On February 9, the SEC issued proposed rules that are intended to enhance disclosure of company hedging policies for directors and employees, as mandated by Dodd-Frank. The proposal would require disclosure about whether directors, officers and other employees are permitted to hedge or offset any decrease in the market value of equity securities held, directly or indirectly, by employees or directors. The proposed rules would require disclosure in proxy and information statements for the election of directors and apply to companies subject to the federal proxy rules, including smaller reporting companies, emerging growth companies, business development companies, and registered closed-end investment companies with shares listed and registered on a national securities exchange. Release. Proposed Rule.
Dodd-Frank
Federal Reserve Board Issues Final Rule Implementing Dodd-Frank Section 622
On November 5, the Federal Reserve Board issued a final rule implementing Section 622 of the Dodd-Frank Act, which generally prohibits a financial company from combining with another company if the ratio of the resulting company’s liabilities exceeds 10% of the aggregate consolidated liabilities of all financial companies. Press Release. Final Rule.
Fed Issues Final Rule to Amend Regulation HH and Payment System Risk Policy
On October 28, the Federal Reserve Board issued a final rule that amends the Regulation HH risk-management standards for companies that have been designated as systemically important by the Financial Stability Oversight Council and for which the Fed has standard-setting authority pursuant to Title VIII of Dodd-Frank. Key changes include establishing separate standards to address credit risk and liquidity risk, new requirements on recovery and orderly wind-down planning, a new standard on general business risk, a new standard on tiered participation arrangements, and increased requirements on transparency and disclosure. Release. Final Rule. Policy Statement.
Agencies Release Economic Scenarios for 2015 Stress Testing
On October 23, regulators released the economic scenarios that will be used by financial institutions with total assets of over $10 billion for stress tests required under Dodd-Frank. The baseline, adverse, and severely adverse scenarios include 28 variables that reflect economic activity, including unemployment, exchange rates, prices, income, interest rates, and other relevant parameters of the economy. Regulatory review will cover 31 companies that will have to submit their capital plans on or before January 5, 2015. Fed Release. FDIC Release.
Joint Federal Regulators Approve Final Risk Retention Rules
On October 21 and 22, the Fed, HUD, FDIC, FHFA, OCC, and SEC jointly approved final risk retention rules. The final rules, which implement Section 941 of Dodd Frank, generally follow the re-proposed rules issued in August 2013, mandating that sponsors retain at least 5% of the credit risk in asset-backed securities transactions. Generally, risk may be retained by holding either a horizontal or avertical slice of issued securities, while additional options are available for specific types of securitizations. The rules will apply toresidential mortgage-backed securities one year after publication in the Federal Register, and will apply to all other asset classes two years after publication. Final Rules. Joint Release.
SEC Launches Municipal Advisor Exam Initiative
On August 19, the SEC Announced a Municipal Advisor Exam Initiative for newly registered municipal advisors. This “presence” exam initiative appears to be similar in scope and purpose to the “presence” examinations that the SEC has been conducting of investment advisers that were newly registered as a result of the implementation of the Dodd-Frank-Act.
SEC rules that took effect on July 1 generally require municipal advisors to register with the SEC under the final registration process during a four-month phase-in period by October 31. The examinations are designed to establish a presence with the newly regulated municipal advisors. Over the next two years, the SEC Staff plans to examine a significant percentage of these advisors using an approach that focuses on identified risks. Areas targeted for scrutiny may include the municipal advisor’s compliance with its fiduciary duty to its municipal entity clients, books and recordkeeping obligations, disclosure, fair dealing, supervision, and employee qualifications and training. Press Release.
SEC Issues Interpretive Guidance on New Municipal Advisors Registration Rule
On January 10, the SEC announced that its Office of Municipal Securities has issued interpretive guidance to address questions from market participants regarding the implementation of new final SEC rules requiring municipal advisors to register with the SEC.
State and local governments frequently use paid advisors to help them decide how and when to issue municipal securities and how to invest proceeds from the sales. The 2010 Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act required these advisors to register with the SEC like other market intermediaries. The SEC’s final rule was adopted in September 2013 and becomes effective on January 13, 2014. Among the issues addressed in the guidance are: (i) the advice standard, including the general information exclusion and the treatment of business promotional materials used by underwriters; (ii) the exemption for independent municipal advisors; (iii) the exclusion for registered investment advisers; (iv) the underwriter exclusion, including engagements as underwriters; and (v) the effective date of the final rules and the compliance period for using the final registration forms. Interpretative Guidance.
CFTC Issues Advisory Concerning Commodity Trading Advisors and Swaps
On December 23, CFTC provided guidance regarding requirements imposed on commodity trading advisors (CTAs) resulting from Dodd-Frank on the potential new advisory obligations of CTAs. Release.
The Fed Issues Final Rule on Treatment of Uninsured U.S. Branches and Agencies of Foreign Banks Under Section 716 of Dodd-Frank
On December 24, the Fed issued the final rule clarifying the treatment of uninsured U.S. branches and agencies of foreign banks under Section 716 of the Dodd-Frank Act. The final rule adopts the interim final rule issued on June 5, 2013. Section 716 prohibits the provision of certain types of federal assistance to swaps entities. Insured depository institutions that are swaps entities are eligible for a transition period of up to 24 months to comply and for certain statutory exceptions. The final rule clarifies that, for purposes of section 716, uninsured U.S. branches and agencies of foreign banks are treated as insured depository institutions. Release. Final Rule.
SEC Removes References to NRSRO Ratings
On December 27, the SEC adopted amendments to eliminate references in certain of its rules and forms to credit ratings. The changes were mandated by Dodd-Frank. Rating references were removed from the following rules and forms:
- Rule 5b-3 under the Investment Company Act;
- Forms N-1A, N-2, and N-3;
- Rule 15c3-1 (and certain appendices) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934;
- Rule 15c3-3 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934; and
- Rule 10b-10 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.