a principal business function, and any other person who performs similar policymaking functions.

(f) Notwithstanding subsection (d) of this section, a person described in subsection (e) may engage in a proposed transaction described in subsection (d) if such proposed transaction is approved by the required majority (as defined in subsection (o)) of the directors of or general partners in the business development company on the basis that

(1) the terms thereof, including the consideration to be paid or received, are reasonable and fair to the shareholders or partners of the business development company and do not involve overreaching of such company or its shareholders or partners on the part of any person concerned;

(2) the proposed transaction is consistent with the interests of the shareholders or partners of the business development company and is consistent with the policy of such company as recited in filings made by such company with the Commission under the Securities Act of 1933, its registration statement and reports filed under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and its reports to shareholders or partners; and

(3) the directors or general partners record in their minutes and preserve in their records, for such periods as if such records were required to be maintained pursuant to section 31(a), a description of such transaction, their findings, the information or materials upon which their findings were based, and the basis therefor.

(g) Notwithstanding subsection (a) or (d), a person may, in the ordinary course of business, sell to or purchase from any company merchandise or may enter into a lessor-lessee relationship with any person and furnish the services incident thereto.

(h) The directors of or general partners in any business development company shall adopt, and periodically review and update as appropriate, procedures reasonably designed to ensure that reasonable inquiry is made, prior to the consummation of any transaction in which such business development company or a company controlled by such business development company proposes to participate, with respect to the possible involvement in the transaction of persons described in subsections (b) and (e) of this section.

(i) Until the adoption by the Commission of rules or regulations under subsections (a) and (d) of this section, the rules and regulations of the Commission under subsections (a) and (d) of section (17) applicable to registered closed-end investment companies shall be deemed to apply to transactions subject to subsections (a) and (d) of this section. Any rules or regulations adopted by the Commission to implement this section shall be no more restrictive than the rules or regulations adopted by the Commission under subsections (a) and (d) of section (17) that are applicable to all registered closedend investment companies.

(j) Notwithstanding subsections (a) and (d) of this section, any director, officer, or employee of, or general partner in, a business development company may

(1) acquire warrants, options, and rights to purchase voting securities of such business development company, and securi

ties issued upon the exercise or conversion thereof, pursuant to an executive compensation plan offered by such company which meets the requirements of section 61(a)(3)(B); and

(2) borrow money from such business development company for the purpose of purchasing securities issued by such company pursuant to an executive compensation plan, if each such loan

(A) has a term of not more than ten years;

(B) becomes due within a reasonable time, not to exceed sixty days, after the termination of such person's employment or service;

(C) bears interest at no less than the prevailing rate applicable to 90-day United States Treasury bills at the time the loan is made;

(D) at all times is fully collateralized (such collateral may include any securities issued by such business development company); and

(E)(i) in the case of a loan to any officer or employee of such business development company (including any officer or employee who is also a director of such company), is approved by the required majority (as defined in subsection (o)) of the directors of or general partners in such company on the basis that the loan is in the best interests of such company and its shareholders or partners; or

(ii) in the case of a loan to any director of such business development company who is not also an officer or employee of such company, or to any general partner in such company, is approved by order of the Commission, upon application, on the basis that the terms of the loan are fair and reasonable and do not involve overreaching of such company or its shareholders or partners.

(k) It shall be unlawful for any person described in subsection (1)

(1) acting as agent, to accept from any source any compensation (other than a regular salary or wages from the business development company) for the purchase or sale of any property to or for such business development company or any controlled company thereof, except in the course of such person's business as an underwriter or broker; or

(2) acting as broker, in connection with the sale of securities to or by the business development company or any controlled company thereof, to receive from any source a commission, fee, or other remuneration for effecting such transaction which exceeds

(A) the usual and customary broker's commission if the sale is effected on a securities exchange;

(B) 2 per centum of the sales price if the sale is effected in connection with a secondary distribution of such securities; or

(C) 1 per centum of the purchase or sale price of such securities if the sale is otherwise effected,

1

unless the Commission, by rules and regulations or order in the public interest and consistent with the protection of investors, permits a larger commission.

(1) The provisions of subsection (k) of this section shall apply to the following persons:

(1) Any affiliated person of a business development company. (2)(A) Any person who is, within the meaning of section 2(a)(3) (B), (C), or (D), an affiliated person of any director, officer, employee, or member of an advisory board of the business development company.

(B) Any person who is, within the meaning of section 2(a)(3) (A), (B), (C), or (D), an affiliated person of any investment adviser of, general partner in, or person directly or indirectly either controlling, controlled by, or under common control with, the business development company.

(C) Any person who is, within the meaning of section 2(a)(3)(C), an affiliated person of any person who is an affiliated person of the business development company within the meaning of section 2(a)(3)(A).

(m) For purposes of subsections (a) and (d), a person who is a director, officer, or employee of a party to a transaction and who receives his usual and ordinary fee or salary for usual and customary services as a director, officer, or employee from such party shall not be deemed to have a financial interest or to participate in the transaction solely by reason of his receipt of such fee or salary.

(n)(1) Notwithstanding subsection (a)(4) of this section, a business development company may establish and maintain a profit-sharing plan for its directors, officers, employees, and general partners and such directors, officers, employees, and general partners may participate in such profit-sharing plan, if

(A)(i) in the case of a profit-sharing plan for officers and employees of the business development company (including any officer or employee who is also a director of such company), such profit-sharing plan is approved by the required majority (as defined in subsection (o)) of the directors of or general partners in such company on the basis that such plan is reasonable and fair to the shareholders or partners of such company, does not involve overreaching of such company or its shareholders or partners on the part of any person concerned, and is consistent with the interests of the shareholders or partners of such company; or

(ii) in the case of a profit-sharing plan which includes one or more directors of the business development company who are not also officers or employees of such company, or one or more general partners in such company, such profit-sharing plan is approved by order of the Commission, upon application, on the basis that such plan is reasonable and fair to the shareholders or partners of such company, does not involve overreaching of such company or its shareholders or partners on the part of any person concerned, and is consistent with the interests of the shareholders or partners of such company; and

(B) the aggregate amount of benefits which would be paid or accrued under such plan shall not exceed 20 per centum of the

business development company's net income after taxes in any fiscal year.

(2) This subsection may not be used where the business development company has outstanding any stock option, warrant, or right issued as part of an executive compensation plan, including a plan pursuant to section 61(a)(3)(B), or has an investment adviser registered or required to be registered under title II of this Act.

(0) The term "required majority", when used with respect to the approval of a proposed transaction, plan, or arrangement, means both a majority of a business development company's directors or general partners who have no financial interest in such transaction, plan, or arrangement and a majority of such directors or general partners who are not interested persons of such company.

CHANGES IN INVESTMENT POLICY

SEC. 58. [80a-57] No business development company shall, unless authorized by the vote of a majority of its outstanding voting securities or partnership interests, change the nature of its business so as to cease to be, or to withdraw its election as, a business development company.

INCORPORATION OF PROVISIONS

SEC. 59. [80a-58] Notwithstanding the exemption set forth in section 6(f), sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10(f), 15 (a), (c), and (f), 16(b), 17 (f) through (j), 19(a), 20(b), 32 (a) and (c), 33 through 47, and 49 through 53 of this title shall apply to a business development company to the same extent as if it were a registered closed-end investment company.

FUNCTIONS AND ACTIVITIES OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT COMPANIES

SEC. 60. [80a-59] Notwithstanding the exemption set forth in section 6(f), section 12 shall apply to a business development company to the same extent as if it were a registered closed-end investment company, except that the Commission shall not prescribe any rule, regulation, or order pursuant to section 12(a)(1) governing the circumstances in which a business development company may borrow from a bank in order to purchase any security.

CAPITAL STRUCTURE

SEC. 61. [80a-60] (a) Notwithstanding the exemption set forth in section 6(f), section 18 shall apply to a business development company to the same extent as if it were a registered closed-end investment company, except as follows:

(1) The asset coverage requirements of section 18(a)(1) (A) and (B) applicable to business development companies shall be 200 per centum.

(2) Notwithstanding section 18(c), a business development company may issue more than one class of senior security representing indebtedness if such business development company does not have outstanding any publicly held indebtedness, and all such securities of each class are

(A) privately held or guaranteed by the Small Business Administration, or banks, insurance companies, or other institutional investors; and

(B) not intended to be publicly distributed.

(3) Notwithstanding section 18(d)

(A) a business development company may issue senior securities representing indebtedness accompanied by warrants, options, or rights to subscribe or convert to voting securities of such company, if

(i) such warrants, options, or rights expire by their terms within ten years;

(ii) such warrants, options, or rights are not separately transferable unless no class of such warrants, options, or rights and the senior securities accompanying them has been publicly distributed;

(iii) the exercise or conversion price is not less than the current market value at the date of issuance, or if no such market value exists, the current net asset value of such voting securities; and

(iv) the proposal to issue such securities is authorized by the shareholders or partners of such business development company, and such issuance is approved by the required majority (as defined in section 57(0)) of the directors of or general partners in such company on the basis that such issuance is in the best interests of such company and its shareholders or partners; and (B) a business development company may issue, to its directors, officers, employees, and general partners, warrants, options, and rights to purchase voting securities of such company pursuant to an executive compensation plan, if—

(i)(I) in the case of warrants, options, or rights issued to any officer or employee of such business development company (including any officer or employee who is also a director of such company), such securities satisfy the conditions in clauses (i), (iii), and (iv) of subparagraph (A); or (II) in the case of warrants, options, or rights issued to any director of such business development company who is not also an officer or employee of such company, or to any general partner in such company, the proposal to issue such securities satisfies the conditions in clauses (i) and (iii) of subparagraph (A), is authorized by the shareholders or partners of such company, and is approved by order of the Commission, upon application, on the basis that the terms of the proposal are fair and reasonable and do not involve overreaching of such company or its shareholders or partners;

(ii) such securities are not transferable except for disposition by gift, will, or intestacy;

(iii) no investment adviser of such business development company receives any compensation described in paragraph (1) of section 205 of title II of this Act,