Source: https://casetext.com/statute/united-states-code/title-15-commerce-and-trade/chapter-2b-securities-exchanges/78n-proxies
Timestamp: 2018-11-18 04:24:43
Document Index: 197365392

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 78', '§\u202f78', '§\u202f78', '§ 78', '§ 14', '§ 5', '§ 3', '§ 3', '§ 2', '§ 2', '§ 302', '§ 302', '§ 301', '§ 6', '§ 953', '§ 102', '§ 80', '§ 77', '§ 971', '§ 991', '§ 991', '§ 991', '§ 991', '§ 953', '§ 955', '§ 6', '§ 6', '§ 302', '§ 302', '§ 3', '§ 4', '§ 5', '§ 5', '§ 5', '§ 5', '§ 303', '§ 3', '§ 971', '§ 302', '§ 510', '§ 302', '§ 78', '§ 78']

§ 78n. Proxies, 15 U.S.C. § 78n | Casetext
15 U.S.C. § 78n
§ 78n. Proxies
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Title 15—COMMERCE AND TRADE
CHAPTER 2B—SECURITIES EXCHANGES
(c) Information to holders of record prior to annual or other meeting Unless proxies, consents, or authorizations in respect of a security registered pursuant to section 78l of this title, or a security issued by an investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 [15 U.S.C. 80a–1 et seq.], are solicited by or on behalf of the management of the issuer from the holders of record of such security in accordance with the rules and regulations prescribed under subsection (a) of this section, prior to any annual or other meeting of the holders of such security, such issuer shall, in accordance with rules and regulations prescribed by the Commission, file with the Commission and transmit to all holders of record of such security information substantially equivalent to the information which would be required to be transmitted if a solicitation were made, but no information shall be required to be filed or transmitted pursuant to this subsection before July 1, 1964.
(2) When two or more persons act as a partnership, limited partnership, syndicate, or other group for the purpose of acquiring, holding, or disposing of securities of an issuer, such syndicate or group shall be deemed a “person” for purposes of this subsection.
(e) Untrue statement of material fact or omission of fact with respect to tender offer It shall be unlawful for any person to make any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements made, in the light of the circumstances under which they are made, not misleading, or to engage in any fraudulent, deceptive, or manipulative acts or practices, in connection with any tender offer or request or invitation for tenders, or any solicitation of security holders in opposition to or in favor of any such offer, request, or invitation. The Commission shall, for the purposes of this subsection, by rules and regulations define, and prescribe means reasonably designed to prevent, such acts and practices as are fraudulent, deceptive, or manipulative.
(f) Election or designation of majority of directors of issuer by owner of more than five per centum of class of securities at other than meeting of security holders If, pursuant to any arrangement or understanding with the person or persons acquiring securities in a transaction subject to subsection (d) of this section or subsection (d) of section 78m of this title, any persons are to be elected or designated as directors of the issuer, otherwise than at a meeting of security holders, and the persons so elected or designated will constitute a majority of the directors of the issuer, then, prior to the time any such person takes office as a director, and in accordance with rules and regulations prescribed by the Commission, the issuer shall file with the Commission, and transmit to all holders of record of securities of the issuer who would be entitled to vote at a meeting for election of directors, information substantially equivalent to the information which would be required by subsection (a) or (c) of this section to be transmitted if such person or persons were nominees for election as directors at a meeting of such security holders.
(i) for preliminary proxy solicitation material involving an acquisition, merger, or consolidation, if there is a proposed payment of cash or transfer of securities or property to shareholders, a fee at a rate that, subject to paragraph (4), is equal to $92 See Adjustment of Registration Fee Rate notes below. per $1,000,000 of such proposed payment, or of the value of such securities or other property proposed to be transferred; and
(4) Annual adjustment.— For each fiscal year, the Commission shall by order adjust the rate required by paragraphs (1) and (3) for such fiscal year to a rate that is equal to the rate (expressed in dollars per million) that is applicable under section 6(b) of the Securities Act of 1933 (15 U.S.C. 77f(b)) for such fiscal year.
(5) Fee collection.— Fees collected pursuant to this subsection for fiscal year 2012 and each fiscal year thereafter shall be deposited and credited as general revenue of the Treasury and shall not be available for obligation.
(6) Review; effective date; publication.— In exercising its authority under this subsection, the Commission shall not be required to comply with the provisions of section 553 of title 5. An adjusted rate prescribed under paragraph (4) shall be published and take effect in accordance with section 6(b) of the Securities Act of 1933 (15 U.S.C. 77f(b)).
(7) Pro rata application.— The rates per $1,000,000 required by this subsection shall be applied pro rata to amounts and balances of less than $1,000,000.
(1) Proxy rules to contain special provisions It shall be unlawful for any person to solicit any proxy, consent, or authorization concerning a limited partnership rollup transaction, or to make any tender offer in furtherance of a limited partnership rollup transaction, unless such transaction is conducted in accordance with rules prescribed by the Commission under subsections (a) and (d) as required by this subsection. Such rules shall—
(B) require the issuer to provide to holders of the securities that are the subject of the limited partnership rollup transaction such list of the holders of the issuer’s securities as the Commission may determine in such form and subject to such terms and conditions as the Commission may specify;
(iii) any compensation of the preparer of such opinion, appraisal, or report that is contingent on the transaction’s approval or completion; and
(iv) any limitations imposed by the issuer on the access afforded to such preparer to the issuer’s personnel, premises, and relevant books and records;
(G) provide that, if the general partner or sponsor has obtained any opinion, appraisal, or report as described in subparagraph (F) from any person whose compensation is contingent on the transaction’s approval or completion or who has not been given access by the issuer to its personnel and premises and relevant books and records, the general partner or sponsor shall state the reasons therefor;
(H) provide that, if the general partner or sponsor has not obtained any opinion on the fairness of the proposed limited partnership rollup transaction to investors in each of the affected partnerships, such soliciting materials shall contain or be accompanied by a statement of such partner’s or sponsor’s reasons for concluding that such an opinion is not necessary in order to permit the limited partners to make an informed decision on the proposed transaction;
(2) Exemptions The Commission may, consistent with the public interest, the protection of investors, and the purposes of this chapter, exempt by rule or order any security or class of securities, any transaction or class of transactions, or any person or class of persons, in whole or in part, conditionally or unconditionally, from the requirements imposed pursuant to paragraph (1) or from the definition contained in paragraph (4).
(3) Effect on Commission authority Nothing in this subsection limits the authority of the Commission under subsection (a) or (d) or any other provision of this chapter or precludes the Commission from imposing, under subsection (a) or (d) or any other provision of this chapter, a remedy or procedure required to be imposed under this subsection.
(4) “Limited partnership rollup transaction” defined Except as provided in paragraph (5), as used in this subsection, the term “limited partnership rollup transaction” means a transaction involving the combination or reorganization of one or more limited partnerships, directly or indirectly, in which—
(B) any of the investors’ limited partnership securities are not, as of the date of filing, reported under a transaction reporting plan declared effective before December 17, 1993, by the Commission under section 78k–1 of this title;
(5) Exclusions from definition Notwithstanding paragraph (4), the term “limited partnership rollup transaction” does not include—
(i) such action is approved by not less than 66⅔ percent of the outstanding units of each of the participating limited partnerships; and
(i) Disclosure of pay versus performance The Commission shall, by rule, require each issuer to disclose in any proxy or consent solicitation material for an annual meeting of the shareholders of the issuer a clear description of any compensation required to be disclosed by the issuer under section 229.402 of title 17, Code of Federal Regulations (or any successor thereto), including, for any issuer other than an emerging growth company, information that shows the relationship between executive compensation actually paid and the financial performance of the issuer, taking into account any change in the value of the shares of stock and dividends of the issuer and any distributions. The disclosure under this subsection may include a graphic representation of the information required to be disclosed.
(j) Disclosure of hedging by employees and directors The Commission shall, by rule, require each issuer to disclose in any proxy or consent solicitation material for an annual meeting of the shareholders of the issuer whether any employee or member of the board of directors of the issuer, or any designee of such employee or member, is permitted to purchase financial instruments (including prepaid variable forward contracts, equity swaps, collars, and exchange funds) that are designed to hedge or offset any decrease in the market value of equity securities—
(June 6, 1934, ch. 404, title I, § 14, 48 Stat. 895; Pub. L. 88–467, § 5, Aug. 20, 1964, 78 Stat. 569; Pub. L. 90–439, § 3, July 29, 1968, 82 Stat. 455; Pub. L. 91–567, §§ 3–5, Dec. 22, 1970, 84 Stat. 1497; Pub. L. 98–38, § 2(b), June 6, 1983, 97 Stat. 205; Pub. L. 99–222, § 2, Dec. 28, 1985, 99 Stat. 1737; Pub. L. 101–550, title III, § 302, Nov. 15, 1990, 104 Stat. 2721; Pub. L. 103–202, title III, § 302(a), Dec. 17, 1993, 107 Stat. 2359; Pub. L. 105–353, title III, § 301(b)(7), Nov. 3, 1998, 112 Stat. 3236; Pub. L. 107–123, § 6, Jan. 16, 2002, 115 Stat. 2396; Pub. L. 111–203, title IX, §§ 953(a), 955, 971(a), 991(b)(3), July 21, 2010, 124 Stat. 1903, 1904, 1915, 1953; Pub. L. 112–106, title I, § 102(a)(2), Apr. 5, 2012, 126 Stat. 309.)
This chapter, referred to in subsecs. (b) and (h)(1)(A), (2), (3), was in the original “this title”. See References in Text note set out under section 78a of this title. The Investment Company Act of 1940, referred to in subsecs. (b)(1), (c), (d)(1), and (g)(1)(A), is title I of act Aug. 22, 1940, ch. 686, 54 Stat. 789, as amended, which is classified generally to subchapter I (§ 80a–1 et seq.) of chapter 2D of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see section 80a–51 of this title and Tables. The Securities Act of 1933, referred to in subsec. (h)(5)(C), is act May 27, 1933, ch. 38, title I, 48 Stat. 74, as amended, which is classified generally to subchapter I (§ 77a et seq.) of chapter 2A of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see section 77a of this title and Tables.
2012—Subsec. (i). Pub. L. 112–106 inserted “, for any issuer other than an emerging growth company,” after “including”. 2010—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 111–203, § 971(a), designated existing provisions as par. (1) and added par. (2). Subsec. (g)(1)(A). Pub. L. 111–203, § 991(b)(3)(A), substituted “paragraph (4)” for “paragraphs (5) and (6)” in cls. (i) and (ii). Subsec. (g)(3). Pub. L. 111–203, § 991(b)(3)(B), substituted “paragraph (4)” for “paragraphs (5) and (6)”. Subsec. (g)(4) to (6). Pub. L. 111–203, § 991(b)(3)(C), (D), added pars. (4) to (6) and struck out former pars. (4) to (6) which related to deposit and crediting of fees as offsetting collections, annual adjustment of rates, and final rate adjustment, respectively. Subsec. (g)(8) to (11). Pub. L. 111–203, § 991(b)(3)(E), (F), redesignated par. (11) as (8) and struck out former pars. (8) to (10) which related to review and effective date of adjusted rate, collection of fees upon lapse of appropriation, and publication of rate, respectively. Subsec. (i). Pub. L. 111–203, § 953(a), added subsec. (i). Subsec. (j). Pub. L. 111–203, § 955, added subsec. (j). 2002—Subsec. (g)(1)(A)(i), (ii), (3). Pub. L. 107–123, § 6(1), substituted “a fee at a rate that, subject to paragraphs (5) and (6), is equal to $92 per $1,000,000 of” for “a fee of 1⁄50 of 1 per centum of”. Subsec. (g)(4) to (11). Pub. L. 107–123, § 6(2), (3), added pars. (4) to (10) and redesignated former par. (4) as (11). 1998—Subsec. (g)(4). Pub. L. 105–353 substituted “consolidation, sale,” for “consolidation sale,”. 1993—Subsec. (h). Pub. L. 103–202 added subsec. (h). 1990—Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 101–550, § 302(a), substituted “section 78l of this title, or any security issued by an investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940,” for “section 78l of this title” and “authorization, or information statement” for “or authorization”. Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 101–550, § 302(b), substituted “title, or a security issued by an investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940,” for “title”. 1985—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 99–222 designated existing provision as par. (1), inserted “or any bank, association, or other entity that exercises fiduciary powers,” after “under this chapter,”, and added par. (2). 1983—Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 98–38 added subsec. (g). 1970—Subsec. (d)(1). Pub. L. 91–567, § 3, included equity securities of an insurance company which would have been required to be registered except for the exemption contained in section 78l(g)(2)(G) of this title, and substituted “5 per centum” for “10 per centum”. Subsec. (d)(8). Pub. L. 91–567, § 4, struck out cl. (A) which excluded offers for, or invitations for tenders of, securities proposed to be made by means of a registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933, and redesignated cls. (B) to (D) as (A) to (C), respectively. Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 91–567, § 5, inserted provisions requiring the Commission, for the purposes of the subsection, by rules and regulations to define, and prescribe means reasonably designed to prevent, such acts and practices as are fraudulent, deceptive, or manipulative. 1968—Subsecs. (d) to (f). Pub. L. 90–439 added subsecs. (d) to (f). 1964—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 88–467, § 5(a), substituted provisions which make it unlawful for any person, in contravention of the Commission’s rules and regulations, to solicit, or to permit the use of his name to solicit, proxies in respect of any security registered pursuant to section 78l of this title for former provisions which limited the Commission’s rulemaking authority to proxies relating to securities listed and registered on a national securities exchange. Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 88–467, § 5(b), substituted provisions which make it unlawful for members of a national securities exchange and brokers and dealers registered under this chapter, in contravention of such rules as may be prescribed by the Commission, to give, or to refrain from giving proxies, consents, and other authorizations in respect of any security registered under section 78l of this title carried for the account of customers for former provisions which limited the Commission’s rulemaking authority only to the giving of proxies in respect to listed securities carried for the account of customers by members of the national securities exchanges and by brokers or dealers who conduct business through the medium of an exchange member, and deleted the reference to brokers and dealers who transacted business through the medium of an exchange member as being now covered by brokers and dealers registered under this chapter. Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 88–467, § 5(c), added subsec. (c).
Amendment by sections 953(a), 955, and 971(a) of Pub. L. 111–203 effective 1 day after July 21, 2010, except as otherwise provided, see section 4 of Pub. L. 111–203, set out as an Effective Date note under section 5301 of Title 12, Banks and Banking. Amendment by section 991(b)(3) of Pub. L. 111–203 effective Oct. 1, 2011, see section 991(b)(4) of Pub. L. 111–203, set out as a note under section 77f of this title.
Pub. L. 101–550, title III, § 303, Nov. 15, 1990, 104 Stat. 2721, provided that: “The amendments made by section 302 of this title [amending this section] shall take effect upon the expiration of 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act [Nov. 15, 1990].”
Pub. L. 99–222, § 3, Dec. 28, 1985, 99 Stat. 1737, provided that: “The amendments made by this Act [amending this section] shall become effective one year after the date of enactment of this Act [Dec. 28, 1985].”
Pub. L. 111–203, title IX, § 971(b), (c), July 21, 2010, 124 Stat. 1915, provided that: “(b) Regulations.— The Commission may issue rules permitting the use by a shareholder of proxy solicitation materials supplied by an issuer of securities for the purpose of nominating individuals to membership on the board of directors of the issuer, under such terms and conditions as the Commission determines are in the interests of shareholders and for the protection of investors. “(c) Exemptions.— The Commission may, by rule or order, exempt an issuer or class of issuers from the requirement made by this section [amending this section] or an amendment made by this section. In determining whether to make an exemption under this subsection, the Commission shall take into account, among other considerations, whether the requirement in the amendment made by subsection (a) disproportionately burdens small issuers.” [For definitions of terms used in section 971(b), (c) of Pub. L. 111–203, set out above, see section 5301 of Title 12, Banks and Banking.] Pub. L. 103–202, title III, § 302(b), Dec. 17, 1993, 107 Stat. 2363, provided that: “The Securities and Exchange Commission shall conduct rulemaking proceedings and prescribe final regulations under the Securities Act of 1933 [15 U.S.C. 77a et seq.] and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 [15 U.S.C. 78a et seq.] to implement the requirements of section 14(h) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 [15 U.S.C. 78n(h)], as amended by subsection (a), and such regulations shall become effective not later than 12 months after the date of enactment of this Act [Dec. 17, 1993].”
Pub. L. 104–290, title V, § 510(b), Oct. 11, 1996, 110 Stat. 3450, provided that: “(1) Study.— The Commission shall conduct a study of— “(A) whether shareholder access to proxy statements pursuant to section 14 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 [15 U.S.C. 78n] has been impaired by recent statutory, judicial, or regulatory changes; and “(B) the ability of shareholders to have proposals relating to corporate practices and social issues included as part of proxy statements. “(2) Report.— Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act [Oct. 11, 1996], the Commission shall submit a report to the Congress on the results of the study conducted under paragraph (1), together with any recommendations for regulatory or legislative changes that it considers necessary to improve shareholder access to proxy statements.”
Pub. L. 103–202, title III, § 302(c), Dec. 17, 1993, 107 Stat. 2363, provided that: “(1) Evaluation required.— The Comptroller General of the United States shall, within 18 months after the date of enactment of this Act [Dec. 17, 1993], conduct a study of— “(A) the use of fairness opinions in limited partnership rollup transactions; “(B) the standards which preparers use in making determinations of fairness; “(C) the scope of review, quality of analysis, qualifications and methods of selection of preparers, costs of preparation, and any limitations imposed by issuers on such preparers; “(D) the nature and quality of disclosures provided with respect to such opinions; “(E) any conflicts of interest with respect to the preparation of such opinions; and “(F) the usefulness of such opinions to limited partners. “(2) Report required.— Not later than the end of the 18-month period referred to in paragraph (1), the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to the Congress a report on the evaluation required by paragraph (1).”
By order dated Aug. 24, 2017, the Securities and Exchange Commission adjusted the fee rates applicable under subsec. (g) of this section to $124.50 per $1,000,000, effective Oct. 1, 2017, see 82 F.R. 41080. By order dated Aug. 30, 2016, the Securities and Exchange Commission adjusted the fee rates applicable under subsec. (g) of this section to $115.90 per $1,000,000, effective Oct. 1, 2016, see 81 F.R. 61283. By order dated Aug. 26, 2015, the Securities and Exchange Commission adjusted the fee rates applicable under subsec. (g) of this section to $100.70 per $1,000,000, effective Oct. 1, 2015, see 80 F.R. 52824. By order dated Aug. 29, 2014, the Securities and Exchange Commission adjusted the fee rates applicable under subsec. (g) of this section to $116.20 per $1,000,000, effective Oct. 1, 2014, see 79 F.R. 52771. By order dated Aug. 30, 2013, the Securities and Exchange Commission adjusted the fee rates applicable under subsec. (g) of this section to $128.80 per $1,000,000, effective Oct. 1, 2013, see 78 F.R. 54934. By order dated Aug. 31, 2012, the Securities and Exchange Commission adjusted the fee rates applicable under subsec. (g) of this section to $136.40 per $1,000,000, effective Oct. 1, 2012, see 77 F.R. 55240. By order dated Aug. 31, 2011, the Securities and Exchange Commission adjusted the fee rates applicable under subsec. (g) of this section to $114.60 per $1,000,000, effective Oct. 1, 2011, see 76 F.R. 55139.
§ 78m–2. Reporting requirements regarding coal or other mine safety
§ 78n–1. Shareholder approval of executive compensation