S.E.C. Seeks to End Shareholder Proposals Process Commonly Used by Activists NYT - Business By: Stacy Cowley 18 September 2026 at 17:58 Activists have often used the rule to push for changes in companiesβ governance and environmental and social policies. Β© Tierney L. Cross for The New York TimesPaul Atkins, the chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission, called the proposal to discard the rule a reflection of his βhighestβ regulatory priorities.