MSRB Terminates Its Public Access Facility
On June 14, 2010, the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board (the “MSRB”) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) a proposed rule change[1]related to its public access facility[2] and access to printed copies of certain documents made available by the MSRB to the public. The proposed rule change would terminate the public access facility and revise a related Rule G-37 interpretive Question & Answer (“Q&A”) to delete a reference to the public access facility. The proposed rule change became effective upon filing with the SEC.
The public access facility was physically located at the offices of the MSRB and made official statements and advance refunding documents available to the public for viewing and photocopying. Over the years, the MSRB had undertaken to make other items available through the public access facility including, but not limited to, copies of Forms G-37, G-37x and G-38t, certain transaction data and comment letters received in connection with requests for comment. All current information that was accessible to the public through the public access facility is now readily accessible through the MSRB website, www.msrb.org, or the Electronic Municipal Market Access (“EMMA”) website, www.emma.msrb.org.
The MSRB will retain the ability to provide photocopies of documents for members of the public without Internet access, upon written request, for a copying charge at a rate equal to the then-current Commission copying charge under its schedule of fees for records services as published on the Commission website.
Questions on the discontinuation of the MSRB’s public access facility may be directed to Leslie Carey, Associate General Counsel, at 703-797-6600.
June 14, 2010
TEXT OF AMENDMENT TO OS/ARD FACILITY [3]
Public Access to Documents [Facility]
The public access facility has been discontinued. Documents previously available through the public access facility are now available through the Board’s website at www.msrb.org or through the Electronic Municipal Market Access system public website at emma.msrb.org. For members of the public without Internet access, photocopies of such documents will be provided, upon written request, for a copying charge at a rate equal to the then-current Commission copying charge under its schedule of fees for records services as published on the Commission website at www.sec.gov. [The Board has determined to provide a public access facility through which interested members of the public may review and acquire copies of official statements collected by the Board pursuant to rule G-36. Upon the effective date of proposed rule G-36, the public access facility will be located at the Board’s offices at 1818 N Street, N.W., Suite 800, Washington, D.C. 20036. The facility will be available from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., local time when the Board’s offices are open (generally, weekdays other than federal holidays). The official statements will be available no later than one business day after receipt by the Board. A photocopy machine also will be available for members of the public to copy official statements, with a per page charge of $.20. In addition, a list of official statements obtained by the Board, by issue name and by dated date, will be available at the Board’s offices. Members of the public also may telephone the Board’s offices to inquire if an official statement for an identified issue currently is available from the public access facility. The Board’s telephone number is 202-223-9347.]
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Rule G-37 Qs&As
I.1 - VI.7 No change.
VI.8
Q: Will the Forms G-37 submitted to the Board be available for public review?
A: Yes. The Forms G-37/G-38 and Forms G-37x submitted to the Board are posted on the Board’s website for viewing (www.msrb.org). [In addition, one copy of each Form G-37 will be maintained at the Board's Public Access Facility in Alexandria, Virginia. These forms will be available to the public for review and photocopying. The Board will charge 20 cents per page plus sales tax, if applicable, for photocopying.]
(May 24, 1994)
VI. 9 - VI.12 No change.
[1] See File No. SR-MSRB-2010-04.
[2] The public access facility was created under the MSRB’s Municipal Securities Information Library (“MSIL”) system. The MSIL system, originally established by the MSRB in 1990 to collect official statements and advance refunding documents, was discontinued for purposes of accepting submissions of such documents upon the establishment, by the MSRB, of EMMA’s Primary Market Disclosure Service. The MSIL system continues to operate in a limited capacity for internal MSRB purposes only.
[3] Brackets indicate deletions, underlining indicates additions.
