In prepared remarks on June 23, 2021, Chair Gary Gensler of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) provided additional insight into the commission’s recently announced regulatory agenda and its shift in priorities. His statement and the agenda show that new public company disclosures will be at the forefront of upcoming and pending rulemakings. In response to the regulatory agenda, the two Republican commissioners, Hester Peirce and Elad Roisman, issued a joint statement voicing concerns about efforts to undo certain recently adopted rules.
Although the timing and ultimate outcome of the new rulemakings remain to be seen, public companies should expect to see a number of proposals in the coming months, which will be subject to public comments before final adoption by the SEC. Significant proposed and final SEC rulemaking items from both the short-term agenda and long-term agenda are summarized below.
Short-Term Agenda
ESG Disclosures. Chair Gensler, then-Acting SEC Chair Allison Herren Lee and senior members of the SEC staff1 have made a number of statements this year about environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues. The commission now expects to adopt…
