On December 11, 2020, the SEC adopted new Rule 15 under Regulation S-T to identify a number of measures the SEC may take in its governing of the Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis, and Retrieval (“EDGAR”) system in promoting the integrity and reliability of EDGAR submissions. The new rule covers items not easily addressed by existing rules or filer corrective disclosure. The SEC has adopted Rule 15 to provide transparency and further substantiate the system by which it expeditiously informs filers and other relevant individuals of its activities under the rule. Continue reading "SEC Approves New Rule 15 Under Regulation S-T" »

On December 7, 2020, the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board (MSRB), which is responsible for safeguarding the integrity of the roughly $4 trillion municipal securities market, released a statement requesting public comment on its upcoming strategic goals and priorities. Overseen by the SEC and Congress, the MSRB is an independent self-regulatory organization with a statutory mission to protect investors, municipal entities, obligated persons, and the public interest in the municipal securities market. The organization is tasked with promoting a fair and efficient municipal securities environment, a mission fulfilled by adopting rules for municipal securities dealers and municipal advisors; supporting market transparency through the Electronic Municipal Market Access (EMMA) website and other market transparency systems; and serving as the official source for municipal securities data and disclosure documents. The SEC, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, and bank regulators conduct examination and enforcement activities related to MSRB rules.  Continue reading "MSRB Seeks Public Input on Its Strategic Goals..." »

On December 3, 2020, the SEC announced that its Strategic Hub for Innovation and Financial Technology (FinHub) will become a stand-alone office with Valerie A. Szczepanik, its pioneering director, continuing to lead and report directly to the SEC Chairman. Since it was established within the Division of Corporation Finance in 2018, FinHub has led agency efforts to encourage responsible innovation in the financial sector, for example, in evolving areas such as digital assets and distributed ledger technology, digital marketplace financing, automated investment advice, and artificial intelligence and machine learning. Continue reading "SEC Announces Stand-alone Office Focused on..." »

On November 24, 2020, the SEC proposed amendments to Rule 701 under the Securities Act of 1933 that seek to modernize the requirements for the inclusion of company securities in worker-company compensation arrangements. This will help ensure that workers have the opportunity to share in the growth of the business. The revision, with investor protection at the forefront, provides an exemption from: 1) registration for securities issued by non-reporting issuers pursuant to compensatory arrangements, and; 2) Form S-8, the Securities Act registration statement for compensatory offerings by reporting issuers. The modifications are part the SEC’s continued efforts to review and improve rules to better align them with the economy and current employment practices. Continue reading "SEC Proposes Amendments to Modernize Framework..." »