(a) Public solicitation, well-informed, and sophisticated investor. The offer for sale or sale of the securities of the issuer would not involve the use of public solicitation under the Act, §5.I, if the issuer, after having made a reasonable factual inquiry has reasonable cause to believe, and does believe, that the purchasers of the securities are sophisticated, well-informed investors or well-informed investors who have a relationship with the issuer or its principals, executive officers, or directors evincing trust between the parties (namely close business association, close friendship, or close family ties), and such purchasers acquire the securities as ultimate purchasers and not as underwriters or conduits to other beneficial owners or subsequent purchasers. The use of a registered dealer in a sale otherwise meeting the requirements of §5.I does not necessarily mean that the transaction involves the use of public solicitation. The offer without advertising to a person who did not come within the class of persons described in this subsection does not alone result in public solicitation if the issuer had a reasonable cause to believe and did believe that such person fell within the class of persons described, and that such offer was not made indiscriminately.
(1) The term "well-informed" could be satisfied through the dissemination of printed material to each purchaser prior to his or her purchase, which by a fair and factual presentation discloses the plan of business, the history, and the financial statements of the issuer, including material facts necessary in order that the statements made, in the light of circumstances under which they are made, not be misleading.
(2) In determining who is a sophisticated investor at least the following factors should be considered.
(b) Advertisements. The term "advertisements" does not include the use of the type of printed material as set out in subsection (a) of this section under the discussion of the term "well-informed." Further, the main concept to be considered in a definitional analysis of the term "advertisements," as it is used in §5.I, is the method of use of the printed material. The following circumstances, though not intended to be exclusive, will be considered in determining whether the method of use of any printed material is within the limits of §5.I:
(1) limited printing of the material;
(2) limited distribution of the material only to persons who the issuer, after having made a reasonable factual inquiry has reasonable cause to believe and does believe are sophisticated investors, or to persons who have a relationship with the issuer as set forth in subsection (a) of this section, or to their purchaser representatives;
(3) control of the printing and distribution of the printed material;
(4) recognition of the necessity of compliance with the requirements set forth in this subsection on the part of the issuer and the investor. Such recognition might consist of a printed prohibition on the front in large type that the circular is for that individual's confidential use only, and may not be reproduced; and, the use of a statement warning that any action contrary to these restrictions may place such individual and the issuer in violation of the Texas Securities Act.
(c) Number of security holders or purchasers of securities. In computing the number of purchasers or security holders for §5.I, the following criteria shall be used.
(1) There shall be counted as one purchaser or security holder any purchaser or security holder together with:
(2) There shall be counted as one purchaser or security holder any corporation, partnership, association, joint stock company, trust, or unincorporated association, organized and existing other than for the purpose of acquiring securities of the issuer for which the exemption is claimed under §5.I.
(3) Any general partner of a limited partnership who is subject to general liability for the obligations of the limited partnership and actively engages in the control and management of the business and affairs of the limited partnership or of the managing general partner of the partnership shall not be counted as a purchaser or security holder for purposes of §5.I.
(4) The exemptions contained in the Act, §5.I(a) and (c), as interpreted in subsections (a) - (j) of this section may not be combined with the exemptions promulgated pursuant to the Act, §5.T, contained in subsections (k) and (l) of this section to exceed sales to 35 unaccredited investors in a 12-month period.
(5) "Security holders" or "purchasers of securities," as those terms are used in the Act, §5.I(a) and 5.I(c), do not include holders of any options granted pursuant to a plan that falls within the exemption for compensatory or benefit plans provided by the Act, §5.I(b).
(d) Total number of security holders. The phrase "the total number of security holders of the issuer" in §5.I(a) includes all security holders of the issuer without regard to their places of residence (within or without the State of Texas) and without regard to where they acquired the securities. In determining the number of persons for purposes of §5.I(c), prior sales to persons residing outside the State of Texas and prior sales to Texas residents consummated outside the State of Texas shall be included unless such sales were made in compliance with §139.7 of this title (relating to Sale of Securities to Nonresidents).
(e) Other exemptions. The phrase "exempt under other provisions of this §5" in §5.I(c) means exempt under any provisions of the Act, other than §5.I(a), and subsections (k) and (l) of this section.
(f) Compensatory or benefit plans.
(1) No public solicitation or advertisement under §5.I occurs by the distribution to eligible persons of a prospectus filed under the Securities Act of 1933 with the Securities and Exchange Commission for the plan or any other material required or permitted to be distributed by the Securities Act of 1933 in connection with such plan when the securities under the plan are sold or distributed in a transaction otherwise meeting the requirements of §5.I(b).
(2) Insurance agents who are exclusive agents of the issuer or its subsidiary or derive more than 50% of their annual income from the issuer or its subsidiary are deemed "employees" as that term is used in §5.I(b).
(g) Compensatory or benefit plan sales. Only the employer and its participating subsidiaries, parents, or subsidiaries of such parents, if any, may offer or sell securities in connection with the employee plan without registration as dealers. For purposes of the Act, §5.I(b), the term "issuer" includes a general partner of a limited partnership with respect to a security sold or distributed by such limited partnership in a transaction otherwise meeting the requirements of §5.I(b). An employee of the issuer or its participating subsidiary who aids in offering or selling such securities in connection with the plan is not required to be registered as an agent provided the employee meets all of the following conditions:
(1) the employee was not hired for the purpose of offering or selling such securities;
(2) the employee's activity involving the offer and sale of such securities is strictly incidental to his or her bona fide primary nonsecurities-related work duties; and
(3) the employee's compensation is based solely on the performance of such other duties, i.e., the employee does not receive any compensation for offering for sale, selling, or otherwise aiding the sale of securities.
(h) Compensatory or benefit plans for counting purposes. A noncontributory stock ownership plan or stock ownership trust that holds securities of the issuer for the benefit of the participants in that issuer's plan shall be counted as one security holder under §5.I(a). Plan participants in such a stock ownership plan or trust will not be deemed security holders of the issuer for purposes of counting security holders under §5.I(a) solely because of their participation in the plan or trust. However, participants receiving distributions of securities from the plan or trust will be deemed security holders of the issuer on receipt of securities of the issuer from the plan or trust.
(i) Notices. There is no notice filing requirement for sales made under the Act, §5.I(a), (b), or (c).
(j) Limitations on disposition. The issuer and any person acting on its behalf shall exercise reasonable care to assure that the purchasers are acquiring the securities as an investment. Such reasonable care should include, but not be limited to, the following:
(1) making reasonable inquiry to determine if the purchaser is acquiring the securities for his or her own account or on behalf of other persons;
(2) placing a legend on the certificate or other document evidencing the securities to the effect that the securities have not been registered under any securities law and setting forth or referring to the restrictions on transferability and sale of the securities;
(3) issuing stop transfer instructions to the issuer's transfer agent, if any, with respect to the securities, or, if the issuer transfers its own securities, making a notation in the appropriate records of the issuer;
(4) obtaining from the purchaser a signed written agreement to the effect that the securities will not be sold without registration under applicable securities laws or exemptions therefrom; and
(5) prior to sale, written disclosure to each purchaser, to the effect that a purchaser of the securities must bear the economic risk of the investment for an indefinite period of time because the securities have not been registered under applicable securities laws and therefore cannot be sold unless they are subsequently registered under such securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available; and that the securities are subject to the limitations set forth in paragraphs (2) - (4) of this subsection.
(k) Limited offering exemption coordinating with SEC Regulation D, Rule 506. In addition to sales made under the Texas Securities Act, §5.I, the State Securities Board, pursuant to the Act, §5.T, exempts from the registration requirements of the Act, §7, any offer or sale of securities offered or sold in compliance with the Securities Act of 1933, Regulation D (17 C.F.R. §§230.500-230.508, as amended), Rule 506, including any offer or sale made exempt by application of Rule 508(a), and which satisfies the following further conditions and limitations.
(1) In addition to the other requirements of this subsection, to claim this exemption, the issuer must comply with notice filing provisions set out in §114.4(b)(1) of this title (relating to Filings and Fees).
(2) Transactions which are exempt under this subsection may not be combined with offers and sales exempt under any other rule or section of the Act; however, nothing in this limitation shall act as an election. Should for any reason, the offer and sale fail to comply with all of the conditions for this exemption, the issuer may claim the availability of any other applicable exemption.
Cont'd...