SECTION 2. BACKGROUND

.01 Pursuant to § 147(f), tax-exempt qualified private activity bonds are subject to a public approval requirement. Except for refunding bonds described in § 147(f) (2)(D), a bond issue must be approved by the governmental unit issuing the bonds

(or on behalf of which such bonds are issued) and by the governmental unit having jurisdiction over the area in which any facility to be financed by the issue is located. Under § 147(f)(2)(B), an issue will be treated as having been approved by any governmental unit if the issue is approved by the applicable elective representative of the governmental unit after a public hearing following reasonable public notice, or by voter referendum of the governmental unit.

.02 Section 1.147(f)-1(d)(1) provides that 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. Section 1.147(f)-1(d)(2) provides that 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 is presumed convenient for residents of the governmental unit if it is located in the approving governmental unit’s capital or seat of government. Further, 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.

.03 In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, state and local governmental units are currently seeking alternatives to in-person hearings held to meet the public approval requirement. Comments received by the Internal Revenue Service have requested guidance on the use of telephone or internet-based meeting technology to hold hearings. Section 4 of this revenue procedure provides this guidance.