Special Program Root Tag

As demand for and pushback against ESG grows in the municipal space, participants will discuss the risks and opportunities surrounding ESG for both investors and issuers.

We will examine the latest with respect to the state's pension obligation. Our panelists will also discuss the risks that inflation, equity market turbulence, and rising interest rates pose to governments via their pension systems.

As the sector continues to face its challenges, we will examine how the sector has been dealing with its severe pressures, and where its next opportunities lie.

As the interest rates rise, recession fears intensify, and markets continue to react to global developments, we will look to understand what is going through investors' minds. Transcript :

As climate change accelerates, power and utilities infrastructure in Texas and the rest of the U.S. will experience severe weather events well beyond the historical conditions for which they were built, which places them at risk of failure. In this session, we will investigate the risks and solutions that will have an impact on this sector. 

Our panel of experts will examine the tangible and intangible costs of cyber breaches and potential risk-mitigation strategies that municipalities can implement.

"What are our options? You either pick these banks or you don't. If you don't, business shuts down. We stop building infrastructure," said state Treasurer John Schroder, the bond commission chair.

Proceeds will be used to refund some bonds that had been issued to finance or refinance eligible clean water and drinking water projects in the state.

The Florida Legislature has passed a law that bans the issuance of municipal bonds, such as green bonds that use environmental, social or governance criteria. The bill now heads to Gov. Ron DeSantis for his signature.

The $7 billion portfolio consists of highly rated, lower-coupon muni debt. It is unlikely to be a single auction and the firm is currently circulating the list on the Street to gauge interest.

"Florida may have the statutory authority to abrogate an agreement, but  what does that say for things going forward?" asks Joseph Krist, publisher of Muni Credit News. "Why couldn't an anti-development administration do the same thing in reverse to somewhere like the Villages?"

Neal Pandozzi, a partner at the law firm of Bowditch & Dewey, talks with Chip Barnett about what environmental social and governance really means for public finance, separating politics from policy, polemics from principles. (34 minutes)

The decrease in long-term interest rates this year has helped banks' bond portfolios recover a bit. Some of them may consider restructuring their securities portfolios in the short run, and longer-term changes are also possible as the fallout from last month's crisis continues.

Jean-Yves Fillion, CEO of BNP Paribas USA, talks with Chip Barnett about how the bank leverages its commitment to tennis to help the communities it serves and expand environment goals that help the planet. Taped live at the BNP Paribas 2023 Open in Indian Wells California. (11 minutes)

In fiscal 2021, 27,004 jobs were created in Florida alone through space agency spending, according to the space agency's calculations.

Massive transit projects have funding momentum, and traditional road and bridge projects are advancing as well despite political opposition and some shaky funding.

Cities want to put federal dollars to work on their infrastructure, a process that can be daunting.

Ambiguous language in the legislation is one of a handful of reasons why issuers have not taken advantage of the new financing tool.

Municipals' strong fundamentals and high credit quality combined with market inefficiencies and dislocations present opportunities.

Yields on top-rated municipal bonds fell as much as nine basis points on Friday as bank contagion fears resurfaced and investors looked to safe-haven securities. The primary calendar is rebounding, with volume rising to an estimated $5.4 billion in the week ahead.