Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request, 51237-51238 [E6-14298]

Download as PDF jlentini on PROD1PC65 with NOTICES Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 167 / Tuesday, August 29, 2006 / Notices necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information has practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the RRB’s estimate of the burden of the collection of the information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden related to the collection of information on respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology. Title and purpose of information collection: Voluntary Customer Surveys in Accordance with Executive Order 12862; OMB 3220–0192. In accordance with Executive Order 12862, the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) conducts a number of customer surveys designed to determine the kinds and quality of services our beneficiaries, claimants, employers and members of the public want and expect, as well as their satisfaction with existing RRB services. The information collected is used by RRB management to monitor customer satisfaction by determining to what extent services are satisfactory and where and to what extent services can be improved. The surveys are limited to data collections that solicit strictly voluntary opinions, and do not collect information which is required or regulated. The information collection, which was first approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in 1997, provides the RRB with a generic clearance authority. This generic authority allows the RRB to submit a variety of new or revised customer survey instruments (needed to timely implement customer monitoring activities) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for expedited review and approval. The average burden per response for customer satisfaction activities is estimated to range from 2 minutes for a web-site questionnaire to 2 hours for participation in a focus group. The RRB estimates an annual burden of 1,750 annual respondents totaling 717 hours for the generic customer survey clearance. Additional Information or Comments: To request more information or to obtain a copy of the information collection justifications, forms, and/or supporting material, please call the RRB Clearance Officer at (312) 751–3363 or send an e-mail request to Charles.Mierzwa@RRB.GOV. Comments regarding the information collection should be addressed to Ronald J. Hodapp, Railroad Retirement Board, 844 N. Rush Street, Chicago, Illinois 60611– 2092 or send an E-mail to Ronald.Hodapp@RRB.GOV. Comments VerDate Aug<31>2005 17:07 Aug 28, 2006 Jkt 208001 should be received within 60 days of this notice. Charles Mierzwa, Clearance Officer. [FR Doc. E6–14265 Filed 8–28–06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 7905–01–P SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request Upon Written Request, Copies Available From: Securities and Exchange Commission, Office of Filings and Information Services, Washington, DC 20549. Extension: Rule 17g–1; SEC File No. 270–208; OMB Control No. 3235–0213. Notice is hereby given that, pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501–3520), the Securities and Exchange Commission (the ‘‘Commission’’) has submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (‘‘OMB’’) a request for extension of the previously approved collection of information discussed below. Rule 17g–1 (17 CFR 270.17g–1) under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the ‘‘Act’’) (15 U.S.C. 80a–17(g)) governs the fidelity bonding of officers and employees of registered management investment companies (‘‘funds’’) and their advisers. Rule 17g– 1 requires, in part, the following: Independent Directors’ Approval The form and amount of the fidelity bond must be approved by a majority of the fund’s independent directors at least once annually, and the amount of any premium paid by the fund for any ‘‘joint insured bond,’’ covering multiple funds or certain affiliates, must be approved by a majority of the fund’s independent directors. Terms and Provisions of the Bond The amount of the bond may not be less than the minimum amounts of coverage set forth in a schedule based on the fund’s gross assets; the bond must provide that it shall not be cancelled, terminated, or modified except upon 60-days written notice to the affected party and to the Commission; in the case of a joint insured bond, 60-days written notice must also be given to each fund covered by the bond; a joint insured bond must provide that the fidelity insurance company will provide all funds covered by the bond with a copy of the agreement, a copy of any claim on the PO 00000 Frm 00055 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 51237 bond, and notification of the terms of the settlement of any claim prior to execution of that settlement; and a fund that is insured by a joint bond must enter into an agreement with all other parties insured by the joint bond regarding recovery under the bond. Filings With the Commission Upon the execution of a fidelity bond or any amendment thereto, a fund must file with the Commission within 10 days a copy of the executed bond or any amendment to the bond, the independent directors’ resolution approving the bond, and a statement as to the period for which premiums have been paid on the bond. In the case of a joint insured bond, a fund must also file (i) A statement showing the amount the fund would have been required to maintain under the rule if it were insured under a single insured bond and (ii) the agreement between the fund and all other insured parties regarding recovery under the bond. A fund must also notify the Commission in writing within five days of any claim or settlement on a claim under the fidelity bond. Notices to Directors A fund must notify by registered mail each member of its board of directors of (i) Any cancellation, termination, or modification of the fidelity bond at least 45 days prior to the effective date, and (ii) the filing or settlement of any claim under the fidelity bond when notification is filed with the Commission. Rule 17g–1’s independent directors’ annual review requirements, fidelity bond content requirements, joint bond agreement requirement and the required notices to directors are designed to ensure the safety of fund assets against losses due to the conduct of persons who may obtain access to those assets. These requirements also facilitate oversight of a fund’s fidelity bond. The rule’s required filings with the Commission are designed to assist the Commission in monitoring funds’ compliance with the fidelity bond requirements. The Commission staff estimates that approximately 4033 funds are subject to the requirements of Rule 17g–1, and that on average a fund spends approximately one hour per year complying with the rule’s paperwork requirements. The Commission staff therefore estimates the total annual burden of the rule’s paperwork requirements to be 4033 hours. These estimates of average burden hours are made solely for the purposes of the Paperwork Reduction Act. These E:\FR\FM\29AUN1.SGM 29AUN1 51238 Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 167 / Tuesday, August 29, 2006 / Notices estimates are not derived from a comprehensive or even a representative survey or study of Commission rules. The collection of information required by Rule 17g–1 is mandatory and will not be kept confidential. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid control number. General comments regarding the above information should be directed to the following persons: (i) Desk Officer for the Securities and Exchange Commission, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, Room 10102, New Executive Office Building, Washington, DC 20503 or e-mail to: David_Roster@omb.eop.gov; and (ii) R. Corey Booth, Director/Chief Information Officer, Securities and Exchange Commission, C/O Shirley Martinson, 6432 General Green Way, Alexandria, Virginia 22312, or send an e-mail to: PRA_Mailbox@sec.gov. Comments must be submitted to OMB within 30 days of this notice. Dated: August 20, 2006. Nancy M. Morris, Secretary. [FR Doc. E6–14298 Filed 8–28–06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 8010–01–P SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request Upon Written Request, Copies Available From: Securities and Exchange Commission, Office of Filings and Information Services, Washington, DC 20549. jlentini on PROD1PC65 with NOTICES Extension: Rule 23c–1; SEC File No. 270–253; OMB Control No. 3235–0260 Notice is hereby given that, pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501–3520), the Securities and Exchange Commission (the ‘‘Commission’’) has submitted to the Office of Management and Budget a request for extension of the previously approved collection of information discussed below. Rule 23c–1 (17 CFR 270.23c–1) under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80a), among other things, permits a closed-end fund to repurchase its securities for cash if in addition to the other requirements set forth in the rule: (i) Payment of the purchase price is accompanied or preceded by a written confirmation of the purchase; (ii) the asset coverage per unit of the security to VerDate Aug<31>2005 17:07 Aug 28, 2006 Jkt 208001 be purchased is disclosed to the seller or his agent; and (iii) if the security is a stock, the fund has, within the preceding six months, informed stockholders of its intention to purchase stock. Commission staff estimates that approximately 14 closed-end funds rely on Rule 23c–1 annually to undertake approximately 122 repurchases of their securities. Commission staff estimates that, on average, a fund spends 2.5 hours to comply with the paperwork requirements listed above each time it undertakes a security repurchase under the rule. Commission staff thus estimates the total annual burden of the rule’s paperwork requirements is 305 hours. In addition, the fund must file with the Commission a copy of any written solicitation to purchase securities given by or on behalf of the fund to 10 or more persons. The copy must be filed as an exhibit to Form N–CSR (17 CFR 249.331 and 274.128). The burden associated with filing Form N–CSR is addressed in the submission related to that form. The estimate of average burden hours is made solely for the purposes of the Paperwork Reduction Act, and is not derived from a comprehensive or even a representative survey or study of the costs of Commission rules and forms. Complying with the collection of information requirements of the rule is mandatory. The filings that the rule requires to be made with the Commission are available to the public. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid control number. General comments regarding the above information to be directed to the following persons: (i) Desk Officer for the Securities and Exchange Commission, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, Room 10102, New Executive Office Building, Washington, DC 20503; and (ii) R. Corey Booth, Director/Chief Information Officer, Securities and Exchange Commission, C/O Shirley Martinson, 6432 General Green Way, Alexandria, Virginia 22312, or send an e-mail to: PRA_Mailbox@sec.gov. Comments must be submitted to OMB within 30 days of this notice. August 21, 2006. Nancy M. Morris, Secretary. [FR Doc. E6–14299 Filed 8–28–06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 8010–01–P PO 00000 Frm 00056 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION [Release No. 34–54343; File No. 4–429] Joint Industry Plan; Order Approving Joint Amendment No. 19 to the Intermarket Option Linkage Plan To Modify the Manner in Which the Fee Applicable to New Participants Is Calculated August 21, 2006. I. Introduction On February 17, 2006, March 16, 2006, April 12, 2006, April 18, 2006, May 2, 2006, and May 22, 2006, International Securities Exchange, Inc. (‘‘ISE’’), Philadelphia Stock Exchange, Inc. (‘‘Phlx’’), Chicago Board Options Exchange, Incorporated (‘‘CBOE’’), Boston Stock Exchange, Inc. (‘‘BSE’’), American Stock Exchange LLC (‘‘Amex’’), and NYSE Arca, Inc. (collectively, ‘‘Participants’’) 1 respectively submitted to the Securities and Exchange Commission (‘‘Commission’’) Joint Amendment No. 19 to the Plan for the Purpose of Creating and Operating an Intermarket Option Linkage (the ‘‘Linkage Plan’’) pursuant to Section 11A of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the ‘‘Act’’) 2 and Rule 608 of Regulation NMS.3 In the Joint Amendment, the Participants propose to modify the manner in which the fee applicable to new Participants is calculated.4 The proposed Joint Amendment was published in the Federal Register on June 22, 2006.5 No comments were received on the proposal. This order approves Joint Amendment No. 19 to the Linkage Plan. II. Description and Purpose of the Amendment The purpose of Joint Amendment No. 19 is to modify the manner in which the 1 A ‘‘Participant’’ is an Eligible Exchange whose participation in the Linkage Plan has become effective pursuant to Section 4(c) of the Linkage Plan. See Section 2(24) of the Linkage Plan. 2 15 U.S.C. 78k–1. 3 17 CFR 242.608. On July 28, 2000, the Commission approved a national market system plan for the purpose of creating and operating an intermarket options market linkage proposed by the Amex, CBOE, and ISE. See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 43086 (July 28, 2000), 65 FR 48023 (August 4, 2000). Subsequently, upon separate requests by the Phlx, Pacific Exchange, Inc. (n/k/a NYSE Arca, Inc.), and BSE, the Commission issued orders to permit these exchanges to participate in the Linkage Plan. See Securities Exchange Act Release Nos. 43573 (November 16, 2000), 65 FR 70851 (November 28, 2000); 43574 (November 16, 2000), 65 FR 70850 (November 28, 2000); and 49198 (February 5, 2004), 69 FR 7029 (February 12, 2004). 4 See Section 11(b) of the Linkage Plan. 5 See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 54001 (June 15, 2006), 71 FR 35960. E:\FR\FM\29AUN1.SGM 29AUN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 167 (Tuesday, August 29, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51237-51238]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-14298]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION


Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

Upon Written Request, Copies Available From: Securities and Exchange 
Commission, Office of Filings and Information Services, Washington, DC 
20549.

Extension:
    Rule 17g-1; SEC File No. 270-208; OMB Control No. 3235-0213.

    Notice is hereby given that, pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520), the Securities and Exchange 
Commission (the ``Commission'') has submitted to the Office of 
Management and Budget (``OMB'') a request for extension of the 
previously approved collection of information discussed below.
    Rule 17g-1 (17 CFR 270.17g-1) under the Investment Company Act of 
1940 (the ``Act'') (15 U.S.C. 80a-17(g)) governs the fidelity bonding 
of officers and employees of registered management investment companies 
(``funds'') and their advisers. Rule 17g-1 requires, in part, the 
following:

Independent Directors' Approval

    The form and amount of the fidelity bond must be approved by a 
majority of the fund's independent directors at least once annually, 
and the amount of any premium paid by the fund for any ``joint insured 
bond,'' covering multiple funds or certain affiliates, must be approved 
by a majority of the fund's independent directors.

Terms and Provisions of the Bond

    The amount of the bond may not be less than the minimum amounts of 
coverage set forth in a schedule based on the fund's gross assets; the 
bond must provide that it shall not be cancelled, terminated, or 
modified except upon 60-days written notice to the affected party and 
to the Commission; in the case of a joint insured bond, 60-days written 
notice must also be given to each fund covered by the bond; a joint 
insured bond must provide that the fidelity insurance company will 
provide all funds covered by the bond with a copy of the agreement, a 
copy of any claim on the bond, and notification of the terms of the 
settlement of any claim prior to execution of that settlement; and a 
fund that is insured by a joint bond must enter into an agreement with 
all other parties insured by the joint bond regarding recovery under 
the bond.

Filings With the Commission

    Upon the execution of a fidelity bond or any amendment thereto, a 
fund must file with the Commission within 10 days a copy of the 
executed bond or any amendment to the bond, the independent directors' 
resolution approving the bond, and a statement as to the period for 
which premiums have been paid on the bond. In the case of a joint 
insured bond, a fund must also file (i) A statement showing the amount 
the fund would have been required to maintain under the rule if it were 
insured under a single insured bond and (ii) the agreement between the 
fund and all other insured parties regarding recovery under the bond. A 
fund must also notify the Commission in writing within five days of any 
claim or settlement on a claim under the fidelity bond.

Notices to Directors

    A fund must notify by registered mail each member of its board of 
directors of (i) Any cancellation, termination, or modification of the 
fidelity bond at least 45 days prior to the effective date, and (ii) 
the filing or settlement of any claim under the fidelity bond when 
notification is filed with the Commission.
    Rule 17g-1's independent directors' annual review requirements, 
fidelity bond content requirements, joint bond agreement requirement 
and the required notices to directors are designed to ensure the safety 
of fund assets against losses due to the conduct of persons who may 
obtain access to those assets. These requirements also facilitate 
oversight of a fund's fidelity bond. The rule's required filings with 
the Commission are designed to assist the Commission in monitoring 
funds' compliance with the fidelity bond requirements.
    The Commission staff estimates that approximately 4033 funds are 
subject to the requirements of Rule 17g-1, and that on average a fund 
spends approximately one hour per year complying with the rule's 
paperwork requirements. The Commission staff therefore estimates the 
total annual burden of the rule's paperwork requirements to be 4033 
hours.
    These estimates of average burden hours are made solely for the 
purposes of the Paperwork Reduction Act. These

[[Page 51238]]

estimates are not derived from a comprehensive or even a representative 
survey or study of Commission rules. The collection of information 
required by Rule 17g-1 is mandatory and will not be kept confidential. 
An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to 
respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently 
valid control number.
    General comments regarding the above information should be directed 
to the following persons: (i) Desk Officer for the Securities and 
Exchange Commission, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, 
Office of Management and Budget, Room 10102, New Executive Office 
Building, Washington, DC 20503 or e-mail to: David--Roster@omb.eop.gov; 
and (ii) R. Corey Booth, Director/Chief Information Officer, Securities 
and Exchange Commission, C/O Shirley Martinson, 6432 General Green Way, 
Alexandria, Virginia 22312, or send an e-mail to: PRA--Mailbox@sec.gov. 
Comments must be submitted to OMB within 30 days of this notice.

    Dated: August 20, 2006.
Nancy M. Morris,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. E6-14298 Filed 8-28-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8010-01-P
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