A power struggle over the governance of the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority and a Houston mayor ending a legal dispute with firefighters that could improve the city's Fitch rating are among the legal stories bond market professionals are watching.

Six financial institutions may be placed on West Virginia's restricted list if they are found "boycott" the fossil fuel industry, Riley Moore said.

Meanwhile in New York, the state doubles down on climate investments and restricts investments in some big oil and gas companies as the city blasts several big banks as they pull out from the Climate Action 100+ initiative.

The proposed $1 billion bond measure would fund port improvements needed to push the state's nascent offshore wind power industry forward.

The state faces slower job growth after gains in the previous three years outpaced the nation, according to the Dallas Federal Reserve's Texas economic outlook.

A majority of those polled at The Bond Buyer's 2024 National Outlook Conference also felt issuance would increase moderately this year, to between $400 billion and $450 billion.

The honeymoon phase for generic ESG declarations is over, market participants said at the 2024 National Outlook Conference, as a dynamic focused on data and credit analysis is beginning to emerge.

The Texas city's project joins other efforts in Southwest states to find new water sources as supplies dwindle due to persistent drought conditions.

It's a color-coded controversy about how far the fight over ESG and green investing precepts will affect public finance this year, with the latest skirmishes involving Bank of America and New York and New Hampshire.

The push for bills to punish companies, including municipal bond underwriters, for their fossil fuel or firearm policies continues in Arizona and Oklahoma.

Barclays joins UBS and Citigroup in being prohibited from underwriting state and local government bonds under Texas laws aimed at protecting the fossil fuel and firearms industries.

In her State of the County address, Mayor Daniella Levine Cava unveiled plans to invest in housing, septic to sewer conversions, flood prevention, parks and other infrastructure.

A federal judge rejected every one of Missouri's arguments for why SIFMA's lawsuit should be dismissed.

The 2025 state budget would provided $2.4 billion to New York City to pay for the costs of caring for a rising influx of migrants, which includes taking $500 million from reserves.

Proceeds from the PMT green bond sale will be used to finance transit and commuter projects that have been approved in the N.Y. MTA's capital programs.

Interest rate risk, stagnant bond volume, loss of revenue and a looming presidential election top the industry's concerns for 2024.

The Senate Budget Committee gave municipal bonds center stage Wednesday.

"It is not surprising that we have witnessed — and continue to witness — a great migration of Americans away from cities and states pursuing failed policies, with Florida serving as a refuge for freedom and sanity," Gov. Ron DeSantis said.

Red state-blue state battles have complicated ESG issuance even as the muni market strives to make it an accepted asset class. The Bond Buyer's Lynne Funk, Karen Pierog, Chip Barnett and Keeley Webster discuss how it's playing out nationally and regionally.

The case, which was refiled last week without federal claims from an earlier lawsuit, will have its first hearing in January.