MSRB Seeks Comment on Draft Amendments to Harmonize Municipal Advisor Terminology
Summary
The MSRB published a Request for Comment (RFC) on draft amendments to Rules G-1, G-3, G-20, G-23, and G-37 to adopt the uniform term 'municipal advisor' across its rules, replacing references to 'financial advisor' and 'financial advisory and consultant services' for brokers, dealers, and municipal securities dealers acting in an advisory capacity. The harmonization aligns MSRB terminology with Dodd-Frank Act standards. Comments are due by July 20, 2026.
Municipal advisors, broker-dealers, and municipal securities dealers currently described under the retiring terminology should inventory their MSRB-rule references in client agreements, compliance manuals, and regulatory filings before the July 20 comment deadline to identify any updates needed upon final rulemaking.
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What changed
The MSRB proposes amendments to five rules (G-1, G-3, G-20, G-23, G-37) to standardize the term 'municipal advisor' across its regulatory framework, eliminating outdated references to 'financial advisor' and 'financial advisory and consultant services' in connection with broker-dealer and municipal securities dealer advisory activities. This terminology update is the first phase of MSRB's Municipal Advisor Retrospective Rule Review process.
Municipal advisors, broker-dealers, and municipal securities dealers that serve in a financial advisory capacity should review their current use of the affected terms in compliance documentation, client agreements, and regulatory filings ahead of the comment deadline. The harmonization aims to reduce compliance ambiguities and streamline MSRB rules consistent with post-Dodd-Frank standards.
Archived snapshot
Apr 24, 2026GovPing captured this document from the original source. If the source has since changed or been removed, this is the text as it existed at that time.
Quick links
Date:
April 23, 2026
Contact: Aleis Stokes, Chief External Relations Officer
202-838-1500
astokes@msrb.org
MSRB SEEKS COMMENT ON DRAFT AMENDMENTS TO HARMONIZE MUNICIPAL ADVISOR TERMINOLOGY
Washington, D.C. – The Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board (MSRB) today published a request for comment (RFC) on draft amendments to MSRB Rules G-1, G-3, G-20, G-23 and G-37 as part of its Municipal Advisor Retrospective Rule Review.
The draft amendments would adopt the uniform term “municipal advisor” to eliminate references to the term “financial advisor” or “financial advisory and consultant services” in respect to brokers, dealers and municipal securities dealers serving in a financial advisory capacity. The harmonization of terms across multiple rules ensures MSRB remains consistent with the terminology established under the Dodd-Frank Act and used in MSRB rules adopted since Dodd-Frank’s passage.
“This RFC represents the first phase of MSRB’s Municipal Advisor Retrospective Rule Review process—one made more effective with robust feedback and collaboration from stakeholders,” MSRB Board Vice Chair Wendell Gaertner said. “Retiring these terms eliminates unnecessary ambiguities associated with their use in MSRB rules, modernizes the language and streamlines our rules to reduce the compliance burdens for municipal advisors.”
MSRB is also seeking input more broadly from the municipal advisor community, the entities and obligated person clientele they serve, and other market stakeholders on the scope and approach guiding MSRB’s retrospective rule review process.
“MSRB launched its Municipal Advisor Retrospective Rule Review to ensure our regulatory framework keeps pace with how the market works,” MSRB Chief Regulatory and Policy Officer Ernesto Lanza said. “We look forward to receiving stakeholder feedback and engaging with market participants as we begin this important process.”
Responses to this RFC are due July 20, 2026.
For additional details, read the request for comment.
The Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board (MSRB) was established by Congress in 1975 with the mission to protect investors, issuers and the public interest in a fair and efficient market. MSRB is a private, self-regulatory organization governed by an independent board of directors with market knowledge and expertise. MSRB does not receive federal appropriations and is funded primarily through fees paid by regulated entities. MSRB is overseen by Congress and the Securities and Exchange Commission.
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