Randall Jensen

SAN FRANCISCO — A bill that would force California municipal governments to undergo mediation before allowing them to file for bankruptcy is moving through the Legislature.

Washington Gov. Christine Gregoire signed new legislation into law this month that regulates the ability of out-of-state bond issuers to sell private-activity bonds for in-state projects.

Nevada Treasurer Kate Marshall has announced she will run for Congress in hopes of filling a seat left vacant by a Republican named to the U.S. Senate, according to local news reports.

A California state senator has proposed a redevelopment agency reform bill as an alternative to a proposal by Gov. Jerry Brown to eliminate the agencies.

The troubled city of Montebello, Calif., took another financial hit last week when federal housing officials suspended funding to the city and demanded repayment of $5 million in grants, according to local news reports.

San Francisco expects its deficit to skyrocket almost 200% over the next five years if nothing is done to fix its budget problems.

SAN FRANCISCO — At its inception the South Bay Expressway toll road was promoted as a model public-private partnership. It took ages to build, then quickly plunged into bankruptcy.

SAN FRANCISCO — California is not Greece, according to Standard & Poor’s. The rating agency said in a report released Tuesday that comparisons between the most populated U.S. state and Greece’s financial quagmire are overblown.

SAN FRANCISCO — A push for a constitutional amendment to reduce Washington’s debt limit has run into a political roadblock.

SAN FRANCISCO — Treasurer Bill Lockyer said California has recouped $2.67 million in fees paid by municipal bond underwriters to industry lobbying groups from state bond proceeds.

SAN FRANCISCO — California Gov. Jerry Brown has scrapped a contentious $356 million bond-funded plan to build a new death row wing at the San Quentin prison.

SAN FRANCISCO — The restructuring of $2 billion of San Joaquin Hills toll-road debt appears to have bondholders on board since the alternative is a likely default.

Fitch Ratings downgraded North Las Vegas’ general obligation bonds to A-plus from AA-minus with a negative outlook due to a worse-than-expected economic decline.

The board of the bankrupt Sierra Kings Healthcare District in California earlier this month approved a letter of intent to join Adventist Health.

California voters think public employee salaries are too high and are receptive to pension reform, according to a recent poll by the University of Southern California and the Los Angeles Times.

Standard & Poor’s has revised its outlook on San Francisco’s general obligation bonds to negative from stable because of ongoing budget problems.

Standard & Poor’s has affirmed its A-minus long-term underlying rating on California’s general obligation debt and maintained its negative outlook due to fractured budget negotiations.

SAN FRANCISCO — Vallejo’s steep road out of bankruptcy has begun to level off, after one of its strongest opponents stopped fighting the California city’s plan to exit bankruptcy.

SAN FRANCISCO — The city of Montebello in Los Angeles County, with more than $100 million in debt, may go bankrupt if it is unable to get a bridge loan in the next six months, according to a city official.

The agency that runs the long-struggling San Joaquin Hills toll road in California is asking for a nod from bondholders to restructure its debt portfolio to stay afloat.