Join our Waitlist for Expert Advice!

Proposed Rules for Private-Stock Sale Advertising Delayed The Securities and Exchange Commission pushes back its release of proposed rules on advertising private stock sales.

By Catherine Clifford

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Entrepreneurs who want to advertise that they are raising money by selling private stock will have to wait a bit longer because a federal regulator continues to push back its deadline for its proposal to change securities laws.

The Securities and Exchange Commission was expected to deliver proposed rules today but yesterday announced it would postpone their release another week, until Wed., Aug. 29. The SEC had already pushed back its first deadline of July 4. The JOBS (Jumpstart Our Business Startups) Act, a bundle of legislation aimed to help small businesses gain access capital in new ways, was passed in April. Some pieces of the law were effective immediately, but others required SEC analysis and rulemaking.

Related: 3 Rules for Successful Crowdfunding

At question is a move to allow business owners to advertise that they are looking to raise money by selling private stock, called general solicitation. Currently, general solicitation of private stock (in contrast to public stock, which is traded on well-known exchanges, such as the NASDAQ and NYSE) is against the law. Once the SEC releases its proposal, it will ask for comments from the public before enacting final the rules later this year.

Meanwhile, proposed rules are expected Dec. 31 for the popular crowdfunding provision of the JOBS Act, which would allow business owners to sell parts of their private company to anyone with cash.

Catherine Clifford

Senior Entrepreneurship Writer at CNBC

Catherine Clifford is senior entrepreneurship writer at CNBC. She was formerly a senior writer at Entrepreneur.com, the small business reporter at CNNMoney and an assistant in the New York bureau for CNN. Clifford attended Columbia University where she earned a bachelor's degree. She lives in Brooklyn, N.Y. You can follow her on Twitter at @CatClifford.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Side Hustle

At 16, She Started a Side Hustle While 'Stuck at Home.' Now It's on Track to Earn Over $3.1 Million This Year.

Evangelina Petrakis, 21, was in high school when she posted on social media for fun — then realized a business opportunity.

Business News

Hybrid Workers Were Put to the Test Against Fully In-Office Employees — Here's Who Came Out On Top

Productivity barely changed whether employees were in the office or not. However, hybrid workers reported better job satisfaction than in-office workers.

Leadership

Fixing Every Problem Isn't Your Job — Here's How to Empower Your Team to Handle Issues Without Your Constant Involvement

Here's how to enable your team to solve problems on their own so you can focus on strategic planning and growth.

Business Ideas

63 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2024

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2024.