Major pieces of legislation provide the framework for the Security Exchange Commission's (SEC) oversight of the securities markets. These statutes are broadly drafted, establishing basic principles and objectives.
The SEC engages in rulemaking to maintain fair and orderly markets and to protect investors by altering regulations or creating new ones.
The Federal Register. The Federal Register is the official daily publication where the SEC and other federal agencies first publish proposed regulations for comment, among other details. The Regulatory Actions section of the SEC webpage has links to the Federal Register publication of a specific rule.
The Code of Federal Regulations. After publication in the Federal Register, final regulations are then arranged by subject into the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). SEC rules are found in Chapter II of Title 17 — Commodity and Securities Exchanges.