"Small Business Audit Correction Act of 2018" - PCAOB Exemption Bill Text
H.R. 6021 "Small Business Audit Correction Act of 2018", introduced formally on June 6, 2018 in the House of Representatives by Rep. French Hill (R-AR) and Rep. Vicente Gonzalez (D-TX), and
S. 3004 "Small Business Audit Correction Act of 2018", introduces formally on June 6, 2018 in the Senate by Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) and Sen. Doug Jones (D-AL).
Title: To amend the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 to exclude privately held, non-custody brokers and dealers that are in good standing from certain requirements under title I of that Act, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the “Small Business Audit Correction Act of 2018”.
SEC. 2. EXEMPTION.
(a) Amendments to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.—Title I of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (15 U.S.C. 7211 et seq.) is amended—
(1) in section 101(e)(1) (15 U.S.C. 7211(e)(1)), by striking “brokers, and dealers” and inserting “brokers, dealers, and non-custody brokers or dealers that are privately held and in good standing”; and
(2) in section 110 (15 U.S.C. 7220)—
(A) in paragraph (3)—
(i) by striking “The term” and inserting “Except as otherwise expressly provided, the term”; and
(ii) by inserting “, except that the term does not include a non-custody broker or dealer that is privately held and in good standing” after “registered public accounting firm”;
(B) in paragraph (4)—
(i) by striking “The term” and inserting “Except as otherwise expressly provided, the term”; and
(ii) by inserting “, except that the term does not include a non-custody broker or dealer that is privately held and in good standing” after “registered public accounting firm”;
(C) by redesignating paragraphs (5) and (6) as paragraphs (8) and (9), respectively; and
(D) by inserting after paragraph (4) the following:
“(5) In good standing.—The term ‘in good standing’ means, with respect to a broker or dealer (as those terms are defined in section 3(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78c(a))), that, as of the last day of the most recently completed fiscal year of the broker or dealer, as applicable, the broker or dealer—
“(A) was registered with the Commission;
“(B) was licensed by, and registered with, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority or a national securities exchange that is registered with the Commission under section 6 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78f);
“(C) was compliant with the minimum dollar net capital requirements under section 240.15c3–1 of title 17, Code of Federal Regulations, or any successor regulation;
“(D) had not, during the 10-year period preceding that date, been convicted of a felony under Federal or State law; and
“(E) was not barred from registering, or had not been expelled from registration, with the Commission, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, or any State regulatory agency, without regard to whether the broker or dealer had, as of that date, filed an appeal challenging such a bar or expulsion, as applicable.
“(6) Non-custody broker or dealer.—The term ‘non-custody broker or dealer’ means a broker or dealer (as those terms are defined in section 3(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78c(a))), as applicable, that—
“(A) as of the last day of the most recently completed fiscal year of the broker or dealer—
“(i) had not less than 1 and not more than 150 registered persons holding a securities license registered with the broker or dealer;
“(ii) cleared each eligible transaction with and for a consumer on a fully disclosed basis with a clearing broker or dealer or a member of a national securities exchange that is registered with the Commission under section 6 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78f);
“(iii) did not, as a matter of ordinary business practice in connection with the activities of the broker or dealer, elect to receive customer checks, drafts, or other evidence of indebtedness made payable to the broker or dealer or a person other than the requisite registered broker or dealer carrying the account of a customer, escrow agent, issuer, underwriter, sponsor, or other distributor of securities;
“(iv) did not otherwise hold funds or securities for customers; and
“(v) if required under section 3(a)(2) of the Securities Investor Protection Act of 1970 (15 U.S.C. 78ccc(a)(2)), was a member of the Securities Investor Protection Corporation; and
“(B) during the most recently completed fiscal year of the broker or dealer, claimed exemption from section 240.15c3–3 of title 17, Code of Federal Regulations, or any successor regulation.
“(7) Privately held.—The term ‘privately held’ means, with respect to a broker or dealer (as those terms are defined in section 3(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78c(a))), that the broker or dealer, as applicable, is not an issuer.”.
(b) Amendments to Regulations.—Not later than 60 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Securities and Exchange Commission shall make any necessary amendments to regulations of the Commission that are in effect as of the date of enactment of this Act in order to carry out this Act and the amendments made by this Act.
(c) Effective Date.—This Act, and the amendments made by this Act, shall take effect on the date that is 60 days after the date of enactment of this Act.