond as defined in section
150(d)(2), the governmental unit that
made a request described in section
150(d)(2)(B) with respect to the issuer of
the bond is the governmental unit on
behalf of which the bond was issued for
purposes of the issuer approval. If more
than one governmental unit within a
State made a request described in
section 150(d)(2)(B), the State or any
such requesting governmental unit may
be treated as the governmental unit on
behalf of which the bond was issued for
purposes of the issuer approval. In the
case of a bond of a volunteer fire
department treated as a bond of a
political subdivision of a State under
section 150(e), the political subdivision
described in section 150(e)(2)(B) with
respect to that volunteer fire department
is the governmental unit on behalf of
which the bond is issued for purposes
of the issuer approval.
(6) Host approval not required for
issues of mortgage revenue bonds,
student loan bonds, and certain
qualified 501(c)(3) bonds. In the case of
a mortgage revenue bond (as defined in
paragraph (g)(5) of this section), a
qualified student loan bond as defined
in section 144(b), and the portion of an
issue of qualified 501(c)(3) bonds as
defined in section 145 that finances
working capital expenditures, the issue
or portion of the issue must receive an
issuer approval but no host approval is
necessary.
(c) Method of public approval. The
method of public approval of an issue
must satisfy either paragraph (c)(1) or
(2) of this section. An approval may
satisfy the requirements of this
paragraph (c) without regard to the
authority under State or local law for
the acts constituting that approval.
(1) Applicable elected representative.
An applicable elected representative of
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the approving governmental unit
approves the issue following a public
hearing for which there was reasonable
public notice.
(2) Voter referendum. A voter
referendum of the approving
governmental unit approves the issue.
(d) Public hearing and reasonable
public notice—(1) Public hearing. Public
hearing means a forum providing a
reasonable opportunity for interested
individuals to express their views,
orally or in writing, on the proposed
issue of bonds and the location and
nature of the proposed project to be
financed.
(2) Location of the public hearing. The
public hearing must be held in a
location that, based on the facts and
circumstances, is convenient for
residents of the approving governmental
unit. The location of the public hearing
is presumed convenient for residents of
the unit if the public hearing is located
in the approving governmental unit’s
capital or seat of government. If more
than one governmental unit is required
to hold a public hearing, the hearings
may be combined as long as the
combined hearing affords the residents
of all of the participating governmental
units a reasonable opportunity to be
heard. The location of any combined
hearing is presumed convenient for
residents of each participating
governmental unit if it is no farther than
100 miles from the seat of government
of each participating governmental unit
beyond whose geographic jurisdiction
the hearing is conducted.
(3) Procedures for conducting the
public hearing. In general, a
governmental unit may select its own
procedure for a public hearing, provided
that interested individuals have a
reasonable opportunity to express their
views. Thus, a governmental unit may
impose reasonable requirements on
persons who wish to participate in the
hearing, such as a requirement that
persons desiring to speak at the hearing
make a written request to speak at least
24 hours before the hearing or that they
limit their oral remarks to a prescribed
time. For this purpose, it is unnecessary,
for example, that the applicable elected
representative of the approving
governmental unit be present at the
hearing, that a report on the hearing be
submitted to that applicable elected
representative, or that State
administrative procedural requirements
for public hearings be observed. Except
to the extent State procedural
requirements for public hearings are in
conflict with a specific requirement of
this section, a public hearing performed
in compliance with State procedural
requirements satisfies the requirements
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for a public hearing in this paragraph
(d). A public hearing may be conducted
by an individual appointed or employed
to perform such function by the
governmental unit or its agencies, or by
the issuer. Thus, for example, for bonds
to be issued by an authority that acts on
behalf of a county, the hearing may be
conducted by the authority, the county,
or an appointee of either.
(4) Reasonable public notice.
Reasonable public notice means notice
that is reasonably designed to inform
residents of an approving governmental
unit, including the issuing
governmental unit and the
governmental unit in whose geographic
jurisdiction a project is to be located, of
the proposed issue. The notice must
state the time and place for the public
hearing and contain the information
required by paragraph (f)(2) of this
section. Notice is presumed to be
reasonably designed to inform residents
of an approving governmental unit if it
satisfies the requirements of this
paragraph (d)(4) and is given no fewer
than fourteen (14) calendar days before
the public hearing in one or more of the
ways set forth in paragraphs (d)(4)(i)
through (iv) of this section.
(i) Newspaper publication. Public
notice may be given by publication in
one or more newspapers of general
circulation available to the residents of
the governmental unit.
(ii) Radio or television broadcast.
Public notice may be given by radio or
television broadcast to the residents of
the governmental unit.
(iii) Governmental unit Web site
posting. Public notice may be given by
electronic posting on the approving
governmental unit’s public Web site
used to inform its residents about events
affecting the residents (for example,
notice of public meetings of the
governmental unit). In the case of public
notice provided as described in the first
sentence of this paragraph (d)(4)(iii), the
governmental unit must offer a
reasonable, publicly known alternative
method for obtaining the information
contained in the public notice for
residents without access to the Internet
(such as telephone recordings).
(iv) Alternative State law public
notice procedures. Public notice may be
given in a way that is permitted under
a general State law for public notices for
public hearings for the approving
governmental unit.
(e) Applicable elected
representative—(1) In general—(i)
Definition of applicable elected
representative. The applicable elected
representative of a governmental unit
means—
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(A) The governmental unit’s elected
legislative body;
(B) The governmental unit’s chief
elected executive officer;
(C) In the case of a State, the chief
elected legal officer of the State’s
executive branch of government; or
(D) Any official elected by the voters
of the governmental unit and designated
for purposes of this section by the
governmental unit’s chief elected
executive officer or by State or local law
to approve issues for the governmental
unit.
(ii) Elected officials. For purposes of
paragraphs (e)(1)(i)(B), (C), and (D) of
this section, an official is considered
elected only if that official is popularly
elected at-large by the voters of the
governmental unit. If an official
popularly elected at-large by the voters
of a governmental unit is appointed or
selected pursuant to State or local law
to be the chief executive officer of the
unit, that official is deemed to be an
elected chief executive officer for
purposes of this section but for no
longer than the official’s tenure as an
official popularly elected at-large.
(iii) Legislative bodies. In the case of
a bicameral legislature that is popularly
elected, both chambers together
constitute an applicable elected
representative. Absent designation
under paragraph (e)(1)(i)(D) of this
section, however, neither such chamber
independently constitutes an applicable
elected representative. If multiple
elected legislative bodies of a
governmental unit have independent
legislative authority, the body with the
more specific authority relating to the
issue is the only legislative body that is
treated as an elected legislative body
under paragraph (e)(1)(i)(A) of this
section.
(2) Governmental unit with no
applicable elected representative—(i) In
general. The applicable elected
representatives of a governmental unit
with no applicable elected
representative (but for this paragraph
(e)(2) and section 147(f)(2)(E)(ii)) are the
applicable elected representatives of the
next higher governmental unit (with an
applicable elected representative) from
which the governmental unit derives its
authority. Except as otherwise provided
in this section, any governmental unit
from which the governmental unit with
no applicable elected representative
derives its authority may be treated as
the next higher governmental unit
without regard to the relative status of
such higher governmental unit under
State law. A governmental unit derives
its authority from another governmental
unit that—
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(A) Enacts a specific law (for example,
a provision in a State constitution,
charter, or statute) by or under which
the governmental unit is created;
(B) Otherwise empowers or approves
the creation of the governmental unit; or
(C) Appoints members to the
governing body of the governmental
unit.
(ii) Host approval. For purposes of a
host approval, a governmental unit may
be treated as the next higher
governmental unit only if the project is
located within its geographic
jurisdiction and eligible residents of the
unit are entitled to vote for its
applicable elected representatives.
(3) On behalf of issuers. In the case of
an issuer that issues bonds on behalf of
a governmental unit, the applicable
elected representative is any applicable
elected representative of the
governmental unit on behalf of which
the bonds are issued.
(f) Public approval process—(1) In
general. The public approval process for
an issue, including scope, content, and
timing of the public approval, must
meet the requirements of this paragraph
(f). A governmental unit must timely
approve either each project to be
financed with proceeds of the issue or
a plan of financing for each project to
be financed with proceeds of the issue.
(2) General rule on information
required for a reasonable public notice
and public approval. Except as
otherwise provided in this section, a
project to be financed with proceeds of
an issue is within the scope of a public
approval under section 147(f) if the
reasonable public notice of the public
hearing, if applicable, and the public
approval (together the notice and
approval) include the information set
forth in paragraphs (f)(2)(i) through (iv)
of this section.
(i) The project. The notice and
approval must include a general
functional description of the type and
use of the project to be financed with
the issue. For this purpose, a project
description is sufficient if it identifies
the project by reference to a particular
category of exempt facility bond to be
issued (for example, an exempt facility
bond for an airport pursuant to section
142(a)(1)) or by reference to another
general category of private activity bond
together with information on the type
and use of the project to be financed
with the issue (for example, a qualified
small issue bond as defined in section
144(a) for a manufacturing facility or a
qualified 501(c)(3) bond as defined in
section 145 for a hospital facility and
working capital expenditures).
(ii) The maximum stated principal
amount of bonds. The notice and
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approval must include the maximum
stated principal amount of the issue of
private activity bonds to be issued to
finance the project. If an issue finances
multiple projects (for example, facilities
at different locations on non-proximate
sites that are not treated as part of the
same project), the notice and approval
must specify separately the maximum
stated principal amount of bonds to be
issued to finance each separate project.
(iii) The name of the initial owner or
principal user of the project. The notice
and approval must include the name of
the expected initial owner or principal
user (within the meaning of section
144(a)) of the project. The name
provided may be either the name of the
legal owner or principal user of the
project or, alternatively, the name of the
true beneficial party of interest for such
legal owner or user (for example, the
name of a 501(c)(3) organization that is
the sole member of a limited liability
company that is the legal owner).
(iv) The location of the project. The
notice and approval must include a
general description of the prospective
location of the project by street address,
reference to boundary streets or other
geographic boundaries, or other
description of the specific geographic
location that is reasonably designed to
inform readers of the location. For a
project involving multiple capital
projects or facilities located on the same
site, or on adjacent or reasonably
proximate sites with similar uses, a
consolidated description of the location
of those capital projects or facilities
provides a sufficient description of the
location of the project. For example, a
project for a section 501(c)(3)
educational entity involving multiple
buildings on the entity’s main urban
college campus may describe the
location of the project by reference to
the outside street boundaries of that
campus with a reference to any
noncontiguous features of that campus.
(3) Special rule for mortgage revenue
bonds. Mortgage loans financed by
mortgage revenue bonds are within the
scope of a public approval if the notice
and approval state that the bonds are to
be issued to finance residential
mortgages, provide the maximum stated
principal amount of mortgage revenue
bonds expected to be issued, and
provide a general description of the
geographic jurisdiction in which the
residences to be financed with the
proceeds of the mortgage revenue bonds
are expected to be located (for example,
residences located throughout a State
for an issuer with a statewide
jurisdiction or residences within a
particular local geographic jurisdiction,
such as within a city or county, for a
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local issuer). For this purpose, in the
case of mortgage revenue bonds, no
information is required on specific
names of mortgage loan borrowers or
specific locations of individual
residences to be financed.
(4) Special rule for qualified student
loan bonds. Qualified student loans
financed by qualified student loan
bonds as defined in section 144(b) are
within the scope of a public approval if
the notice and approval state that the
bonds will be issued to finance student
loans and state the maximum stated
principal amount of qualified student
loan bonds expected to be issued for
qualified student loans. For this
purpose, in the case of qualified student
loan bonds, no information is required
with respect to names of specific
student loan borrowers.
(5) Special rule for certain qualified
501(c)(3) bonds. Loans financed by
qualified 501(c)(3) bonds issued
pursuant to section 145 and described
in section 147(b)(4)(B) (without regard
to any election under section
147(b)(4)(A)) are within the scope of a
public approval if the requirements of
paragraphs (f)(5)(i) and (ii) of this
section are met.
(i) Pre-issuance general public
approval. Within the time period
required by paragraph (f)(7) of this
section, public approval is obtained
after reasonable public notice of a
public hearing is provided and a public
hearing is held. For this purpose, a
project is treated as described in the
notice and approval if the notice and
approval provide that the bonds will be
qualified 501(c)(3) bonds to be used to
finance loans described in section
147(b)(4)(B), state the maximum stated
principal amount of bonds expected to
be issued to finance loans to 501(c)(3)
organizations or governmental units as
described in section 147(b)(4)(B),
provide a general description of the type
of project to be financed with such loans
(for example, loans for hospital facilities
or college facilities), and state that an
additional public approval that includes
specific project information will be
obtained before any such loans are
originated.
(ii) Post-issuance public approval for
specific loans. Except as provided in
paragraph (f)(5)(iii) of this section,
before a loan described in section
147(b)(4)(B) is originated, a
supplemental public approval for the
bonds to be used to finance that loan is
obtained that meets all the requirements
of section 147(f) and the requirements
for a public approval in paragraph (b) of
this section. This post-issuance
supplemental public approval
requirement applies by treating the
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bonds to be used to finance such loan
as if they were reissued for purposes of
section 147(f) (without regard to
paragraph (f)(5) of this section). For this
purpose, proceeds to be used to finance
such loan do not include the portion of
the issue used to finance a common
reserve fund or common costs of
issuance.
(iii) Exception to post-issuance public
approval requirement. A post-issuance
supplemental public approval pursuant
to paragraph (f)(5)(ii) of this section is
unnecessary for the initial use of
proceeds to finance one or more loans
if the pre-issuance notice and approval
pursuant to paragraph (f)(5)(i) of this
section include the information required
by paragraphs (f)(2)(i) through (iv) of
this section for the projects to be
financed by those loans.
(6) Deviations in public approval
information—(i) In general. Except as
otherwise provided in this section, a
substantial deviation between the stated
use of proceeds of an issue included in
the information required to be provided
in the notice and approval (public
approval information) and the actual
use of proceeds of the issue causes that
issue to fail to meet the public approval
requirement. Conversely, insubstantial
deviations between the stated use of
proceeds of an issue included in the
public approval information and the
actual use of proceeds of the issue do
not cause such a failure. In general, the
determination of whether a deviation is
substantial is based on all the facts and
circumstances. In all events, however, a
change in the fundamental nature or
type of a project is a substantial
deviation.
(ii) Certain insubstantial deviations in
public approval information. The
following deviations from the public
approval information in the notice and
approval are treated as insubstantial
deviations:
(A) Size of bond issue and use of
proceeds. A deviation between the
maximum stated principal amount of a
proposed issuance of bonds to finance a
project that is specified in public
approval information and the actual
stated principal amount of bonds issued
and used to finance that project is an
insubstantial deviation if that actual
stated principal amount is no more than
ten percent (10%) greater than that
maximum stated principal amount or is
any amount less than that maximum
stated principal amount. In addition, the
use of proceeds to pay working capital
expenditures directly associated with
any project specified in the public
approval information is an insubstantial
deviation.
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(B) Initial owner or principal user. A
deviation between the initial owner or
principal user of the project named in
the notice and approval and the actual
initial owner or principal user of the
project is an insubstantial deviation if
such parties are related parties on the
issue date of the issue.
(iii) Supplemental public approval to
cure certain substantial deviations in
public approval information. A
substantial deviation between the stated
use of proceeds of an issue included in
the public approval information and the
actual use of the proceeds of the issue
does not cause that issue to fail to meet
the public approval requirement if all of
the following requirements are met:
(A) Original public approval and
reasonable expectations. The issue met
the requirements for a public approval
in paragraph (b) of this section. In
addition, on the issue date of the issue,
the issuer reasonably expected there
would be no substantial deviations
between the stated use of proceeds of an
issue included in the public approval
information and the actual use of the
proceeds of the issue.
(B) Unexpected events or unforeseen
changes in circumstances. As a result of
unexpected events or unforeseen
changes in circumstances that occur
after the issue date of the issue, the
issuer determines to use proceeds of the
issue in a manner or amount not
provided in a public approval.
(C) Supplemental public approval.
Before using proceeds of the bonds in a
manner or amount not provided in a
public approval, the issuer obtains a
supplemental public approval for those
bonds that meets the public approval
requirement in paragraph (b) of this
section. This supplemental public
approval requirement applies by
treating those bonds as if they were
reissued for purposes of section 147(f).
(7) Certain timing requirements.
Public approval of an issue is timely
only if the issuer obtains the public
approval within one year before the
issue date of the issue. Public approval
of a plan of financing is timely only if
the issuer obtains public approval for
the plan of financing within one year
before the issue date of the first issue
issued under the plan of financing and
the issuer issues all issues under the
plan of financing within three years
after the issue date of such first issue.
(g) Definitions. The definitions in this
paragraph (g) apply for purposes of this
section. In addition, the general
definitions in § 1.150–1 apply for
purposes of this section.
(1) Geographic jurisdiction means the
area encompassed by the boundaries
prescribed by State or local law for a
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governmental unit or, if there are no
such boundaries, the area in which a
unit may exercise such sovereign
powers that make that unit a
governmental unit for purposes of
§ 1.103–1 and this section.
(2) Governmental unit has the
meaning of ‘‘State or local governmental
unit’’ as defined in § 1.103–1. Thus, a
governmental unit is a State, territory, a
possession of the United States, the
District of Columbia, or any political
subdivision thereof.
(3) Host approval is defined in
paragraph (b)(3) of this section.
(4) Issuer approval is defined in
paragraph (b)(2) of this section.
(5) Mortgage revenue bonds mean
qualified mortgage bonds as defined in
section 143(a), qualified veterans’
mortgage bonds as defined in section
143(b), or refunding bonds issued to
finance mortgages of owner-occupied
residences pursuant to applicable law in
effect prior to enactment of section
143(a) or section 143(b).
(6) Proceeds means ‘‘proceeds’’ as
defined in § 1.141–1(b), except that it
does not include disposition proceeds.
(7) Project generally means one or
more capital projects or facilities,
including land, buildings, equipment,
and other property, to be financed with
an issue, that are located on the same
site, or adjacent or proximate sites used
for similar purposes, and that are
subject to the public approval
requirement of section 147(f). For an
issue of mortgage revenue bonds or an
issue of qualified student loan bonds as
defined in section 144(b), the term
project means the mortgage loans or
qualified student loans to be financed
with the proceeds of the issue. For an
issue of qualified 501(c)(3) bonds as
defined in section 145, the term project
means a project as defined in the first
sentence of this definition, and also is
deemed to include working capital
expenditures to be financed with
proceeds of the issue.
(8) Public approval information is
defined in paragraph (f)(6)(i) of this
section.
(9) Public hearing is defined in
paragraph (d)(1) of this section.
(10) Reasonable public notice is
defined in paragraph (d)(4) of this
section.
(11) Voter referendum means a vote
by the voters of the affected
governmental unit conducted in the
same manner and time as voter
referenda on matters relating to
governmental spending or bond
issuances by the governmental unit
under applicable State and local law.
(h) Applicability date. This section
applies to bonds issued pursuant to a
VerDate Sep<11>2014
15:00 Sep 27, 2017
Jkt 241001
public approval occurring on or after the
date that is 90 days after publication of
the Treasury decision adopting these
rules as final regulations in the Federal
Register. For bonds issued pursuant to
a public approval occurring before that
date, see § 5f.103–2 as contained in 26
CFR part 5f, revised as of the date of the
most recent annual revision.
PART 5f—TEMPORARY INCOME TAX
REGULATIONS UNDER THE TAX
EQUITY AND FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY
ACT OF 1982
Par. 3. The authority citation for part
5f continues to read in part as follows:
■
Authority: 26 U.S.C. 7805 * * *
§ 5f.103–2
■
[Removed]
Par. 4. Section 5f.103–2 is removed.
Kirsten Wielobob,
Deputy Commissioner for Services and
Enforcement.
[FR Doc. 2017–20661 Filed 9–27–17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4830–01–P
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
AGENCY
40 CFR Part 52
[EPA–R03–OAR–2017–0215; FRL–9968–32–
Region 3]
Approval and Promulgation of Air
Quality Implementation Plans; Virginia;
Removal of Clean Air Interstate Rule
(CAIR) Trading Programs
Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Proposed rule.
AGENCY:
The Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) proposes to approve the
state implementation plan (SIP) revision
submitted by the Commonwealth of
Virginia for the purpose of removing
regulations from the Virginia SIP that
established EPA-administered annual
NOX, ozone season NOX, and sulfur
dioxide (SO2) trading programs under
the Clean Air Interstate Rule (CAIR).
These EPA-administered trading
programs under CAIR were
discontinued on December 31, 2014
upon the implementation of the CrossState Air Pollution Rule (CASPR),
which was promulgated by EPA to
replace CAIR. In the Final Rules section
of this Federal Register, EPA is
approving the State’s SIP submittal as a
direct final rule without prior proposal
because the Agency views this as a
noncontroversial submittal and
anticipates no adverse comments. A
detailed rationale for the approval is set
forth in the direct final rule. If no
SUMMARY:
PO 00000
Frm 00034
Fmt 4702
Sfmt 4702
45241
adverse comments are received in
response to this action, no further
activity is contemplated. If EPA receives
adverse comments, the direct final rule
will be withdrawn and all public
comments received will be addressed in
a subsequent final rule based on this
proposed rule. EPA will not institute a
second comment period. Any parties
interested in commenting on this action
should do so at this time.
Comments must be received in
writing by October 30, 2017.
DATES:
Submit your comments,
identified by Docket ID No. EPA–R03–
OAR–2017–0215 at https://
www.regulations.gov, or via email to
stahl.cynthia@epa.gov. For comments
submitted at Regulations.gov, follow the
online instructions for submitting
comments. Once submitted, comments
cannot be edited or removed from
Regulations.gov. For either manner of
submission, the EPA may publish any
comment received to its public docket.
Do not submit electronically any
information you consider to be
confidential business information (CBI)
or other information whose disclosure is
restricted by statute. Multimedia
submissions (audio, video, etc.) must be
accompanied by a written comment.
The written comment is considered the
official comment and should include
discussion of all points you wish to
make. EPA will generally not consider
comments or comment contents located
outside of the primary submission (i.e.
on the web, cloud, or other file sharing
system). For additional submission
methods, please contact the person
identified in the FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT section. For the
full EPA public comment policy,
information about CBI or multimedia
submissions, and general guidance on
making effective comments, please visit
https://www2.epa.gov/dockets/
commenting-epa-dockets.
ADDRESSES:
Sara
Calcinore, (215) 814 2043, or by email
at calcinore.sara@epa.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
For
further information, please see the
information provided in the direct final
action, with the same title, that is
located in the ‘‘Rules and Regulations’’
section of this Federal Register
publication. Please note that if EPA
receives adverse comment on an
amendment, paragraph, or section of
this rule and if that provision may be
severed from the remainder of the rule,
EPA may adopt as final those provisions
of the rule that are not the subject of an
adverse comment.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
E:\FR\FM\28SEP1.SGM
28SEP1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 187 (Thursday, September 28, 2017)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 45233-45241]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-20661]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
Internal Revenue Service
26 CFR Parts 1 and 5f
[REG-128841-07]
RIN 1545-BG91
Public Approval of Tax-Exempt Private Activity Bonds
AGENCY: Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Treasury.
ACTION: Withdrawal of notice of proposed rulemaking and notice of
proposed rulemaking.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: This document contains proposed regulations to update and
streamline the public approval requirement provided in section 147(f)
of the Internal Revenue Code applicable to tax-exempt private activity
bonds issued by State and local governments. The proposed regulations
would update the existing regulations on the public approval
requirement to reflect statutory changes, to streamline the public
approval process, and to reduce burden on State and local governments
that issue tax-exempt private activity bonds. This document also
withdraws two previous notices of proposed rulemaking on this topic.
The proposed regulations affect State and local governments that issue
tax-exempt private activity bonds.
DATES: Comments and requests for a public hearing must be received by
December 27, 2017.
ADDRESSES: Send submissions to CC:PA:LPD:PR (REG-128841-07), Room 5203,
Internal Revenue Service, P.O. Box 7604, Ben Franklin Station,
Washington, DC 20044. Submissions may be hand-delivered Monday through
Friday between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. to CC:PA:LPD:PR (REG-
128841-07), Courier's Desk, Internal Revenue Service, 1111 Constitution
Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20224, or sent electronically via the
Federal eRulemaking Portal at www.regulations.gov (IRS REG-128841-07).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Concerning the proposed regulations,
Spence Hanemann at (202) 317-6980; concerning submissions of comments
and requesting a hearing, Regina Johnson at (202) 317-6901 (not toll-
free numbers).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Paperwork Reduction Act
The collection of information contained in this notice of proposed
rulemaking has been submitted to the Office of Management and Budget
for review under OMB Control Number 1545-2185 in accordance with the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3507(d)). The collection of
information in this proposed regulation is the requirement in Sec.
1.147(f)-1 that certain information be contained in a public notice or
public approval and, consequently, disclosed to the public. This
information is required to meet the statutory public approval
requirement provided in section 147(f). The likely respondents are the
governmental units required to approve an issue of private activity
bonds under section 147(f).
Estimated total annual burden: 2,600 hours.
Estimated average annual burden per respondent: 1.3 Hours.
Estimated number of respondents: 2,000.
Estimated frequency of responses: Annual.
Comments on the collection of information should be sent to the
Office of Management and Budget, Attn: Desk Officer for the Department
of the Treasury, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs,
Washington, DC 20503, with copies to the Internal Revenue Service,
Attn: IRS Reports Clearance Officer, SE:CAR:MP:T:T:SP, Washington, DC
20224. Comments on the collection of information should be received by
November 27, 2017.
Comments are specifically requested concerning:
Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the
proper performance of the functions of the IRS, including whether the
information will have practical utility;
The accuracy of the estimated burden associated with the proposed
collection of information;
How the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be
collected may be enhanced;
How the burden of complying with the proposed collection of
information may be minimized, including through the application of
automated collection techniques or other forms of information
technology; and
Estimates of capital or start-up costs and costs of operation,
maintenance, and purchase of services to provide information.
An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required
to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a valid
control number assigned by the Office of Management and Budget.
Books or records relating to a collection of information must be
retained as long as their contents may become material in the
administration of any internal revenue law. Generally, tax returns and
tax return information are confidential, as required by 26 U.S.C. 6103.
Background
This document contains proposed amendments to 26 CFR part 1 under
section 147(f) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (the Code) and 26
CFR part 5f under section 103(k) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954
(the 1954 Code). In the Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act of
1982 (TEFRA), Public Law 97-248, 96 Stat. 324, Congress added section
103(k) to the 1954 Code to impose a public approval requirement on tax-
exempt industrial development bonds. On May 11, 1983, the Department of
the Treasury (Treasury Department) and the IRS published in the Federal
Register (48 FR 21117) temporary regulations under section 103(k) of
the 1954 Code (TD 7892) (the Existing Regulations). See Sec. 5f.103-2.
A notice of proposed rulemaking (LR-221-82) by cross-reference to the
temporary regulations was published in the Federal Register (48 FR
21166) on the same day.
In the Tax Reform Act of 1986 (1986 Tax Act), Public Law 99-514,
100 Stat. 2085, Congress reorganized the tax-exempt bond provisions and
carried forward the public approval requirement of section 103(k) of
the 1954 Code in expanded form in section 147(f) of the Code. In
section 147(f), Congress extended the public approval requirement to
apply to all types of tax-exempt private activity bonds, as provided in
section 141(e). The legislative history of the 1986 Tax Act indicates
that ``[t]he conferees intend that, to the extent not amended, all
principles of present law continue to apply under the reorganized
provisions.'' H.R. Rep. No. 99-841, at II-686 (1986) (Conf. Rep.).
Thus, the Existing Regulations in Sec. 5f.103-2 remain in effect.
On September 9, 2008, the Treasury Department and the IRS published
a
[[Page 45234]]
notice of proposed rulemaking (REG-128841-07) in the Federal Register
(73 FR 52220) that proposed regulations to amend and supplement the
Existing Regulations (the 2008 Proposed Regulations). The Treasury
Department and the IRS received public comments on the 2008 Proposed
Regulations and held a public hearing on January 26, 2009. As discussed
more fully in the Explanation of Provisions section of this preamble,
the Treasury Department and the IRS have decided to withdraw the 2008
Proposed Regulations in full and to propose new regulations. This
document contains those new proposed regulations (the Proposed
Regulations).
Explanation of Provisions
1. Introduction
In general, pursuant to section 103 of the Code, interest received
by investors on eligible State and local bonds is tax-exempt for
Federal income tax purposes. Interest on private activity bonds
qualifies for this tax-exempt treatment only if the bonds meet the
requirements for ``qualified bonds'' as defined in section 141(e) and
other applicable requirements provided in section 103. Section 141(e)
of the Code requires, among other things, that qualified bonds meet the
public approval requirement of section 147(f).
The Proposed Regulations would update the Existing Regulations to
address subsequent statutory changes and to streamline the public
approval process. The Proposed Regulations provide greater flexibility
to State and local governments with respect to the public approval
process to reduce administrative burdens associated with the public
approval requirement. The Proposed Regulations recognize advances in
technology and electronic communication that may facilitate more
streamlined procedures for providing reasonable public notice of a
public hearing.
2. The 2008 Proposed Regulations
The 2008 Proposed Regulations proposed to update, clarify, and
simplify discrete aspects of the Existing Regulations regarding the
public approval requirement. The 2008 Proposed Regulations focused on
the scope, information content, methods, and timing for the public
approval process, and generally did not focus on the governmental
entities from which public approval is required. Overall, the public
comments on the 2008 Proposed Regulations were favorable.
The Proposed Regulations generally incorporate the amendments
proposed in the 2008 Proposed Regulations with modifications in
response to the public comments. One comment focused on the structure
of the 2008 Proposed Regulations. The 2008 Proposed Regulations would
have revised the Existing Regulations by amending existing rules and
adding new rules. The 2008 Proposed Regulations further provided that
the Existing Regulations would remain in effect to the extent not
inconsistent with the final version of the 2008 Proposed Regulations.
Commenters expressed concern about potential confusion over two
distinct and partially inconsistent regulation sections governing the
public approval requirement. The Treasury Department and the IRS
understand this concern. Accordingly, the Proposed Regulations
consolidate the guidance in the Existing Regulations and the 2008
Proposed Regulations, with modifications in response to the public
comments and other recent developments, into new proposed guidance and
provide a further opportunity for public comment.
The Treasury Department and the IRS also received numerous comments
regarding the level of specificity of information required to be
contained in reasonable public notice of a public hearing or a public
approval. Generally, the 2008 Proposed Regulations proposed to allow
the issuer to provide streamlined information about projects to be
financed, and the Existing Regulations require a greater level of
specificity of information about such projects. The 2008 Proposed
Regulations also proposed to afford issuers more flexibility regarding
the effect of post-issuance changes from the reasonably expected facts
provided in the reasonable public notice or public approval. Commenters
expressed differing views on whether these proposed amendments in the
2008 Proposed Regulations should be adopted. Commenters in favor of
these amendments generally applauded the reduced burden that issuers
would bear under the 2008 Proposed Regulations and suggested ways in
which that burden could be reduced further. Commenters opposed to these
amendments generally argued that reducing the amount of public
information would limit the public's ability to approve or oppose on an
informed basis new private activity bonds and proposed projects to be
financed. The legislative history of the public approval requirement
emphasizes the importance of ``a reasonable opportunity for persons
with differing views on both issuance of the bonds and the location and
nature of the proposed facility to be heard.'' S. Rep. No. 97-494, at
171 (1982). With respect to these proposed amendments, the Treasury
Department and the IRS have determined that the information that would
have been required by the 2008 Proposed Regulations is sufficient to
permit the public to evaluate the merits of both the issuance of the
bonds and the location and nature of the financed facility. Thus, the
burden imposed by the Existing Regulations may be reduced as provided
in the 2008 Proposed Regulations without significantly impairing the
public's consideration of new private activity bonds. Accordingly, the
Proposed Regulations generally retain the streamlined information and
post-issuance flexibility proposed in the 2008 Proposed Regulations and
provide for additional post-issuance flexibility. (See section 6 of
this Explanation of Provisions.)
Commenters also provided differing views on the amendments in the
2008 Proposed Regulations that proposed changes to the procedures for
providing reasonable public notice of a public hearing. The Existing
Regulations generally permit an issuer to publicize notice by
newspaper, radio, or television, and presume notice to be reasonable if
published at least 14 days prior to the date of the public hearing. The
2008 Proposed Regulations proposed to expand the permitted methods of
providing public notice to include notice by newspaper, radio,
television, Web site, or other permitted methods of giving public
notice under State law, and would have shortened the presumptively
reasonable notice period to seven days in advance of the hearing.
Commenters in favor of these amendments generally stated that the
proposed amendments would ease the burden of providing the public
notice. Commenters opposed to these amendments generally expressed
concern that seven days' notice of a public hearing would not provide
the public sufficient time to make an informed decision and to make
arrangements to be present at the hearing. The legislative history of
TEFRA indicates that Congress expected notice to be published no fewer
than 14 days before the scheduled date of the hearing. See S. Rep. No.
97-494, at 171 (1982). In response to these comments, the Proposed
Regulations adopt and expand the permitted methods for giving notice of
a public hearing that were proposed in the 2008 Proposed Regulations,
but retain the 14-day notice period presumed reasonable under the
Existing Regulations consistent with the expectations of Congress.
[[Page 45235]]
3. Host Approval and Issuer Approval
Section 147(f) generally requires that both the governmental unit
that issues the bonds (or on behalf of which the bonds are issued) and
a governmental unit with jurisdiction over the location of the financed
project approve an issue of private activity bonds (and the approvals
are referred to as the issuer approval and the host approval,
respectively). The Proposed Regulations generally carry forward the
rules on issuer approval and host approval from the Existing
Regulations, with limited revisions to address statutory changes that
affect the application of these rules to certain types of private
activity bonds. Thus, for example, the Proposed Regulations include
guidance to address subsequent statutory changes in section 147(f)(3)
and (4) that added special provisions regarding the issuer approval and
host approval requirements for certain financings involving airports,
high-speed rail facilities, qualified scholarship funding corporations,
and volunteer fire departments.
The 1986 Tax Act extended the public approval requirement beyond
the traditional, facility-focused industrial development bonds subject
to the requirement under the 1954 Code to include certain special types
of financings that are not facility-specific, including ``qualified
mortgage bonds'' as defined in section 143(a), ``qualified veterans'
mortgage bonds'' as defined in section 143(b), ``qualified student loan
bonds'' as defined in section 144(b), and ``qualified 501(c)(3) bonds''
as defined in section 145. For these types of bonds, obtaining a host
approval may be impractical or unworkable. For example, for qualified
mortgage bonds, the locations of many of the homes to be financed with
qualified mortgage loans generally are unknown at the time of issuance
of the bonds and thus it may be difficult to identify appropriate
governmental units to provide host approval. Moreover, for qualified
student loan bonds and for qualified 501(c)(3) bonds used to finance
working capital expenditures, the application of the host approval
requirement is unworkable because the assets and expenditures financed
have no physical location. In recognition of the practical difficulties
faced by issuers of these types of bonds under the Existing
Regulations, the Proposed Regulations provide that no host approval is
necessary for mortgage revenue bonds (defined as qualified mortgage
bonds, qualified veterans' mortgage bonds, and certain refundings of
bonds issued to finance mortgages of owner-occupied residences under
the law prior to enactment of section 143), qualified student loan
bonds, or qualified 501(c)(3) bonds used to finance working capital
expenditures.
4. Reasonable Public Notice and Public Hearing
The Existing Regulations generally provide that an applicable
elected representative of the approving governmental unit may approve
an issue following a public hearing for which there was reasonable
public notice. The Existing Regulations provide guidance on permitted
methods for giving reasonable public notice and holding public
hearings. The Proposed Regulations would expand these methods to
provide greater flexibility to State and local governments for
providing reasonable public notice.
The Existing Regulations provide generally that reasonable public
notice must be published in a newspaper of general circulation
available to residents of the relevant locality or announced by radio
or television broadcast to those residents. The Proposed Regulations
would expand the permitted methods of providing reasonable public
notice to provide greater flexibility and to recognize advances in
technology and electronic communications. Thus, the Proposed
Regulations would allow reasonable public notice by newspaper
publication, radio or television broadcast, postings on a governmental
unit's public Web site, or alternative methods permitted under a
general State law for public notices for public hearings of a
governmental unit. The Treasury Department and the IRS solicit comment
on other possible methods of providing reasonable public notice to
foster flexibility and to reduce administrative burdens.
5. Content of Reasonable Public Notice and Public Approval
A. General Rules for Content of Reasonable Public Notice and Public
Approval
The Existing Regulations generally require that the reasonable
public notice and the public approval contain the following
information: A general, functional description of the type and use of
the facility to be financed; the maximum aggregate face amount of the
bonds to be issued for the facility; the initial owner, operator, or
manager of the facility; and the location of the facility by street
address or, if none, by a general description designed to inform
readers of the specific location. The required level of specificity of
information for the public approval process under the Existing
Regulations has proven to be unduly limiting and burdensome in certain
respects. The Proposed Regulations generally retain the requirements
that information (public approval information) be provided for the
public approval process but refine the required public approval
information to reduce burden and enhance flexibility.
Initially, the Existing Regulations focus on an individual
``facility'' as the unit of financed property for which the issuer must
provide the relevant information. The definition of ``facility'' in the
Existing Regulations includes facilities on multiple tracts of land
only if the facilities are used in an integrated operation. Whether
facilities are part of an ``integrated operation'' has proven difficult
to determine.
The Proposed Regulations use the term ``project'' in lieu of the
term ``facility'' because ``project'' more clearly indicates that
financed property may consist of multiple buildings and multiple sites.
The Proposed Regulations define the term ``project'' generally to mean
one or more capital projects or facilities, including land, buildings,
equipment, and other property, to be financed with an issue, that are
located on the same site, or adjacent or proximate sites used for
similar purposes. In addition, to address certain special types of loan
financings, the definition of a project under the Proposed Regulations
also includes mortgage loans financed by mortgage revenue bonds,
student loans financed by qualified student loan bonds, and working
capital expenditures financed by qualified 501(c)(3) bonds.
The Proposed Regulations would continue to require a general
functional description of the type and use of the financed project. The
Proposed Regulations, however, would mitigate the required level of
specificity of that information. Thus, the Proposed Regulations would
allow an issuer of exempt facility bonds to satisfy this requirement
through a statement that identifies the category of exempt facility
bond (for example, bonds financing an airport or a mass commuting
facility). Similarly, an issuer of other types of private activity
bonds may satisfy this requirement through a statement that identifies
the type of bonds and the type and use of the project (for example,
qualified small issue bonds for a manufacturing facility).
The Proposed Regulations would continue to require that the public
approval information include the name of the expected initial owner or
the principal user of the project. The Proposed Regulations, however,
would permit an issuer to name the true
[[Page 45236]]
beneficial party of interest as an alternative to naming a legal owner
or user (for example, the name of a nonprofit hospital organization
instead of a limited liability company that serves as the legal owner
of a hospital).
The Proposed Regulations would continue to require that the public
approval information include the location of the project by street
address. The Proposed Regulations, however, would clarify that a
description by boundary streets or other geographic boundaries suffices
to meet this location requirement. The Proposed Regulations would allow
a consolidated description of the location of a project on the same
site or on adjacent or proximate sites (for example, a college campus).
B. Special Rules for Mortgage Revenue Bonds, Qualified Student Loan
Bonds, and Certain Qualified 501(c)(3) Bonds
The 1986 Tax Act extended the public approval requirement to
mortgage revenue bonds, qualified student loan bonds, and qualified
501(c)(3) bonds. The Existing Regulations were promulgated before the
1986 Tax Act and thus provide no guidance tailored to the application
of the public approval requirement to these types of bonds. In the
General Explanation of the 1986 Tax Act, the Staff of the Joint
Committee on Taxation stated that, ``[i]n extending this requirement to
all private activity bonds, Congress intended that the applicable
Treasury regulations will be amended for student loan bonds (where no
facilities are financed), mortgage revenue bonds (where the exact
residences to be financed may not be identified before issuance of the
bonds), and qualified 501(c)(3) bonds that qualify for the special
exception to the maturity limitation for pooled financings (where the
facilities need not be identified before issuance of the bonds).''
Joint Committee on Taxation, General Explanation of the Tax Reform Act
of 1986 (JCS-10-87), at 1219 (May 4, 1987). Accordingly, the Proposed
Regulations provide special rules for public approval of mortgage
revenue bonds, qualified student loan bonds, and qualified 501(c)(3)
bonds issued for pooled financings as described in section 147(b)(4).
For mortgage revenue bonds, the Proposed Regulations would require
the public approval information to state that the bonds will finance
residential mortgages, provide the maximum stated principal amount of
the bonds, and generally describe the issuer's geographic jurisdiction
in which the residences to be financed with the mortgage loans are
expected to be located. Similarly, for qualified student loan bonds,
the Proposed Regulations would require the public approval information
to state that the bonds will finance student loans and provide the
maximum stated principal amount of the bonds. For these two types of
bonds, the Proposed Regulations would not require the names of
borrowers to be included in the public approval information.
For qualified 501(c)(3) bonds that finance loans described in the
special provision for pooled loan financings in section 147(b)(4), the
Proposed Regulations would permit the issuer to choose to apply a two-
stage public approval process if the issuer has insufficient
information at the time of the reasonable public notice or public
approval to meet the general public approval information requirements.
To apply this special rule, the issuer must first obtain public
approval within the time specified in the Proposed Regulations for
public approval generally. For this first-stage public approval, the
public approval information must state that the bonds will be qualified
501(c)(3) bonds used to finance loans described in section
147(b)(4)(B), provide the maximum stated principal amount of the bonds,
generally describe the type of project to be financed with such loans
(for example, loans for hospital facilities or college facilities), and
state that the issuer will obtain an additional public approval with
specific project information before origination of any such loans. In
addition, before loan origination, the issuer must obtain a
supplemental public approval of that loan containing all of the
project-specific information that the public approval information rules
generally require.
6. Deviations From the Information in the Reasonable Public Notice and
Public Approval
Differences or ``deviations'' between information regarding a
proposed project to be financed with a proposed issuance of private
activity bonds that serves as the basis for a public approval and the
actual project financed with the bonds may affect the validity of the
public approval. The Existing Regulations and the Proposed Regulations
provide that insubstantial deviations do not invalidate a public
approval. The Proposed Regulations provide additional guidance
concerning differences that constitute insubstantial deviations and
also allow remedial actions to cure certain substantial deviations.
The Proposed Regulations provide that whether a deviation is
substantial generally depends on all of the facts and circumstances.
The Proposed Regulations, however, would always treat a change in the
fundamental nature or type of a project as a substantial deviation.
The Proposed Regulations would treat certain specified deviations
from the public approval information provided as insubstantial
deviations. For example, a deviation from the size of a proposed bond
issue for a proposed project specified in public approval information
is an insubstantial deviation if the stated principal amount of bonds
actually issued and used for the project is no more than ten percent
(10%) greater than the maximum stated principal amount publicly
approved for the project or is any amount less than that maximum stated
principal amount. Furthermore, if an issuer applies proceeds of an
issue approved for use on one project to pay working capital
expenditures directly associated with any project approved in the same
public approval, that deviation is an insubstantial deviation. Finally,
a deviation between the initial owner or principal user of the project
identified in the public approval information and the actual initial
owner or principal user of the project is an insubstantial deviation if
the parties are related on the issue date.
The Proposed Regulations would allow supplemental post-issuance
public approvals to cure certain substantial deviations that result
from unexpected events or unforeseen changes in circumstances that
occur after the issuance of the bonds. This remedial action is similar
to a permitted post-issuance public approval under Sec. 1.141-12(e)(2)
and (f) used for remedial actions for purposes of the private business
restrictions.
7. Applicability Dates and Reliance
The Proposed Regulations are proposed to apply to bonds issued
pursuant to a public approval that occurs on or after the date that is
90 days after publication of a Treasury decision adopting these rules
as final regulations in the Federal Register. Issuers may apply the
Proposed Regulations, in whole but not in part, to bonds that are
issued pursuant to a public approval that occurs on or after September
28, 2017 and before the applicability date provided in a Treasury
decision adopting these rules as final regulations in the Federal
Register.
In addition, the Treasury Department and the IRS propose to remove
the Existing Regulations under Sec. 5f.103-2 from 26 CFR part 5f
effective on the
[[Page 45237]]
general applicability date of the final regulations, which is proposed
to be the date that is 90 days after publication of a Treasury decision
adopting these rules as final regulations in the Federal Register.
Special Analyses
Certain IRS regulations, including these, are exempt from the
requirements of Executive Order 12866, as supplemented and reaffirmed
by Executive Order 13563. Therefore, a regulatory impact assessment is
not required. It is hereby certified that these regulations will not
have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small
entities. The Existing Regulations provide guidance on the minimum
informational content, procedures, and timing for the statutorily
required public notices, public hearings, and public approvals.
Although the Proposed Regulations are expected to affect a significant
number of small State or local governmental units that issue tax-exempt
private activity bonds, the Proposed Regulations are not expected to
have a significant economic effect on those governmental units because
the Proposed Regulations generally would streamline and simplify the
Existing Regulations in various respects to reduce the administrative
burdens of meeting the statutory public approval requirement. For
example, the Proposed Regulations would permit publication of public
notice by Web site to reduce costs associated with print publication or
radio or television broadcast, reduce the information required to be
contained in public notice and public approval for certain types of
bonds, liberalize the consequences of insubstantial changes in project
information, and permit curative actions to address certain
circumstances in which finished projects differ from descriptions
provided in the public notice or public approval. Accordingly, a
regulatory flexibility analysis is not required. Pursuant to section
7805(f) of the Code, this notice of proposed rulemaking will be
submitted to the Chief Counsel for Advocacy of the Small Business
Administration for comment on its impact on small entities.
Comments and Requests for Public Hearing
Before the Proposed Regulations are adopted as final regulations,
consideration will be given to any comments that are submitted timely
to the IRS as prescribed in this preamble under the ADDRESSES heading.
The Treasury Department and the IRS request comments on all aspects of
the proposed rules. All comments will be available at
www.regulations.gov or upon request. A public hearing will be scheduled
if requested in writing by any person that timely submits written
comments. If a public hearing is scheduled, notice of the date, time,
and place for the hearing will be published in the Federal Register.
Drafting Information
The principal authors of these regulations are Spence Hanemann and
Vicky Tsilas, Office of Associate Chief Counsel (Financial Institutions
and Products). However, other personnel from the Treasury Department
and the IRS participated in their development.
List of Subjects
26 CFR Part 1
Income taxes, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.
26 CFR Part 5f
Income taxes, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.
Withdrawal of Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
Accordingly, under the authority of 26 U.S.C. 7805, the notice of
proposed rulemaking (REG-128841-07) that was published in the Federal
Register (73 FR 52220) on September 9, 2008, is withdrawn. Also, under
the authority of 26 U.S.C. 7805, Sec. 1.103-17 of the notice of
proposed rulemaking (LR-221-82) published in the Federal Register (48
FR 21166) on May 11, 1983, is withdrawn.
Proposed Amendments to the Regulations
Accordingly, 26 CFR parts 1 and 5f are proposed to be amended as
follows:
PART 1--INCOME TAXES
0
Paragraph 1. The authority citation for part 1 continues to read in
part as follows:
Authority: 26 U.S.C. 7805 * * *
0
Par. 2. Section 1.147(f)-1 is added to read as follows:
Sec. 1.147(f)-1 Public approval of private activity bonds.
(a) In general. Interest on a private activity bond is excludable
from gross income under section 103(a) only if the bond meets the
requirements for a qualified bond as defined in section 141(e) and
other applicable requirements provided in section 103. In order to be a
qualified bond as defined in section 141(e), among other requirements,
a private activity bond must meet the requirements of section 147(f). A
private activity bond meets the requirements of section 147(f) only if
the bond is publicly approved pursuant to paragraph (b) of this section
or the bond qualifies for the exception for refunding bonds in section
147(f)(2)(D).
(b) Public approval requirement--(1) In general. Except as
otherwise provided in this section, a bond meets the requirements of
section 147(f) if, before the issue date, the issue of which the bond
is a part receives issuer approval and host approval (each a public
approval) as defined in paragraphs (b)(2) and (3) of this section in
accordance with the method and process set forth in paragraphs (c)
through (f) of this section.
(2) Issuer approval. Except as otherwise provided in this section,
issuer approval means an approval that meets the requirements of this
paragraph (b)(2). Either the governmental unit that issues the issue or
the governmental unit on behalf of which the issue is issued must
approve the issue. For this purpose, Sec. 1.103-1 applies to the
determination of whether an issuer issues bonds on behalf of another
governmental unit. If an issuer issues bonds on behalf of more than one
governmental unit (for example, in the case of an authority that acts
for two counties), any one of those governmental units may provide the
issuer approval.
(3) Host approval. Except as otherwise provided in this section,
host approval means an approval that meets the requirements of this
paragraph (b)(3). Each governmental unit the geographic jurisdiction of
which contains the site of a project to be financed by the issue must
approve the issue. If, however, the entire site of a project to be
financed by the issue is within the geographic jurisdiction of more
than one governmental unit within a State (counting the State as a
governmental unit within such State), then any one of those
governmental units may provide host approval for the issue for that
project. For purposes of the host approval, if a project to be financed
by the issue is located within the geographic jurisdiction of two or
more governmental units but not entirely within any one of those
governmental units, each portion of the project that is located
entirely within the geographic jurisdiction of the respective
governmental units may be treated as a separate project. The issuer
approval provided pursuant to paragraph (b)(2) of this section may be
treated as a host approval if the governmental unit providing the
issuer approval is also a governmental unit eligible to provide
[[Page 45238]]
the host approval pursuant to this paragraph (b)(3).
(4) Special rule for host approval of airports or high-speed
intercity rail facilities. Pursuant to a special rule in section
147(f)(3), if the proceeds of an issue are to be used to finance a
project that consists of either facilities located at an airport
(within the meaning of section 142(a)(1)) or high-speed intercity rail
facilities (within the meaning of section 142(a)(11)) and the issuer of
that issue is the owner or operator of the airport or high-speed
intercity rail facilities, the issuer is the only governmental unit
that is required to provide the host approval for that project.
(5) Special rule for issuer approval of scholarship funding bond
issues and volunteer fire department bond issues. In the case of a
qualified scholarship funding bond as defined in section 150(d)(2), the
governmental unit that made a request described in section 150(d)(2)(B)
with respect to the issuer of the bond is the governmental unit on
behalf of which the bond was issued for purposes of the issuer
approval. If more than one governmental unit within a State made a
request described in section 150(d)(2)(B), the State or any such
requesting governmental unit may be treated as the governmental unit on
behalf of which the bond was issued for purposes of the issuer
approval. In the case of a bond of a volunteer fire department treated
as a bond of a political subdivision of a State under section 150(e),
the political subdivision described in section 150(e)(2)(B) with
respect to that volunteer fire department is the governmental unit on
behalf of which the bond is issued for purposes of the issuer approval.
(6) Host approval not required for issues of mortgage revenue
bonds, student loan bonds, and certain qualified 501(c)(3) bonds. In
the case of a mortgage revenue bond (as defined in paragraph (g)(5) of
this section), a qualified student loan bond as defined in section
144(b), and the portion of an issue of qualified 501(c)(3) bonds as
defined in section 145 that finances working capital expenditures, the
issue or portion of the issue must receive an issuer approval but no
host approval is necessary.
(c) Method of public approval. The method of public approval of an
issue must satisfy either paragraph (c)(1) or (2) of this section. An
approval may satisfy the requirements of this paragraph (c) without
regard to the authority under State or local law for the acts
constituting that approval.
(1) Applicable elected representative. An applicable elected
representative of the approving governmental unit approves the issue
following a public hearing for which there was reasonable public
notice.
(2) Voter referendum. A voter referendum of the approving
governmental unit approves the issue.
(d) Public hearing and reasonable public notice--(1) Public
hearing. Public hearing means a forum providing a reasonable
opportunity for interested individuals to express their views, orally
or in writing, on the proposed issue of bonds and the location and
nature of the proposed project to be financed.
(2) Location of the public hearing. The public hearing must be held
in a location that, based on the facts and circumstances, is convenient
for residents of the approving governmental unit. The location of the
public hearing is presumed convenient for residents of the unit if the
public hearing is located in the approving governmental unit's capital
or seat of government. If more than one governmental unit is required
to hold a public hearing, the hearings may be combined as long as the
combined hearing affords the residents of all of the participating
governmental units a reasonable opportunity to be heard. The location
of any combined hearing is presumed convenient for residents of each
participating governmental unit if it is no farther than 100 miles from
the seat of government of each participating governmental unit beyond
whose geographic jurisdiction the hearing is conducted.
(3) Procedures for conducting the public hearing. In general, a
governmental unit may select its own procedure for a public hearing,
provided that interested individuals have a reasonable opportunity to
express their views. Thus, a governmental unit may impose reasonable
requirements on persons who wish to participate in the hearing, such as
a requirement that persons desiring to speak at the hearing make a
written request to speak at least 24 hours before the hearing or that
they limit their oral remarks to a prescribed time. For this purpose,
it is unnecessary, for example, that the applicable elected
representative of the approving governmental unit be present at the
hearing, that a report on the hearing be submitted to that applicable
elected representative, or that State administrative procedural
requirements for public hearings be observed. Except to the extent
State procedural requirements for public hearings are in conflict with
a specific requirement of this section, a public hearing performed in
compliance with State procedural requirements satisfies the
requirements for a public hearing in this paragraph (d). A public
hearing may be conducted by an individual appointed or employed to
perform such function by the governmental unit or its agencies, or by
the issuer. Thus, for example, for bonds to be issued by an authority
that acts on behalf of a county, the hearing may be conducted by the
authority, the county, or an appointee of either.
(4) Reasonable public notice. Reasonable public notice means notice
that is reasonably designed to inform residents of an approving
governmental unit, including the issuing governmental unit and the
governmental unit in whose geographic jurisdiction a project is to be
located, of the proposed issue. The notice must state the time and
place for the public hearing and contain the information required by
paragraph (f)(2) of this section. Notice is presumed to be reasonably
designed to inform residents of an approving governmental unit if it
satisfies the requirements of this paragraph (d)(4) and is given no
fewer than fourteen (14) calendar days before the public hearing in one
or more of the ways set forth in paragraphs (d)(4)(i) through (iv) of
this section.
(i) Newspaper publication. Public notice may be given by
publication in one or more newspapers of general circulation available
to the residents of the governmental unit.
(ii) Radio or television broadcast. Public notice may be given by
radio or television broadcast to the residents of the governmental
unit.
(iii) Governmental unit Web site posting. Public notice may be
given by electronic posting on the approving governmental unit's public
Web site used to inform its residents about events affecting the
residents (for example, notice of public meetings of the governmental
unit). In the case of public notice provided as described in the first
sentence of this paragraph (d)(4)(iii), the governmental unit must
offer a reasonable, publicly known alternative method for obtaining the
information contained in the public notice for residents without access
to the Internet (such as telephone recordings).
(iv) Alternative State law public notice procedures. Public notice
may be given in a way that is permitted under a general State law for
public notices for public hearings for the approving governmental unit.
(e) Applicable elected representative--(1) In general--(i)
Definition of applicable elected representative. The applicable elected
representative of a governmental unit means--
[[Page 45239]]
(A) The governmental unit's elected legislative body;
(B) The governmental unit's chief elected executive officer;
(C) In the case of a State, the chief elected legal officer of the
State's executive branch of government; or
(D) Any official elected by the voters of the governmental unit and
designated for purposes of this section by the governmental unit's
chief elected executive officer or by State or local law to approve
issues for the governmental unit.
(ii) Elected officials. For purposes of paragraphs (e)(1)(i)(B),
(C), and (D) of this section, an official is considered elected only if
that official is popularly elected at-large by the voters of the
governmental unit. If an official popularly elected at-large by the
voters of a governmental unit is appointed or selected pursuant to
State or local law to be the chief executive officer of the unit, that
official is deemed to be an elected chief executive officer for
purposes of this section but for no longer than the official's tenure
as an official popularly elected at-large.
(iii) Legislative bodies. In the case of a bicameral legislature
that is popularly elected, both chambers together constitute an
applicable elected representative. Absent designation under paragraph
(e)(1)(i)(D) of this section, however, neither such chamber
independently constitutes an applicable elected representative. If
multiple elected legislative bodies of a governmental unit have
independent legislative authority, the body with the more specific
authority relating to the issue is the only legislative body that is
treated as an elected legislative body under paragraph (e)(1)(i)(A) of
this section.
(2) Governmental unit with no applicable elected representative--
(i) In general. The applicable elected representatives of a
governmental unit with no applicable elected representative (but for
this paragraph (e)(2) and section 147(f)(2)(E)(ii)) are the applicable
elected representatives of the next higher governmental unit (with an
applicable elected representative) from which the governmental unit
derives its authority. Except as otherwise provided in this section,
any governmental unit from which the governmental unit with no
applicable elected representative derives its authority may be treated
as the next higher governmental unit without regard to the relative
status of such higher governmental unit under State law. A governmental
unit derives its authority from another governmental unit that--
(A) Enacts a specific law (for example, a provision in a State
constitution, charter, or statute) by or under which the governmental
unit is created;
(B) Otherwise empowers or approves the creation of the governmental
unit; or
(C) Appoints members to the governing body of the governmental
unit.
(ii) Host approval. For purposes of a host approval, a governmental
unit may be treated as the next higher governmental unit only if the
project is located within its geographic jurisdiction and eligible
residents of the unit are entitled to vote for its applicable elected
representatives.
(3) On behalf of issuers. In the case of an issuer that issues
bonds on behalf of a governmental unit, the applicable elected
representative is any applicable elected representative of the
governmental unit on behalf of which the bonds are issued.
(f) Public approval process--(1) In general. The public approval
process for an issue, including scope, content, and timing of the
public approval, must meet the requirements of this paragraph (f). A
governmental unit must timely approve either each project to be
financed with proceeds of the issue or a plan of financing for each
project to be financed with proceeds of the issue.
(2) General rule on information required for a reasonable public
notice and public approval. Except as otherwise provided in this
section, a project to be financed with proceeds of an issue is within
the scope of a public approval under section 147(f) if the reasonable
public notice of the public hearing, if applicable, and the public
approval (together the notice and approval) include the information set
forth in paragraphs (f)(2)(i) through (iv) of this section.
(i) The project. The notice and approval must include a general
functional description of the type and use of the project to be
financed with the issue. For this purpose, a project description is
sufficient if it identifies the project by reference to a particular
category of exempt facility bond to be issued (for example, an exempt
facility bond for an airport pursuant to section 142(a)(1)) or by
reference to another general category of private activity bond together
with information on the type and use of the project to be financed with
the issue (for example, a qualified small issue bond as defined in
section 144(a) for a manufacturing facility or a qualified 501(c)(3)
bond as defined in section 145 for a hospital facility and working
capital expenditures).
(ii) The maximum stated principal amount of bonds. The notice and
approval must include the maximum stated principal amount of the issue
of private activity bonds to be issued to finance the project. If an
issue finances multiple projects (for example, facilities at different
locations on non-proximate sites that are not treated as part of the
same project), the notice and approval must specify separately the
maximum stated principal amount of bonds to be issued to finance each
separate project.
(iii) The name of the initial owner or principal user of the
project. The notice and approval must include the name of the expected
initial owner or principal user (within the meaning of section 144(a))
of the project. The name provided may be either the name of the legal
owner or principal user of the project or, alternatively, the name of
the true beneficial party of interest for such legal owner or user (for
example, the name of a 501(c)(3) organization that is the sole member
of a limited liability company that is the legal owner).
(iv) The location of the project. The notice and approval must
include a general description of the prospective location of the
project by street address, reference to boundary streets or other
geographic boundaries, or other description of the specific geographic
location that is reasonably designed to inform readers of the location.
For a project involving multiple capital projects or facilities located
on the same site, or on adjacent or reasonably proximate sites with
similar uses, a consolidated description of the location of those
capital projects or facilities provides a sufficient description of the
location of the project. For example, a project for a section 501(c)(3)
educational entity involving multiple buildings on the entity's main
urban college campus may describe the location of the project by
reference to the outside street boundaries of that campus with a
reference to any noncontiguous features of that campus.
(3) Special rule for mortgage revenue bonds. Mortgage loans
financed by mortgage revenue bonds are within the scope of a public
approval if the notice and approval state that the bonds are to be
issued to finance residential mortgages, provide the maximum stated
principal amount of mortgage revenue bonds expected to be issued, and
provide a general description of the geographic jurisdiction in which
the residences to be financed with the proceeds of the mortgage revenue
bonds are expected to be located (for example, residences located
throughout a State for an issuer with a statewide jurisdiction or
residences within a particular local geographic jurisdiction, such as
within a city or county, for a
[[Page 45240]]
local issuer). For this purpose, in the case of mortgage revenue bonds,
no information is required on specific names of mortgage loan borrowers
or specific locations of individual residences to be financed.
(4) Special rule for qualified student loan bonds. Qualified
student loans financed by qualified student loan bonds as defined in
section 144(b) are within the scope of a public approval if the notice
and approval state that the bonds will be issued to finance student
loans and state the maximum stated principal amount of qualified
student loan bonds expected to be issued for qualified student loans.
For this purpose, in the case of qualified student loan bonds, no
information is required with respect to names of specific student loan
borrowers.
(5) Special rule for certain qualified 501(c)(3) bonds. Loans
financed by qualified 501(c)(3) bonds issued pursuant to section 145
and described in section 147(b)(4)(B) (without regard to any election
under section 147(b)(4)(A)) are within the scope of a public approval
if the requirements of paragraphs (f)(5)(i) and (ii) of this section
are met.
(i) Pre-issuance general public approval. Within the time period
required by paragraph (f)(7) of this section, public approval is
obtained after reasonable public notice of a public hearing is provided
and a public hearing is held. For this purpose, a project is treated as
described in the notice and approval if the notice and approval provide
that the bonds will be qualified 501(c)(3) bonds to be used to finance
loans described in section 147(b)(4)(B), state the maximum stated
principal amount of bonds expected to be issued to finance loans to
501(c)(3) organizations or governmental units as described in section
147(b)(4)(B), provide a general description of the type of project to
be financed with such loans (for example, loans for hospital facilities
or college facilities), and state that an additional public approval
that includes specific project information will be obtained before any
such loans are originated.
(ii) Post-issuance public approval for specific loans. Except as
provided in paragraph (f)(5)(iii) of this section, before a loan
described in section 147(b)(4)(B) is originated, a supplemental public
approval for the bonds to be used to finance that loan is obtained that
meets all the requirements of section 147(f) and the requirements for a
public approval in paragraph (b) of this section. This post-issuance
supplemental public approval requirement applies by treating the bonds
to be used to finance such loan as if they were reissued for purposes
of section 147(f) (without regard to paragraph (f)(5) of this section).
For this purpose, proceeds to be used to finance such loan do not
include the portion of the issue used to finance a common reserve fund
or common costs of issuance.
(iii) Exception to post-issuance public approval requirement. A
post-issuance supplemental public approval pursuant to paragraph
(f)(5)(ii) of this section is unnecessary for the initial use of
proceeds to finance one or more loans if the pre-issuance notice and
approval pursuant to paragraph (f)(5)(i) of this section include the
information required by paragraphs (f)(2)(i) through (iv) of this
section for the projects to be financed by those loans.
(6) Deviations in public approval information--(i) In general.
Except as otherwise provided in this section, a substantial deviation
between the stated use of proceeds of an issue included in the
information required to be provided in the notice and approval (public
approval information) and the actual use of proceeds of the issue
causes that issue to fail to meet the public approval requirement.
Conversely, insubstantial deviations between the stated use of proceeds
of an issue included in the public approval information and the actual
use of proceeds of the issue do not cause such a failure. In general,
the determination of whether a deviation is substantial is based on all
the facts and circumstances. In all events, however, a change in the
fundamental nature or type of a project is a substantial deviation.
(ii) Certain insubstantial deviations in public approval
information. The following deviations from the public approval
information in the notice and approval are treated as insubstantial
deviations:
(A) Size of bond issue and use of proceeds. A deviation between the
maximum stated principal amount of a proposed issuance of bonds to
finance a project that is specified in public approval information and
the actual stated principal amount of bonds issued and used to finance
that project is an insubstantial deviation if that actual stated
principal amount is no more than ten percent (10%) greater than that
maximum stated principal amount or is any amount less than that maximum
stated principal amount. In addition, the use of proceeds to pay
working capital expenditures directly associated with any project
specified in the public approval information is an insubstantial
deviation.
(B) Initial owner or principal user. A deviation between the
initial owner or principal user of the project named in the notice and
approval and the actual initial owner or principal user of the project
is an insubstantial deviation if such parties are related parties on
the issue date of the issue.
(iii) Supplemental public approval to cure certain substantial
deviations in public approval information. A substantial deviation
between the stated use of proceeds of an issue included in the public
approval information and the actual use of the proceeds of the issue
does not cause that issue to fail to meet the public approval
requirement if all of the following requirements are met:
(A) Original public approval and reasonable expectations. The issue
met the requirements for a public approval in paragraph (b) of this
section. In addition, on the issue date of the issue, the issuer
reasonably expected there would be no substantial deviations between
the stated use of proceeds of an issue included in the public approval
information and the actual use of the proceeds of the issue.
(B) Unexpected events or unforeseen changes in circumstances. As a
result of unexpected events or unforeseen changes in circumstances that
occur after the issue date of the issue, the issuer determines to use
proceeds of the issue in a manner or amount not provided in a public
approval.
(C) Supplemental public approval. Before using proceeds of the
bonds in a manner or amount not provided in a public approval, the
issuer obtains a supplemental public approval for those bonds that
meets the public approval requirement in paragraph (b) of this section.
This supplemental public approval requirement applies by treating those
bonds as if they were reissued for purposes of section 147(f).
(7) Certain timing requirements. Public approval of an issue is
timely only if the issuer obtains the public approval within one year
before the issue date of the issue. Public approval of a plan of
financing is timely only if the issuer obtains public approval for the
plan of financing within one year before the issue date of the first
issue issued under the plan of financing and the issuer issues all
issues under the plan of financing within three years after the issue
date of such first issue.
(g) Definitions. The definitions in this paragraph (g) apply for
purposes of this section. In addition, the general definitions in Sec.
1.150-1 apply for purposes of this section.
(1) Geographic jurisdiction means the area encompassed by the
boundaries prescribed by State or local law for a
[[Page 45241]]
governmental unit or, if there are no such boundaries, the area in
which a unit may exercise such sovereign powers that make that unit a
governmental unit for purposes of Sec. 1.103-1 and this section.
(2) Governmental unit has the meaning of ``State or local
governmental unit'' as defined in Sec. 1.103-1. Thus, a governmental
unit is a State, territory, a possession of the United States, the
District of Columbia, or any political subdivision thereof.
(3) Host approval is defined in paragraph (b)(3) of this section.
(4) Issuer approval is defined in paragraph (b)(2) of this section.
(5) Mortgage revenue bonds mean qualified mortgage bonds as defined
in section 143(a), qualified veterans' mortgage bonds as defined in
section 143(b), or refunding bonds issued to finance mortgages of
owner-occupied residences pursuant to applicable law in effect prior to
enactment of section 143(a) or section 143(b).
(6) Proceeds means ``proceeds'' as defined in Sec. 1.141-1(b),
except that it does not include disposition proceeds.
(7) Project generally means one or more capital projects or
facilities, including land, buildings, equipment, and other property,
to be financed with an issue, that are located on the same site, or
adjacent or proximate sites used for similar purposes, and that are
subject to the public approval requirement of section 147(f). For an
issue of mortgage revenue bonds or an issue of qualified student loan
bonds as defined in section 144(b), the term project means the mortgage
loans or qualified student loans to be financed with the proceeds of
the issue. For an issue of qualified 501(c)(3) bonds as defined in
section 145, the term project means a project as defined in the first
sentence of this definition, and also is deemed to include working
capital expenditures to be financed with proceeds of the issue.
(8) Public approval information is defined in paragraph (f)(6)(i)
of this section.
(9) Public hearing is defined in paragraph (d)(1) of this section.
(10) Reasonable public notice is defined in paragraph (d)(4) of
this section.
(11) Voter referendum means a vote by the voters of the affected
governmental unit conducted in the same manner and time as voter
referenda on matters relating to governmental spending or bond
issuances by the governmental unit under applicable State and local
law.
(h) Applicability date. This section applies to bonds issued
pursuant to a public approval occurring on or after the date that is 90
days after publication of the Treasury decision adopting these rules as
final regulations in the Federal Register. For bonds issued pursuant to
a public approval occurring before that date, see Sec. 5f.103-2 as
contained in 26 CFR part 5f, revised as of the date of the most recent
annual revision.
PART 5f--TEMPORARY INCOME TAX REGULATIONS UNDER THE TAX EQUITY AND
FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY ACT OF 1982
0
Par. 3. The authority citation for part 5f continues to read in part as
follows:
Authority: 26 U.S.C. 7805 * * *
Sec. 5f.103-2 [Removed]
0
Par. 4. Section 5f.103-2 is removed.
Kirsten Wielobob,
Deputy Commissioner for Services and Enforcement.
[FR Doc. 2017-20661 Filed 9-27-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4830-01-P