CITE
15 USC Sec. 80b-2 01/05/2009
EXPCITE
TITLE 15 - COMMERCE AND TRADE
CHAPTER 2D - INVESTMENT COMPANIES AND ADVISERS
SUBCHAPTER II - INVESTMENT ADVISERS
HEAD
Sec. 80b-2. Definitions
STATUTE
(a) In general
When used in this subchapter, unless the context otherwise
requires, the following definitions shall apply:
(1) "Assignment" includes any direct or indirect transfer or
hypothecation of an investment advisory contract by the assignor
or of a controlling block of the assignor's outstanding voting
securities by a security holder of the assignor; but if the
investment adviser is a partnership, no assignment of an
investment advisory contract shall be deemed to result from the
death or withdrawal of a minority of the members of the
investment adviser having only a minority interest in the
business of the investment adviser, or from the admission to the
investment adviser of one or more members who, after such
admission, shall be only a minority of the members and shall have
only a minority interest in the business.
(2) "Bank" means (A) a banking institution organized under the
laws of the United States or a Federal savings association, as
defined in section 1462(5) of title 12, (B) a member bank of the
Federal Reserve System, (C) any other banking institution,
savings association, as defined in section 1462(4) of title 12,
or trust company, whether incorporated or not, doing business
under the laws of any State or of the United States, a
substantial portion of the business of which consists of
receiving deposits or exercising fiduciary powers similar to
those permitted to national banks under the authority of the
Comptroller of the Currency, and which is supervised and examined
by State or Federal authority having supervision over banks or
savings associations, and which is not operated for the purpose
of evading the provisions of this subchapter, and (D) a receiver,
conservator, or other liquidating agent of any institution or
firm included in clauses (A), (B), or (C) of this paragraph.
(3) The term "broker" has the same meaning as given in section
3 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 [15 U.S.C. 78c].
(4) "Commission" means the Securities and Exchange Commission.
(5) "Company" means a corporation, a partnership, an
association, a joint-stock company, a trust, or any organized
group of persons, whether incorporated or not; or any receiver,
trustee in a case under title 11, or similar official, or any
liquidating agent for any of the foregoing, in his capacity as
such.
(6) "Convicted" includes a verdict, judgment, or plea of
guilty, or a finding of guilt on a plea of nolo contendere, if
such verdict, judgment, plea, or finding has not been reversed,
set aside, or withdrawn, whether or not sentence has been
imposed.
(7) The term "dealer" has the same meaning as given in section
3 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 [15 U.S.C. 78c], but
does not include an insurance company or investment company.
(8) "Director" means any director of a corporation or any
person performing similar functions with respect to any
organization, whether incorporated or unincorporated.
(9) "Exchange" means any organization, association, or group of
persons, whether incorporated or unincorporated, which
constitutes, maintains, or provides a market place or facilities
for bringing together purchasers and sellers of securities or for
otherwise performing with respect to securities the functions
commonly performed by a stock exchange as that term is generally
understood, and includes the market place and the market
facilities maintained by such exchange.
(10) "Interstate commerce" means trade, commerce,
transportation, or communication among the several States, or
between any foreign country and any State, or between any State
and any place or ship outside thereof.
(11) "Investment adviser" means any person who, for
compensation, engages in the business of advising others, either
directly or through publications or writings, as to the value of
securities or as to the advisability of investing in, purchasing,
or selling securities, or who, for compensation and as part of a
regular business, issues or promulgates analyses or reports
concerning securities; but does not include (A) a bank, or any
bank holding company as defined in the Bank Holding Company Act
of 1956 [12 U.S.C. 1841 et seq.] which is not an investment
company, except that the term "investment adviser" includes any
bank or bank holding company to the extent that such bank or bank
holding company serves or acts as an investment adviser to a
registered investment company, but if, in the case of a bank,
such services or actions are performed through a separately
identifiable department or division, the department or division,
and not the bank itself, shall be deemed to be the investment
adviser; (B) any lawyer, accountant, engineer, or teacher whose
performance of such services is solely incidental to the practice
of his profession; (C) any broker or dealer whose performance of
such services is solely incidental to the conduct of his business
as a broker or dealer and who receives no special compensation
therefor; (D) the publisher of any bona fide newspaper, news
magazine or business or financial publication of general and
regular circulation; (E) any person whose advice, analyses or
reports relate to no securities other than securities which are
direct obligations of or obligations guaranteed as to principal
or interest by the United States, or securities issued or
guaranteed by corporations in which the United States has a
direct or indirect interest which shall have been designated by
the Secretary of the Treasury, pursuant to section 3(a)(12) of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 [15 U.S.C. 78c(a)(12)], as
exempted securities for the purposes of that Act [15 U.S.C. 78a
et seq.]; (F) any nationally recognized statistical rating
organization, as that term is defined in section 3(a)(62) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 [15 U.S.C. 78c(a)(62)], unless
such organization engages in issuing recommendations as to
purchasing, selling, or holding securities or in managing assets,
consisting in whole or in part of securities, on behalf of
others; or (G) such other persons not within the intent of this
paragraph, as the Commission may designate by rules and
regulations or order.
(12) "Investment company", affiliated person, and "insurance
company" have the same meanings as in the Investment Company Act
of 1940 [15 U.S.C. 80a-1 et seq.]. "Control" means the power to
exercise a controlling influence over the management or policies
of a company, unless such power is solely the result of an
official position with such company.
(13) "Investment supervisory services" means the giving of
continuous advice as to the investment of funds on the basis of
the individual needs of each client.
(14) "Means or instrumentality of interstate commerce" includes
any facility of a national securities exchange.
(15) "National securities exchange" means an exchange
registered under section 6 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
[15 U.S.C. 78f].
(16) "Person" means a natural person or a company.
(17) The term "person associated with an investment adviser"
means any partner, officer, or director of such investment
adviser (or any person performing similar functions), or any
person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by such
investment adviser, including any employee of such investment
adviser, except that for the purposes of section 80b-3 of this
title (other than subsection (f) thereof), persons associated
with an investment adviser whose functions are clerical or
ministerial shall not be included in the meaning of such term.
The Commission may by rules and regulations classify, for the
purposes of any portion of portions of this subchapter, persons,
including employees controlled by an investment adviser.
(18) "Security" means any note, stock, treasury stock, security
future, bond, debenture, evidence of indebtedness, certificate of
interest or participation in any profit-sharing agreement,
collateral-trust certificate, preorganization certificate or
subscription, transferable share, investment contract, voting-
trust certificate, certificate of deposit for a security,
fractional undivided interest in oil, gas, or other mineral
rights, any put, call, straddle, option, or privilege on any
security (including a certificate of deposit) or on any group or
index of securities (including any interest therein or based on
the value thereof), or any put, call, straddle, option, or
privilege entered into on a national securities exchange relating
to foreign currency, or, in general, any interest or instrument
commonly known as a "security", or any certificate of interest or
participation in, temporary or interim certificate for, receipt
for, guaranty of, or warrant or right to subscribe to or purchase
any of the foregoing.
(19) "State" means any State of the United States, the District
of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, or any other
possession of the United States.
(20) "Underwriter" means any person who has purchased from an
issuer with a view to, or sells for an issuer in connection with,
the distribution of any security, or participates or has a direct
or indirect participation in any such undertaking, or
participates or has a participation in the direct or indirect
underwriting of any such undertaking; but such term shall not
include a person whose interest is limited to a commission from
an underwriter or dealer not in excess of the usual and customary
distributor's or seller's commission. As used in this paragraph
the term "issuer" shall include in addition to an issuer, any
person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by the
issuer, or any person under direct or indirect common control
with the issuer.
(21) "Securities Act of 1933" [15 U.S.C. 77a et seq.],
"Securities Exchange Act of 1934" [15 U.S.C. 78a et seq.],
"Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935",(!1) and "Trust
Indenture Act of 1939" [15 U.S.C. 77aaa et seq.], mean those
Acts, respectively, as heretofore or hereafter amended.
(22) "Business development company" means any company which is
a business development company as defined in section 80a-2(a)(48)
of this title and which complies with section 80a-54 of this
title, except that -
(A) the 70 per centum of the value of the total assets
condition referred to in sections 80a-2(a)(48) and 80a-54 of
this title shall be 60 per centum for purposes of determining
compliance therewith;
(B) such company need not be a closed-end company and need
not elect to be subject to the provisions of sections 80a-54
through 80a-64 of this title; and
(C) the securities which may be purchased pursuant to section
80a-54(a) of this title may be purchased from any person.
For purposes of this paragraph, all terms in sections 80a-
2(a)(48) and 80a-54 of this title shall have the same meaning
set forth in subchapter I of this chapter as if such company were
a registered closed-end investment company, except that the value
of the assets of a business development company which is not
subject to the provisions of sections 80a-54 through 80a-64 of
this title shall be determined as of the date of the most recent
financial statements which it furnished to all holders of its
securities, and shall be determined no less frequently than
annually.
(23) "Foreign securities authority" means any foreign
government, or any governmental body or regulatory organization
empowered by a foreign government to administer or enforce its
laws as they relate to securities matters.
(24) "Foreign financial regulatory authority" means any (A)
foreign securities authority, (B) other governmental body or
foreign equivalent of a self-regulatory organization empowered by
a foreign government to administer or enforce its laws relating
to the regulation of fiduciaries, trusts, commercial lending,
insurance, trading in contracts of sale of a commodity for future
delivery, or other instruments traded on or subject to the rules
of a contract market, board of trade or foreign equivalent, or
other financial activities, or (C) membership organization a
function of which is to regulate the participation of its members
in activities listed above.
(25) "Supervised person" means any partner, officer, director
(or other person occupying a similar status or performing similar
functions), or employee of an investment adviser, or other person
who provides investment advice on behalf of the investment
adviser and is subject to the supervision and control of the
investment adviser.
(26) The term "separately identifiable department or division"
of a bank means a unit -
(A) that is under the direct supervision of an officer or
officers designated by the board of directors of the bank as
responsible for the day-to-day conduct of the bank's investment
adviser activities for one or more investment companies,
including the supervision of all bank employees engaged in the
performance of such activities; and
(B) for which all of the records relating to its investment
adviser activities are separately maintained in or extractable
from such unit's own facilities or the facilities of the bank,
and such records are so maintained or otherwise accessible as
to permit independent examination and enforcement by the
Commission of this subchapter or the Investment Company Act of
1940 [15 U.S.C. 80a-1 et seq.] and rules and regulations
promulgated under this subchapter or the Investment Company Act
of 1940.
(27) The terms "security future" and "narrow-based security
index" have the same meanings as provided in section 3(a)(55) of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 [15 U.S.C. 78c(a)(55)].
(28) The term "credit rating agency" has the same meaning as in
section 3 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 [15 U.S.C. 78c].
(b) Applicability to Federal or State government, agency, or
instrumentality, or to officers, agents, or employees thereof
No provision in this subchapter shall apply to, or be deemed to
include, the United States, a State, or any political subdivision
of a State, or any agency, authority, or instrumentality of any one
or more of the foregoing, or any corporation which is wholly owned
directly or indirectly by any one or more of the foregoing, or any
officer, agent, or employee of any of the foregoing acting as such
in the course of his official duty, unless such provision makes
specific reference thereto.
(c) Consideration of promotion of efficiency, competition, and
capital formation
Whenever pursuant to this subchapter the Commission is engaged in
rulemaking and is required to consider or determine whether an
action is necessary or appropriate in the public interest, the
Commission shall also consider, in addition to the protection of
investors, whether the action will promote efficiency, competition,
and capital formation.
SOURCE
(Aug. 22, 1940, ch. 686, title II, Sec. 202, 54 Stat. 847; Pub. L.
86-70, Sec. 12(c), June 25, 1959, 73 Stat. 143; Pub. L. 86-624,
Sec. 7(d), July 12, 1960, 74 Stat. 412; Pub. L. 86-750, Sec. 1,
Sept. 13, 1960, 74 Stat. 885; Pub. L. 89-485, Sec. 13(j), July 1,
1966, 80 Stat. 243; Pub. L. 91-547, Sec. 23, Dec. 14, 1970, 84
Stat. 1430; Pub. L. 95-598, title III, Sec. 311, Nov. 6, 1978, 92
Stat. 2676; Pub. L. 96-477, title II, Sec. 201, Oct. 21, 1980, 94
Stat. 2289; Pub. L. 97-303, Sec. 6, Oct. 13, 1982, 96 Stat. 1410;
Pub. L. 100-181, title VII, Sec. 701, Dec. 4, 1987, 101 Stat. 1263;
Pub. L. 101-550, title II, Sec. 206(b), Nov. 15, 1990, 104 Stat.
2720; Pub. L. 104-290, title III, Sec. 303(c), Oct. 11, 1996, 110
Stat. 3438; Pub. L. 106-102, title II, Secs. 217-219, 224, Nov. 12,
1999, 113 Stat. 1399, 1400, 1402; Pub. L. 106-554, Sec. 1(a)(5)
[title II, Sec. 209(a)(2), (4)], Dec. 21, 2000, 114 Stat. 2763,
2763A-435, 2763A-436; Pub. L. 109-291, Sec. 4(b)(3)(A), (B), Sept.
29, 2006, 120 Stat. 1337; Pub. L. 109-351, title IV, Sec.
401(b)(1), Oct. 13, 2006, 120 Stat. 1973.)
REFERENCES IN TEXT
The Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, referred to in subsec.
(a)(11)(A), is act May 9, 1956, ch. 240, 70 Stat. 133, as amended,
which is classified principally to chapter 17 (Sec. 1841 et seq.)
of Title 12, Banks and Banking. For complete classification of this
Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 1841 of
Title 12 and Tables.
The Investment Company Act of 1940, referred to in subsec.
(a)(12), (26)(B), is title I of act Aug. 22, 1940, ch. 686, 54
Stat. 789, as amended, which is classified generally to subchapter
I (Sec. 80a-1 et seq.) of this chapter. For complete classification
of this Act to the Code, see section 80a-51 of this title and
Tables.
The Securities Act of 1933, referred to in subsec. (a)(21), is
act May 27, 1933, ch. 38, title I, 48 Stat. 74, as amended, which
is classified generally to subchapter I (Sec. 77a et seq.) of
chapter 2A of this title. For complete classification of this Act
to the Code, see section 77a of this title and Tables.
The Securities Exchange Act of 1934, referred to in subsec.
(a)(21), is act June 6, 1934, ch. 404, 48 Stat. 881, as amended,
which is classified generally to chapter 2B (Sec. 78a et seq.) of
this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code,
see section 78a of this title and Tables.
The Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935, referred to in
subsec. (a)(21), is title I of act Aug. 26, 1935, ch. 687, 49 Stat.
803, as amended, which was classified generally to chapter 2C (Sec.
79 et seq.) of this title, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 109-58, title
XII, Sec. 1263, Aug. 8, 2005, 119 Stat. 974. For complete
classification of this Act to the Code, see Tables.
The Trust Indenture Act of 1939, referred to in subsec. (a)(21),
is title III of act May 27, 1933, ch. 38, as added Aug. 3, 1939,
ch. 411, 53 Stat. 1149, and amended, which is classified generally
to subchapter III (Sec. 77aaa et seq.) of chapter 2A of this title.
For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see section
77aaa of this title and Tables.
This subchapter, referred to in subsec. (a)(26)(B), was in the
original "this Act" and was translated as reading "this title",
meaning title II of act Aug. 22, 1940, ch. 686, known as the
Investment Advisers Act of 1940, to reflect the probable intent of
Congress.
AMENDMENTS
2006 - Subsec. (a)(2)(A). Pub. L. 109-351, Sec. 401(b)(1)(A),
inserted "or a Federal savings association, as defined in section
1462(5) of title 12" after "a banking institution organized under
the laws of the United States".
Subsec. (a)(2)(C). Pub. L. 109-351, Sec. 401(b)(1)(B), inserted
", savings association, as defined in section 1462(4) of title 12,"
after "other banking institution" and "or savings associations"
after "having supervision over banks".
Subsec. (a)(11)(F), (G). Pub. L. 109-291, Sec. 4(b)(3)(B), added
subpar. (F) and redesignated former subpar. (F) as (G).
Subsec. (a)(28). Pub. L. 109-291, Sec. 4(b)(3)(A), added par.
(28).
2000 - Subsec. (a)(18). Pub. L. 106-554, Sec. 1(a)(5) [title II,
Sec. 209(a)(2)], inserted "security future," after "treasury
stock,".
Subsec. (a)(27). Pub. L. 106-554, Sec. 1(a)(5) [title II, Sec.
209(a)(4)], added par. (27).
1999 - Subsec. (a)(3). Pub. L. 106-102, Sec. 218, amended par.
(3) generally. Prior to amendment, par. (3) read as follows: "
'Broker' means any person engaged in the business of effecting
transactions in securities for the account of others, but does not
include a bank."
Subsec. (a)(7). Pub. L. 106-102, Sec. 219, amended par. (7)
generally. Prior to amendment, par. (7) read as follows: " 'Dealer'
means any person regularly engaged in the business of buying and
selling securities for his own account, through a broker or
otherwise, but does not include a bank, insurance company, or
investment company, or any person insofar as he is engaged in
investing, reinvesting or trading in securities, or in owning or
holding securities, for his own account, either individually or in
some fiduciary capacity, but not as a part of a regular business."
Subsec. (a)(11)(A). Pub. L. 106-102, Sec. 217(a), substituted
"investment company, except that the term 'investment adviser'
includes any bank or bank holding company to the extent that such
bank or bank holding company serves or acts as an investment
adviser to a registered investment company, but if, in the case of
a bank, such services or actions are performed through a separately
identifiable department or division, the department or division,
and not the bank itself, shall be deemed to be the investment
adviser" for "investment company".
Subsec. (a)(26). Pub. L. 106-102, Sec. 217(b), added par. (26).
Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 106-102, Sec. 224, added subsec. (c).
1996 - Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 104-290, Sec. 303(c)(1), substituted
"requires, the following definitions shall apply:" for "requires -
" in introductory provisions.
Subsec. (a)(25). Pub. L. 104-290, Sec. 303(c)(2), added par.
(25).
1990 - Subsec. (a)(23), (24). Pub. L. 101-550 added pars. (23)
and (24).
1987 - Subsec. (a)(19). Pub. L. 100-181 struck out reference to
Canal Zone.
1982 - Subsec. (a)(18). Pub. L. 97-303 inserted "any put, call,
straddle, option, or privilege on any security (including a
certificate of deposit) or on any group or index of securities
(including any interest therein or based on the value thereof), or
any put, call, straddle, option, or privilege entered into on a
national securities exchange relating to foreign currency," after
"mineral rights,".
1980 - Subsec. (a)(22). Pub. L. 96-477 added par. (22).
1978 - Subsec. (a)(5). Pub. L. 95-598 substituted "a case under
title 11" for "bankruptcy".
1970 - Subsec. (a)(2). Pub. L. 91-547, Sec. 23(1), substituted
"under the authority of the Comptroller of the Currency" for "under
section 248(k) of Title 12".
Subsec. (a)(17) to (21). Pub. L. 91-547, Sec. 23(2), added par.
(17) and redesignated former pars. (17) to (20) as (18) to (21),
respectively.
1966 - Subsec. (a)(11)(A). Pub. L. 89-485 substituted "bank
holding company as defined in the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956"
for "holding company affiliate, as defined in the Banking Act of
1933".
1960 - Subsec. (a)(12). Pub. L. 86-750, Sec. 1(a), substituted
definition of "control" as "the power to exercise a controlling
influence over the management or policies of a company, unless such
power is solely the result of an official position with such
company" for its prior definition which was the same as in the
Investment Company Act of 1940.
Subsec. (a)(18). Pub. L. 86-750, Sec. 1(b), struck out reference
to Philippine Islands, which change was previously executed in the
codification of this section pursuant to Proc. No. 2695 that
granted independence to the Philippine Islands.
Pub. L. 86-624 struck out reference to Hawaii.
1959 - Subsec. (a)(18). Pub. L. 86-70 struck out reference to
Alaska.
EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1999 AMENDMENT
Amendment by Pub. L. 106-102 effective 18 months after Nov. 12,
1999, see section 225 of Pub. L. 106-102, set out as a note under
section 77c of this title.
EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1996 AMENDMENT
Section 308(a) of title III of Pub. L. 104-290, as amended by
Pub. L. 105-8, Sec. 1, Mar. 31, 1997, 111 Stat. 15, provided that:
"This title [enacting section 80b-3a of this title, amending this
section, sections 80b-3 and 80b-18a of this title, and section 1002
of Title 29, Labor, and enacting provisions set out as notes under
sections 80b-3a, 80b-10, and 80b-20 of this title and section 1002
of Title 29] and the amendments made by this title shall take
effect 270 days after the date of enactment of this Act [Oct. 11,
1996]."
EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1978 AMENDMENT
Amendment by Pub. L. 95-598 effective Oct. 1, 1979, see section
402(a) of Pub. L. 95-598, set out as an Effective Date note
preceding section 101 of Title 11, Bankruptcy.
EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1970 AMENDMENT
Amendment by Pub. L. 91-547 effective Dec. 14, 1970, see section
30 of Pub. L. 91-547, set out as a note under section 80a-52 of
this title.
TRANSFER OF FUNCTIONS
For transfer of functions of Securities and Exchange Commission,
with certain exceptions, to Chairman of such Commission, see Reorg.
Plan No. 10 of 1950, Secs. 1, 2, eff. May 24, 1950, 15 F.R. 3175,
64 Stat. 1265, set out under section 78d of this title.
FOOTNOTE
(!1) See References in Text note below.