Search Results for keywords:"regulatory changes"

The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) has made changes to the Export Administration Regulations. This includes adding the China National Offshore Oil Corporation Ltd. to the Entity List due to activities against U.S. national security. The Military End-User (MEU) List now includes Beijing Skyrizon Aviation Industry Investment Co., Ltd., while two entities from Russia have been removed from the MEU List to fix duplicate entries. These decisions aim to strengthen control over exports to entities acting detrimentally to the security and policy interests of the United States.

The Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Labor have decided to withdraw a rule that was published on January 4, 2021, regarding H-2B temporary labor certification cases. This decision was made because they received a significant adverse comment during the public comment period. The rule aimed to extend the Department of Labor's system for reviewing these cases, but it will no longer take effect. Any future changes or rules may consider the feedback received from the public.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has finalized a rule that updates the State Energy Program regulations. This rule incorporates changes from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021, mandating states to include transmission and distribution planning support in their energy conservation plans. These changes were initially made in an interim rule released in April 2024, and as no comments were received, the interim rule is now adopted without any modifications. The final rule becomes effective on December 12, 2024.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has issued a final rule that permits mortgage companies to disburse up to 1% of a mortgage amount before using all of the funds provided by the borrower. This rule is meant to simplify the process of combining mortgages into mortgage-backed securities and help ensure interest rates for FHA-insured mortgages remain competitive. Public comments suggested more flexibility in disbursement limits, but HUD maintained the 1% limit to manage risks effectively. This final rule also makes minor organizational changes to existing regulations.

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) under the USDA has reopened the comment period for changes to the mycotoxin test kit criteria. This extension is announced to ensure that interested individuals have sufficient time to review and comment on these proposed changes, with comments now due by March 24, 2021. This decision follows a request from four stakeholders to allow more time for feedback after the initial comment period ended on January 19, 2021. Participants are encouraged to submit their comments via the Federal e-rulemaking portal, with all submissions becoming public on the internet.

The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC is proposing to change the credits they offer for certain stock transactions. Currently, there's a credit of $0.0030 per share for members providing substantial liquidity, but Nasdaq wants to add a new, slightly lower credit of $0.00295 per share for members meeting less strict volume requirements. This is meant to encourage more trading activity and improve the quality of the market by providing incentives for adding liquidity, especially in securities not listed on Nasdaq or NYSE. The changes are designed to be competitive and fair, with the understanding that participants dissatisfied with the credits can choose to trade elsewhere.

The Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) decided to withdraw a proposed rule aimed at improving the quality control system for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Initially published on September 19, 2023, this rule was designed to enhance SNAP's integrity and accuracy as part of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018. FNS will continue to collaborate with stakeholders to explore new regulations and improve overall program oversight and state compliance. This withdrawal allows the FNS to consider additional strategies for enhancing SNAP's quality control efforts.

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) has proposed changes to its arbitration process to enhance the fairness and efficiency of selecting arbitrators. The new rules would give non-chair-qualified public arbitrators more opportunities to be selected and improve the list selection process's transparency. The proposal also introduces clear timelines for removing arbitrators and aligns rules with existing practices, ensuring better protection of investors and public interest by making the arbitration process more predictable and equitable. The Securities and Exchange Commission is inviting the public to comment on these proposed changes.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has announced that Nasdaq MRX, LLC, is planning to stop offering two specific types of trading orders: Qualified Contingent Cross (QCC) with Stock Orders and Complex QCC with Stock Orders. These orders were used by members to automatically handle the stock portion of certain complex trades. However, these functionalities were never actually used, so Nasdaq MRX will remove them, allowing members to still conduct similar trades but with the responsibility of handling the stock part themselves. The change is expected to take effect by February 15, 2025, and the SEC has fast-tracked the approval process to support Nasdaq MRX's efficient operation.

The New York Stock Exchange LLC (NYSE) filed a proposal with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to amend rules about reverse stock splits, aiming to prevent companies that fall below certain price criteria from using reverse stock splits to reclaim compliance under specific circumstances. The SEC is taking extra time beyond the usual 45-day review period to evaluate this proposal and any comments received. They have extended the deadline to either approve or disapprove the changes to January 15, 2025. The proposal was initially published for public comment on October 17, 2024.