Self-Regulatory Organizations; American Stock Exchange LLC; Notice of Filing and Order Granting Accelerated Approval to Proposed Rule Change and Amendment No. 1 Thereto To Provide for an Optional Exchange-Provided Fingerprinting Service and To Amend Its Member Fees To Include a Processing Fee for the Fingerprinting Service, 9794-9796 [E7-3746]
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erjones on PRODPC74 with NOTICES
9794
Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 42 / Monday, March 5, 2007 / Notices
Each Fund’s periodic reports to
shareholders will prominently disclose
that ALPS Advisers has ultimate
responsibility (subject to oversight by
the Board) to oversee the Portfolio
Managers and recommend their hiring,
termination, and replacement.
2. Any new Portfolio Management
Agreement with respect to a Fund will
be submitted for ratification and
approval to the vote of such Fund’s
shareholders no later than at the
regularly scheduled annual meeting of
shareholders of the Fund next following
the effective date of the new Portfolio
Management Agreement, and its
continuance after such vote is
conditioned on approval by the majority
vote (as defined in section 2(a)(42) of
the Act) of such shareholders.
3. The Funds will continue to hold
annual meetings of their shareholders,
whether or not required to do so by the
rules of the New York Stock Exchange
or otherwise.
4. At all times, at least a majority of
the Board of each Fund will be trustees/
directors who are not ‘‘interested
persons,’’ as defined in section 2(a)(19)
of the Act, of the Funds or ALPS
Advisers (‘‘Independent Trustees/
Directors’’), and the nomination of new
or additional Independent Trustees/
Directors will be at the discretion of the
then existing Independent Trustees/
Directors.
5. In the case of a previous Portfolio
Management Agreement terminated by
an assignment by an investment adviser
or a controlling person of the
investment adviser in connection with
which assignment the investment
adviser or a controlling person directly
or indirectly receives money or other
benefit (‘‘Assignment’’), the new
Portfolio Management Agreement will
comply with rule 15a–4(b)(2) under the
Act. In any other case, each new
Portfolio Management Agreement for a
Fund will provide for a sub-advisory fee
no higher than that provided in that
Fund’s existing Portfolio Management
Agreements and, except for the
provisions relating to shareholder
approval referred to in Condition 2
above, will be on substantially the same
other terms and conditions as such
Fund’s existing Portfolio Management
Agreements. In all cases, in the event
that the new Portfolio Management
Agreement provides for sub-advisory
fees at rates less than those provided in
the existing Portfolio Management
Agreements, the difference will be
passed on to the Fund and its
shareholders through a corresponding
voluntary reduction in the fund
management fees payable by the Fund
to ALPS Advisers.
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15:17 Mar 02, 2007
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6. A Portfolio Manager will have no
affiliation with the Funds or ALPS
Advisers other than as Portfolio
Manager, and will have no duties or
responsibilities with respect to the
Funds beyond the investment
management of the portion of the
Fund’s portfolio assets allocated to it by
ALPS Advisers from time to time and
related record keeping and reporting.
7. The Board of each Fund, in
addition to approving any new Portfolio
Management Agreement in accordance
with the requirements of section 15(c) of
the Act, will specifically determine that
entering into the new Portfolio
Management Agreement in advance of
the next regular annual meeting of the
shareholders of the Fund and without
prior shareholder approval is in
furtherance of the multi-management
methodology as applied to each Fund’s
multi-managed assets and is in the best
interests of the Fund and its
shareholders.
8. ALPS Advisers will have
responsibility for the general
management and investment of each
Fund’s assets, subject to oversight by the
Fund’s Board. In particular, ALPS
Advisers will (i) provide overall
investment programs and strategies for
the Funds, (ii) recommend to the Fund
Boards investment management firms
for appointment or replacement as the
Fund’s Portfolio Managers, (iii) allocate
and reallocate each Fund’s portfolio
assets among the Portfolio Managers,
(iv) monitor and evaluate the
investment performance of the Portfolio
Managers, including their compliance
with each Fund’s investment objectives,
policies and restrictions, and (v)
implement procedures reasonably
designed to ensure that the Portfolio
Managers comply with each Fund’s
investment objectives, policies and
restrictions.
9. The appointment of the new or
successor Portfolio Manager will be
announced by press release promptly
following the Fund’s Board’s action
referred to in Condition 7 above, and a
notice of the new Portfolio Management
Agreement, together with a description
of the new or successor Portfolio
Manager, will be included in the
applicable Fund’s next report to
shareholders.
10. No director/trustee or officer of
the Funds nor director or officer of
ALPS Advisers will own directly or
indirectly (other than through a pooled
investment vehicle that is not controlled
by such person) any interest in a
Portfolio Manager, except for (a)
ownership of interests in ALPS Advisers
or any entity that controls, is controlled
by, or is under common control with
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Sfmt 4703
ALPS Advisers, or (b) ownership of less
than 1% of the outstanding securities of
any class of equity or debt of any
publicly traded company that is either
a Portfolio Manager or controls, is
controlled by or is under common
control with a Portfolio Manager.
11. In the case of an Assignment of a
Fund’s Portfolio Management
Agreement with a Portfolio Manager,
ALPS Advisers or the Portfolio Manager
(or its successor) will pay the
incremental cost of including the
proposal to approve or disapprove the
new Portfolio Management Agreement
in the proxy material for the next annual
meeting of the Fund’s shareholders.
For the Commission, by the Division of
Investment Management, under delegated
authority.
Florence E. Harmon,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. E7–3772 Filed 3–2–07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8010–01–P
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
COMMISSION
[Release No. 34–55348; File No. SR–Amex–
2007–18]
Self-Regulatory Organizations;
American Stock Exchange LLC; Notice
of Filing and Order Granting
Accelerated Approval to Proposed
Rule Change and Amendment No. 1
Thereto To Provide for an Optional
Exchange-Provided Fingerprinting
Service and To Amend Its Member
Fees To Include a Processing Fee for
the Fingerprinting Service
February 26, 2007.
Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) 1 of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (‘‘Act’’)
and Rule 19b–4 thereunder,2 notice is
hereby given that on February 7, 2007,
the American Stock Exchange LLC
(‘‘Amex’’ or ‘‘Exchange’’) filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission
(‘‘Commission’’) the proposed rule
change as described in Items I, II, and
III below, which Items have been
substantially prepared by the Exchange.
On February 16, 2007, Amex submitted
Amendment No. 1 to the proposed rule
change. This order provides notice of
the proposed rule change as modified by
Amendment No. 1 and approves the
proposed rule change as amended on an
accelerated basis.
1 15
2 17
U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
CFR 240.19b–4.
E:\FR\FM\05MRN1.SGM
05MRN1
Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 42 / Monday, March 5, 2007 / Notices
I. Self-Regulatory Organization’s
Statement of the Terms of Substance of
the Proposed Rule Change
The Exchange proposes to provide for
an in-house optional fingerprinting
service and to modify its Member Fees
to include a fee for such fingerprinting
service.3
The text of the proposed rule change
is available at Amex, the Commission’s
Public Reference Room, and https://
www.amex.com.
II. Self-Regulatory Organization’s
Statement of the Purpose of, and
Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule
Change
In its filing with the Commission, the
Exchange included statements
concerning the purpose of and basis for
the proposed rule change and discussed
any comments it received on the
proposed rule change. The text of these
statements may be examined at the
places specified in Item III below. The
Exchange has prepared summaries, set
forth in sections A, B, and C below, of
the most significant aspects of such
statements.
A. Self-Regulatory Organization’s
Statement of the Purpose of, and the
Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule
Change
erjones on PRODPC74 with NOTICES
1. Purpose
The Exchange proposes to provide for
an optional fingerprinting service and to
amend its Member Fees to include a fee
for this service for members or member
applicants.4 The Exchange intends to
establish this in-house fingerprinting
service to facilitate the member
registration process.
A member or member applicant must
currently use an external fingerprinting
service to have fingerprints taken and
will incur whatever costs are associated
therewith. Currently, the member or
member applicant must forward
fingerprints to the National Association
of Securities Dealers, Inc. (‘‘NASD’’) for
processing and is charged a $35.00 fee 5
from NASD’s Internet-based Central
Registration Depository (WEB CRD).
This fee includes a $13 fingerprint
submission fee that is also charged for
results processed through Amex.6 NASD
forwards the results to the FBI to
conduct the standard criminal
3 Telephone conversation between Nyieri
Nazarian, Assistant General Counsel, Amex, and
Cyndi N. Rodriguez, Special Counsel, Division of
Market Regulation, Commission, on February 23,
2007.
4 Id.
5 See Footnote 4 to the Exchange’s Registration
and IDC Fees Section of the Amex Fee Schedule.
6 See Section 4 of Schedule A to the NASD ByLaws.
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15:17 Mar 02, 2007
Jkt 211001
background check. Approximately
$22.00 of the $35.00 amount is paid to
the FBI for this background check. The
member or member applicant also
incurs any costs associated with mailing
the fingerprints. The Exchange believes
that this process has proven lengthy and
burdensome for members and member
applicants.
Furthermore, the $25.50 ‘‘Fingerprint
Processing Fee’’ on the current Amex
Fee Schedule is assessed when a current
member simply needs his or her
fingerprints submitted to the FBI for a
background check. In this case, the
member would need an expedited
background check conducted because of
a seat change or transfer. In this
situation, the fingerprinting takes place
in-house, and the prints are sent to the
FBI by the Exchange. The results are
then returned to the Exchange on an
expedited basis. The member would
also pay the $35.00 fee to NASD for
registration with WEB CRD.7
To expedite the fingerprinting
process, the Exchange now proposes to
offer an optional in-house fingerprinting
service for all members and member
applicants for a $45.00 fee. Members or
member applicants choosing to avail
themselves of the Exchange’s proposed
service would have their fingerprints
taken in-house. The Exchange would
forward the fingerprints to the FBI in
order for the FBI to conduct the
background check.8 Upon receiving the
results, the Exchange would forward the
results of the criminal background
check to NASD. In this case, the $13.00
fingerprint submission fee would be
charged for results processed through
Amex.9 The Exchange believes that
collapsing the steps into one package
will speed up this process and be less
burdensome for members and member
applicants. The Exchange notes that the
current option, as well as the $25.50
option, shall continue to remain in
place.
Furthermore, the Exchange proposes
to include an additional footnote in the
Member Fees section of the Amex Fee
Schedule to note that the $45.00 fee
would only be assessed on members and
member applicants who partake in the
Exchange’s optional in-house
7 As the Exchange clarified in Amendment No. 1,
when a member pays the $25.50 fingerprint fee, he
or she has his or her fingerprints taken in-house and
must also pay a $35.00 fee to NASD for registration
with WEB CRD. See Amendment No. 1.
8 $22.00 out of the $45.00 amount would be paid
to the FBI.
9 NASD would collect this $13.00 fee. The
Exchange clarified in Amendment No. 1 that
members or member applicants opting to have their
fingerprints taken in-house under the proposed new
program would pay a $45.00 fee as well as the
$13.00 fee to WEB CRD. See Amendment No. 1.
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Frm 00071
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Sfmt 4703
9795
fingerprinting service. The Exchange
further proposes to correct a
typographical error by deleting footnote
3 from the Examination Fees section
and replacing it with the correct
footnote 2.
2. Statutory Basis
The proposed rule change is
consistent with Section 6(b) of the Act 10
in general, and furthers the objectives of
Section 6(b)(5) of the Act 11 in
particular, in that it is designed to
prevent fraudulent and manipulative
acts and practices, to promote just and
equitable principles of trade, to remove
impediments to and perfect the
mechanism of a free and open market
and a national market system, and, in
general, to protect investors and the
public interest.
B. Self-Regulatory Organization’s
Statement on Burden on Competition
The proposed rule change does not
impose any burden on competition that
is not necessary or appropriate in
furtherance of the purposes of the Act.
C. Self-Regulatory Organization’s
Statement on Comments on the
Proposed Rule Change Received From
Members, Participants or Others
No written comments were solicited
or received with respect to the proposed
rule change.
III. Solicitation of Comments
Interested persons are invited to
submit written data, views, and
arguments concerning the foregoing,
including whether the proposed rule
change, as amended, is consistent with
the Act. Comments may be submitted by
any of the following methods:
Electronic Comments
• Use the Commission’s Internet
comment form (https://www.sec.gov/
rules/sro.shtml); or
• Send an e-mail to rulecomments@sec.gov. Please include File
Number SR–Amex–2007–18 on the
subject line.
Paper Comments
• Send paper comments in triplicate
to Nancy M. Morris, Secretary,
Securities and Exchange Commission,
100 F Street, NE., Washington, DC
20549–1090.
All submissions should refer to File
Number SR–Amex–2007–18. This file
number should be included on the
subject line if e-mail is used. To help the
Commission process and review your
10 15
11 15
E:\FR\FM\05MRN1.SGM
U.S.C. 78f(b).
U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).
05MRN1
9796
Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 42 / Monday, March 5, 2007 / Notices
erjones on PRODPC74 with NOTICES
comments more efficiently, please use
only one method. The Commission will
post all comments on the Commission’s
Internet Web site (https://www.sec.gov/
rules/sro.shtml). Copies of the
submission, all subsequent
amendments, all written statements
with respect to the proposed rule
change that are filed with the
Commission, and all written
communications relating to the
proposed rule change between the
Commission and any person, other than
those that may be withheld from the
public in accordance with the
provisions of 5 U.S.C. 552, will be
available for inspection and copying in
the Commission’s Public Reference
Room. Copies of such filing also will be
available for inspection and copying at
the principal office of Amex. All
comments received will be posted
without change; the Commission does
not edit personal identifying
information from submissions. You
should submit only information that
you wish to make available publicly. All
submissions should refer to File
Number SR–Amex–2007–18 and should
be submitted on or before March 26,
2007.
IV. Commission’s Findings and Order
Granting Accelerated Approval of the
Proposed Rule Change
The Commission finds that the
proposed rule change is consistent with
the requirements of the Act and the
rules and regulations thereunder
applicable to a national securities
exchange.12 In particular, the
Commission finds that the proposed
rule change is consistent with Section
6(b)(5) of the Act,13 which requires,
among other things, that the Exchange’s
rules be designed to prevent fraudulent
and manipulative acts and practices, to
promote just and equitable principles of
trade, to foster cooperation and
coordination with persons engaged in
regulating, clearing, settling, processing
information with respect to, and
facilitating transactions in securities, to
remove impediments to and perfect the
mechanism of a free and open market
and a national market system, and, in
general, to protect investors and the
public interest.
The Commission believes that offering
an optional in-house fingerprinting
service may provide Exchange members
and member applicants with an
expedited and less burdensome
alternative for obtaining and processing
their fingerprints at the Exchange as part
of the Exchange’s registration process.
The Commission further believes that
the additional changes to the Exchange’s
Member Fees schedule serve to clarify
the fees associated with the Exchange’s
new fingerprinting service.
Accelerated Approval
The Commission finds good cause,
consistent with Section 19(b)(2) of the
Act,14 for approving this proposed rule
change, as amended, before the thirtieth
day after the publication of notice
thereof in the Federal Register because
it would enable the Exchange to
implement the optional in-house
fingerprinting service immediately,
providing members and member
applicants another way to be
fingerprinted.
V. Conclusion
It is therefore ordered, pursuant to
Section 19(b)(2) of the Act,15 that the
proposed rule change (SR–Amex–2007–
18), as modified by Amendment No. 1,
be, and it hereby is, approved on an
accelerated basis.
For the Commission, by the Division of
Market Regulation, pursuant to delegated
authority.16
Florence E. Harmon,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. E7–3746 Filed 3–2–07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8010–01–P
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
COMMISSION
[Release No. 34–55357; File No. SR–CBOE–
2007–16]
Self-Regulatory Organizations;
Chicago Board Options Exchange,
Incorporated; Notice of Filing and
Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed
Rule Change Relating to an Extension
of the Dividend, Merger and Short
Stock Interest Strategies Fee Cap Pilot
Program
February 27, 2007.
Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934
(‘‘Act’’) 1 and Rule 19b–4 thereunder,2
notice is hereby given that on February
14, 2007, the Chicago Board Options
Exchange, Incorporated (‘‘CBOE’’ or
‘‘Exchange’’) filed with the Securities
and Exchange Commission
(‘‘Commission’’) the proposed rule
change as described in Items I, II, and
14 15
12 In approving this proposal, the Commission has
considered its impact on efficiency, competition,
and capital formation. See 15 U.S.C. 78c(f).
13 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).
VerDate Aug<31>2005
15:17 Mar 02, 2007
Jkt 211001
U.S.C. 78s(b)(2).
15 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(2).
16 17 CFR 200.30–3(a)(12).
1 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
2 17 CFR 240.19b–4.
PO 00000
Frm 00072
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
III below, which Items have been
substantially prepared by the Exchange.
CBOE has designated this proposal as
one establishing or changing a due, fee,
or other charge imposed by a selfregulatory organization pursuant to
Section 19(b)(3)(A)(ii) of the Act 3 and
Rule 19b–4(f)(2) thereunder,4 which
renders the proposal effective upon
filing with the Commission. The
Commission is publishing this notice to
solicit comments on the proposed rule
change from interested persons.
I. Self-Regulatory Organization’s
Statement of the Terms of Substance of
the Proposed Rule Change
CBOE proposes to amend its Fees
Schedule to extend until March 1,
2008,5 the dividend, merger, and short
stock interest strategies fee cap program.
The text of the proposed rule change
is available on the Exchange’s Web site
(https://www.cboe.org/Legal/
SubmittedSECFilings.aspx), at the
Exchange’s principal office, and at the
Commission’s Public Reference Room.
II. Self-Regulatory Organization’s
Statement of the Purpose of, and
Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule
Change
In its filing with the Commission, the
Exchange included statements
concerning the purpose of, and basis for,
the proposed rule change and discussed
any comments it received on the
proposed rule change. The text of these
statements may be examined at the
places specified in Item IV below. The
Exchange has prepared summaries, set
forth in Sections A, B, and C below, of
the most significant aspects of such
statements.
A. Self-Regulatory Organization’s
Statement of the Purpose of, and
Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule
Change
1. Purpose
The Exchange currently caps marketmaker, firm, and broker-dealer
transaction fees associated with
dividend, merger, and short stock
interest strategies, as described in
Footnote 13 of the CBOE Fees Schedule
(‘‘Strategy Fee Cap’’). The Strategy Fee
Cap is in effect as a pilot program that
is due to expire on March 1, 2007.
The Exchange proposes to extend the
Strategy Fee Cap program until March 1,
2008. No other changes are proposed.
3 15
U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A)(ii).
CFR 240.19b–4(f)(2).
5 Telephone conversation between Jaime Galvan,
Senior Attorney, CBOE, and Leah Mesfin, Special
Counsel, Division of Market Regulation,
Commission, on February 26, 2007.
4 17
E:\FR\FM\05MRN1.SGM
05MRN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 42 (Monday, March 5, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9794-9796]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-3746]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
[Release No. 34-55348; File No. SR-Amex-2007-18]
Self-Regulatory Organizations; American Stock Exchange LLC;
Notice of Filing and Order Granting Accelerated Approval to Proposed
Rule Change and Amendment No. 1 Thereto To Provide for an Optional
Exchange-Provided Fingerprinting Service and To Amend Its Member Fees
To Include a Processing Fee for the Fingerprinting Service
February 26, 2007.
Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) \1\ of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934 (``Act'') and Rule 19b-4 thereunder,\2\ notice is hereby given
that on February 7, 2007, the American Stock Exchange LLC (``Amex'' or
``Exchange'') filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission
(``Commission'') the proposed rule change as described in Items I, II,
and III below, which Items have been substantially prepared by the
Exchange. On February 16, 2007, Amex submitted Amendment No. 1 to the
proposed rule change. This order provides notice of the proposed rule
change as modified by Amendment No. 1 and approves the proposed rule
change as amended on an accelerated basis.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
\2\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
[[Page 9795]]
I. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Terms of Substance
of the Proposed Rule Change
The Exchange proposes to provide for an in-house optional
fingerprinting service and to modify its Member Fees to include a fee
for such fingerprinting service.\3\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\3\ Telephone conversation between Nyieri Nazarian, Assistant
General Counsel, Amex, and Cyndi N. Rodriguez, Special Counsel,
Division of Market Regulation, Commission, on February 23, 2007.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The text of the proposed rule change is available at Amex, the
Commission's Public Reference Room, and https://www.amex.com.
II. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Purpose of, and
Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change
In its filing with the Commission, the Exchange included statements
concerning the purpose of and basis for the proposed rule change and
discussed any comments it received on the proposed rule change. The
text of these statements may be examined at the places specified in
Item III below. The Exchange has prepared summaries, set forth in
sections A, B, and C below, of the most significant aspects of such
statements.
A. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Purpose of, and the
Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change
1. Purpose
The Exchange proposes to provide for an optional fingerprinting
service and to amend its Member Fees to include a fee for this service
for members or member applicants.\4\ The Exchange intends to establish
this in-house fingerprinting service to facilitate the member
registration process.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\4\ Id.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
A member or member applicant must currently use an external
fingerprinting service to have fingerprints taken and will incur
whatever costs are associated therewith. Currently, the member or
member applicant must forward fingerprints to the National Association
of Securities Dealers, Inc. (``NASD'') for processing and is charged a
$35.00 fee \5\ from NASD's Internet-based Central Registration
Depository (WEB CRD). This fee includes a $13 fingerprint submission
fee that is also charged for results processed through Amex.\6\ NASD
forwards the results to the FBI to conduct the standard criminal
background check. Approximately $22.00 of the $35.00 amount is paid to
the FBI for this background check. The member or member applicant also
incurs any costs associated with mailing the fingerprints. The Exchange
believes that this process has proven lengthy and burdensome for
members and member applicants.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\5\ See Footnote 4 to the Exchange's Registration and IDC Fees
Section of the Amex Fee Schedule.
\6\ See Section 4 of Schedule A to the NASD By-Laws.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Furthermore, the $25.50 ``Fingerprint Processing Fee'' on the
current Amex Fee Schedule is assessed when a current member simply
needs his or her fingerprints submitted to the FBI for a background
check. In this case, the member would need an expedited background
check conducted because of a seat change or transfer. In this
situation, the fingerprinting takes place in-house, and the prints are
sent to the FBI by the Exchange. The results are then returned to the
Exchange on an expedited basis. The member would also pay the $35.00
fee to NASD for registration with WEB CRD.\7\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\7\ As the Exchange clarified in Amendment No. 1, when a member
pays the $25.50 fingerprint fee, he or she has his or her
fingerprints taken in-house and must also pay a $35.00 fee to NASD
for registration with WEB CRD. See Amendment No. 1.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
To expedite the fingerprinting process, the Exchange now proposes
to offer an optional in-house fingerprinting service for all members
and member applicants for a $45.00 fee. Members or member applicants
choosing to avail themselves of the Exchange's proposed service would
have their fingerprints taken in-house. The Exchange would forward the
fingerprints to the FBI in order for the FBI to conduct the background
check.\8\ Upon receiving the results, the Exchange would forward the
results of the criminal background check to NASD. In this case, the
$13.00 fingerprint submission fee would be charged for results
processed through Amex.\9\ The Exchange believes that collapsing the
steps into one package will speed up this process and be less
burdensome for members and member applicants. The Exchange notes that
the current option, as well as the $25.50 option, shall continue to
remain in place.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\8\ $22.00 out of the $45.00 amount would be paid to the FBI.
\9\ NASD would collect this $13.00 fee. The Exchange clarified
in Amendment No. 1 that members or member applicants opting to have
their fingerprints taken in-house under the proposed new program
would pay a $45.00 fee as well as the $13.00 fee to WEB CRD. See
Amendment No. 1.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Furthermore, the Exchange proposes to include an additional
footnote in the Member Fees section of the Amex Fee Schedule to note
that the $45.00 fee would only be assessed on members and member
applicants who partake in the Exchange's optional in-house
fingerprinting service. The Exchange further proposes to correct a
typographical error by deleting footnote 3 from the Examination Fees
section and replacing it with the correct footnote 2.
2. Statutory Basis
The proposed rule change is consistent with Section 6(b) of the Act
\10\ in general, and furthers the objectives of Section 6(b)(5) of the
Act \11\ in particular, in that it is designed to prevent fraudulent
and manipulative acts and practices, to promote just and equitable
principles of trade, to remove impediments to and perfect the mechanism
of a free and open market and a national market system, and, in
general, to protect investors and the public interest.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\10\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b).
\11\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
B. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Burden on Competition
The proposed rule change does not impose any burden on competition
that is not necessary or appropriate in furtherance of the purposes of
the Act.
C. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Comments on the Proposed
Rule Change Received From Members, Participants or Others
No written comments were solicited or received with respect to the
proposed rule change.
III. Solicitation of Comments
Interested persons are invited to submit written data, views, and
arguments concerning the foregoing, including whether the proposed rule
change, as amended, is consistent with the Act. Comments may be
submitted by any of the following methods:
Electronic Comments
Use the Commission's Internet comment form (https://
www.sec.gov/rules/sro.shtml); or
Send an e-mail to rule-comments@sec.gov. Please include
File Number SR-Amex-2007-18 on the subject line.
Paper Comments
Send paper comments in triplicate to Nancy M. Morris,
Secretary, Securities and Exchange Commission, 100 F Street, NE.,
Washington, DC 20549-1090.
All submissions should refer to File Number SR-Amex-2007-18. This
file number should be included on the subject line if e-mail is used.
To help the Commission process and review your
[[Page 9796]]
comments more efficiently, please use only one method. The Commission
will post all comments on the Commission's Internet Web site (https://
www.sec.gov/rules/sro.shtml). Copies of the submission, all subsequent
amendments, all written statements with respect to the proposed rule
change that are filed with the Commission, and all written
communications relating to the proposed rule change between the
Commission and any person, other than those that may be withheld from
the public in accordance with the provisions of 5 U.S.C. 552, will be
available for inspection and copying in the Commission's Public
Reference Room. Copies of such filing also will be available for
inspection and copying at the principal office of Amex. All comments
received will be posted without change; the Commission does not edit
personal identifying information from submissions. You should submit
only information that you wish to make available publicly. All
submissions should refer to File Number SR-Amex-2007-18 and should be
submitted on or before March 26, 2007.
IV. Commission's Findings and Order Granting Accelerated Approval of
the Proposed Rule Change
The Commission finds that the proposed rule change is consistent
with the requirements of the Act and the rules and regulations
thereunder applicable to a national securities exchange.\12\ In
particular, the Commission finds that the proposed rule change is
consistent with Section 6(b)(5) of the Act,\13\ which requires, among
other things, that the Exchange's rules be designed to prevent
fraudulent and manipulative acts and practices, to promote just and
equitable principles of trade, to foster cooperation and coordination
with persons engaged in regulating, clearing, settling, processing
information with respect to, and facilitating transactions in
securities, to remove impediments to and perfect the mechanism of a
free and open market and a national market system, and, in general, to
protect investors and the public interest.
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\12\ In approving this proposal, the Commission has considered
its impact on efficiency, competition, and capital formation. See 15
U.S.C. 78c(f).
\13\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).
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The Commission believes that offering an optional in-house
fingerprinting service may provide Exchange members and member
applicants with an expedited and less burdensome alternative for
obtaining and processing their fingerprints at the Exchange as part of
the Exchange's registration process. The Commission further believes
that the additional changes to the Exchange's Member Fees schedule
serve to clarify the fees associated with the Exchange's new
fingerprinting service.
Accelerated Approval
The Commission finds good cause, consistent with Section 19(b)(2)
of the Act,\14\ for approving this proposed rule change, as amended,
before the thirtieth day after the publication of notice thereof in the
Federal Register because it would enable the Exchange to implement the
optional in-house fingerprinting service immediately, providing members
and member applicants another way to be fingerprinted.
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\14\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(2).
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V. Conclusion
It is therefore ordered, pursuant to Section 19(b)(2) of the
Act,\15\ that the proposed rule change (SR-Amex-2007-18), as modified
by Amendment No. 1, be, and it hereby is, approved on an accelerated
basis.
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\15\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(2).
For the Commission, by the Division of Market Regulation,
pursuant to delegated authority.\16\
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\16\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).
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Florence E. Harmon,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. E7-3746 Filed 3-2-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8010-01-P
