Hartford Income Shares Fund NCSR Certified annual shareholder report (management investment company) | HSF 13 Oct 10

PROXY VOTING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

The Boards of Directors believe that the voting of proxies with respect to securities held by each HLS Fund is an important element of the overall investment process. The HLS Funds have adopted a policy for each sub-advised HLS Fund that an HLS Fund’s sub-adviser vote proxies, subject to oversight by the HLS Funds’ investment manager. Each sub-adviser has a duty to vote or not vote such proxies in the best interests of the HLS Fund it sub-advises and its shareholders, and to avoid the influence of conflicts of interest.

The policies and procedures used by each sub-adviser to determine how to vote certain proxies relating to portfolio securities are described below. In addition to a summary description of such policies and procedures, included below are descriptions of how such policies and procedures apply to various topics. However, the following are descriptions only and more complete information should be obtained by reviewing each sub-adviser’s policies and procedures, as well as, the HLS Funds’ voting records. For a complete copy of each sub-adviser’s proxy voting policies and procedures, as well as any separate guidelines it utilizes, please refer to www.hartfordinvestor.com/mutualfunds/proxyvotingpolicies. Information on how the HLS Funds voted proxies relating to portfolio securities during the most recent twelve-month period ended June 30 is available (1) without charge, upon request, by calling 1-888-843-7824 and (2) on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.

If a security has not been restricted from securities lending and the security is on loan over a record date, the Fund’s sub-adviser may not be able to vote any proxies for that security. For more information about the impact of lending securities on proxy voting, see “Lending Portfolio Securities”.

Hartford Investment Management Company

The HLS Funds for which Hartford Investment Management Company (“Hartford Investment Management”) serves as sub-adviser have granted to Hartford Investment Management the authority to vote proxies on their behalf with respect to the assets it manages. The goal of Hartford Investment Management is to vote proxies in what it believes are the best economic interests of its clients, free from conflicts of interest. The Proxy Voting Committee of Hartford Investment Management has determined that this goal is best achieved by retaining the services of Glass Lewis & Co., LLC, an independent research firm that provides proxy voting services to more than 100 institutional clients and has developed best practices in corporate governance consistent with the best interest of investors (“Glass Lewis”).

In general, all proxies received from issuers of securities held in client accounts are referred to Glass Lewis for its analysis and recommendation as to each matter being submitted for a vote. Glass Lewis reviews such proxy proposals and makes voting recommendations in accordance with its proxy voting guidelines. These guidelines address a wide variety of topics, including among others, shareholder voting rights, anti-takeover defenses, board structures, the election of directors, executive and director compensation, reorganizations, mergers and various shareholder proposals. Hartford Investment Management has concluded that the Glass Lewis guidelines are substantially in accord with Hartford Investment Management’s own philosophy regarding appropriate corporate governance and conduct. In most cases, securities will be voted in accordance with Glass Lewis’ voting recommendations, but Hartford Investment Management may deviate from Glass Lewis’s recommendations on specific proxy proposals. To ensure that no voting decision is influenced by a conflict of interest, a portfolio manager who intends to vote contrary to a Glass Lewis recommendation must notify Hartford Investment Management’s Proxy Committee of such intent, and obtain its approval before voting.

The Proxy Voting Committee evaluates the performance of Glass Lewis at least annually.

Hartford Investment Management votes proxies solicited by an affiliated investment company in the same proportion as the vote of the investment company's other shareholders (sometimes called "mirror" or "echo" voting).

Material Conflict of Interest Identification and Resolution Processes

The use of Glass Lewis minimizes the number of potential conflicts of interest Hartford Investment Management faces in voting proxies, but Hartford Investment Management does maintain procedures designed to identify and address those conflicts that do arise. Proxy votes with respect to which an apparent conflict of interest is identified are referred to the Proxy Committee to resolve. Any Proxy Committee member who is himself or herself subject to the identified conflict will not participate in the Proxy Committee’s vote on the matter in question. Investment Compliance will record and maintain minutes for the Proxy Committee meetings to document the factors that were considered to evidence that there was a reasonable basis for the Proxy Committee’s decision. Potential conflicts of interest may include:

The issuer that is soliciting Hartford Investment Management’s proxy vote is also a client of Hartford Investment Management or an affiliate;

A Hartford Investment Management employee has acquired non-public information about an issuer that is soliciting proxies;

A Hartford Investment Management employee has a business or personal relationship with, or financial interest in, the issuer or officer or Board member of the issuer; or

A Hartford Investment Management employee is contacted by management or board member of a company regarding an upcoming proxy vote.

Situations in which Hartford Investment Management might not vote a proxy

It may not be possible to cast an informed vote in certain circumstances due to lack of information in the proxy statement. Hartford Investment Management and/or Glass Lewis may abstain from voting in those instances. Proxy materials not being delivered in a timely fashion also may prevent analysis or entry of a vote by voting deadlines. In some cases Hartford Investment Management may determine that it is in the best economic interests of its clients not to vote certain proxies. For example, Hartford Investment Management generally does not vote proxies of issuers subject to shareblocking provisions or in jurisdictions that impose restrictions upon selling shares after proxies are voted. Similarly, votes are generally not cast in those foreign jurisdictions which require that a power of attorney be filed. Mutual fund and third party client accounts may have a securities lending program. In such a case, Hartford Investment Management may be unable to vote proxies when the underlying securities have been loaned (loan termination is often the only way to vote proxies on the loaned securities). In general, Hartford Investment Management does not know when securities have been loaned.

Glass Lewis Proxy Voting Guidelines Summary

Anti-Takeover Measures

Poison Pills (Shareholder Rights Plans). Typically Glass Lewis recommends that shareholders vote against these plans to protect their financial interests and ensure that they have an opportunity to consider any offer for their shares, especially those at a premium. In certain limited circumstances, Glass Lewis will support a limited poison pill to accomplish a particular objective, such as the closing of an important merger, or a pill that contains what Glass Lewis believes to be a reasonable ‘qualifying offer’ clause.

Right of Shareholders to Call a Special Meeting. In order to prevent abuse and waste of corporate resources by a minority of shareholders, Glass Lewis believes this right should be limited to holders representing a minimum of 10-15% of the issued shares.

Advance Notice Requirements for Shareholder Ballot Proposals. Glass Lewis typically recommends that shareholders vote against these proposals.

Cumulative Voting. Glass Lewis reviews these proposals on a case-by-case basis, factoring in the independence of the board and the status of the company’s governance structure. However, Glass Lewis typically finds that these proposals are on ballots at companies where independence is lacking and where the appropriate checks and balances that favor shareholders are not in place. In those instances Glass Lewis typically recommends in favor of cumulative voting.

Supermajority Vote Requirements. Glass Lewis believes that supermajority vote requirements impede shareholder action on ballot items critical to shareholder interests.

Election of Directors

Voting Recommendation on the Basis of Independence: Glass Lewis looks at each director nominee and examines the director’s relationships with the company, the company’s executives and other directors. Glass Lewis does this to find personal, familial, or financial relationships (not including director compensation) that may impact the director’s decisions. Glass Lewis believes that such relationships makes it difficult for a director to put shareholders’ interests above the director’s or the related party’s interests. Glass Lewis also believes that a director who owns more than 20% of a company can exert disproportionate influence on the board and, in particular, the audit committee.

In general, Glass Lewis believes a board will be most effective in protecting shareholders’ interests if it is at least two-thirds’ independent. In the event that more than one third of the members are affiliated or inside directors, Glass Lewis typically1 recommends withholding votes from some of the inside and/or affiliated directors in order to satisfy the two-thirds threshold.

Glass Lewis believes that only independent directors should serve on a company’s audit, compensation, nominating and governance committees.2 Glass Lewis typically recommends that shareholders withhold their votes for any affiliated or inside director seeking appointment to an audit, compensation, nominating or governance committee, or who has served in that capacity in the past year.

Voting Recommendation on the Basis of Performance: Glass Lewis disfavors directors who have a record of not fulfilling their responsibilities to shareholders at any company where they have held a board or executive position. See full guidelines for criteria.

Voting Recommendation on the Basis of Experience: Glass Lewis typically recommends that shareholders withhold votes from directors who have served on boards or as executives of companies with records of poor performance, overcompensation, audit- or accounting-related issues and/or other indicators of mismanagement or actions against the interests of shareholders.

Voting Recommendation on the Basis of Other Considerations: Glass Lewis recommends shareholders withhold votes from certain types of affiliated or inside directors under nearly all circumstances.

Appointment of Auditors

Glass Lewis generally supports management’s choice of auditor except when Glass Lewis believes the auditor’s independent or audit integrity has been compromised. Where a board has not allowed shareholders to review and ratify an auditor, Glass Lewis typically recommends withholding votes from the audit committee chairman. When there have been material restatements of annual financial statements or material weakness in internal controls, Glass Lewis usually recommends withholding votes from the entire committee.

Glass Lewis typically supports audit-related proposals regarding mandatory auditor rotation when the proposal uses a reasonable period of time (usually not less than 5-7 years).

Changes to Capital Structure

When analyzing a request for additional shares, Glass Lewis typically reviews four common reasons why a company might need additional capital stock beyond what is currently available:

Stock Split – Glass Lewis typically considers three metrics when evaluating whether Glass Lewis thinks a stock split is likely or necessary: the historical stock pre-split price, if any; the current price relative to the Company’s most common trading price over the past 52 weeks; and some absolute limits on stock price that in Glass Lewis’ view either always make a stock split appropriate if desired by management or would almost never be a reasonable price at which to split a stock.

Shareholder Defenses – Additional authorized shares could be used to bolster takeover defenses such as a “poison pill.” Proxy filings often discuss the usefulness of additional shares in defending against or discouraging a hostile takeover as a reason for a requested increase. Glass Lewis is typically against such defenses and will oppose actions intended to bolster such defenses.

Financing for Acquisitions – Glass Lewis looks at whether the company has a history of using stock for acquisitions and attempts to determine what levels of stock have typically been required to accomplish such transactions. Likewise, Glass Lewis looks to see whether this is discussed as a reason for additional shares in the proxy.

1 In the case of a staggered board, if the affiliates or insiders that we believe should not be on the board are not standing for election, Glass Lewis will express its concern regarding those directors, but Glass Lewis will not recommend withholding from the affiliates or insiders who are up for election just to achieve two-thirds independence.

2 Glass Lewis will recommend withholding votes from any member of the audit committee who owns 20% or more of the company’s stock, and Glass Lewis believes that there should be a maximum of one director (or no directors if the committee is comprised of less than three directors) who owns 20% or more of the company’s stock on the compensation, nominating and governance committees.

Financing for Operations – Glass Lewis reviews the company’s cash position and its ability to secure financing through borrowing or other means. Glass Lewis looks at the company’s history of capitalization and whether the company has had to use stock in the recent past as a means of raising capital.

Issuing additional shares can dilute existing holders in limited circumstances. Further, the availability of additional shares, where the board has discretion to implement a poison pill, can often serve as a deterrent to interested suitors. Accordingly, where Glass Lewis finds that the company has not detailed a plan for use of the proposed shares, or where the number of shares far exceeds those needed to accomplish a detailed plan, Glass Lewis typically recommends against the authorization of additional shares. While Glass Lewis thinks that having adequate shares to allow management to make quick decisions and effectively operate the business is critical, Glass Lewis prefers that, for significant transactions, management come to shareholders to justify their use of additional shares rather than providing a blank check in the form of a large pool of unallocated shares available for any purpose.

Equity Based Compensation Plans

Glass Lewis evaluates option- and other equity-based compensation plans using a detailed model and analyst review. Glass Lewis believes that equity compensation awards are useful, when not abused, for retaining employees and providing an incentive for them to act in a way that will improve company performance.

Glass Lewis’ analysis is quantitative and focused on the plan’s cost as compared with the business’s operating metrics. Glass Lewis runs twenty different analyses, comparing the program with absolute limits Glass Lewis believes are key to equity value creation and with a carefully chosen peer group. In general, Glass Lewis’ model seeks to determine whether the proposed plan is either absolutely excessive or is more than one standard deviation away from the average plan for the peer group on a range of criteria, including dilution to shareholders and the projected annual cost relative to the company’s financial performance. Each of the twenty analyses (and their constituent parts) is weighted and the plan is scored in accordance with that weight.

Option Exchanges. Glass Lewis views option repricing plans and option exchange programs with great skepticism. Shareholders have substantial risk in owning stock and, as a general matter, Glass Lewis believes that the employees, officers and directors who receive stock options should be similarly situated to align their interests with shareholder interests.

Performance Based Options. Glass Lewis believes in performance-based equity compensation plans for senior executives. Glass Lewis feels that executives should be compensated with equity when their performance and the company’s performance warrants such rewards. While Glass Lewis does not believe that equity-based compensation plans for all employees should be based on overall company performance, Glass Lewis does support such limitations for equity grants to senior executives (although some equity-based compensation of senior executives without performance criteria is acceptable, such as in the case of moderate incentive grants made in an initial offer of employment or in emerging industries). Glass Lewis generally recommends that shareholders vote in favor of performance-based option requirements.

Linking Pay with Performance. Glass Lewis strongly believes executive compensation should be linked directly with the performance of the business the executive is charged with managing. Glass Lewis has a proprietary pay-for-performance model that evaluates compensation of the top five executives at every company in the Russell 3000. Glass Lewis’ model benchmarks the these executives’ pay against their performance using three peer groups for each company: an industry peer group, a smaller sector peer group and a geographic peer group. Using a forced curve and a school letter-grade system, Glass Lewis ranks companies according to their pay-for-performance. Glass Lewis uses this analysis to inform Glass Lewis’ voting decisions on each of the compensation issues that arise on the ballot. Likewise, Glass Lewis uses this analysis in Glass Lewis’ evaluation of the compensation committee’s performance.

162(m) Plans. Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code allows companies to deduct compensation in excess of $1 million for the CEO and the next four most highly compensated executive officers upon shareholder approval of the excess compensation. Glass Lewis recognizes the value of executive incentive programs and the tax benefit of shareholder-approved incentive plans. Glass Lewis believes the best practice for companies is to provide reasonable disclosure to shareholders so that they can make sound judgments about the reasonableness of the proposed compensation plan. To allow for meaningful shareholder review, Glass Lewis prefers that these proposals include: specific performance goals, a maximum award pool and a maximum award amount per employee. Glass Lewis also believes it is important to analyze the estimated grants to see if they are reasonable and in line with the company’s peers. Glass Lewis typically recommends against a 162(m) plan where: a company fails to provide at least a list of performance targets; a company fails to provide one of either a total pool or an individual maximum; or the proposed plan is excessive when compared with the plans of the company’s peers. However, where a company has a record of reasonable pay relative to business performance, Glass Lewis is not typically inclined to recommend against a plan even if the plan caps seem large relative to peers because they recognize the value in special pay arrangements for continued exceptional performance.

Director Compensation Plans. Glass Lewis believes that non-employee directors should receive compensation for the time and effort they spend serving on the board and its committees. In particular, Glass Lewis supports compensation plans that include option grants or other equity-based awards, which help to align the interests of outside directors with those of shareholders. Director fees should be competitive in order to retain and attract qualified individuals. However, excessive fees represent a financial cost to the company and threaten to compromise the objectivity and independence of non-employee directors. Therefore, a balance is required.