§ 11-56-9 — Leasing of Projects

(a) The corporation and any local subdivision are hereby respectively authorized to enter into with each other one or more lease agreements whereunder a project or any part thereof shall be leased by the corporation to such local subdivision for a term not longer than the then current fiscal year of such local subdivision, but any such lease agreement may contain a grant to such local subdivision of successive options of renewing the said lease agreement on the terms specified therein for any subsequent fiscal year or years of such local subdivision. The said lease agreement may contain appropriate provisions as to the method by which such local subdivision may, at its election, exercise such of the said options of renewal as its governing body may elect on the terms provided therein and such other covenants and provisions as shall not be inconsistent with this chapter and as the corporation and such local subdivision may agree. The rental for each fiscal year during which said lease agreement shall be in effect shall be due in advance on the first day of the fiscal year, and the said rental for said fiscal year shall be payable and any such covenant on the part of such local subdivision shall be performed solely out of the current revenues of such local subdivision for such fiscal year. The state shall not in any manner be liable for the performance of any obligation or agreement contained in said lease agreement. The rental payable and the covenants to be performed by such local subdivision under the provisions of said lease agreement shall never create an indebtedness of such local subdivision within the meaning of Section 224 or Section 225 of the Constitution of the state.
It is hereby declared that it is an essential governmental function of the municipality to secure and supply reasonable and adequate building, office, and storage facilities for its courts, jails, officers, departments, and agencies engaged in the performance of municipal duties, and the rentals payable by the municipality for such purpose are and shall constitute necessary governmental operating expenses of the municipality.
It is hereby declared that it is an essential governmental function of the county to secure and supply reasonable and adequate building, office, and storage facilities for its courts, jails, officers, departments, and agencies engaged in the performance of governmental duties, and the rentals payable by the county for such purpose are and shall constitute necessary governmental operating expenses of the county.
If there shall be any default in the payment of any rental required to be paid or in the performance of any covenant required to be performed by any such local subdivision under the provisions of any such lease agreement while such lease agreement shall be in effect, the corporation and any pledgee of said lease agreement may by any appropriate civil action instituted within the time permitted by law enforce and compel payment of such rental and performance of such covenant.
Should any space available for rent in any project which shall have been leased in whole or in part to a local subdivision become vacant after acquisition or construction of said project by the corporation, then until such time as all such vacant space in the project shall have been filled no local subdivision to which said project or any part thereof shall have been rented nor any officer, department, or agency thereof shall thereafter enter into any lease or rental agreement or renew any existing lease or rental agreement for other space in or about the municipality suitable for use for the same purposes for which the vacant space is suitable.
(b) The corporation and any public corporation are hereby respectively authorized to enter into with each other one or more lease agreements whereunder a project or any part thereof shall be leased by the corporation to said public corporation for a term not longer than 30 years. Neither the state, the county, nor any municipality in the county shall in any manner be liable for the performance of any obligation or agreement contained in any lease agreement between the corporation and a public corporation. The rental payable and the covenants to be performed by a public corporation under the provisions of any such lease agreement shall never create a debt of the state, the county, or any municipality therein within the meaning of Sections 213, 224, or 225 of the Constitution of the state.
It is hereby declared that it is an essential governmental function of a public corporation to secure and supply reasonable and adequate building, office, and storage facilities for the performance of its functions, and the rentals payable by the public corporation for such purpose are and shall constitute a necessary operating expense of the public corporation.
If there shall be any default in the payment of any rental required to be paid or in the performance of any covenant required to be performed by any public corporation under the provisions of any such lease agreement while it shall be in effect, the corporation and any pledgee of said lease agreement may by appropriate civil action instituted within the time permitted by law enforce and compel payment of such rental and performance of such covenant.
(c) The corporation is hereby authorized to lease a project or any part thereof to the United States for such period of time and on such terms and conditions as may be mutually agreed on by the parties to the agreement under which such lease shall be made.

Legislative History

(Acts 1955, No. 493, p. 1116, §9; Acts 1956, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 127, p. 182, §4.)