A Wall Street Journal article reports that the recently enacted JOBS Act includes a provision that raises the number of shareholders that require small banks to register with the SEC to 2,000.

This change lessens the burden on small banks to raise capital and could stimulate bank mergers and acquisitions, which stood at the second-lowest level since 1980.

The new rule comes at a time when community institutions are struggling to stay profitable in a period of low interest rates, stagnant lending and rising compliance costs from other new regulations. Many small businesses and franchisees look to community banks for loans. Read how this change could stimulate banking in the U.S.