In the October edition of our Public Company Watch, we cover key issues impacting public companies, including the SEC adopting rules modernizing beneficial ownership reporting and short sale reporting, and issuing new C&DIs related to the pay v. performance disclosures; California enacting two landmark climate-related disclosure laws that require large U.S. companies doing business in the state to disclose their climate-related financial risks and adaption measures as well as information on their global carbon footprints and GHG emissions; and the NYSE proposing a rule that could provide much needed relief for NYSE-listed companies to raise money from substantial shareholders.