Proposed Collection; Comment Request, 87636-87637 [2016-29090]

Download as PDF 87636 Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 233 / Monday, December 5, 2016 / 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 sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES Extension: Rule 17–1, SEC File No. 270–505, OMB Control No. 3235–0562 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 (‘‘Commission’’) is soliciting comments on the collections of information summarized below. The Commission plans to submit these existing collections of information to the Office of Management and Budget for extension and approval. Section 17(d) (15 U.S.C. 80a–17(d)) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80a et seq.) (the ‘‘Act’’) prohibits first- and second-tier affiliates of a fund, the fund’s principal underwriters, and affiliated persons of the fund’s principal underwriters, acting as principal, to effect any transaction in which the fund or a company controlled by the fund is a joint or a joint and several participant in contravention of the Commission’s rules. Rule 17d–1 (17 CFR 270.17d–1) prohibits an affiliated person of or principal underwriter for any fund (a ‘‘first-tier affiliate’’), or any affiliated person of such person or underwriter (a ‘‘second-tier affiliate’’), acting as principal, from participating in or effecting any transaction in connection with a joint enterprise or other joint arrangement in which the fund is a participant, unless prior to entering into the enterprise or arrangement ‘‘an application regarding [the transaction] has been filed with the Commission and has been granted by an order.’’ In reviewing the proposed affiliated transaction, the rule provides that the Commission will consider whether the proposal is (i) consistent with the provisions, policies, and purposes of the Act, and (ii) on a basis different from or less advantageous than that of other participants in determining whether to grant an exemptive application for a proposed joint enterprise, joint arrangement, or profitsharing plan. Rule 17d–1 also contains a number of exceptions to the requirement that a fund must obtain Commission approval prior to entering into joint transactions or arrangements with affiliates. For example, funds do not have to obtain VerDate Sep<11>2014 19:12 Dec 02, 2016 Jkt 241001 Commission approval for certain employee compensation plans, certain tax-deferred employee benefit plans, certain transactions involving small business investment companies, the receipt of securities or cash by certain affiliates pursuant to a plan of reorganization, certain arrangements regarding liability insurance policies and transactions with ‘‘portfolio affiliates’’ (companies that are affiliated with the fund solely as a result of the fund (or an affiliated fund) controlling them or owning more than five percent of their voting securities) so long as certain other affiliated persons of the fund (e.g., the fund’s adviser, persons controlling the fund, and persons under common control with the fund) are not parties to the transaction and do not have a ‘‘financial interest’’ in a party to the transaction. The rule excludes from the definition of ‘‘financial interest’’ any interest that the fund’s board of directors (including a majority of the directors who are not interested persons of the fund) finds to be not material, as long as the board records the basis for its finding in their meeting minutes. Thus, the rule contains two filing and recordkeeping requirements that constitute collections of information. First, rule 17d–1 requires funds that wish to engage in a joint transaction or arrangement with affiliates to meet the procedural requirements for obtaining exemptive relief from the rule’s prohibition on joint transactions or arrangements involving first- or secondtier affiliates. Second, rule 17d–1 permits a portfolio affiliate to enter into a joint transaction or arrangement with the fund if a prohibited participant has a financial interest that the fund’s board determines is not material and records the basis for this finding in their meeting minutes. These requirements of rule 17d–1 are designed to prevent fund insiders from managing funds for their own benefit, rather than for the benefit of the funds’ shareholders. Based on an analysis of past filings, Commission staff estimates that 18 funds file applications under section 17(d) and rule 17d–1 per year. The staff understands that funds that file an application generally obtain assistance from outside counsel to prepare the application. The cost burden of using outside counsel is discussed below. The Commission staff estimates that each applicant will spend an average of 154 hours to comply with the Commission’s applications process. The Commission staff therefore estimates the annual burden hours per year for all funds under rule 17d–1’s application process to be 2772 hours at a cost of PO 00000 Frm 00107 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 $1,113,228.1 The Commission, therefore, requests authorization to increase the inventory of total burden hours per year for all funds under rule 17d–1 from the current authorized burden of 2002 hours to 2772 hours. The increase is due to an increase in the number of funds that filed applications for exemptions under rule 17d–1. As noted above, the Commission staff understands that funds that file an application under rule 17d–1 generally use outside counsel to assist in preparing the application. The staff estimates that, on average, funds spend an additional $93,131 for outside legal services in connection with seeking Commission approval of affiliated joint transactions. Thus, the staff estimates that the total annual cost burden imposed by the exemptive application requirements of rule 17d–1 is $1,676,358.2 We estimate that funds currently do not rely on the exemption from the term ‘‘financial interest’’ with respect to any interest that the fund’s board of directors (including a majority of the directors who are not interested persons of the fund) finds to be not material. Accordingly, we estimate that annually there will be no transactions under rule 17d–1 that will result in this aspect of the collection of information. Based on these calculations, the total annual hour burden is estimated to be 2772 hours and the total annual cost burden is estimated to be $1,676,358. 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 these collections of information requirement is necessary to obtain the benefit of relying on rule 17d–1. Responses will not be kept confidential. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not 1 The Commission staff estimates that a senior executive, such as the fund’s chief compliance officer, will spend an average of 62 hours and a mid-level compliance attorney will spend an average of 92 hours to comply with this collection of information: 62 hours + 92 hours = 154 hours. 18 funds × 154 burden hours = 2772 burden hours. The Commission staff estimate that the chief compliance officer is paid $493 per hour and the compliance attorney is paid $340 per hour. ($493 per hour × 62 hours) + ($340 per hour × 92 hours) = $61,846 per fund. $61,846 × 18 funds = $1,113,228. The $493 and $340 per hour figures are based on salary information compiled by SIFMA’s Management & Professional Earnings in the Securities Industry, 2013. The Commission staff has modified SIFMA’s information to account for an 1800-hour work year and inflation, and multiplied by 5.35 to account for bonuses, firm size, employee benefits, and overhead. 2 The estimate is based on the following calculation: $93,131 × 18 funds = $1,676,358. E:\FR\FM\05DEN1.SGM 05DEN1 Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 233 / Monday, December 5, 2016 / Notices required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid control number. 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 minimize the burden of the collection 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 Pamela Dyson, Director/Chief Information Officer, Securities and Exchange Commission, C/O Remi Pavlik-Simon, 100 F Street NE., Washington, DC 20549; or send an email to: PRA_Mailbox@sec.gov. Dated: November 22, 2016. Robert W. Errett, Deputy Secretary. [FR Doc. 2016–29090 Filed 12–2–16; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 8011–01–P Dated: November 23, 2016. Robert W. Errett, Deputy Secretary. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION [FR Doc. 2016–29086 Filed 12–2–16; 8:45 am] Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request BILLING CODE 8011–01–P Upon Written Request Copies Available From: Securities and Exchange Commission, Office of FOIA Services, 100 F Street NE., Washington, DC 20549–2736 sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES Extension: Regulation 12B, SEC File No. 270–70, OMB Control No. 3235–0062 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 (‘‘Commission’’) has submitted to the Office of Management and Budget this request for extension of the previously approved collection of information discussed below. Regulation 12B (17 CFR 240.12b–1 through 12b–37) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78a et seq.) (‘‘Exchange Act’’) includes rules governing the registration and periodic reporting under Sections 12(b), 12(g), 13, and 15(d) (15 U.S.C. 78l(b), 78l(g), 78m and 78o(d)) of the Exchange Act. The purpose of the regulation is set VerDate Sep<11>2014 19:12 Dec 02, 2016 Jkt 241001 forth guidelines for the uniform preparation of Exchange Act registration statement and reports. All information is provided to the public for review. The information required is filed on occasion and it is mandatory. Regulation 12B is assigned one burden hour for administrative convenience because the regulation simply prescribes the disclosure that must appear in other filings under the federal securities laws. 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. The public may view the background documentation for this information collection at the following Web site, www.reginfo.gov. Comments should be directed to: (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 by sending an email to: Shagufta_ Ahmed@omb.eop.gov; and (ii) Pamela Dyson, Director/Chief Information Officer, Securities and Exchange Commission, c/o Remi Pavlik-Simon, 100 F Street NE., Washington, DC 20549 or send an email to: PRA_Mailbox@ sec.gov. Comments must be submitted to OMB within 30 days of this notice. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request Upon Written Request Copies Available From: Securities and Exchange Commission, Office of FOIA Services, 100 F Street NE., Washington, DC 20549–2736. Extension: Form 15F, SEC File No. 270–559, OMB Control No. 3235–0621 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 (‘‘Commission’’) has submitted to the Office of Management and Budget this request for extension of the previously approved collection of information discussed below. Form 15F (17 CFR 249.324) is filed by a foreign private issuer when terminating its Exchange Act reporting PO 00000 Frm 00108 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 9990 87637 obligations pursuant to Exchange Act Rule 12h–6 (17 CFR 240.12h–6). Form 15F requires a foreign private issuer to disclose information that helps investors understand the foreign private issuer’s decision to terminate its Exchange Act reporting obligations and assists the Commission staff in determining whether the filer is eligible to terminate its Exchange Act reporting obligations pursuant to Rule 12h–6. Rule 12h–6 provides a process for a foreign private issuer to exit the Exchange Act registration and reporting regime when there is relatively little U.S. investor interest in its securities. Rule 12h–6 is intended to remove a disincentive for foreign private issuers to register their securities with the Commission by lessening concerns that the Exchange Act registration and reporting system would be difficult to exit once an issuer enters it. The information provided to the Commission is mandatory and all information is made available to the public upon request. We estimate that Form 15F takes approximately 30 hours to prepare and is filed by approximately 30 foreign private issuers. We estimate that 25% of the 30 hours per response (7.5 hours per response) is prepared by the filer for a total annual reporting burden of 225 hours (7.5 hours per response × 30 responses). 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. The public may view the background documentation for this information collection at the following Web site, www.reginfo.gov. Comments should be directed to: (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 by sending an email to: Shagufta_ Ahmed@omb.eop.gov; and (ii) Pamela Dyson, Director/Chief Information Officer, Securities and Exchange Commission, c/o Remi Pavlik-Simon, 100 F Street NE., Washington, DC 20549 or send an email to: PRA_Mailbox@ sec.gov. Comments must be submitted to OMB within 30 days of this notice. Dated: November 23, 2016. Robert W. Errett, Deputy Secretary. [FR Doc. 2016–29084 Filed 12–2–16; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 8011–01–P E:\FR\FM\05DEN1.SGM 05DEN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 233 (Monday, December 5, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 87636-87637]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-29090]



[[Page 87636]]

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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 17-1, SEC File No. 270-505, OMB Control No. 3235-0562

    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 (``Commission'') is soliciting comments on the collections 
of information summarized below. The Commission plans to submit these 
existing collections of information to the Office of Management and 
Budget for extension and approval.
    Section 17(d) (15 U.S.C. 80a-17(d)) of the Investment Company Act 
of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80a et seq.) (the ``Act'') prohibits first- and 
second-tier affiliates of a fund, the fund's principal underwriters, 
and affiliated persons of the fund's principal underwriters, acting as 
principal, to effect any transaction in which the fund or a company 
controlled by the fund is a joint or a joint and several participant in 
contravention of the Commission's rules. Rule 17d-1 (17 CFR 270.17d-1) 
prohibits an affiliated person of or principal underwriter for any fund 
(a ``first-tier affiliate''), or any affiliated person of such person 
or underwriter (a ``second-tier affiliate''), acting as principal, from 
participating in or effecting any transaction in connection with a 
joint enterprise or other joint arrangement in which the fund is a 
participant, unless prior to entering into the enterprise or 
arrangement ``an application regarding [the transaction] has been filed 
with the Commission and has been granted by an order.'' In reviewing 
the proposed affiliated transaction, the rule provides that the 
Commission will consider whether the proposal is (i) consistent with 
the provisions, policies, and purposes of the Act, and (ii) on a basis 
different from or less advantageous than that of other participants in 
determining whether to grant an exemptive application for a proposed 
joint enterprise, joint arrangement, or profit-sharing plan.
    Rule 17d-1 also contains a number of exceptions to the requirement 
that a fund must obtain Commission approval prior to entering into 
joint transactions or arrangements with affiliates. For example, funds 
do not have to obtain Commission approval for certain employee 
compensation plans, certain tax-deferred employee benefit plans, 
certain transactions involving small business investment companies, the 
receipt of securities or cash by certain affiliates pursuant to a plan 
of reorganization, certain arrangements regarding liability insurance 
policies and transactions with ``portfolio affiliates'' (companies that 
are affiliated with the fund solely as a result of the fund (or an 
affiliated fund) controlling them or owning more than five percent of 
their voting securities) so long as certain other affiliated persons of 
the fund (e.g., the fund's adviser, persons controlling the fund, and 
persons under common control with the fund) are not parties to the 
transaction and do not have a ``financial interest'' in a party to the 
transaction. The rule excludes from the definition of ``financial 
interest'' any interest that the fund's board of directors (including a 
majority of the directors who are not interested persons of the fund) 
finds to be not material, as long as the board records the basis for 
its finding in their meeting minutes.
    Thus, the rule contains two filing and recordkeeping requirements 
that constitute collections of information. First, rule 17d-1 requires 
funds that wish to engage in a joint transaction or arrangement with 
affiliates to meet the procedural requirements for obtaining exemptive 
relief from the rule's prohibition on joint transactions or 
arrangements involving first- or second-tier affiliates. Second, rule 
17d-1 permits a portfolio affiliate to enter into a joint transaction 
or arrangement with the fund if a prohibited participant has a 
financial interest that the fund's board determines is not material and 
records the basis for this finding in their meeting minutes. These 
requirements of rule 17d-1 are designed to prevent fund insiders from 
managing funds for their own benefit, rather than for the benefit of 
the funds' shareholders.
    Based on an analysis of past filings, Commission staff estimates 
that 18 funds file applications under section 17(d) and rule 17d-1 per 
year. The staff understands that funds that file an application 
generally obtain assistance from outside counsel to prepare the 
application. The cost burden of using outside counsel is discussed 
below. The Commission staff estimates that each applicant will spend an 
average of 154 hours to comply with the Commission's applications 
process. The Commission staff therefore estimates the annual burden 
hours per year for all funds under rule 17d-1's application process to 
be 2772 hours at a cost of $1,113,228.\1\ The Commission, therefore, 
requests authorization to increase the inventory of total burden hours 
per year for all funds under rule 17d-1 from the current authorized 
burden of 2002 hours to 2772 hours. The increase is due to an increase 
in the number of funds that filed applications for exemptions under 
rule 17d-1.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ The Commission staff estimates that a senior executive, such 
as the fund's chief compliance officer, will spend an average of 62 
hours and a mid-level compliance attorney will spend an average of 
92 hours to comply with this collection of information: 62 hours + 
92 hours = 154 hours. 18 funds x 154 burden hours = 2772 burden 
hours. The Commission staff estimate that the chief compliance 
officer is paid $493 per hour and the compliance attorney is paid 
$340 per hour. ($493 per hour x 62 hours) + ($340 per hour x 92 
hours) = $61,846 per fund. $61,846 x 18 funds = $1,113,228. The $493 
and $340 per hour figures are based on salary information compiled 
by SIFMA's Management & Professional Earnings in the Securities 
Industry, 2013. The Commission staff has modified SIFMA's 
information to account for an 1800-hour work year and inflation, and 
multiplied by 5.35 to account for bonuses, firm size, employee 
benefits, and overhead.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    As noted above, the Commission staff understands that funds that 
file an application under rule 17d-1 generally use outside counsel to 
assist in preparing the application. The staff estimates that, on 
average, funds spend an additional $93,131 for outside legal services 
in connection with seeking Commission approval of affiliated joint 
transactions. Thus, the staff estimates that the total annual cost 
burden imposed by the exemptive application requirements of rule 17d-1 
is $1,676,358.\2\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \2\ The estimate is based on the following calculation: $93,131 
x 18 funds = $1,676,358.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    We estimate that funds currently do not rely on the exemption from 
the term ``financial interest'' with respect to any interest that the 
fund's board of directors (including a majority of the directors who 
are not interested persons of the fund) finds to be not material. 
Accordingly, we estimate that annually there will be no transactions 
under rule 17d-1 that will result in this aspect of the collection of 
information.
    Based on these calculations, the total annual hour burden is 
estimated to be 2772 hours and the total annual cost burden is 
estimated to be $1,676,358.
    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 these collections of 
information requirement is necessary to obtain the benefit of relying 
on rule 17d-1. Responses will not be kept confidential. An agency may 
not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not

[[Page 87637]]

required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays 
a currently valid control number.
    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 minimize the burden of the collection 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 Pamela Dyson, Director/Chief 
Information Officer, Securities and Exchange Commission, C/O Remi 
Pavlik-Simon, 100 F Street NE., Washington, DC 20549; or send an email 
to: PRA_Mailbox@sec.gov.

    Dated: November 22, 2016.
Robert W. Errett,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2016-29090 Filed 12-2-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 8011-01-P
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