U.S. House passes comprehensive financial reform bill
On December 11, the U.S. House of Representatives approved comprehensive legislation intended to "modernize America's financial rules" in response to last year's market meltdown. The Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2009, which passed by a vote of 223-202, combines a number of legislative initiatives announced in the past year into a single piece of legislation numbering almost 1300 pages in length.
The bill includes provisions respecting (i) shareholder approval of executive compensation and golden parachutes; (ii) enhanced compensation structure reporting; (iii) the regulation of OTC derivatives and specifically the requirement that all standardized swap transactions between dealers and "major swap participants" be cleared and traded on an exchange or electronic platform; and (iv) the registration and regulation of advisers to private pools of capital.
There is no guarantee, however, that the bill will become law, as it must now go to the Senate for consideration.
