WHAT THE LAW DOINCongress, in plain words

The law › Title 15, Commerce and Trade › Chapter 2A

15 U.S.C. 77c: Classes of securities under this subchapter

Created in 1958 by Public Law 85-699. Changed by 21 later laws. 1 bill in this Congress would change it.

22 other sections of the Code cite this one, including 7 U.S.C. 2, 12 U.S.C. 1426a, 12 U.S.C. 2279aa-12, 15 U.S.C. 77b, 15 U.S.C. 77d.

6 parts of federal rules cite it as their authority, written by Securities and Exchange Commission (6).

This Congress

  • H.R. 3383 Incentivizing New Ventures and Economic Strength Through Capital Formation Act of 2025 · passed house · would change (a)

How it got here

2012

  • Pub. L. 112–142 inserted "(other than a retirement income account described in section 403(b)(9) of title 26, to the extent that the interest or participation in such single trust fund or collective trust fund is issued to a church, a convention or association of churches, or an org… (Church Plan Investment Clarification Act) Law text · (a)
  • Pub. L. 112–106 inserted subsec. heading, designated existing provisions as par. (1), inserted par. heading, and added pars. (2) to (5). (Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act) Law text · (b)

2010

  • Pub. L. 111–203 substituted "individual," for "individual;". (Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act) Law text · (a)

2004

  • Pub. L. 108–359 struck out "or" before "(C) a governmental plan" and substituted "or (D) a church plan, company, or account that is excluded from the definition of an investment company under section 3(c)(14) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, other than any plan described in su… Law text · (a)

2000

  • Pub. L. 106–554 added par. (14). (Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2001) Law text · (a)

1999

  • Pub. L. 106–102 substituted "or any interest or participation in any common trust fund or similar fund that is excluded from the definition of the term 'investment company' under section 3(c)(3) of the Investment Company Act of 1940" for "or any interest or participation in any comm… (Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act) Law text · (a)

1996

  • Pub. L. 104–290 added par. (13). (National Securities Markets Improvement Act of 1996) Law text · (a)

1995

  • Pub. L. 104–62 inserted at end "or any security of a fund that is excluded from the definition of an investment company under section 3(c)(10)(B) of the Investment Company Act of 1940;". (Philanthropy Protection Act of 1995) Law text · (a)

1994

  • Pub. L. 103–325 added par. (12). · (a)

1987

  • Pub. L. 100–181, §203, substituted "Reserved." for "Any security which, prior to or within sixty days after May 27, 1933, has been sold or disposed of by the issuer or bona fide offered to the public, but this exemption shall not apply to any new offering of any such security by an … · (a)
  • Pub. L. 100–181, §204, struck out ", except that the foregoing exemption shall not apply with respect to any such security where the issuer takes from the total amount paid or deposited by the purchaser, by way of any fee, cash value or other device whatsoever, either upon termin… · (a)

1986

  • Pub. L. 99–514 substituted "Internal Revenue Code of 1986" for "Internal Revenue Code of 1954" wherever appearing, which for purposes of codification was translated as "title 26" thus requiring no change in text. · (a), (5)

1982

  • Pub. L. 97–261 struck out provisions relating to any security issued by a motor carrier subject to provisions of section 314 [11302] of title 49. · (a)

1980

  • Pub. L. 96–477, §701, provided that single trust funds did not have to be maintained by banks in order to qualify for exemption from the provisions of this subchapter, substituted provisions relating to securities arising out of contracts issued by insurance companies for provisions… · (a)
  • Pub. L. 96–477, §301, substituted "$5,000,000" for "$2,000,000". · (b)

1978

  • Pub. L. 95–598, §306(a), substituted "or debtor in possession in a case under title 11" for "in bankruptcy". · (a)
  • Pub. L. 95–598, §306(b), substituted "Except with respect to a security exchanged in a case under title 11, any" for "Any". · (a), (10)
  • Pub. L. 95–425 substituted "$2,000,000" for "$1,500,000". · (b)
  • Pub. L. 95–283 substituted "$1,500,000" for "$500,000". · (b)

1976

  • Pub. L. 94–210 substituted provisions relating to any security issued by a motor carrier subject to the provisions of section 314 of title 49 or any interest in a railroad equipment trust, and provisions defining "interest in a railroad equipment trust", for provisions relating to a… · (a)

1970

  • Pub. L. 91–567 exempted any interest or participation in any common trust fund or similar fund maintained by a bank exclusively for the collective investment and reinvestment of assets contributed thereto by such bank in its capacity as trustee, executor, administrator, or guardian,… · (a)
  • Pub. L. 91–547, §27(b), struck out reference to industrial development bonds the interest on which is excludable from gross income under section 103(a)(1) of title 26; and exempted from registration provisions interests or participations in common trust funds maintained by a bank for collective inv… · (a)
  • Pub. L. 91–373 inserted reference to industrial development bonds the interest on which is excludable from gross income under section 103(a)(1) of title 26. · (a)
  • Pub. L. 91–547, §27(c), designated existing provisions as cl. (A), included cooperative bank issues, required the issuer to be an institution which is supervised and examined by State or Federal authority having supervision over such institution, struck out "substantially all the bu… · (a)
  • Pub. L. 91–565 substituted "$500,000" for "$300,000". · (b)

1958

  • Pub. L. 85–699 added subsec. (c). · (c)

Text, outline and history from the official U.S. Code (2024 edition) on GovInfo, published by the Office of the Law Revision Counsel. Changes made after that edition appear under This Congress.