News and Information from Bond Buyer

After being thwarted in the 2013 legislative session, the University of Texas Board of Regents agreed to seek $1.9 billion of tuition revenue bonds in the 2015 session.

Municipal bonds strengthened along with Treasuries Friday as concern over the health of a big Portuguese lender made its way into the U.S. market, sending investors to the safety of U.S. fixed income securities.

Moody's Investors Service has revised Aurora Health Care Inc.'s outlook on its A3 rating to positive from stable in recognition of its improving performance.

The Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority's recent draw on its debt reserve account is a danger sign for its bond-holders, analysts say.

Utah Treasurer Richard Ellis is making a push to educate his state's issuers about the Securities and Exchange Commission’s Municipalities Continuing Disclosure Cooperation initiative, which many public officials remain uninformed about.

The Illinois Supreme Court's decision that state constitutional protections of pension benefits apply to retiree healthcare premium subsidies "casts doubt" on recent local and state pension reform efforts, Moody's Investors Service said.

Florida has hired legal counsel to sue the bankrupt Digital Domain over $20 million in state incentive funding.

The final half of 2015 is the appropriate time for a rate liftoff, according to Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta President Dennis Lockhart, who added that he'd like inflation closer to the Fed's 2% target before raising rates.

The Army Corps of Engineers is developing policies and procedures for a pilot program of partnering with private sector investors on waterway and port projects, a top Corps official told a House subcommittee.

Standard & Poor's Ratings Services said it lowered its rating on Lawrence, Ind.'s series 2007A and B waterworks revenue bonds three notches to BBB-plus from A-plus.

The federal government ran a $70.5 billion budget surplus in June, the Treasury reported Friday.

Many observers doubt whether New Jersey will have a financially sustainable solution to its pension funding problem any time soon.

Puerto Rico turmoil continued to dominate headlines this week, starting on Monday when a spokeswoman for the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority announced that PREPA negotiated with some of its creditors and had extended the timeframe on some of its bank payments. PREPA notably extended a $10 million July 3 payment to Citigroup to July 31.

Recent economic data suggests the Fed should be raising rates, Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia President Charles Plosser said Friday.

Standard & Poor's Ratings Services said it raised its rating on Winter Haven, Fla.'s utility revenue debt one notch to AA-minus from A-plus.

Although he expects inflation in the 1.5% to 1.75% range in the near future, topping the Federal Reserve's 2% target wouldn't be "a catastrophe," Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago President Charles Evans said Friday.

Laredo Community College plans to begin construction this fall on a health sciences center and other campus additions with proceeds from $100 million of general obligation bonds.

Syncora lost a key appeal in the Detroit bankruptcy case, giving the city continued access to crucial casino revenues.

Virginia ended fiscal 2014 with a general fund with a shortfall of $438.5 million, according to preliminary revenue collection figures.