SEC Has Path to Expedite Shareholder Refereeing as Shutdown Ends

The SEC has a blueprint to quickly resolve disputes between companies and investors over annual meeting proposals now that the government is reopening, after many corporate inquiries on tossing shareholder resolutions went unanswered during the closure.

Costco Wholesale Corp., Visa Inc., and at least 10 other companies have been waiting for non-binding Securities and Exchange Commission guidance on whether they can block proposals on environmental and social issues and other matters from annual meeting ballots, investors told Bloomberg Law.

The SEC told companies and shareholders to “work together to resolve questions to the best of their ability” amid ...