Securities and Exchange Commission July 2018 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Securities and Exchange Commission (the ``Commission'') is proposing a new rule under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the ``Investment Company Act'' or the ``Act'') that would permit exchange- traded funds (``ETFs'') that satisfy certain conditions to operate without the expense and delay of obtaining an exemptive order. In connection with the proposed exemptive rule, the Commission proposes to rescind certain exemptive orders that have been granted to ETFs and their sponsors. The Commission also is proposing certain disclosure amendments to Form N-1A and Form N-8B-2 to provide investors who purchase and sell ETF shares on the secondary market with additional information regarding ETF trading costs, regardless of whether such ETFs are structured as registered open-end management investment companies (``open-end funds'') or unit investment trusts (``UITs''). Finally, the Commission is proposing related amendments to Form N-CEN. The proposed rule and form amendments are designed to create a consistent, transparent, and efficient regulatory framework for ETFs and to facilitate greater competition and innovation among ETFs.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (``Commission'') is publishing this release to solicit comment on the exemption from registration under the Securities Act of 1933 (the ``Securities Act'') for securities issued by non-reporting companies pursuant to compensatory arrangements, and Form S-8, the registration statement for compensatory offerings by reporting companies. Significant evolution has taken place both in the types of compensatory offerings issuers make and the composition of the workforce since the Commission last substantively amended these regulations. Therefore, as we amend the exemption as mandated by the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act (the ``Act''), we seek comment on possible ways to modernize the exemption and the relationship between it and Form S- 8, consistent with investor protection.