From a securities compliance perspective, when you see an advertisement or an email seeking capital for an investment opportunity there is most likely a problem. Now there is a bill in Congress that would change that view.
When selling a security, you need to register the security or find an appropriate exemption from registration. Most likely a private fund or an entrepreneur would try to fall under one of the exemptions under Regulation D. If the company is seeking over $1,000,000 they are prohibited from offering to sell the securities “by any form of general solicitation or general advertising“. Before asking someone to make an investment, you need to have a preexisting, substantive relationship.
“The types of relationships with offerees that may be important in establishing a general solicitation has not taken place are those that would enable the issuer (or a person acting on its behalf) to be aware of the financial circumstances or sophistication of the person with whom the relationship exists or that otherwise are of some substance and duration.” Mineral Lands Research & Marketing Corp., S.E.C. No-Action Letter, 1985 WL 55694 (Dec. 4 1985).
Representative Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) introduced the Access to Capital for Job Creators Act (HR 2940) which require the Securities and Exchange Commission to revise its rules to permit general solicitation in offerings under Rule 506 of Regulation D.
In my view, I don’t think there should be an elimination of the ban on general advertising and general solicitation. That would just expose large segments of the population to potential securities fraud. Currently, ads for investment opportunities are red flags for state and federal regulators.
However, I do think it needs to a little easier for entrepreneurs to raise capital. The SEC should offer some better guidance on the limitation. They could also offer some programs and safe harbors. I assume the SEC is waiting for someone to approach them with examples. They continue to be too underfunded and too understaffed to be proactive.
Will the Access to Capital for Job Creators Act be enacted? I doubt that it would pass in its current form. It takes away some investor protection and warning system for securities regulators. That would seem a bad position when the country is stealing trying to recover from the massive losses of 2008.
Sources:
- HR 2940 Access to Capital for Job Creators Act (.pdf 2 pages)
- Legislation Would Allow General Solicitations under Rule 506 of Reg D, SEC Official Tells House of Possible Concept Release in Jim Hamilton’s World of Securities Regulation
- General Solicitation Remains A Murky Inconsistency
- Relaxing the Ban: It’s Time to Allow General Solicitation and Advertising in Exempt Offerings (.pdf 50 pages) Florida State University Law Review (2004)