Corporate & Securities Blog

On July 17, 2018, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the “JOBS and Investor Confidence Act of 2018.” This bill is the third piece of the “Jumpstart Our Business Startups (JOBS) Act” legislation, and its aim is to reform capital markets to assist small businesses and entrepreneurs in accessing capital. The bill is set to be voted on by the Senate during the fall and will become effective 90 days after it is signed by the President.

On May 3, 2016, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) adopted final amendments to implement certain sections of the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act (“JOBS Act”) and certain securities regulation provisions of the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act (“FAST Act”). The amendments were adopted substantially as proposed in December 2014 (summarized in our prior blog post, here). The amendments revise SEC rules to reflect the new, higher thresholds for registration, termination of registration and suspension of reporting that were included in the JOBS Act and the FAST Act. SEC Chair, Mary Jo White, announced in a press release that, “With the adoption of these amendments, the Commission has completed all of the rulemaking mandates under the JOBS Act.” 

While several years have passed since the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and the Jumpstart Our Business Start-Ups Act took effect, several high-profile provisions of each act have not yet been implemented as final rules await adoption by the Securities and Exchange Commission. This advisory reviews certain provisions of each act and summarizes other related securities regulation developments.

As mandated by 2012’s Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act (“JOBS Act”), the Securities and Exchange Commission has proposed amendments to the thresholds at which a company will be required to register its equity securities under Section 12(g) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”) and thus be subject to the Exchange Act’s periodic reporting obligations. Exchange Act registration would now be required only when a company has more than $10 million in assets and a class of equity securities “held of record” by either: (a) 2,000 persons (up from 500 persons), or (b) 500 persons or more who are not “accredited investors” under SEC rules (with the determination being made as of the last day of the fiscal year). The proposal would also amend the threshold requirements for banks or bank holding companies to terminate or suspend the registration of a class of securities under the Exchange Act from 300 to 1,200 persons. 

On Wednesday October 23, 2013, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) voted unanimously to propose regulations for equity crowdfunding, which will enable unaccredited U.S. investors to invest in startups and small businesses.