A bill to amend the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 to require shareholder authorization before a public company may make certain political expenditures, and for other purposes.
Shareholder Protection Act of 2017 This bill amends the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 to require shareholder authorization with respect to certain political expenditures by an issuer. A violation of this requirement shall be considered a breach of fiduciary duty, and the officers and directors who authorized the expenditure shall be subject to joint and several liability. The Securities and Exchange Commission must direct the national securities exchanges and associations to prohibit the listing of any equity security of an issuer whose corporate bylaws do not require a board vote with respect to political expenditures in excess of $50,000. An issuer must, within 48 hours, make publicly available the individual votes of each board member with respect to such expenditures. The bill establishes various reporting requirements.
Administrative law and regulatory proceduresCivil actions and liabilityElections, voting, political campaign regulationFinancial services and investmentsGovernment information and archivesGovernment studies and investigationsSecuritiesSecurities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
A bill to amend the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 to require shareholder authorization before a public company may make certain political expenditures, and for other purposes.
USA115th CongressS-1726| Senate
| Updated: 8/2/2017
Shareholder Protection Act of 2017 This bill amends the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 to require shareholder authorization with respect to certain political expenditures by an issuer. A violation of this requirement shall be considered a breach of fiduciary duty, and the officers and directors who authorized the expenditure shall be subject to joint and several liability. The Securities and Exchange Commission must direct the national securities exchanges and associations to prohibit the listing of any equity security of an issuer whose corporate bylaws do not require a board vote with respect to political expenditures in excess of $50,000. An issuer must, within 48 hours, make publicly available the individual votes of each board member with respect to such expenditures. The bill establishes various reporting requirements.
Administrative law and regulatory proceduresCivil actions and liabilityElections, voting, political campaign regulationFinancial services and investmentsGovernment information and archivesGovernment studies and investigationsSecuritiesSecurities and Exchange Commission (SEC)