Proposed Collection; Comment Request, 54821-54822 [2011-22571]
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Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 171 / Friday, September 2, 2011 / Notices
510 responses × $354 = $902,700) + (3
hours × 510 responses × $4000 =
$6,120,000)).
The estimated annual burden of 4080
hours represents a decrease of 1520
hours from the prior estimate of 5600
hours. The decrease in burden hours is
attributable to changes in the estimates
of the average hour burden per response
and the number of responses that are
submitted pursuant to the rule.
The estimate of average burden hours
is made solely for the purposes of the
Paperwork Reduction Act. The estimate
is not derived from a comprehensive or
even a representative survey or study of
the costs of Commission rules.
Complying with this collection of
information requirement is mandatory.
Responses 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.
Written comments are invited on: (a)
Whether the collections of information
are necessary for the proper
performance of the functions of the
Commission, including whether the
information has practical utility; (b) the
accuracy of the Commission’s estimate
of the burdens of the collections of
information; (c) ways to enhance the
quality, utility, and clarity of the
information collected; and (d) ways to
minimize the burdens of the collections
of information on respondents,
including through the use of automated
collection techniques or other forms of
information technology. Consideration
will be given to comments and
suggestions submitted in writing within
60 days of this publication.
Please direct your written comments
to Thomas Bayer, Director/Chief
Information Officer, Securities and
Exchange Commission, c/o Remi PavlikSimon, 6432 General Green Way,
Alexandria, VA 22312; or send an
e-mail to: PRA_Mailbox@sec.gov.
Dated: August 29, 2011.
Elizabeth M. Murphy,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2011–22573 Filed 9–1–11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011–01–P
erowe on DSK5CLS3C1PROD with NOTICES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
COMMISSION
Proposed Collection; Comment
Request
Upon Written Request, Copies Available
From: Securities and Exchange
Commission, Office of Investor
Education and Advocacy,
Washington, DC 20549–0213.
VerDate Mar<15>2010
15:37 Sep 01, 2011
Jkt 223001
Extension:
Rule 17a–7, SEC File No. 270–238, OMB
Control No. 3235–0214.
Notice is hereby given that, pursuant
to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995
(44 U.S.C. 3501–3520), the Securities
and Exchange Commission
(‘‘Commission’’) is soliciting comments
on the collections of information
summarized below. The Commission
plans to submit the existing collection
of information to the Office of
Management and Budget for extension
and approval.
Rule 17a–7 (17 CFR 270.17a–7) (the
‘‘rule’’) under the Investment Company
Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80a–1 et seq.)
(the ‘‘Act’’) is entitled ‘‘Exemption of
certain purchase or sale transactions
between an investment company and
certain affiliated persons thereof.’’ It
provides an exemption from section
17(a) of the Act for purchases and sales
of securities between registered
investment companies (‘‘funds’’), that
are affiliated persons (‘‘first-tier
affiliates’’) or affiliated persons of
affiliated persons (‘‘second-tier
affiliates’’), or between a fund and a
first- or second-tier affiliate other than
another fund, when the affiliation arises
solely because of a common investment
adviser, director, or officer. Rule 17a–7
requires funds to keep various records
in connection with purchase or sale
transactions effected in reliance on the
rule. The rule requires the fund’s board
of directors to establish procedures
reasonably designed to ensure that the
rule’s conditions have been satisfied.
The board is also required to determine,
at least on a quarterly basis, that all
affiliated transactions effected during
the preceding quarter in reliance on the
rule were made in compliance with
these established procedures. If a fund
enters into a purchase or sale
transaction with an affiliated person, the
rule requires the fund to compile and
maintain written records of the
transaction.1 The Commission’s
examination staff uses these records to
evaluate for compliance with the rule.
While most funds do not commonly
engage in transactions covered by rule
17a–7, the Commission staff estimates
that nearly all funds have adopted
procedures for complying with the
rule.2 Of the approximately 3318
1 The written records are required to set forth a
description of the security purchased or sold, the
identity of the person on the other side of the
transaction, and the information or materials upon
which the board of directors’ determination that the
transaction was in compliance with the procedures
was made.
2 Unless stated otherwise, these estimates are
based on conversations with the examination and
inspections staff of the Commission and fund
representatives.
PO 00000
Frm 00092
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
54821
currently active funds, the staff
estimates that virtually all have already
adopted procedures for compliance with
rule 17a–7. This is a one-time burden,
and the staff therefore does not estimate
an ongoing burden related to the
policies and procedures requirement of
the rule for funds.3 The staff estimates
that there are approximately 150 new
funds that register each year, and that
each of these funds adopts the relevant
policies and procedures. The staff
estimates that it takes approximately 4
hours to develop and adopt these
policies and procedures. Therefore, the
total annual burden related to
developing and adopting these policies
and procedures would be approximately
600 hours.4
Of the 3318 existing funds, the staff
assumes that approximately 25%, (or
830) enter into transactions affected by
rule 17a–7 each year (either by the fund
directly or through one of the fund’s
series), and that the same percentage
(25%, or 38 funds) of the estimated 150
funds that newly register each year will
also enter into these transactions, for a
total of 868 5 companies that are affected
by the recordkeeping requirements of
rule 17a–7. These funds must keep
records of each of these transactions,
and the board of directors must
quarterly determine that all relevant
transactions were made in compliance
with the company’s policies and
procedures. The rule generally imposes
a minimal burden of collecting and
storing records already generated for
other purposes.6 The staff estimates that
the burden related to making these
records and for the board to review all
transactions would be 3 hours annually
for each respondent, (2 hours spent by
compliance attorneys and 1 hour spent
3 Based on our reviews and conversations with
fund representatives, we understand that funds
rarely, if ever, need to make changes to these
policies and procedures once adopted, and
therefore we do not estimate a paperwork burden
for such updates.
4 This estimate is based on the following
calculations: (4 hours × 150 new funds = 600
hours).
5 This estimate is based on the following
calculation: (830 + 38 = 868).
6 Commission staff believes that rule 17a–7 does
not impose any costs associated with record
preservation in addition to the costs that funds
already incur to comply with the record
preservation requirements of rule 31a–2 under the
Act. Rule 31a–2 requires companies to preserve
certain records for specified periods of time.
E:\FR\FM\02SEN1.SGM
02SEN1
54822
Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 171 / Friday, September 2, 2011 / Notices
erowe on DSK5CLS3C1PROD with NOTICES
by the board of directors) 7 or 2604 total
hours each year.8
Based on these estimates, the staff
estimates the combined total annual
burden hours associated with rule 17a–
7 is 3204 hours.9 The staff also estimates
that there are approximately 1018
respondents and 7094 total responses.10
The estimates of burden hours are
made solely for the purposes of the
Paperwork Reduction Act, and are not
derived from a comprehensive or even
a representative survey or study of the
costs of Commission rules. The
collection of information required by
rule 17a–7 is necessary to obtain the
benefits of the rule. Responses 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.
Written comments are invited on: (a)
Whether the collections of information
are necessary for the proper
performance of the functions of the
Commission, including whether the
information has practical utility; (b) the
accuracy of the Commission’s estimate
of the burdens of the collections of
information; (c) ways to enhance the
quality, utility, and clarity of the
information collected; and (d) ways to
minimize the burdens of the collections
of information on respondents,
including through the use of automated
collection techniques or other forms of
information technology. Consideration
will be given to comments and
suggestions submitted in writing within
60 days of this publication.
Please direct your written comments
to Thomas Bayer, Director/Chief
Information Officer, Securities and
Exchange Commission, c/o Remi PavlikSimon, 6432 General Green Way,
Alexandria, VA 22312; or send an email to: PRA_Mailbox@sec.gov.
7 The staff estimates that funds that rely on rule
17a–7 annually enter into an average of 8 rule 17a–
7 transactions each year. The staff estimates that the
compliance attorneys of the companies spend
approximately 15 minutes per transaction on this
recordkeeping, and the board of directors spends a
total of 1 hour annually in determining that all
transactions made that year were done in
compliance with the company’s policies and
procedures.
8 This estimate is based on the following
calculation: (3 hours × 868 companies = 2604
hours).
9 This estimate is based on the following
calculation: (600 hours + 2604 hours = 3204 total
hours).
10 This estimate is based on the following
calculations: (150 newly registered funds + 868
funds that engage in rule 17a–7 transactions =
1018); (868 funds that engage in rule 17a–7
transactions × 8 times per year = 6944); (6944 + 150
= 7094 responses).
VerDate Mar<15>2010
15:37 Sep 01, 2011
Jkt 223001
Dated: August 29, 2011.
Elizabeth M. Murphy,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2011–22571 Filed 9–1–11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011–01–P
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
COMMISSION
Proposed Collection; Comment
Request
Upon Written Request, Copies Available
From: Securities and Exchange
Commission, Office of Investor
Education and Advocacy,
Washington, DC 20549–0213.
Extension:
Rule 3a–8; SEC File No. 270–516; OMB
Control No. 3235–0574.
Notice is hereby given that pursuant
to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995
(44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), the Securities
and Exchange Commission (the
‘‘Commission’’) is soliciting comments
on the collections of information
summarized below. The Commission
plans to submit the existing collection
of information to the Office of
Management and Budget for extension
and approval.
Rule 3a–8 (17 CFR 270.3a–8) of the
Investment Company Act of 1940 (15
U.S.C. 80a) (the ‘‘Act’’), serves as a
nonexclusive safe harbor from
investment company status for certain
research and development companies
(‘‘R&D companies’’).
The rule requires that the board of
directors of an R&D company seeking to
rely on the safe harbor adopt an
appropriate resolution evidencing that
the company is primarily engaged in a
non-investment business and record
that resolution contemporaneously in its
minute books or comparable
documents.1 An R&D company seeking
to rely on the safe harbor must retain
these records only as long as such
records must be maintained in
accordance with state law.
Rule 3a–8 contains an additional
requirement that is also a collection of
information within the meaning of the
PRA. The board of directors of a
company that relies on the safe harbor
under rule 3a–8 must adopt a written
policy with respect to the company’s
capital preservation investments. We
expect that the board of directors will
base its decision to adopt the resolution
discussed above, in part, on investment
guidelines that the company will follow
to ensure its investment portfolio is in
1 Rule
PO 00000
3a–8(a)(6) (17 CFR 270.3a–8(6)).
Frm 00093
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
compliance with the rule’s
requirements.
The collection of information
imposed by rule 3a–8 is voluntary
because the rule is an exemptive safe
harbor, and therefore, R&D companies
may choose whether or not to rely on it.
The purposes of the information
collection requirements in rule 3a–8 are
to ensure that: (i) The board of directors
of an R&D company is involved in
determining whether the company
should be considered an investment
company and subject to regulation
under the Act, and (ii) adequate records
are available for Commission review, if
necessary. Rule 3a–8 would not require
the reporting of any information or the
filing of any documents with the
Commission.
Commission staff estimates that there
is no annual recordkeeping burden
associated with the rule’s requirements.
Nevertheless, the Commission requests
authorization to maintain an inventory
of one burden hour for administrative
purposes.
Commission staff estimates that
approximately 1851 R&D companies
may rely on rule 3a–8. Given that the
board resolutions and investment
guidelines will generally need to be
adopted only once (unless relevant
circumstances change),2 the
Commission believes that all the
companies that rely on rule 3a–8
adopted their board resolutions and
established written investment
guidelines in 2003 when the rule was
adopted. We expect that newly formed
R&D companies would adopt the board
resolution and investment guidelines
simultaneously with their formation
documents in the ordinary course of
business.3 Therefore, we estimate that
rule 3a–8 will not create additional time
burdens.
Written comments are invited on: (a)
Whether the proposed collection of
information is necessary for the proper
performance of the functions of the
agency, including whether the
information will have practical utility;
(b) the accuracy of the agency’s estimate
of the burden of the collection of
information; (c) ways to enhance the
quality, utility, and clarity of the
information collected; and (d) ways to
2 In the event of changed circumstances, the
Commission believes that the board resolution and
investment guidelines will be amended and
recorded in the ordinary course of business and
would not create additional time burdens.
3 In order for these companies to raise sufficient
capital to fund their product development stage, we
believe they will need to present potential investors
with investment guidelines. Investors would want
to be assured that the company’s funds are invested
consistent with the goals of capital preservation and
liquidity.
E:\FR\FM\02SEN1.SGM
02SEN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 171 (Friday, September 2, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54821-54822]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-22571]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Proposed Collection; Comment Request
Upon Written Request, Copies Available From: Securities and Exchange
Commission, Office of Investor Education and Advocacy, Washington, DC
20549-0213.
Extension:
Rule 17a-7, SEC File No. 270-238, OMB Control No. 3235-0214.
Notice is hereby given that, pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction
Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520), the Securities and Exchange
Commission (``Commission'') is soliciting comments on the collections
of information summarized below. The Commission plans to submit the
existing collection of information to the Office of Management and
Budget for extension and approval.
Rule 17a-7 (17 CFR 270.17a-7) (the ``rule'') under the Investment
Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80a-1 et seq.) (the ``Act'') is entitled
``Exemption of certain purchase or sale transactions between an
investment company and certain affiliated persons thereof.'' It
provides an exemption from section 17(a) of the Act for purchases and
sales of securities between registered investment companies
(``funds''), that are affiliated persons (``first-tier affiliates'') or
affiliated persons of affiliated persons (``second-tier affiliates''),
or between a fund and a first- or second-tier affiliate other than
another fund, when the affiliation arises solely because of a common
investment adviser, director, or officer. Rule 17a-7 requires funds to
keep various records in connection with purchase or sale transactions
effected in reliance on the rule. The rule requires the fund's board of
directors to establish procedures reasonably designed to ensure that
the rule's conditions have been satisfied. The board is also required
to determine, at least on a quarterly basis, that all affiliated
transactions effected during the preceding quarter in reliance on the
rule were made in compliance with these established procedures. If a
fund enters into a purchase or sale transaction with an affiliated
person, the rule requires the fund to compile and maintain written
records of the transaction.\1\ The Commission's examination staff uses
these records to evaluate for compliance with the rule.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ The written records are required to set forth a description
of the security purchased or sold, the identity of the person on the
other side of the transaction, and the information or materials upon
which the board of directors' determination that the transaction was
in compliance with the procedures was made.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
While most funds do not commonly engage in transactions covered by
rule 17a-7, the Commission staff estimates that nearly all funds have
adopted procedures for complying with the rule.\2\ Of the approximately
3318 currently active funds, the staff estimates that virtually all
have already adopted procedures for compliance with rule 17a-7. This is
a one-time burden, and the staff therefore does not estimate an ongoing
burden related to the policies and procedures requirement of the rule
for funds.\3\ The staff estimates that there are approximately 150 new
funds that register each year, and that each of these funds adopts the
relevant policies and procedures. The staff estimates that it takes
approximately 4 hours to develop and adopt these policies and
procedures. Therefore, the total annual burden related to developing
and adopting these policies and procedures would be approximately 600
hours.\4\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\2\ Unless stated otherwise, these estimates are based on
conversations with the examination and inspections staff of the
Commission and fund representatives.
\3\ Based on our reviews and conversations with fund
representatives, we understand that funds rarely, if ever, need to
make changes to these policies and procedures once adopted, and
therefore we do not estimate a paperwork burden for such updates.
\4\ This estimate is based on the following calculations: (4
hours x 150 new funds = 600 hours).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Of the 3318 existing funds, the staff assumes that approximately
25%, (or 830) enter into transactions affected by rule 17a-7 each year
(either by the fund directly or through one of the fund's series), and
that the same percentage (25%, or 38 funds) of the estimated 150 funds
that newly register each year will also enter into these transactions,
for a total of 868 \5\ companies that are affected by the recordkeeping
requirements of rule 17a-7. These funds must keep records of each of
these transactions, and the board of directors must quarterly determine
that all relevant transactions were made in compliance with the
company's policies and procedures. The rule generally imposes a minimal
burden of collecting and storing records already generated for other
purposes.\6\ The staff estimates that the burden related to making
these records and for the board to review all transactions would be 3
hours annually for each respondent, (2 hours spent by compliance
attorneys and 1 hour spent
[[Page 54822]]
by the board of directors) \7\ or 2604 total hours each year.\8\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\5\ This estimate is based on the following calculation: (830 +
38 = 868).
\6\ Commission staff believes that rule 17a-7 does not impose
any costs associated with record preservation in addition to the
costs that funds already incur to comply with the record
preservation requirements of rule 31a-2 under the Act. Rule 31a-2
requires companies to preserve certain records for specified periods
of time.
\7\ The staff estimates that funds that rely on rule 17a-7
annually enter into an average of 8 rule 17a-7 transactions each
year. The staff estimates that the compliance attorneys of the
companies spend approximately 15 minutes per transaction on this
recordkeeping, and the board of directors spends a total of 1 hour
annually in determining that all transactions made that year were
done in compliance with the company's policies and procedures.
\8\ This estimate is based on the following calculation: (3
hours x 868 companies = 2604 hours).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Based on these estimates, the staff estimates the combined total
annual burden hours associated with rule 17a-7 is 3204 hours.\9\ The
staff also estimates that there are approximately 1018 respondents and
7094 total responses.\10\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\9\ This estimate is based on the following calculation: (600
hours + 2604 hours = 3204 total hours).
\10\ This estimate is based on the following calculations: (150
newly registered funds + 868 funds that engage in rule 17a-7
transactions = 1018); (868 funds that engage in rule 17a-7
transactions x 8 times per year = 6944); (6944 + 150 = 7094
responses).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The estimates of burden hours are made solely for the purposes of
the Paperwork Reduction Act, and are not derived from a comprehensive
or even a representative survey or study of the costs of Commission
rules. The collection of information required by rule 17a-7 is
necessary to obtain the benefits of the rule. Responses 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.
Written comments are invited on: (a) Whether the collections of
information are necessary for the proper performance of the functions
of the Commission, including whether the information has practical
utility; (b) the accuracy of the Commission's estimate of the burdens
of the collections of information; (c) ways to enhance the quality,
utility, and clarity of the information collected; and (d) ways to
minimize the burdens of the collections of information on respondents,
including through the use of automated collection techniques or other
forms of information technology. Consideration will be given to
comments and suggestions submitted in writing within 60 days of this
publication.
Please direct your written comments to Thomas Bayer, Director/Chief
Information Officer, Securities and Exchange Commission, c/o Remi
Pavlik-Simon, 6432 General Green Way, Alexandria, VA 22312; or send an
e-mail to: PRA_Mailbox@sec.gov.
Dated: August 29, 2011.
Elizabeth M. Murphy,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2011-22571 Filed 9-1-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011-01-P
