CITE

    15 USC Sec. 77nnn                                           01/08/2008

EXPCITE

    TITLE 15 - COMMERCE AND TRADE
    CHAPTER 2A - SECURITIES AND TRUST INDENTURES
    SUBCHAPTER III - TRUST INDENTURES

HEAD

    Sec. 77nnn. Reports by obligor; evidence of compliance with
      indenture provisions

STATUTE

    (a) Periodic reports
      Each person who, as set forth in the registration statement or
    application, is or is to be an obligor upon the indenture
    securities covered thereby shall -
        (1) file with the indenture trustee copies of the annual
      reports and of the information, documents, and other reports (or
      copies of such portions of any of the foregoing as the Commission
      may by rules and regulations prescribe) which such obligor is
      required to file with the Commission pursuant to section 78m or
      78o(d) of this title; or, if the obligor is not required to file
      information, documents, or reports pursuant to either of such
      sections, then to file with the indenture trustee and the
      Commission, in accordance with rules and regulations prescribed
      by the Commission, such of the supplementary and periodic
      information, documents, and reports which may be required
      pursuant to section 78m of this title, in respect of a security
      listed and registered on a national securities exchange as may be
      prescribed in such rules and regulations;
        (2) file with the indenture trustee and the Commission, in
      accordance with rules and regulations prescribed by the
      Commission, such additional information, documents, and reports
      with respect to compliance by such obligor with the conditions
      and covenants provided for in the indenture, as may be required
      by such rules and regulations, including, in the case of annual
      reports, if required by such rules and regulations, certificates
      or opinions of independent public accountants, conforming to the
      requirements of subsection (e) of this section, as to compliance
      with conditions or covenants, compliance with which is subject to
      verification by accountants, but no such certificate or opinion
      shall be required as to any matter specified in clauses (A), (B),
      or (C) of paragraph (3) of subsection (c) of this section;
        (3) transmit to the holders of the indenture securities upon
      which such person is an obligor, in the manner and to the extent
      provided in subsection (c) of section 77mmm of this title, such
      summaries of any information, documents, and reports required to
      be filed by such obligor pursuant to the provisions of paragraph
      (1) or (2) of this subsection as may be required by rules and
      regulations prescribed by the Commission; and
        (4) furnish to the indenture trustee, not less often than
      annually, a brief certificate from the principal executive
      officer, principal financial officer or principal accounting
      officer as to his or her knowledge of such obligor's compliance
      with all conditions and covenants under the indenture. For
      purposes of this paragraph, such compliance shall be determined
      without regard to any period of grace or requirement of notice
      provided under the indenture.
    The rules and regulations prescribed under this subsection shall be
    such as are necessary or appropriate in the public interest or for
    the protection of investors, having due regard to the types of
    indentures, and the nature of the business of the class of obligors
    affected thereby, and the amount of indenture securities
    outstanding under such indentures, and, in the case of any such
    rules and regulations prescribed after the indentures to which they
    apply have been qualified under this subchapter, the additional
    expense, if any, of complying with such rules and regulations. Such
    rules and regulations may be prescribed either before or after
    qualification becomes effective as to any such indenture.
    (b) Evidence of recording of indenture
      If the indenture to be qualified is or is to be secured by the
    mortgage or pledge of property, the obligor upon the indenture
    securities shall furnish to the indenture trustee -
        (1) promptly after the execution and delivery of the indenture,
      an opinion of counsel (who may be of counsel for such obligor)
      either stating that in the opinion of such counsel the indenture
      has been properly recorded and filed so as to make effective the
      lien intended to be created thereby, and reciting the details of
      such action, or stating that in the opinion of such counsel no
      such action is necessary to make such lien effective; and
        (2) at least annually after the execution and delivery of the
      indenture, an opinion of counsel (who may be of counsel for such
      obligor) either stating that in the opinion of such counsel such
      action has been taken with respect to the recording, filing, re-
      recording, and refiling of the indenture as is necessary to
      maintain the lien of such indenture, and reciting the details of
      such action, or stating that in the opinion of such counsel no
      such action is necessary to maintain such lien.
    (c) Evidence of compliance with conditions precedent
      The obligor upon the indenture securities shall furnish to the
    indenture trustee evidence of compliance with the conditions
    precedent, if any, provided for in the indenture (including any
    covenants compliance with which constitutes a condition precedent)
    which relate to the authentication and delivery of the indenture
    securities, to the release or the release and substitution of
    property subject to the lien of the indenture, to the satisfaction
    and discharge of the indenture, or to any other action to be taken
    by the indenture trustee at the request or upon the application of
    such obligor. Such evidence shall consist of the following:
        (1) certificates or opinions made by officers of such obligor
      who are specified in the indenture, stating that such conditions
      precedent have been complied with;
        (2) an opinion of counsel (who may be of counsel for such
      obligor) stating that in his opinion such conditions precedent
      have been complied with; and
        (3) in the case of conditions precedent compliance with which
      is subject to verification by accountants (such as conditions
      with respect to the preservation of specified ratios, the amount
      of net quick assets, negative-pledge clauses, and other similar
      specific conditions), a certificate or opinion of an accountant,
      who, in the case of any such conditions precedent to the
      authentication and delivery of indenture securities, and not
      otherwise, shall be an independent public accountant selected or
      approved by the indenture trustee in the exercise of reasonable
      care, if the aggregate principal amount of such indenture
      securities and of other indenture securities authenticated and
      delivered since the commencement of the then current calendar
      year (other than those with respect to which a certificate or
      opinion of an accountant is not required, or with respect to
      which a certificate or opinion of an independent public
      accountant has previously been furnished) is 10 per centum or
      more of the aggregate amount of the indenture securities at the
      time outstanding; but no certificate or opinion need be made by
      any person other than an officer or employee of such obligor who
      is specified in the indenture, as to (A) dates or periods not
      covered by annual reports required to be filed by the obligor, in
      the case of conditions precedent which depend upon a state of
      facts as of a date or dates or for a period or periods different
      from that required to be covered by such annual reports, or (B)
      the amount and value of property additions, except as provided in
      paragraph (3) of subsection (d) of this section, or (C) the
      adequacy of depreciation, maintenance, or repairs.
    (d) Certificates of fair value
      If the indenture to be qualified is or is to be secured by the
    mortgage or pledge of property or securities, the obligor upon the
    indenture securities shall furnish to the indenture trustee a
    certificate or opinion of an engineer, appraiser, or other expert
    as to the fair value -
        (1) of any property or securities to be released from the lien
      of the indenture, which certificate or opinion shall state that
      in the opinion of the person making the same the proposed release
      will not impair the security under such indenture in
      contravention of the provisions thereof, and requiring further
      that such certificate or opinion shall be made by an independent
      engineer, appraiser, or other expert, if the fair value of such
      property or securities and of all other property or securities
      released since the commencement of the then current calendar
      year, as set forth in the certificates or opinions required by
      this paragraph, is 10 per centum or more of the aggregate
      principal amount of the indenture securities at the time
      outstanding; but such a certificate or opinion of an independent
      engineer, appraiser, or other expert shall not be required in the
      case of any release of property or securities, if the fair value
      thereof as set forth in the certificate or opinion required by
      this paragraph is less than $25,000 or less than 1 per centum of
      the aggregate principal amount of the indenture securities at the
      time outstanding;
        (2) to such obligor of any securities (other than indenture
      securities and securities secured by a lien prior to the lien of
      the indenture upon property subject to the lien of the
      indenture), the deposit of which with the trustee is to be made
      the basis for the authentication and delivery of indenture
      securities, the withdrawal of cash constituting a part of the
      trust estate or the release of property or securities subject to
      the lien of the indenture, and requiring further that if the fair
      value to such obligor of such securities and of all other such
      securities made the basis of any such authentication and
      delivery, withdrawal, or release since the commencement of the
      then current calendar year, as set forth in the certificates or
      opinions required by this paragraph, is 10 per centum or more of
      the aggregate principal amount of the indenture securities at the
      time outstanding, such certificate or opinion shall be made by an
      independent engineer, appraiser, or other expert and, in the case
      of the authentication and delivery of indenture securities, shall
      cover the fair value to such obligor of all other such securities
      so deposited since the commencement of the current calendar year
      as to which a certificate or opinion of an independent engineer,
      appraiser, or other expert has not previously been furnished; but
      such a certificate of an independent engineer, appraiser, or
      other expert shall not be required with respect to any securities
      so deposited, if the fair value thereof to such obligor as set
      forth in the certificate or opinion required by this paragraph is
      less than $25,000 or less than 1 per centum of the aggregate
      principal amount of the indenture securities at the time
      outstanding; and
        (3) to such obligor of any property the subjection of which to
      the lien of the indenture is to be made the basis for the
      authentication and delivery of indenture securities, the
      withdrawal of cash constituting a part of the trust estate, or
      the release of property or securities subject to the lien of the
      indenture, and requiring further that if
          (A) within six months prior to the d'te of acquisition
        thereof by such obligor, such property has been used or
        operated, by a person or persons other than such obligor, in a
        business similar to that in which it has been or is to be used
        or operated by such obligor, and
          (B) the fair value to such obligor of such property as set
        forth in such certificate or opinion is not less than $25,000
        and not less than 1 per centum of the aggregate principal
        amount of the indenture securities at the time outstanding,
      such certificate or opinion shall be made by an independent
      engineer, appraiser, or other expert and, in the case of the
      authentication and delivery of indenture securities, shall cover
      the fair value to the obligor of any property so used or operated
      which has been so subjected to the lien of the indenture since
      the commencement of the then current calendar year, and as to
      which a certificate or opinion of an independent engineer,
      appraiser, or other expert has not previously been furnished.
    The indenture to be qualified shall automatically be deemed (unless
    it is expressly provided therein that such provision is excluded)
    to provide that any such certificate or opinion may be made by an
    officer or employee of the obligor upon the indenture securities
    who is duly authorized to make such certificate or opinion by the
    obligor from time to time, except in cases in which this subsection
    requires that such certificate or opinion be made by an independent
    person. In such cases, such certificate or opinion shall be made by
    an independent engineer, appraiser, or other expert selected or
    approved by the indenture trustee in the exercise of reasonable
    care.
    (e) Recitals as to basis of certificate or opinion
      Each certificate or opinion with respect to compliance with a
    condition or covenant provided for in the indenture (other than
    certificates provided pursuant to subsection (a)(4) of this
    section) shall include (1) a statement that the person making such
    certificate or opinion has read such covenant or condition; (2) a
    brief statement as to the nature and scope of the examination or
    investigation upon which the statements or opinions contained in
    such certificate or opinion are based; (3) a statement that, in the
    opinion of such person, he has made such examination or
    investigation as is necessary to enable him to express an informed
    opinion as to whether or not such covenant or condition has been
    complied with; and (4) a statement as to whether or not, in the
    opinion of such person, such condition or covenant has been
    complied with.
    (f) Parties may provide for additional evidence
      Nothing in this section shall be construed either as requiring
    the inclusion in the indenture to be qualified of provisions that
    the obligor upon the indenture securities shall furnish to the
    indenture trustee any other evidence of compliance with the
    conditions and covenants provided for in the indenture than the
    evidence specified in this section, or as preventing the inclusion
    of such provisions in such indenture, if the parties so agree.

SOURCE

    (May 27, 1933, ch. 38, title III, Sec. 314, as added Aug. 3, 1939,
    ch. 411, 53 Stat. 1167; amended Pub. L. 101-550, title IV, Sec.
    413, Nov. 15, 1990, 104 Stat. 2729.)

AMENDMENTS

      1990 - Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 101-550, Sec. 413(1)-(6), in
    introductory provision substituted "Each" for "The indenture to be
    qualified shall contain provisions requiring each" and inserted
    "shall" after "thereby" and in pars. (1) to (3) struck out "to"
    after the paragraph designation, and directed the addition of par.
    (4) at the end which was executed by inserting par. (4) after par.
    (3) to reflect the probable intent of Congress.
      Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 101-550, Sec. 413(7), (8), struck out "such
    indenture shall contain provisions requiring" before "the obligor"
    and substituted "securities shall furnish" for "securities to
    furnish".
      Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 101-550, Sec. 413(9), (10), substituted "The
    obligor" for "The indenture to be qualified shall contain
    provisions requiring the obligor" and "securities shall furnish"
    for "securities to furnish".
      Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 101-550, Sec. 413(11), (13), (14),
    substituted "the obligor upon the indenture securities shall
    furnish to the indenture trustee a certificate or opinion of an
    engineer, appraiser, or other expert as to the fair value" for
    "such indenture shall contain provisions" in introductory
    provisions and "The indenture to be qualified shall automatically
    be deemed (unless it is expressly provided therein that such
    provision is excluded) to provide that" for "If the indenture to be
    qualified so provides," and "duly authorized to make such
    certificate or opinion by the obligor from time to time" for
    "specified in the indenture" in penultimate sentence.
      Subsec. (d)(1) to (3). Pub. L. 101-550, Sec. 413(12), which
    directed that "requiring the obligor upon the indenture securities
    to furnish to the indenture trustee a certificate or opinion of an
    engineer, appraiser or other expert as to the fair value" be struck
    out after the paragraph designations in pars. (1) to (3), was
    executed by striking out "requiring the obligor upon the indenture
    securities to furnish to the indenture trustee a certificate or
    opinion of an engineer, appraiser, or other expert as to the fair
    value", as the probable intent of Congress.
      Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 101-550, Sec. 413(15), inserted "(other than
    certificates provided pursuant to subsection (a)(4) of this
    section)" after "indenture".

TRANSFER OF FUNCTIONS

      For transfer of functions of Securities and Exchange Commission,
    with certain exceptions, to Chairman of such Commission, see Reorg.
    Plan No. 10 of 1950, Secs. 1, 2, eff. May 24, 1950, 15 F.R. 3175,
    64 Stat. 1265, set out under section 78d of this title.
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