PRIA, Government Policy, Made Personal

Summary

Companies must give shareholders a separate, nonbinding vote on executive pay at least once every 3 years. Every 6 years, shareholders must get a separate vote to pick whether that executive-pay vote happens every 1, 2, or 3 years. The first shareholder meeting after the six-month window that started on July 21, 2010 had to include both of those votes. When shareholders are asked to approve a big deal like a merger or sale after that same six-month window, the meeting papers must clearly say if any top executives have deals about pay tied to the deal, show the total possible amounts, and include a separate shareholder vote to approve those deal-related payments unless they were already voted on under the executive-pay vote. Those shareholder votes are advisory only. They do not force the company or its board to act, and they do not change the board’s legal duties or stop shareholders from making other proposals. Large money managers must report at least once a year how they voted on these advisory votes unless other rules already require the report. The Securities and Exchange Commission can exempt some issuers, especially if the rules are too hard on small issuers. Emerging growth companies are exempt. If a company stops being an emerging growth company, it must hold its first executive-pay vote within strict time limits: either by the end of the 3-year period that began with its first registered common equity sale (if it was an emerging growth company for less than 2 years after that sale), or within 1 year after it stops being an emerging growth company. Definitions (one line each): Named executive officers — top company executives; Institutional investment manager — a large investment manager required to report votes; Emerging growth company — a company with a special small-company status under securities law.

Title 15, §78n–1

Commerce and Trade, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)(1)Not less frequently than once every 3 years, a proxy or consent or authorization for an annual or other meeting of the shareholders for which the proxy solicitation rules of the Commission require compensation disclosure shall include a separate resolution subject to shareholder vote to approve the compensation of executives, as disclosed pursuant to section 229.402 of title 17, Code of Federal Regulations, or any successor thereto.

(2)Not less frequently than once every 6 years, a proxy or consent or authorization for an annual or other meeting of the shareholders for which the proxy solicitation rules of the Commission require compensation disclosure shall include a separate resolution subject to shareholder vote to determine whether votes on the resolutions required under paragraph (1) will occur every 1, 2, or 3 years.

(3)The proxy or consent or authorization for the first annual or other meeting of the shareholders occurring after the end of the 6-month period beginning on July 21, 2010, shall include—

(A)the resolution described in paragraph (1); and

(B)a separate resolution subject to shareholder vote to determine whether votes on the resolutions required under paragraph (1) will occur every 1, 2, or 3 years.

(b)(1)In any proxy or consent solicitation material (the solicitation of which is subject to the rules of the Commission pursuant to subsection (a)) for a meeting of the shareholders occurring after the end of the 6-month period beginning on July 21, 2010, at which shareholders are asked to approve an acquisition, merger, consolidation, or proposed sale or other disposition of all or substantially all the assets of an issuer, the person making such solicitation shall disclose in the proxy or consent solicitation material, in a clear and simple form in accordance with regulations to be promulgated by the Commission, any agreements or understandings that such person has with any named executive officers of such issuer (or of the acquiring issuer, if such issuer is not the acquiring issuer) concerning any type of compensation (whether present, deferred, or contingent) that is based on or otherwise relates to the acquisition, merger, consolidation, sale, or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the issuer and the aggregate total of all such compensation that may (and the conditions upon which it may) be paid or become payable to or on behalf of such executive officer.

(2)Any proxy or consent or authorization relating to the proxy or consent solicitation material containing the disclosure required by paragraph (1) shall include a separate resolution subject to shareholder vote to approve such agreements or understandings and compensation as disclosed, unless such agreements or understandings have been subject to a shareholder vote under subsection (a).

(c)The shareholder vote referred to in subsections (a) and (b) shall not be binding on the issuer or the board of directors of an issuer, and may not be construed—

(1)as overruling a decision by such issuer or board of directors;

(2)to create or imply any change to the fiduciary duties of such issuer or board of directors;

(3)to create or imply any additional fiduciary duties for such issuer or board of directors; or

(4)to restrict or limit the ability of shareholders to make proposals for inclusion in proxy materials related to executive compensation.

(d)Every institutional investment manager subject to section 78m(f) of this title shall report at least annually how it voted on any shareholder vote pursuant to subsections (a) and (b), unless such vote is otherwise required to be reported publicly by rule or regulation of the Commission.

(e)(1)The Commission may, by rule or order, exempt any other issuer or class of issuers from the requirement under subsection (a) or (b). In determining whether to make an exemption under this subsection, the Commission shall take into account, among other considerations, whether the requirements under subsections (a) and (b) disproportionately burdens 11 So in original. Probably should be “burden”. small issuers.

(2)(A)An emerging growth company shall be exempt from the requirements of subsections (a) and (b).

(B)An issuer that was an emerging growth company but is no longer an emerging growth company shall include the first separate resolution described under subsection (a)(1) not later than the end of—

(i)in the case of an issuer that was an emerging growth company for less than 2 years after the date of first sale of common equity securities of the issuer pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933 [15 U.S.C. 77a et seq.], the 3-year period beginning on such date; and

(ii)in the case of any other issuer, the 1-year period beginning on the date the issuer is no longer an emerging growth company.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The Securities Act of 1933, referred to in subsec. (e)(2)(B)(i), is title I of act May 27, 1933, ch. 38, 48 Stat. 74, 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.

Amendments

2012—Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 112–106 designated existing provisions as par. (1), inserted heading, substituted “any other issuer” for “an issuer”, and added par. (2).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Section effective 1 day after July 21, 2010, except as otherwise provided, see section 4 of Pub. L. 111–203, set out as a note under section 5301 of Title 12, Banks and Banking.

§78n–1 Shareholder Approval of Executive Compensation