As a result of the shifting boundaries between state and federal regulation of investment advisers, NASAA created a model rule for Registration Exemption for Investment Advisers to Private Funds. The rule tracks the general parameters of the new federal rules for investment adviser registration for private fund advisers.
Massachusetts became the latest state to adopt its own regulations with such an exemption. A new private fund adviser exemption was adopted by the Massachusetts Securities Division, along with amendments to the “qualified institutional buyer” definition and IA custody requirements.
While the amendments took effect February 3, 2012, they will be not be enforced until August 3, 2012. You’ve got six months to get in compliance. The rules apply to adviser firms doing business in the Commonwealth, which generally means having a place of business in Massachusetts.
The new Massachusetts exemption is available to advisers to private funds that take money only from “qualified clients.” That definition carries over from Rule 205-3. Under that updated SEC rule, “qualified clients” must have at least $1 million of assets under management with the adviser, up from $750,000, or a net worth of at least $2 million, up from $1 million.
Private funds using the Section 3(c)(7) exemption under the Investment Company should already meet this standards. Managers to section 3(c)1 funds will need to increase their threshold for investors from accredited investors to qualified clients.
The Massachusetts regulation tries to complement the SEC changes affecting private fund advisers under Dodd-Frank. So private fund advisers with between $25M-$150M in AUM, would have to file the exempt-reporting adviser sections of Form ADV. Those with more than $150M in AUM would have to notice file in the state as well as register with the SEC. Those private fund advisers with under $25M in AUM would also complete the exempt reporting sections of the form for Massachusetts.
States are still trying to catch up to the Dodd-Frank requirements:
- California Extends Hedge Fund IA Exemption Implementation
- Indiana Securities Division Updates Its Private Fund Exemption to Include Non-Venture Capital Funds
- Maine Releases Private Adviser Interim Order
- Rhode Island Proposes Private Fund Adviser Exemption
- South Dakota Updates Its Policy on Investment Adviser Registration for Private Fund Managers
- Wisconsin Issues Private Fund Adviser Exemption
- Virginia Division of Securities Proposes New Private Fund Exemption Based on Model NASAA Rule
They are well behind, leaving some uncertainty for managers of smaller private funds about their registration requirements.
Sources:
- Secretary Galvin Adopts New Regulations
- New Regulations effective February 3, 2012 (PDF, 131 KB)
- Letter Approving New Regulations (dated 1/19/2012) (PDF, 90 KB)
- NASAA Registration Exemption for Investment Advisers to Private Funds Model Rule (.pdf)
- Massachusetts rule exempting many private fund advisers takes effect in IA Watch
- State Investment Adviser Registration Requirements for Private Fund Managers Part 2: The Southeast
- State Investment Adviser Registration Requirements for Private Fund Managers Part 3: The Midwest
- State Investment Adviser Registration Requirements for Private Fund Managers Part 4: The Southwest
- State Investment Adviser Registration Requirements for Private Fund Managers Part 5: The Northwest
- State Investment Adviser Registration Requirements for Private Fund Managers Part 6: The Northeast
