Special Program Root Tag

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.

But the Securities and Exchange Commission's best-execution proposal, largely dismissed as duplicating an existing Financial Industry Regulatory Authority edict, could have wide-ranging implications for trading firms in options, bonds, and crypto securities as well as equities.

The Kaiser Family Foundation's report drew the ire of the American Hospital Association, which said it excluded many community benefits from its analysis.

Municipals should continue to be part of banks' high-quality portfolio of assets, but some think ownership may be curtailed by the banking collapse.

The Securities and Exchange has updated its frequently asked questions page for the registration of municipal advisors, providing guidance on Form MA, Form MA-I and Form MA-NR

"Florida will not side with economic central planners; we will not adopt policies that threaten personal economic freedom and security," said Gov. Ron DeSantis.

The Hall of Fame initiative celebrates individuals whose careers have left an indelible mark, while the Rising Stars program recognizes the muni finance leaders of tomorrow. The 2023 classes will be revealed the week of August 7.

The reverberations from the Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank failures make the outcome of this week's Federal Open Market Committee meeting unpredictable.