On February 21, 2025, Acting Chair Mark T. Uyeda delivered the R. Franklin Balotti Keynote Address at the Florida Bar’s 41st Annual Federal Securities Institute and M&A Conference.  In his address Acting Chair Uyeda focused on “the Commission’s role in fostering innovation, job creation, and economic growth, by maintaining cost-effective regulations for every stage of a company’s lifecycle.”

The major sections of his address were:

• • A New Beginning,
  • Improving Capital-Raising Opportunities for Entrepreneurs,
  • Empowering Retail Investment in Private Companies,
  • Making IPO’s Attractive Again, and
  • Scaling Public Company Disclosure Requirements.

His remarks address a number of areas, including crowdfunding regulations, tailoring the Commission’s regulations for newly public companies and whether the Commissions scaled disclosure requirements, including the definitions of large accelerated and accelerated filer and smaller reporting company, should be updated.  He also raised the question of whether all smaller reporting companies should be exempt from the SOX 404 ICFR auditor attestation requirements.

As always, your thoughts and comments are welcome!