Securities Regulation

The responsibility of the Bureau of Securities and its staff is to regulate the sale of securities and the securities industry in Nebraska. The Bureau has jurisdiction over most securities offered and/or sold in Nebraska. The Securities Act of Nebraska requires the registration of all securities offered for sale in Nebraska unless there is an applicable exemption or it is pre-empted.

The Enforcement section of the Bureau handles complex investigations, primarily cases involving fraud. Time spent on investigations depends upon a number of variables such as the number of investors, number of offerings involved, availability of documents and assets, age of the case, type of violations, number of victims, and the form of resolution available. While most investigations are conducted independently, the Bureau's enforcement efforts can and do interface with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. In many cases resolution is made through rescission offers to the victim or victims.

Besides regulation of securities, the Bureau also regulates Business Opportunities and Franchises, Loan Brokers, the Consumer Rental Purchase Agreement Act, and the Nebraska Commodity Code. The Bureau also monitors classified ads placed in Nebraska newspapers inviting residents to purchase securities or other investment opportunities. This proactive approach limits inadvertent violations, and in some cases reveals and stops outright fraudulent investment schemes.

The Bureau of Securities does not register qualified retirement programs.