On June 10, 2009, the Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC, proposed a comprehensive series of rule amendments to facilitate the rights of shareholders to nominate a minority slate of directors on corporate boards.[1]There was speculation that final action could be taken on the proposed rule amendments—known as the direct access proposal—as early as November 2009 and that the changes would be effective for the 2010 proxy season. Commissioner Elisse B. Walter, in a speech on October 2, 2009, indicated that it was unlikely that the proposed rules would be acted upon before the 2010 proxy season but assured that she is "quite serious" about the direct access proposal and expected the SEC to consider an adopting release in early 2010.[2]