Bonds

While passage of a fiscal 2024 budget took center stage during Illinois’ spring legislative session, lawmakers also advanced potential public-private partnerships, extended transit’s break from farebox funding rules, aided hospitals, and cemented a pension overhaul for Cook County. Budget passage came late last month, one week after the General Assembly’s self-imposed May 19 date but

After crisscrossing Texas this year to drum up support for school choice, Gov. Greg Abbott is not deterred even though the Republican-controlled legislature failed to deliver a bill before the regular session ended last week. “I will never relent, I will never give up,” the Republican told the conservative Texas Public Policy Foundation Friday. “We

Indiana University Health heads into the market this week with a $726 million transaction to provide ongoing financing for the system’s new hospital campus under construction in downtown Indianapolis. The bonds are selling through the Indiana Finance Authority in three tranches with a $325 million fixed-rate series, $300 million selling as put bonds with five-to-10

Massachusetts state senators approved a $56 billion budget for the fiscal year 2024 last week, forwarding along for final debate a package that preserves many of the central features of Gov. Maura Healey’s landmark tax relief package. Senators followed in step with their counterparts in Massachusetts’ House in approving a package along the lines of

Two Missouri-based hospital operators, BJC HealthCare and Saint Luke’s Health System, are the latest to join the trend of large-system mergers. The two signed a letter of intent to form an integrated not-for-profit Missouri-based health system Wednesday. The systems will work to reach a definitive agreement “in the coming months” with a closing anticipated by the

A lawsuit against the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority over the initial disclosure to the general public of its $5 billion, bond-financed extension project ended in defeat Wednesday with the state Supreme Court overturning a lower court ruling that found the agency violated the Open Meeting Act. The ruling comes as the high court continues to weigh

The California Senate approved a measure that would repeal a law prohibiting the use of taxpayer dollars for travel to states that discriminate against LGBTQ+ people in favor of spending on programs to foster acceptance. Senate Bill 447, authored by Senate President pro Tempore Toni Atkins, D-San Diego, passed out of the Senate on a

Oklahoma, which has been prevented from issuing bonds due to a delayed annual audit, could turn to a new state-financed revolving loan fund for capital projects under a bill passed by lawmakers last week. House Bill 1002X, which heads to the governor, would be a way to self-fund capital improvements as the state has been

The Illinois Supreme Court will have the final say on the constitutionality of the state’s 2019 consolidation of suburban and downstate police firefighter pension fund assets. A group of police funds challenged the legislation, which has so far cleared two legal hurdles. Kane County Circuit Court Judge Robert Villa upheld the law in May 2022 and

Oklahoma lawmakers overrode the veto of a bill aimed at reforming the governance structure of the state’s turnpike authority, which is awaiting a ruling on the validity of bonds to begin funding a $5 billion extension project. Ahead of Friday’s end of the legislative session, the override of Gov. Kevin Stitt’s May 19 veto passed

Illinois lawmakers expect to cast a final vote early Saturday on a nearly $50.7 billion budget that preserves scheduled deposits into the rainy day fund, Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s proposed $200 million pension supplemental pension payment and pay off of the state’s tobacco bonds. Some of those plans appeared in possible jeopardy in recent weeks over

Tennessee is betting nuclear energy will make a comeback. The state, which hosted labs that helped split the atom during World War II, has joined the race to develop and deploy the first commercial-grade variant of a scalable nuclear reactor that promises to provide an important piece of the nation’s green energy network. After appropriating

California lawmakers are betting voters have had a change of heart regarding the need for a statewide school bond measure. The state Senate approved on Wednesday a $15.5 billion school construction bond measure that would go before voters in March that is similar to the $15 billion Proposition 13, a failed school bond measure that

The secondary market has yet to react to California’s negative outlook from Moody’s Investors Service, as credit spreads have generally tracked the recent market selloff. While Municipal Market Analytics acknowledged that California faces some economic headwinds, the firm was surprised at how quickly Moody’s revised the outlook after the governor’s May budget revisions were announced.

Minnesota lawmakers ended their 2023 session after passing a two-year budget with new funding for schools and social services, a $2.6 billion capital package, and a tax package that raises some taxes and fees on top earners and corporations while providing rebates for others and paying off debt for the NFL Vikings’ stadium. The budget

A financing plan for a multi-billion-dollar Austin light-rail project, already under attack in the Texas Legislature, now faces concerns about its legality raised by the state attorney general.  The controversy involves the Austin Transit Partnership, a corporation created by the city and Capital Metro Transportation Authority, and its ability to help finance the Project Connect

Chicago-based CommonSpirit Health’s third quarter financial results highlight the persistent strain inflation poses on not-for-profit hospital balance sheets, with cascading effects on borrowing plans and operational strategies. The sector’s struggles have led to calls in Illinois to increase the Medicaid hospital reimbursement rate and at the federal level advocacy groups say more support is needed.

After a long period of extremely low yields, municipals finally appear to be in a range that offers an attractive entry point for investors, particularly retail, if they can move past outside factors such as the debt ceiling fight and the banking crisis that has kept many sidelined so far this year.   “Ultimately, the

Governor Brian Kemp of Georgia on Thursday announced the recipients of $225 million of federal health and public facilities development grants funded by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. The state selected142 projects from a crowded field of proposals submitted by local governments and nonprofit organizations as per federal regulation that would help “improve

Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis President Neel Kashkari said it’s a “close call” for him if the central bank should raise interest rates next month or pause while it monitors the outlook for inflation. “I think right now it’s a close call, either way, versus raising another time in June or skipping. What’s important to