CFTC Commissioner Sharon Y. Bowen announced the members of the CFTC's Market Risk Advisory Committee ("MRAC"). The MRAC, which Commissioner Bowen chairs, aims to support the CFTC's efforts to "detect and mitigate risks within the market to industry participants, consumers, and the broader financial community." See: List of Members.

The SEC-proposed rules to require an issuer to disclose whether it permits directors and employees to hedge their exposure to the company's securities that they own or that are granted to them as compensation were published in the Federal Register. The proposal amends Regulation S-K to require annual proxy disclosures about whether directors and employees are permitted to hedge or offset any decrease in the market value of equity securities granted by a company as compensation or otherwise held by them, as well as the equity securities of their employer's parent, any subsidiary of the company

The SEC announced that an open meeting of the SEC Advisory Committee on Small and Emerging Companies will be held on Wednesday, March 4, 2015. (A telephone meeting had been scheduled for February 17, 2015, but was canceled due to weather.) The meeting will focus on matters relating to rules and regulations affecting small and emerging companies under the federal securities laws. Patel Video Selection. See: 80 FR 8374.

The MSRB issued a regulatory notice announcing that the SEC-approved new MSRB Rule G-45 and electronic Form G-45 authorizes the MSRB to collect more information regarding 529 plans underwritten by brokers, dealers or municipal securities dealers. Rule G-45 requires said brokers and dealers, when acting in the capacity of an underwriter for a 529 plan, to submit information on a semi-annual or, in the case of performance data, annual basis, to the MSRB electronically through new Form G-45. Related amendments to Rules G-8 and G-9 require underwriters obligated to submit information to the MSRB

SEC Commissioner Daniel Gallagher discussed automatic disqualifications and waivers under federal securities laws. He raised this discussion at the 37th Annual Conference on Securities Regulation and Business Law. Commissioner Gallagher explained that disqualifications can be at the SEC's discretion or may be triggered automatically; for example, upon the entry of a court-ordered injunction or an order in an administrative proceeding, whether through a settlement or following a trial. The Commissioner also pointed out that, for many disqualification provisions, "the legislative and regulatory