(1) Subject to subsections (2) and (3) of this section, any governmental entity may enter into a payment agreement in connection with, or incidental to, the issuance, incurring, or carrying of specific obligations, for the purpose of managing or reducing the governmental entity's exposure to fluctuations or levels of interest rates. No governmental entity may carry on a business of acting as a dealer in payment agreements. Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to provide governmental entities with separate or additional authority to invest funds or moneys relating to or held in connection with any obligations.

(2) No governmental entity may enter into a payment agreement under this chapter unless it first:

(a) Finds and determines, by ordinance or resolution, that the payment agreement, if fully performed by all parties thereto, will (i) reduce the amount or duration of its exposure to changes in interest rates; or (ii) result in a lower net cost of borrowing with respect to the related obligations;

(b) Obtains, on or prior to the date of execution of the payment agreement, a written certification from a financial advisor that (i) the terms and conditions of the payment agreement and any ancillary agreements, including without limitation, the interest rate or rates and any other amounts payable thereunder, are commercially reasonable in light of then existing market conditions; and (ii) the finding and determination contained in the ordinance or resolution required by (a) of this subsection is reasonable.

(3) Prior to selecting the other party to a payment agreement, a governmental entity shall solicit and give due consideration to proposals from at least two entities that meet the criteria set forth in RCW 39.96.040(2). Such solicitation and consideration shall be conducted in such manner as the governmental entity shall determine is reasonable.

Effective date—2000 c 184: See note following RCW 39.96.010.