Joan Quigley

WASHINGTON — The National Federation of Municipal Analysts is considering developing a pension-disclosure white paper that could be completed by early 2012.

The National Federation of Municipal Analysts recognized four members, including one who was honored posthumously, with awards for meritorious service and career achievement.

CHARLESTON — A pension expert panned federal lawmakers’ efforts to increase oversight of state and local governments’ public pension plans.

CHARLESTON, S.C. — Market experts on Thursday painted a bleak picture of the municipal securities market over the next few years, saying the high bond volume of the past six years is gone and unlikely to return.

CHARLESTON — Congress should give the Securities and Exchange Commission the authority to set baseline standards for issuers’ primary and secondary market municipal securities disclosures, the SEC commissioner charged with conducting a review of the muni market said Tuesday.

CHARLESTON - Congress should give the Securities and Exchange Commission the authority to set baseline standards for issuers’ primary and secondary market municipal securities disclosures, the SEC commissioner charged with conducting a review of the muni market said Tuesday.

The Securities Industry and Financial Markets’ Association is urging the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board to withdraw its draft broker’s brokers rule and leave the existing regulatory and enforcement scheme intact.

WASHINGTON — With financial regulators combing through pension reporting by state and local governments, the National Association of Bond Lawyers unveiled guidance Monday to boost issuers’ disclosure practices.

Under fire from congressional Republicans to slow down derivatives rulemaking, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission voted Wednesday to reopen and extend by 30 days the public comment period on proposed derivatives rules under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.

WASHINGTON — Market participants slammed the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board’s new draft Rule G-43 for broker’s brokers, calling it everything from irresponsible to anti-competitive.

With federal financial regulators scrutinizing Rhode Island's bond offerings and pension disclosures, the state has hired disclosure counsel to review its practices and pave the way to issuing new bonds.

WASHINGTON — A bill by House Republicans that would delay implementation of derivatives rules has sparked a firestorm of controversy, with officials and lawmakers trading jabs over the pace of regulatory reform.

At a meeting in Nashville last week, the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board voted to further amend a proposed rule that would prohibit dealer-financial advisers from switching roles and acting as an underwriter and muni adviser on the same transaction.

WASHINGTON — Key Republican lawmakers introduced a bill Friday to delay implementation of derivatives rules by regulators and require them to hold hearings about compliance costs and regulatory alternatives.

WASHINGTON — A House oversight committee hearing slated to examine state and municipal debt Thursday devolved into an extended debate about collective bargaining, featuring two sitting governors from opposite ends of the political spectrum.

WASHINGTON — At a meeting Thursday and Friday in Nashville, the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board will tackle a host of muni adviser issues, including whether it will require financial advisers to pay fees to help defray the self-regulator’s increasing costs.

WASHINGTON — Independent financial advisers blasted the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board for its draft muni-adviser fiduciary duty rule, saying it targeted independent FAs while virtually exempting underwriters, some of which market themselves as advisers.

Ernesto Lanza, the general counsel of the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board, has been tapped to serve as deputy executive director, the MSRB announced Monday. Meanwhile, a former investment banker has been chosen for a newly created market leadership role.

WASHINGTON — The Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board’s draft rule on gifts and gratuities could shut down muni advisers, the municipal market’s largest financial adviser is ­warning.

WASHINGTON — Independent financial advisers are criticizing the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board’s draft changes to its rule on gifts and gratuities, warning they don’t go far enough to eliminate conflicts of interest.