Rules of Practice

The Securities and Exchange Commission is adopting amendments to its Rules of Practice, Rules 210 and 221. The Commission is amending Rule 210 to permit, for representatives of any federal, state, or local criminal prosecutorial authority, limited participation for the purpose of requesting a stay in an enforcement or disciplinary proceeding, in order to support efforts to bring criminal prosecutions arising out of securities violations. The Commission is amending Rule 221 to require only one prehearing conference, instead of two, as previously required, in order to streamline the administrative process and conserve the parties' and the Commission's resources.