Retail Investor Protection Act

(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The expanded summary of the House reported version is repeated here.)

Retail Investor Protection Act

(Sec. 2) Prohibits the Secretary of Labor from prescribing any regulation under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) defining the circumstances under which an individual is considered a fiduciary until 60 days after the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) issues a final rule governing standards of conduct for brokers and dealers under specified law.

(Sec. 3) Amends the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 to prohibit the SEC from promulgating a rule establishing an investment advisor standard of conduct as the standard of conduct of brokers and dealers before it reports to certain congressional committees whether:

• retail investors and other customers are being harmed due to brokers or dealers operating under different standards of conduct than those applicable to investment advisors under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940;
• alternative remedies will reduce any confusion or harm to retail investors due to brokers or dealers operating under such different standards of conduct;
• adoption of a uniform fiduciary standard of conduct for brokers or dealers and investment advisors would adversely impact their commissions and the availability of proprietary products offered by brokers and dealers, as well as the ability of brokers and dealers to engage in principal transactions with customers; and
• adoption of a uniform fiduciary standard of conduct for brokers or dealers and investment advisors would adversely impact retail investor access to personalized, cost-effective investment advice and recommendations.

Requires the SEC: (1) to publish in the Federal Register formal findings that such rule would reduce retail customer confusion or harm due to standards of conduct applicable to brokers, dealers, and investment advisors; and (2) in proposing rules to consider the differences in the registration, supervision, and examination requirements applicable to brokers, dealers, and investment advisors.

Written by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. All summary versions on Congress.gov