The SEC eased its rules on social-issue resolutions.

The Securities and Exchange Commission had issued a rule making it harder for shareholder groups to get social-issue resolutions up for votes at corporations’ annual meetings if they have been defeated once. But a federal court in Washington said the commission had not followed correct procedures in imposing the rule. So the SEC voted to return to the old rule: Churches or other groups need to win 3% of shareholders’ votes--the invalidated rule required 5%--the first time an issue is brought up in order to get the matter back on a meeting agenda the next year.