News and Information from Bond Buyer

The Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board is urging the Securities and Exchange Commission to conduct a review of the disclosure requirements in the SEC's Rule 15c2-12, and to consider requiring disclosure of non-bond debt such as bank loans.

New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez urged lawmakers to set aside $180 million for highway bond projects over the next three years while cutting business taxes and boosting spending on education.

The San Antonio Water System is combining new money bonds for its growing system with refunding in a $291 million issue.

PFM Asset Management Group (PFMAM) has added a new managing consultant to help expand the firm's multi-asset class management business on the east coast.

Former Norton Rose Fulbright partner Marcus W. Deitz has joined the public finance practice at McGuire Woods in Houston.

In an attempt to solve legal challenges to the Texas school finance formula, House Public Education Committee Chairman Jimmie Don Aycock has introduced a bill that would create 30 school finance districts across the state.

In a state with the nation's highest incarceration rate, Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin is calling on the state legislature to reduce the number of inmates through drug treatment and mental health programs.

Illinois needs both spending cuts and tax hikes to fix a chronic budget imbalance that will grow to $14 billion over the next decade without structural change, an academic research group warns.

The red-hot rally in municipal bond prices sputtered on Tuesday, slowing down after a recent run that has taken some yields down to near record lows.

President Obama's fiscal 2016 budget is expected to propose permanently increasing the qualified small issuer to cap to $30 million and allowing banks investing in munis to take a deduction – two provisions that were included in the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act.

Newly inaugurated Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who sued President Obama 31 times as attorney general, promised to continue fighting the federal government in his first speech as chief executive of the Lone Star State.

Chicago's lawyers warn that the fiscal well-being of the city and its sister governments hangs in the balance as the Illinois Supreme Court considers whether the state's sovereign police powers trump constitutional protections against cutting pensions.

A Nebraska state senator introduced a pair of bills that would either give bondholders a clear priority over pensioners in the event of a bankruptcy or force cities to advertise their lack of priority on the first page of an official statement.

Seattle's Sound Transit gets a $1.3 billion federal loan to revive voter-approved $4 billion light rail project stalled by revenue drop.

A report used to set local tax rates shows that Colorado property values rose 14.3% in two years. Lawmakers must return a portion of the rising revenues to taxpayers under the Taxpayer Bill of Rights.

New York City’s "fair share" of the state's $5 billion budget surplus is $2.2 billion, according to city Comptroller Scott Stringer.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo outlined an ambitious transportation and infrastructure agenda, including major improvements to New York City's two airports.

Puerto Rico’s December revenues came in 7% short of budgeted projections.

Ten Texas financial advisors with Southwest Securities jumped to Samco Capital Markets after SWS was acquired by Hilltop Holdings Inc., the parent firm of First Southwest Co.

Standard & Poor's Ratings Services said it lowered its underlying rating to A-minus from A on Chawanakee Unified School District, Calif.'s general obligation bonds outstanding and lowered its rating to BBB-plus from A-minus on the district's certificates of participation outstanding.