Which security is not subject to registration under the Uniform Securities Act?

What Is the Uniform Securities Act?

The Uniform Securities Act is a model law created as a starting point for state-level securities regulation. The purpose of the Uniform Securities Act is to deal with securities fraud at the state level and to assist the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in enforcement and regulation.

Uniform Securities Act Explained

Because not all investments are covered federally and not all investment dealers are registered at the federal level, the SEC cannot protect all investors and pursue all security violations. This created the need for state-level regulations such as the Uniform Securities Act to further protect investors. Each state has its own security laws colloquially referred to as the “blue sky laws.”

How the Uniform Securities Act Is Applied

The Uniform Securities Act is a framework that guides states in the crafting of their own securities legislation. The act evolved through a series of amendments due to earlier regulations not being adopting consistently across the country. Some jurisdictions did not enact each securities act introduced by the Uniform Law Commissioners. Through subsequent revisions and replacements of prior regulations, the Uniform Securities Act brought more parity to the federal and state implementation of securities protections.

One of the issues with regulating securities from two different levels of government is the potential for duplication. The Uniform Securities Act outlines the authority and role of state and federal regulators in dealing with securities fraud. For example, many fraudulent acts occur at the local level with pyramid schemes and other scams. That means enforcement through state law is necessary to address such crimes.

The act provides more structure and consistency in enforcement authority across states as well as in coordination with federal authority regarding the prosecution of securities fraud.

The intent of securities regulations, whether at the state or federal levels, is to prevent the fraudulent sale of securities to investors. Regulatory efforts stem from three primary elements. Registration is required for initial public offerings. Those who deal in securities, specifically investment advisers, broker-dealers, and their representatives and agents, must also be registered. In order to prohibit and prevent securities fraud, regulatory agencies must also have enforcement authority to address such actions. That includes being granted the ability to establish regulations and rules on securities transactions and having the capacity to bring the prosecution of criminal and civil violations to court.

The Uniform Securities Act serves as structure that includes state-level authority to take action on these issues.

I.    Fraudulent and other prohibited practices

A.    Sales and purchases-Section 101

Liability for violations
Use of non-public information
Suitability
Disclosure of material information

B.    Advisory activities

Investment advisory contracts-Section 102(c)
Custody of clients’ funds and securities-Section 102(e)
Dishonest or unethical conduct-Section 102(a)
Compensation-Section 102(d)
Solicitation of clients – Section 102(b)

1.    Fraudulent Advice-Section 102(a)

II.    Registration of investment advisers, investment adviser representatives,
broker dealers and agents

A.    Registration requirements

1.    Broker dealers and agents-Section 201(a)
2.    Investment advisers and investment adviser representatives-Sections 201 (c) and 201 (d)

Exemptions due to nature of clients
Investment companies
Other investment advisers
Federal covered advisers
Broker dealers
Banks
Trust companies
Savings and loan associations
Insurance companies
Certain employee benefit plans
Government agencies or instrumentalities
De minimis exemption-Sections 201(c), 201(d), 401(f), and 401(g)

3.    Expiration of registration-Section 201(e)

4.    Limited registration of Canadian broker-dealers and     agents-Section 201-A

B.    Registration and notice filing procedure

Application and effective date-Section 202(a)
Federal covered advisers notice filing-Section 202(b)
Registration fee-Section 202(c)
Successor firm-Section 202(d)
Minimum capital rules-Section 202(e)
Surety bonds and minimum financial requirements-Section 202(f)

C.    Post-registration provisions

Books and accounts-Section 203(a)
Information to be furnished-Section 203(b)
Financial Reports-Section 203(c)
Corrections and amendments-Section 203(d)
Inspection power-Section 203(e)

D.    Denial, revocation, suspension, cancellation and withdrawal of registration

1.    Grounds-Section 204(a)
2.    Qualifications-Section 204(b)
3.    Suspensions-Section 204(c)
4.    Cancellations-Section 204(d)
5.    Withdrawals-Section 204(e)
6.    Procedures-Section 204(f)

III.    Registration and notice filing procedures for securities

A.    Registration requirement-Section 301

B.    Registration by filing

Applicability-Section 302(a)
Content of registration statement-Section 302(b)
Effective date-Section 302(c)

C.    Registration by coordination Applicability-Section 303(a)

Content of registration statement-Section 303(b)
Effective date-Section 303(c)

D.    Registration by qualification

Applicability-Section 304(a)
Content of registration statement-Section 304(b)
Effective date-Section 304(c)

E.    General registration provisions

Persons who may file-Section 305(a)
Fees-Section 305(b)
Annexes-Section 305(c)
Incorporation by reference-Section 305(d)
Administrator’s power to reduce content Section 305(e)
Content of registration statement for non-issuer distributions-Section 305(f)
Escrow and impounding-Section 305(g)
Contract form-Section 305(h)
Effective period, withdrawal and non-issuer distributions-Section 305(i)
Reports-Section 305(j)
Certain investment company securities – Section 305(k)
Use of prospectus – Section 305(l)

F.    Denial, suspension and revocation of registration

Grounds-Section 306(a)
Suspensions-Section 306(b)
Procedures-Section 306(c)
Stop orders-Section 306(d)

G.    Federal covered securities

Filings of Securities Act of 1933 documents-Section 307(a)
Filings of SEC Form D documents-Section 307(b)
Stop orders-Section 307(d)

IV.    General provisions

A.    Definitions

1.    Fraud-Section 401(d)
2.    Investment adviser-Section 401(f)

Definition
Exclusions from definition

Banks
Publishers
Investment adviser representative
Broker-dealers
Incidental to profession
Federal covered advisers

3.    Investment adviser representatives-Section 401(g)
4.    Sale and offer-Section 401(k)
5.    Security-Section 401(m)

Definition
Exclusions from definition

6.    Broker-dealer-Section 401(c)

Definition
Exclusions from definition

Agent
Issuer
Financial institutions
Out of state place of business

7.    Agent-Section 401(b)
8.    Other Definitions-Section 401
9.    Federal covered adviser-Section 401 (c1)
10.   Federal covered security-Section 401(c2)

B.    Exemptions from registration

1.    Exempted securities-Section 402(a)

American governments
Foreign governments
Banks
Building and loan associations
Insurance companies
Credit unions
Railroads, other common carriers and public utilities
Securities listed on certain exchanges
Non-profit persons
Commercial paper
Employees’ benefit plans
Cooperatives
Provisions to which exemption applies

2.    Exempted transactions-Section 402(b)

Isolated non-issuer transactions
Certain non-issuer distributions
Unsolicited non-issuer transactions by broker dealers
Underwriting transactions
Whole mortgages
Sales by certain parties acting in an official capacity
Sales by pledgees
Sales to institutional buyers and broker-dealers
Offerings to a limited number of persons
Preorganizational subscriptions by
a limited number of persons
Offers to existing security holders
Offers during Securities and
Exchange Commission waiting period
Provisions to which exemption applies

3.    Denial and revocation of exemptions-Section 402(c)
4.    Burden of Proof-Section 402(d)

C.    Filing of sales and advertising literature-Section 403

D.    Misleading filings-Section 404

E.    Unlawful representations concerning registration, exemption or notice filing-Section 405

No official approval
Unlawful representations

F.    Administration of Act-Section 406

Designation of administrator
Restrictions on officials’ conduct
Fees

G.    Investigations and subpoenas-Section 407

Investigations
Subpoenas
Subpoena enforcement
Compulsory testimony

H.    Prohibitory orders and injunctions-Section 408

I.    Criminal penalties-Section 409

Penalties prescribed
Prosecuting authority
Saving of other crimes

J.    Civil liabilities-Section 410

Violation of registration or fraud provisions
Additional special investment adviser and investment
adviser representative liabilities
Persons liable
Tender
Survivability
Statute of limitations
Offers to rescind
Unenforceability of illegal contracts
Waivers void
Saving of existing remedies

K.    Judicial review of orders-Section 411

Procedures
Stays

L.    Rules, forms, orders and hearings-Section 412

Standards for adoption
Form and content of financial statements
Publication of rules and forms
Good faith reliance
Hearings to be public

M.    Administrative files and opinions-Section 413

When filing occurs
Register
Data may be made public
Copies and certifications
Interpretations

N.    Scope of the Act and service of process-Section 414

Sellers
Buyers
Offers in this state
Acceptance in this state
Publications, radio and television
Investment advice
Consent to service of process
Substituted service of process
Continuances

O.    Statutory policy-Section 415

P.    Short title-Section 416

Q.    Severability of provisions-Section 417

R.    Repeal and saving provision-Section 418

What is not a security under the Uniform Securities Act?

Commodities such as gold, silver, wheat, and pork bellies are not securities. Options to purchase or sell commodity futures, options on stocks, and stocks are securities. Under the Uniform Securities Act, an issuer is any person who issues or proposes to issue a security for sale to the public.

Which of the following securities is are exempt under the Uniform Securities Act?

Securities issued by insurance companies, and Canadian municipal securities are exempt from registration under the USA. Any security that represents an interest in, or debt of, or is guaranteed by an insurance company organized under the laws of any state and authorized to business in this state is exempt.

Which of the following is not subject to the registration requirements of the Securities Act of 1933?

Foreign Currency Contracts; Foreign currency contracts are not securities, and hence are not subject to the 1933 Act (though foreign currency option contracts traded on the Philadelphia Stock Exchange are subject to the Act).

Which of the following securities are exempt from registration?

The Uniform Securities Act (USA) explicitly names the following as securities exempt from state registration: US government securities. Canadian government securities. National foreign government securities.