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amendments to benefit investors by eliminating outdated, redundant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.
