SEC Adopts Expanded Form 8-K Reporting Requirements

On March 11, 2004, the SEC adopted amendments to Form 8-K promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The amendments were originally proposed in June 2002 and are responsive to the "real time issuer disclosure" requirements of Section 409 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. These amendments significantly expand the number and type of events that must be reported on Form 8-K, accelerate the time in which these events must be reported, create a limited safe harbor from liability for failure to timely file certain of the required Form 8-K reports and make other related changes to the form.