WSR 97-16-051

PERMANENT RULES

DEPARTMENT OF

FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS

[Filed July 31, 1997, 4:16 p.m.]

Date of Adoption: July 30, 1997.

Purpose: Provide an exemption from registration for substantial foreign issuers that might otherwise have to register. Domestic issuers of similar financial standing would typically qualify for an exemption from registration.

Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 21.20.450.

Other Authority: RCW 21.20.310(8).

Adopted under notice filed as WSR 97-13-077 on June 18, 1997.

Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, amended 0, repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, amended 0, repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, amended 0, repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted at Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, amended 0, repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's own Initiative: New 1, amended 0, repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 1, amended 0, repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, amended 0, repealed 0; Pilot Rule Making: New 0, amended 0, repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 1, amended 0, repealed 0.

Other Findings Required by Other Provisions of Law as Precondition to Adoption or Effectiveness of Rule: Pursuant to RCW 21.20.450, no rule may be made unless the director finds the action is necessary or appropriate in the public interest or for the protection of investors and consistent with the purposes fairly intended by policy and provisions of this chapter.

Effective Date of Rule: Thirty-one days after filing.

July 30, 1997

John L. Bley

Director

NEW SECTION

WAC 460-42A-082 World class foreign issuer exemption. (1) Any security meeting all of the following conditions is exempted under RCW 21.20.310(8):

(a) The securities are:

(i) Equity securities except options, warrants, preferred stock, subscription rights, securities convertible into equity securities or any right to subscribe to or purchase such options, warrants, convertible securities or preferred stock;

(ii) Units consisting of equity securities permitted by (a)(i) of this subsection and warrants to purchase the same equity security being offered in the unit;

(iii) Nonconvertible debt securities that are rated in one of the four highest rating categories of Standard and Poor's, Moody's, Dominion Bond Rating Services of Canadian Bond Rating Services or such other rating organization which the administrator by rule or order may designate. For purposes of this subsection (1)(a)(iii) of this section, nonconvertible debt securities means securities that cannot be converted for at least one year from the date of issuance and then only into equity shares of the issuer or its parent; or

(iv) American Depository receipt representing securities described in (a)(i), (ii) or (iii) of this subsection.

(b) The issuer is not organized under the laws of the United States, or of any state, territory or possession of the United States, or of the District of Columbia or Puerto Rico.

(c) The issuer, at the time an offer or sale is made under this subsection, has been a going concern engaged in continuous business operations for the immediate past five years and during that period, has not been the subject of a proceeding relating to insolvency, bankruptcy, involuntary administration, receivership or similar proceeding. For purposes of this subsection (1)(c) of this section, the operating history of any predecessor that represented more than fifty percent of the value of the assets of the issuer that otherwise would have met the conditions of this section may be used toward the five year requirement.

(d) The issuer, at the time an offer or sale is made under this subsection (1)(d) of this section, has public float of one billion dollars (United States) or more.

(e) The market value of the issuer's equity shares, at the time an offer or sale is made under this subsection, is three billion dollars (United States) or more.

(f) The issuer, at the time an offer or sale is made under this subsection (1)(f) of this section, has a class of equity securities listed for trading on or through the facilities of a foreign securities exchange or recognized foreign securities market included in Rule 902 (a)(1) or successor rule promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933 or designated by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission under Rule 902 (a)(2) promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933.

(2) For purposes of this section:

(a) "Public float" means the market value of all outstanding equity shares owned by nonaffiliates.

(b) "Equity shares" means common shares, nonvoting equity shares and subordinate or restricted voting equity shares, but does not include preferred shares.

(c) An "affiliate" of a person is anyone who beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, or exercises control or direction over, more than ten percent of the outstanding equity shares of such person.