Contact: Lynnette Kelly Hotchkiss, Executive Director
(703) 797-6600
lhotchkiss@msrb.org
Contact: Ernesto A. Lanza, Senior Associate General Counsel
(703) 797-6600
elanza@msrb.org
EMMA: ELECTRONIC MUNICIPAL MARKET ACCESS IS LAUNCHED TODAY
MSRB's New Web-Based Portal Provides
Unprecedented Free Public Access to Comprehensive
Primary Market Disclosure and Real-Time Price Data
emma.msrb.org
Alexandria, VA – This morning, the MSRB launched its EMMA pilot. EMMA, which stands for Electronic Municipal Market Access, is an Internet-based disclosure portal that provides free public access to disclosure documents and real-time municipal securities trade price data for the municipal securities market. The EMMA website is now accessible at emma.msrb.org.
EMMA is being implemented in stages through the end of 2008:
Pilot Phase – March 31, 2008 – provides, on a pilot basis, official statements (OSs) for new issues of municipal securities and related documents for advance refundings of outstanding municipal securities (ARDs), together with real-time municipal securities trade price data.
Access=Delivery Phase – June 30, 2008 or shortly thereafter – providing permanent real-time access to OSs, ARDs and trade price data – “Access=Delivery” rules requiring electronic submission and dissemination of OSs expected to become effective
Continuing Disclosure Pilot Phase – August 1, 2008 or shortly thereafter – providing, on a pilot basis, for voluntary submission and real-time dissemination of continuing disclosures by issuers and obligated persons, together with real-time access to OSs, ARDs and trade price data
Full Service Phase – December 1, 2008 or shortly thereafter (subject to applicable rulemaking by the SEC) – providing permanent submission and real-time dissemination of all required continuing disclosures by issuers and obligated persons under the SEC’s Rule 15c2-12, together with real-time access to OSs, ARDs and trade price data.
"Thanks to the leadership of the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board, investors will soon have more information about municipal securities freely available on the Internet to help them make better investment decisions," said SEC Chairman Christopher Cox in anticipation of EMMA’s launch.
MSRB Chairman Frank Chin stated “Upon full implementation, EMMA will provide a permanent, centralized and comprehensive Internet-based system for free real-time public access to all primary market, secondary market and trade price data for municipal securities submitted to the MSRB. In furtherance of our mission of investor protection, we are pleased that the MSRB can provide this important utility to investors in our market.” MSRB Executive Director Lynnette Hotchkiss added, “We look forward to continuing to work cooperatively with the SEC on rolling out the future phases of EMMA, particularly as we expand EMMA’s capabilities to integrate continuing disclosures with our existing primary market and trade price information.”
The Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board is a self-regulatory organization established by Congress to develop rules for broker-dealers and banks that underwrite, trade and sell municipal securities. The MSRB promotes investor protection through prudent regulation and expert market leadership. Information about MSRB regulation of broker-dealer and bank dealer activities in the municipal securities market and the existing data services provided by the MSRB is available at www.msrb.org.
