FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
2017-192
Washington D.C., Oct. 11, 2017—
The Securities and Exchange Commission today voted to propose amendments to modernize and simplify disclosure requirements for public companies, investment advisers, and investment companies and to implement a mandate under the Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act. The proposed amendments would make adjustments to update, streamline or otherwise improve the Commission's disclosure framework.
"The FAST Act has given the Commission the opportunity to update our rules, simplify our forms, and utilize technology to make disclosure more accessible," said SEC Chairman Jay Clayton. "An effective disclosure regime provides investors with the information necessary to make informed investment choices without imposing unnecessary burdens of time and money on issuers, and today's action embodies that goal."
The proposal reflects changes based on recommendations in the staff's FAST Act Report and amendments developed as part of a broader review of the Commission's disclosure system.
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Fact Sheet
FAST Act Modernization and Simplification of Regulation S-K
SEC Open Meeting
October 11, 2017
Action
The Commission will consider whether to propose amendments to modernize and simplify certain disclosure requirements in Regulation S-K, and related rules and forms, in a manner that reduces the costs and burdens on registrants while continuing to provide all material information to investors. The amendments are also intended to improve the readability and navigability of disclosure documents and discourage repetition and disclosure of immaterial information.
Highlights
Among other things, the proposed amendments would:
The proposal also includes parallel amendments to several rules and forms applicable to investment companies and investment advisers, including proposed amendments that would require certain investment company filings to include a hyperlink to each exhibit listed in the exhibit index of the filings and be submitted in HyperText Markup Language (HTML) format.
Background
As mandated by the FAST Act, in November 2016 the staff published a report on modernizing and simplifying the disclosure requirements in Regulation S-K. The report provided specific and detailed recommendations on modernizing and simplifying Regulation S-K in a manner that reduces costs and burdens on companies while still providing all material information. The FAST Act also requires that the Commission issue a proposal to implement the recommendations in the report.
What's next?
If approved, the Commission will seek public comment on the proposed rules for 60 days.
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