MSRB Releases Tutorial Video on EMMA Disclosure, Updates G-37 Q&A

WASHINGTON — The Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board on Friday released a video tutorial for muni issuers and others who submit continuing disclosure documents to its EMMA site.

Separately, the MSRB updated some previously released questions and answers on its Rule G-37 on political contributions to reflect the rule’s new requirements that municipal market dealers, their muni finance professionals, and political action committees disclose certain contributions to bond ballot initiatives.

The changes to Rule G-37, along with related changes to Rule G-8 on books and records, went into effect Feb. 1.

They require firms for the first time to disclose contributions in excess of $250, including in-kind, non-cash contributions made to committees that are formed to raise money for ballot initiatives in states like California where voter approval is ­required for bond sales. Dealers are required to keep internal records of contributions of $250 or less.

The instructional video on the Electronic Municipal Market Access site provides an overview of the EMMA submission process and demonstrates how to make a continuing disclosure submission on the site, which houses information for more than 1.2 million muni bonds. The video is accessible via YouTube and through EMMA.

Last month, the board released another video that provides a broad overview of EMMA.

In conjunction with the release of the instructional video tutorial, the MSRB said it is providing a new and improved way for document submitters to associate their securities, identified by Cusip numbers, to a particular document submission.

The board said that EMMA now guides users through the process with plain English questions. And to further help issuers and others associate continuing disclosure documents with the appropriate securities, the board also has published a tip sheet about Cusip numbers.

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Washington
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