Washington DC

The incoming Biden administration last week proposed direct federal aid of $350 billion to state and local governments as part of a proposed $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief bill.

A handful of government representatives will give advice on 529 plans in the MSRB's Municipal Fund Securities Advisory group.

Donald Trump's departure from the White House will do little to heal the rift between the right and left, but this is still the best chance muni advocates have had in many years.

In addition to direct aid, they would get money for vaccinations, education, transit, housing, Medicaid, LIHEAP, and TANF.

The group specifically revised six of its model disclosure documents for risk disclosure including floating rate notes, fixed-rate bonds, interest rate swaps, forward delivery bonds, tender offer bonds and variable rate demand obligations.

The new Democratic Senate majority makes the path to enacting muni-friendly policy easier than it has been for years.

The SEC's Office of Municipal Securities is moving ahead on the Libor transition and issued a detailed advisory Friday to the municipal securities market.

His experience as an active regulator as head of the Commodities Futures Trading Commission may transfer to his new post.

Dealers said the pandemic has highlighted the challenges of outdated rules and the need to modernize them.

A new policy framework supports “enhanced bond financing incentives that can be used to improve water quality and reduce other environmental stressors.”

A judge said that the lawsuit filed on behalf of California accusing major banks of colluding to inflate VRDO interest rates did not allege the means of the conspiracy.

President-elect Joe Biden's cabinet picks include the governor and Boston Mayor Marty Walsh, the latter for Labor Secretary.

Chao tweeted her resignation on Wednesday following violent turmoil in the U.S. Capitol.

Ross expects 2021 to be another challenging year and plans to work vigilantly with other muni market stakeholders.

Sources expect funding to be put to use quickly compared to the CARES Act since many cities since stood up programs to provide pandemic related aid to households and small businesses.

Bond attorneys said the new rules fill in some holes because the IRS previously only had a process for tax-exempt bonds.

The apparent victories by Democrats in two Senate runoff races in Georgia is a "game changer" for public finance.

The National Association of Bond Lawyers wrote to the IRS in November 2019 asking for a significant reduction in the fee.

Lynnette Kelly started new positions at the Financial Accounting Foundation and at the Milken Institute.

Robbi Jones, principal at Kipling Jones & Co., received that ruling on appeal from FINRA’s National Adjudicatory Council late last month.