The cost of complying with the Securities and Exchange Commission's MCDC initiative has been "staggering," an industry representative told the The Bond Buyer's Texas Public Finance Conference.

Bond insurers Assured Guaranty and MBIA may be among the beneficiaries after a federal judge ruled Puerto Rico's Recovery Act was unconstitutional, according to analysts at BTIG LLC.

The Securities and Exchange Commission's disclosure violation self-reporting program has highlighted that issuers and underwriters should take steps to strengthen their disclosure and due diligence procedures to protect themselves from SEC enforcement action, bond lawyers said Thursday.

The Republican parties of New York State and Tennessee will square off against the Securities and Exchange Commission in oral arguments in a federal court March 23 over rules restricting finance professionals from giving money to political candidates.

The Securities and Exchange Commission's requested fiscal year 2016 budget of $1.722 billion would allow the commission to hire hundreds of examination staff and step up enforcement, as well as help the muni office coordinate with self-regulators.

Ex-JPMorgan bankers have asked a federal judge to dismiss federal pay-to-play charges related to the sewer deals that helped push Jefferson County, Ala., into bankruptcy.

Clarke Howatt, the California agency finance director wanted in connection with the disappearance of $1.3 million in bond proceeds has resigned

As if bond rating downgrades, a $50 billion unfunded pension liability and teetering school districts weren’t enough, Pennsylvania must wrestle with more political scandal as its treasurer resigns to plead guilty after a federal investigation.

The Securities and Exchange Commission has filed a motion for summary judgment in its securities fraud case against two former JPMorgan bankers involved in Jefferson County's sewer deals and swaps.

Two former Allen Park, Mich. officials have settled a Securities and Exchange Commission lawsuit against them by agreeing to be barred from involvement in any future municipal bond offerings, and ex-Mayor Gary Burtka agreed to pay a $10,000 civil penalty, according to court documents filed Wednesday.

A federal judge ordered the former comptroller of a Harvey, Ill., to pay more than $200,000 in fines and barred him from participation in any future municipal issues for his role in misleading investors on several of the south Chicago suburb's past bond offerings.

Bondholders will learn later this month how much they stand to recoup from a settlement that ended a trial accusing Morgan Keegan & Co. Inc. of misleading them on a bond deal that soured after the failure of an artificial sweetener plant project in Moberly, Mo.

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority has fined and censured New York-based Gates Capital Corporation $25,000 for failing to report variable rate demand obligation interest rate resets on time.

A settlement was announced Wednesday to end a federal civil trial stemming from a bond default triggered by the collapse of an artificial sweetener plant project in Moberly, Mo; the former Morgan Keegan & Co. Inc. was among the defendants.

Jury selection began Tuesday in a federal class action lawsuit accusing the former Morgan Keegan & Co. Inc. of securities fraud for its role in underwriting $39 million of defaulted bonds for a failed artificial sweetener plant in Moberly, Mo.

The Securities and Exchange Commission's examination focuses for 2015 include issues related to protecting retail investors and assessing the compliance of municipal advisor firms, the commission announced Tuesday.

The Securities and Exchange Commission is urging a federal court to accept the settlements it had reached with two former officials of the city of Allen Park, Mich., in November, after the court vacated them a day later and asked for more information.

While entangled in a federal lawsuit over disclosure issues, Miami rolled out a new transparency initiative to make financial data publicly available.

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority's exam priorities for 2015 include making sure that both municipal advisors are complying with registration and other requirements and broker-dealers are meeting minimum denomination restrictions on bonds.

Market participants can expect increased municipal securities enforcement during 2015, a year that may bring resolution of the Securities and Exchange Commission's self-reporting initiative as well as greater emphasis on individual liability and secondary market disclosures.