GFOA

Congressional offices may decide to minimize or ban face-to-face meetings as virus concerns grow.

Rep. Steve Stivers, R-Ohio, is looking to attach tax-exempt advance refunding to an appropriations bill or other suitable legislation.

Walter told The Bond Buyer she has been hearing the same push for transparency since her start at the SEC.

The SEC said that the timeliness of disclosures is a “major challenge” in the secondary market for municipal securities.

Members of the Public Finance Network sent a letter to Congress urging restoration of advance refunding for tax-exempt bonds.

The submission calculator received criticism from issuers and analysts with some saying it isn't ready for "prime time."

House Democrats want restoration of Build America Bonds and advance refunding for municipal bonds to be key parts of their infrastructure plan.

Members of GFOA’s Debt Committee agreed Monday to form a working committee that will publicize the issues involved in the transition among the organization’s more than 21,000 members.

Municipal bond issuers say investors, analysts and regulators should narrow down the information they are looking for in their push for more disclosure.

The Financial Accounting Foundation stirred controversy among public finance groups earlier this month when it indicated the next GASB chairman will not have government service as part of his background.

The Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board on Monday detailed plans to reduce its board size and alter its composition.

The Securities and Exchange Commission wll work with the market to change secondary disclosure habits without a mandate, issuers and analysts said.

Nicole Byrd, a senior investment professional at Nationwide Mutual Insurance, will be the National Federation of Municipal Analysts chair for the next year.

The announcement Monday involved last March’s ruling by the First Circuit Court of Appeals on the Puerto Rico Highways and Transportation Authority’s special revenue bonds.

As surface transportation funding is set to expire later in 2020, a new reauthorization could help push muni bond initiatives next year.

Another round of tax legislation is not expected to emerge until the very end of the year after the presidential election or in 2021 after a new Congress is sworn in.

Issuers, bond lawyers, and analysts have all raised complaints about the proposed addition to EMMA.

The proposal would impact the private placement business and may require amendments of MSRB rules.

Some market participants worry about the viability of a key muni advocacy talking point if enough midsize issuers begin to embrace the taxable market.

“The channel doesn’t matter in terms of responsibility for the information,” said SEC Chairman Jay Clayton.