sec – Duane Morris on Capital Markets

On May 29, 2026, the SEC voted unanimously to propose rescinding in their entirety the climate-related disclosure rules adopted by a 3-2 vote in March 2024 (the Climate Rules). Chairman Paul Atkins framed the action around materiality, stating that SEC disclosure obligations should be “guided by materiality as the North Star” and “imposed only when the expected benefits justify the likely costs and burdens.”

The Climate Rules, which would have mandated reporting on climate risks, Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions, transition plans, and financial statement footnotes for severe weather events, never took effect. Immediately upon adoption, trade associations, state attorneys general, and business groups challenged the Climate Rules, with litigation consolidating in the Eighth Circuit (Iowa v. SEC, No. 24-1522). The Commission stayed the Climate Rules on April 4, 2024, and they have remained inoperative since.

Timeline of Key Events

The path to this proposed rescission includes several notable milestones. In February 2025, Acting SEC Chairman Mark Uyeda directed Commission staff to request that the Eighth Circuit refrain from scheduling oral arguments and outlined his concerns about the Commission’s statutory authority to adopt the Climate Rules. On March 27, 2025, the Commission voted to withdraw its defense of the Climate Rules, with Commissioner Caroline A. Crenshaw dissenting. Following the SEC’s withdrawal, a coalition of 18 states and the District of Columbia intervened to uphold the Climate Rules. On September 12, 2025, the Eighth Circuit issued an order holding the consolidated petitions for review in abeyance until such time as the Commission reconsidered the Climate Rules through notice-and-comment rulemaking or renewed its defense.

The Commission has now taken the step contemplated by that order, proposing to rescind the Climate Rules through a formal notice-and-comment rulemaking.

Meanwhile, climate disclosure requirements continue to advance at the state level. In February 2026, the New York State Senate passed the Climate Corporate Data Accountability Act, which is legislation modeled in significant respects on California’s climate disclosure laws. The bill remains pending before the New York Assembly.

Rationale for Rescission

The Commission now believes the 2024 Climate Rules “were a dramatic overreach of the Commission’s statutory authority and, independently, unsound as a matter of policy.” Even assuming it had authority to adopt the Climate Rules, the Commission identifies independent policy grounds for rescission: the Climate Rules are inconsistent with a registrant-specific, materiality-based disclosure framework; they stray beyond the policy concerns of the federal securities laws; they impose substantial costs not justified by informational benefits; and they conflict with the Commission’s objectives of facilitating capital formation and promoting public company status.

Commissioner Uyeda, in his supporting statement, emphasized that the concept of materiality, including as it relates to climate change, is already well embedded in the SEC’s existing disclosure obligations, whether in the description of the business, risk factor disclosure, management’s discussion and analysis, financial statements, or notes thereto. He characterized the Climate Rules as “a rule to influence how a business operates hidden under a cloak of disclosure.”

Commissioner Hester Peirce likewise supported the proposal, noting that adherence to a merit-neutral, materiality-centered disclosure framework is consistent with both the SEC’s statutory authority and the healthy functioning of U.S. capital markets. The Commission’s proposing release, Release No. 33-11421, sets forth the legal and policy bases for rescission in detail.

Next Steps

The public comment period will remain open for 60 days following publication of the proposing release in the Federal Register. Given that the original 2022 climate proposal generated more than 16,000 public comments, a similarly robust comment process is anticipated. After reviewing public comments, the Commission would be required to vote again before the rescission could become final.

In the meantime, the Climate Rules remain in place and have never been operative. As discussed in the accompanying Client Alert, companies should not assume that the absence of federal climate disclosure mandates means the end of climate-related reporting obligations. California’s SB 253 and SB 261, New York’s proposed Climate Corporate Data Accountability Act, the European Union’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive, and various international standards under the International Sustainability Standards Board framework continue to advance. As a result, many public and private companies may remain or become subject to climate-related reporting obligations regardless of what the SEC ultimately does.

We will continue to monitor developments and provide updates as the SEC’s rulemaking process unfolds. Read a more detailed analysis of this update on the Duane Morris LLP website.

August 8, 2023 by Duane Morris

SEC Final Rules Layout Companies’ Reporting Duty for Cybersecurity Incidents, Risk Management, Strategy and Governance

On July 26, 2023, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) adopted final rules requiring U.S. public companies to disclose material cybersecurity incidents on Form 8-K and, on an annual basis, disclose material information regarding their cybersecurity risk management, strategy and governance on Form 10-K. The final rules also require foreign private issuers to make comparable disclosures on Forms 6-K and 20-F.

Read the full Alert on the Duane Morris LLP website.

March 22, 2022 by Darrick M. Mix

SEC Proposes Climate Disclosure Rules for Public Companies

On March 21, 2022, the Securities and Exchange Commission proposed, in a 510-page release, rule changes that would require registrants to include certain climate-related disclosures in their registration statements and periodic reports, including information about climate-related risks that are reasonably likely to have a material impact on their business, results of operations, or financial condition, and certain climate-related financial statement metrics in audited financial statements. The required information about climate-related risks also would include disclosure of a registrant’s greenhouse gas emissions. The commissioners voted on party lines to approve the proposal on a three to one vote.

SEC Chair Gary Gensler commented that “if adopted, [the rule changes] would provide investors with consistent, comparable, and decision-useful information for making their investment decisions, and it would provide consistent and clear reporting obligations for issuers.” Mr. Gensler believes that the proposal would help issuers more efficiently and effectively disclose climate risks and meet investor demand and that “companies and investors alike would benefit from the clear rules of the road proposed in the release.”

Republican SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce voted against the proposal and issued a dissenting statement. “We are here laying the cornerstone of a new disclosure framework that will eventually rival our existing securities-disclosure framework in magnitude and cost, and probably outpace it in complexity,” Ms. Peirce said. She also warned that the proposed rules will enrich “the climate-industrial complex” while hurting investors, the economy and the SEC.

The proposed rule changes would require a registrant to disclose information about:

the registrant’s governance of climate-related risks and relevant risk management processes;
how any climate-related risks identified by the registrant have had or are likely to have a material impact on its business and consolidated financial statements, which may manifest over the short-, medium-, or long-term;
how any identified climate-related risks have affected or are likely to affect the registrant’s strategy, business model, and outlook; and
the impact of climate-related events (severe weather events and other natural conditions) and transition activities on the line items of a registrant’s consolidated financial statements, as well as on the financial estimates and assumptions used in the financial statements.

For registrants that already conduct scenario analysis, have developed transition plans, or publicly set climate-related targets or goals, the proposed amendments would require certain disclosures to enable investors to understand those aspects of the registrants’ climate risk management.

In what is likely to be a more burdensome and costly disclosure requirement, the proposed rules also would require a registrant to disclose information about its direct greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (Scope 1), indirect emissions from purchased electricity or other forms of energy (Scope 2), and GHG emissions from upstream and downstream activities in its value chain (Scope 3). Disclosure of Scope 3 emissions would be mandatory only if output of GHG is material, or significant to investors, or if companies outline specific targets for them. According to the SEC, these proposals for GHG emissions disclosures would provide investors with decision-useful information to assess a registrant’s exposure to, and management of, climate-related risks, and in particular transition risks. Adding to the cost of these requirements, accelerated filers and large accelerated filers would be required to include an attestation report from an independent attestation service provider covering Scopes 1 and 2 emissions disclosures.

The proposing release will be open for public comment for a relatively short period of 30 days after publication in the Federal Register, or 60 days after the date of issuance and publication on sec.gov, whichever period is longer.

September 28, 2020 by Duane Morris

Shareholder Proposal Rule Amended by SEC

On September 23, 2020, the Securities and Exchange Commission adopted the amendments to its shareholder proposal rule, which governs the process for a shareholder to have a proposal included in the company’s proxy statement for consideration by all shareholders. Typical shareholder proposals include recommendations that a company or its board of directors take specified actions. The amendments are designed to promote engagement between the company and the proponent, raise eligibility thresholds for shorter-term investors and further restrict repeat proposals garnering minimal support.

To read the full text of this Duane Morris Alert, please visit the firm’s website.

September 28, 2020September 28, 2020 by Duane Morris

“Accredited Investor” and “Qualified Institutional Buyer” Get Updated Definitions in SEC Final Rule

On August 26, 2020, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) adopted final rules amending the definitions of “accredited investor” and “qualified institutional buyer” (QIB). The purpose of the amendments is to identify more effectively institutional and individual investors that have sufficient knowledge and expertise to participate in investment opportunities without investor protections provided by registration under the Securities Act of 1933.

The final amendments will be published in the Federal Register soon and become effective 60 days after publication.

To read the full text of this Duane Morris Alert, please visit the firm website.

August 4, 2020 by Darrick M. Mix

SEC Adopts Final Amendments to Proxy Rules on Proxy Voting Advice

On July 22, 2020, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission adopted amendments to its rules under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that exempt persons furnishing proxy voting advice from the information and filing requirements of the federal proxy rules. The most prominent proxy advisory firms that provide such proxy voting advice in the United States today are Institutional Shareholder Services and Glass Lewis & Co. Pursuant to the amendments, the SEC codified its view that proxy voting advice generally constitutes a “solicitation,” imposed new conditions to exemptions under Exchange Act Rule 14a-2(b) and added examples of what may be “misleading” within the meaning of Exchange Act Rule 14a-9. The SEC also published supplemental guidance to assist investment advisers on assessing how to consider registrant responses to proxy voting advice in light of the new amendments to the proxy rules.

The new rules have the potential to alter the dynamics between public companies and proxy advisory firms, with public companies gaining some leverage. The new rules have been criticized by some industry participants with an interest in maintaining the prior system.

Duane Morris’ client alert on these new rules was issued on July 30, 2020 and is available here.

May 22, 2020May 22, 2020 by Darrick M. Mix

SEC Adopts Amendments to Financial Reporting Requirements in Acquisitions and Dispositions of Businesses

Yesterday, May 21, 2020, the Securities and Exchange Commission announced that it approved amendments to its rules and forms “to improve for investors the financial information about acquired or disposed businesses, facilitate more timely access to capital, and reduce the complexity and costs to prepare the disclosure.” The 267-page final rule release is available by clicking here.

The amendments update SEC rules which have not been comprehensively addressed since their adoption, some over 30 years ago. Jay Clayton, the SEC’s Chairman, said that amendments are “designed to enhance the quality of information that investors receive while eliminating unnecessary costs and burdens [and] will benefit investors, registrants and the market more generally.”

Among other things, the amendments:

update the significance tests (i.e., to determine when financial statements regarding an acquisition or disposition must be included) in Rule 1-02(w) and elsewhere by revising the investment test to compare the registrant’s investments in and advances to the acquired or disposed business to the registrant’s aggregate worldwide market value if available; revising the income test by adding a revenue component; expanding the use of pro forma financial information in measuring significance; and conforming, to the extent applicable, the significance threshold and tests for disposed businesses to those used for acquired businesses;
modify and enhance the required disclosure for the aggregate effect of acquisitions for which financial statements are not required or are not yet required by eliminating historical financial statements for insignificant businesses and expanding the pro forma financial information to depict the aggregate effect in all material respects;
require the financial statements of the acquired business to cover no more than the two most recent fiscal years;
permit disclosure of financial statements that omit certain expenses for certain acquisitions of a component of an entity;
permit the use of, or reconciliation to, International Financial Reporting Standards as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board in certain circumstances;
no longer require separate acquired business financial statements once the business has been included in the registrant’s post-acquisition financial statements for nine months or a complete fiscal year, depending on significance; and
make corresponding changes to the smaller reporting company requirements in Article 8 of Regulation S-X, which will also apply to issuers relying on Regulation A.

The amendments will be effective on Jan. 1, 2021, but voluntary compliance will be permitted in advance of the effective date.

April 27, 2020April 27, 2020 by Barry Steinman

SEC Amendments to Accelerated and Large Accelerated Filer Definitions Become Effective

Today, final amendments to the definitions of “accelerated filer” and “large accelerated filer” under Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 became effective. The SEC adopted the final rule implementing the amendments on March 12, 2020.

The amendments are designed to reduce the number of issuers that qualify as accelerated and large accelerated filers, thereby promoting capital formation for certain smaller reporting companies by reducing compliance costs while still maintaining investor protections.

For additional information regarding the amendments, please visit the firm website.

March 25, 2020 by Darrick M. Mix

SEC Announces Reporting Relief and Issues Guidance Regarding COVID-19

On March 25, 2020, the Securities and Exchange Commission announced that it is extending the filing periods covered by its previously enacted conditional reporting relief for certain public company filing obligations under the federal securities laws, and that it is also extending regulatory relief previously provided to funds and investment advisers whose operations may be affected by COVID-19. In addition, the SEC’s Division of Corporation Finance issued its current views regarding disclosure considerations and other securities law matters related to COVID-19.

Filing Deadline Relief for Public Companies

To address potential compliance issues, the SEC issued an order [https://www.sec.gov/rules/exorders/2020/34-88465.pdf] that, subject to certain conditions, provides public companies with a 45-day extension to file certain disclosure reports that would otherwise have been due between March 1 and July 1, 2020. This order supersedes and extends the SEC’s prior order of March 4, 2020. Among other conditions, companies must continue to convey through a current report (Form 8-K) a summary of why the relief is needed in their particular circumstances for each periodic report that is delayed. The SEC may provide extensions to the time period for the relief, with any additional conditions it deems appropriate, or provide additional relief as circumstances warrant. The SEC encouraged companies and their representatives to contact SEC staff with questions or matters of particular concern.

Relief for Funds and Investment Advisers

The SEC also issued two orders [https://www.sec.gov/rules/other/2020/ia-5469.pdf and https://www.sec.gov/rules/other/2020/ic-33824.pdf] that provide certain investment funds and investment advisers with additional time with respect to holding in-person board meetings and meeting certain filing and delivery requirements, as applicable. These orders supersede and extend the filing periods covered by the SEC’s prior orders of March 13, 2020. Among other conditions, entities must notify the SEC and/or investors, as applicable, of the intent to rely on the relief, but generally no longer need to describe why they are relying on the order or estimate a date by which the required action will occur.

Disclosure Guidance for Public Companies

Further, the Division of Corporation Finance issued Disclosure Guidance Topic No. 9 [https://www.sec.gov/corpfin/coronavirus-covid-19] (the “Guidance”), providing the staff’s current views regarding disclosure and other securities law obligations that companies should consider with respect to COVID-19 and related business and market disruptions. The Division has been monitoring how companies are reporting the effects and risks of COVID-19 on their businesses, financial condition, and results of operations and is providing the Guidance as companies prepare disclosure documents during this uncertain time. In the Guidance, the Division reminds companies that a number of existing rules or regulations require disclosure about the known or reasonably likely effects of and the types of risks presented by COVID-19. As a result, disclosure of these risks and COVID-19-related effects may be necessary or appropriate in management’s discussion and analysis, the business section, risk factors, legal proceedings, disclosure controls and procedures, internal control over financial reporting, and the financial statements. The Guidance also poses a series of questions designed to help companies assess COVID-19-related effects and consider their disclosure obligations (for example: How has COVID-19 impacted your financial condition and results of operations? In light of changing trends and the overall economic outlook, how do you expect COVID-19 to impact your future operating results and near-and-long-term financial condition? Do you expect that COVID-19 will impact future operations differently than how it affected the current period?)

The Guidance notes that companies and related persons to be mindful of their market activities, including the issuance or purchase of securities, in light of their obligations under the federal securities laws. For example, where COVID-19 has affected a company in a way that would be material to investors or where a company has become aware of a risk related to COVID-19 that would be material to investors, the company, its directors and officers, and other corporate insiders who are aware of these matters should refrain from trading in the company’s securities until such information is disclosed to the public. The Guidance also reminds companies of their obligations under Regulation FD to avoid selective disclosures.

April 29, 2019 by Duane Morris

SEC Adopts Simplified, Modernized Disclosure Requirements

On March 20, 2019, the SEC adopted amendments to rules and forms of Regulation S-K to further simplify and modernize disclosure requirements. The final amendments were published in the Federal Register on April 2, 2019, and, except as noted below, become effective on May 2, 2019, 30 days after publication in the Federal Register. The SEC stated that it intends for the amendments to benefit investors by eliminating outdated, redundant and unnecessary disclosure; reducing cost and burdens of SEC reporting companies; and simplifying investors’ access to, and evaluation of, material information. These new rules follow on the heels of the SEC’s prior effort on simplification, which was published in the Federal Register on October 4, 2018. Combined with the earlier effort, these latest changes reflect a concerted push by the SEC to relieve SEC reporting companies of filing obligations that provide little value to investors.

This Alert provides a brief overview of certain of the amendments and practical considerations for SEC reporting companies and does not address parallel amendments to investment company and investment adviser rules and forms.

Read the full Alert on the Duane Morris LLP website.