6-62-705. Power and duties of Arkansas Development Finance Authority and Arkansas Higher Education Coordinating Board.

6-62-705. Power and duties of Arkansas Development Finance Authority and Arkansas Higher Education Coordinating Board. (a) The Arkansas Development Finance Authority and the Arkansas Higher Education Coordinating Board, jointly, in addition to powers conferred under other laws, shall have the power under this subchapter to: (1) Provide loans from bond proceeds to state institutions of higher education, including technical colleges, community colleges, or agencies and instrumentalities of the state for payment of project costs; (2) Construct or cause to be constructed with proceeds of the bonds or loans by the authority and the board, lease as lessee, and in any manner acquire, own, hold, maintain, operate, sell, dispose of, lease as lessor, exchange, mortgage, or lend with respect to all or any part of any project; (3) Acquire, own, hold, use, exercise, sell, mortgage, pledge, hypothecate, and in any manner to dispose of franchises, rights, privileges, licenses, rights-of-way, and easements necessary, useful, or appropriate for the exercise of the powers or implementation or the purposes set forth in this subchapter; (4) Sell and convey, mortgage, pledge, lease as lessor, and otherwise dispose of all or any part of any project or other properties, tangible or intangible, including, without limitation, franchises, rights, privileges, licenses, rights-of-way, and easements; (5) Have and exercise the right of eminent domain for the purpose of acquiring lands, the fee title thereto or any easement, right-of-way, or other interest or estate therein, for projects or portions thereof, by the procedure now provided for condemnation by railroads by §§ 18-15-1201 — 18-15-1207; (6) Make or accept gifts or grants of moneys, services, franchises, rights, privileges, licenses, rights-of-way, easements, or other property, real or personal or mixed; (7) Make any and all contracts necessary or convenient for the exercise of the powers or implementation of the purposes set forth in this subchapter; (8) Fix, regulate, and collect rates, fees, rents, or other charges for the use of any properties or services furnished by the authority or the board; (9) Require audits of any or all accounts related to construction, operation, or maintenance of any project funded by this subchapter; (10) Take reasonable actions necessary to ensure that debt service requirements are met; and (11) Take such other action as may be appropriate to accomplish the purposes of this subchapter. (b) The board and the authority are authorized to promulgate rules with respect to their powers and duties pursuant to this subchapter.