20-12-5. Leasing projects.

The board of regents is authorized, as owner of such projects as it may construct, to offer, as lessor, to lease such projects for terms not exceeding 50 years from the date of execution. Such leases may provide for the advance payment of agreed sums of yearly or monthly rental, which payments may begin on execution of leases, such dates being prior to the completion of such projects or otherwise, and may obligate the lessees or their successors, or both, to pay such sums for the lease of such projects and in addition, to obligate themselves to pay for or perform all maintenance, upkeep, and repair or any other reasonable expense of such projects, provided that no such lease shall be binding upon or a valid act of the board of regents as to a lessee where the lessee is any state government agency until and unless the board of regents shall have secured a certificate from the state auditor that the yearly rental obligations under such lease shall fall within the existing power of such state agency to make such obligations.