Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request, 73309-73310 [2020-25253]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 222 / Tuesday, November 17, 2020 / Notices obsolete references and to correct inadvertent errors and should have no competitive impact on Market Makers. Proposed clarifications and amendments to the Reserve Order Attribute Rule, at Rule 4703(h), are intended to improve the precision and readability of the Rule text and will not have any competitive impact on participants. C. Self-Regulatory Organization’s Statement on Comments on the Proposed Rule Change Received From Members, Participants, or Others No written comments were either solicited or received. III. Date of Effectiveness of the Proposed Rule Change and Timing for Commission Action Because the foregoing proposed rule change does not: (i) Significantly affect the protection of investors or the public interest; (ii) impose any significant burden on competition; and (iii) become operative for 30 days from the date on which it was filed, or such shorter time as the Commission may designate, it has become effective pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A) of the Act 29 and Rule 19b– 4(f)(6) thereunder.30 At any time within 60 days of the filing of the proposed rule change, the Commission summarily may temporarily suspend such rule change if it appears to the Commission that such action is necessary or appropriate in the public interest, for the protection of investors, or otherwise in furtherance of the purposes of the Act. If the Commission takes such action, the Commission shall institute proceedings to determine whether the proposed rule change should be approved or disapproved. IV. Solicitation of Comments Interested persons are invited to submit written data, views, and arguments concerning the foregoing, including whether the proposed rule change 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 29 15 VerDate Sep<11>2014 19:46 Nov 16, 2020 Jkt 253001 • Send an email to rule-comments@ sec.gov. Please include File Number SR– NASDAQ–2020–071 on the subject line. Commission, Office of FOIA Services, 100 F Street NE, Washington, DC 20549–2736 Paper Comments • Send paper comments in triplicate to Secretary, Securities and Exchange Commission, 100 F Street NE, Washington, DC 20549–1090. All submissions should refer to File Number SR–NASDAQ–2020–071. This file number should be included on the subject line if email is used. To help the Commission process and review your comments more efficiently, please use only one method. The Commission will post all comments on the Commission’s internet website (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 website viewing and printing in the Commission’s Public Reference Room, 100 F Street NE, Washington, DC 20549, on official business days between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Copies of the filing also will be available for inspection and copying at the principal office of the Exchange. All comments received will be posted without change. Persons submitting comments are cautioned that we do not redact or edit personal identifying information from comment submissions. You should submit only information that you wish to make available publicly. All submissions should refer to File Number SR–NASDAQ–2020–071 and should be submitted on or before December 8, 2020. Extension: Rule 38a–1; [SEC File No. 270– 522, OMB Control No. 3235–0586] For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated authority.31 J. Matthew DeLesDernier, Assistant Secretary. [FR Doc. 2020–25270 Filed 11–16–20; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 8011–01–P U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A). 30 17 CFR 240.19b–4(f)(6). In addition, Rule 19b– 4(f)(6)(iii) requires a self-regulatory organization to give the Commission written notice of its intent to file the proposed rule change, along with a brief description and text of the proposed rule change, at least five business days prior to the date of filing of the proposed rule change, or such shorter time as designated by the Commission. The Exchange has satisfied this requirement. 73309 SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request Upon Written Request, Copies Available From: Securities and Exchange 31 17 PO 00000 CFR 200.30–3(a)(12). Frm 00052 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 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’’) has submitted to the Office of Management and Budget a request for extension of the previously approved collection of information discussed below. Rule 38a–1 (17 CFR 270.38a–1) under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80a) (‘‘Investment Company Act’’) is intended to protect investors by fostering better fund compliance with securities laws. The rule requires every registered investment company and business development company (‘‘fund’’) to: (i) Adopt and implement written policies and procedures reasonably designed to prevent violations of the federal securities laws by the fund, including procedures for oversight of compliance by each investment adviser, principal underwriter, administrator, and transfer agent of the fund; (ii) obtain the fund board of directors’ approval of those policies and procedures; (iii) annually review the adequacy of those policies and procedures and the policies and procedures of each investment adviser, principal underwriter, administrator, and transfer agent of the fund, and the effectiveness of their implementation; (iv) designate a chief compliance officer to administer the fund’s policies and procedures and prepare an annual report to the board that addresses certain specified items relating to the policies and procedures; and (v) maintain for five years the compliance policies and procedures and the chief compliance officer’s annual report to the board. The rule contains certain information collection requirements that are designed to ensure that funds establish and maintain comprehensive, written internal compliance programs. The information collections also assist the Commission’s examination staff in assessing the adequacy of funds’ compliance programs. While Rule 38a–1 requires each fund to maintain written policies and procedures, most funds are located within a fund complex. The experience of the Commission’s examination and oversight staff suggests that each fund in a complex is able to draw extensively from the fund complex’s ‘‘master’’ compliance program to assemble appropriate compliance policies and E:\FR\FM\17NON1.SGM 17NON1 73310 Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 222 / Tuesday, November 17, 2020 / Notices procedures. Many fund complexes already have written policies and procedures documenting their compliance programs. Further, a fund needing to develop or revise policies and procedures on one or more topics in order to achieve a comprehensive compliance program can draw on a number of outlines and model programs available from a variety of industry representatives, commentators, and organizations. There are approximately 4,093 funds subject to Rule 38a–1. Among these funds, 101 were newly registered in the past year. These 101 funds, therefore, were required to adopt and document the policies and procedures that make up their compliance programs. Commission staff estimates that the average annual hour burden for a fund to adopt and document these policies and procedures is 105 hours. Thus, we estimate that the aggregate annual burden hours associated with the adoption and documentation requirement is 10,605 hours. All funds are required to conduct an annual review of the adequacy of their existing policies and procedures and the policies and procedures of each investment adviser, principal underwriter, administrator, and transfer agent of the fund, and the effectiveness of their implementation. In addition, each fund chief compliance officer is required to prepare an annual report that addresses the operation of the policies and procedures of the fund and the policies and procedures of each investment adviser, principal underwriter, administrator, and transfer agent of the fund, any material changes made to those policies and procedures since the date of the last report, any material changes to the policies and procedures recommended as a result of the annual review, and certain compliance matters that occurred since the date of the last report. The staff estimates that each fund spends 49 hours per year, on average, conducting the annual review and preparing the annual report to the board of directors. Thus, we estimate that the annual aggregate burden hours associated with the annual review and annual report requirement is 200,557 hours. Finally, the staff estimates that each fund spends 6 hours annually, on average, maintaining the records required by proposed Rule 38a–1. Thus, the annual aggregate burden hours associated with the recordkeeping requirement is 24,558 hours. In total, the staff estimates that the aggregate annual information collection burden of Rule 38a–1 is 235,720 hours. VerDate Sep<11>2014 19:46 Nov 16, 2020 Jkt 253001 The estimate of average burden hours is made solely for the purposes of the Paperwork Reduction Act. The estimate is based on communications with industry representatives, and is not derived from a comprehensive or even a representative survey or study. 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 OMB control number. Written comments are invited on: (i) Whether the collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Commission, including whether the information has practical utility; (ii) the accuracy of the Commission’s estimate of the burden(s) of the collection of information; (iii) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information collected; and (iv) 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 30 days of this publication. The public may view the background documentation for this information collection at the following website, 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: Lindsay.M.Abate@omb.eop.gov; and (ii) David Bottom, Director/Chief Information Officer, Securities and Exchange Commission, c/o Cynthia Roscoe, 100 F Street NE, Washington, DC 20549 or send an email to: PRA_ Mailbox@sec.gov. Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of this notice to www.reginfo.gov/public/do/ PRAMain. Find this particular information collection by selecting ‘‘Currently under 30-day Review—Open for Public Comments’’ or by using the search function. Dated: November 10, 2020. J. Matthew DeLesDernier, Assistant Secretary. [FR Doc. 2020–25253 Filed 11–16–20; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 8011–01–P PO 00000 Frm 00053 Fmt 4703 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: 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 (‘‘Commission’’) has submitted to the Office of Management and Budget a request for extension of the previously approved collection of information discussed below. Title 17 CFR 270.3a–8 (rule 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 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 1 Rule Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\17NON1.SGM 3a–8(a)(6) (17 CFR 270.3a–8(6)). 17NON1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 222 (Tuesday, November 17, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 73309-73310]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-25253]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

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: Rule 38a-1; [SEC File No. 270-522, OMB Control No. 
3235-0586]

    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'') has submitted to the Office of 
Management and Budget a request for extension of the previously 
approved collection of information discussed below.
    Rule 38a-1 (17 CFR 270.38a-1) under the Investment Company Act of 
1940 (15 U.S.C. 80a) (``Investment Company Act'') is intended to 
protect investors by fostering better fund compliance with securities 
laws. The rule requires every registered investment company and 
business development company (``fund'') to: (i) Adopt and implement 
written policies and procedures reasonably designed to prevent 
violations of the federal securities laws by the fund, including 
procedures for oversight of compliance by each investment adviser, 
principal underwriter, administrator, and transfer agent of the fund; 
(ii) obtain the fund board of directors' approval of those policies and 
procedures; (iii) annually review the adequacy of those policies and 
procedures and the policies and procedures of each investment adviser, 
principal underwriter, administrator, and transfer agent of the fund, 
and the effectiveness of their implementation; (iv) designate a chief 
compliance officer to administer the fund's policies and procedures and 
prepare an annual report to the board that addresses certain specified 
items relating to the policies and procedures; and (v) maintain for 
five years the compliance policies and procedures and the chief 
compliance officer's annual report to the board.
    The rule contains certain information collection requirements that 
are designed to ensure that funds establish and maintain comprehensive, 
written internal compliance programs. The information collections also 
assist the Commission's examination staff in assessing the adequacy of 
funds' compliance programs.
    While Rule 38a-1 requires each fund to maintain written policies 
and procedures, most funds are located within a fund complex. The 
experience of the Commission's examination and oversight staff suggests 
that each fund in a complex is able to draw extensively from the fund 
complex's ``master'' compliance program to assemble appropriate 
compliance policies and

[[Page 73310]]

procedures. Many fund complexes already have written policies and 
procedures documenting their compliance programs. Further, a fund 
needing to develop or revise policies and procedures on one or more 
topics in order to achieve a comprehensive compliance program can draw 
on a number of outlines and model programs available from a variety of 
industry representatives, commentators, and organizations.
    There are approximately 4,093 funds subject to Rule 38a-1. Among 
these funds, 101 were newly registered in the past year. These 101 
funds, therefore, were required to adopt and document the policies and 
procedures that make up their compliance programs. Commission staff 
estimates that the average annual hour burden for a fund to adopt and 
document these policies and procedures is 105 hours. Thus, we estimate 
that the aggregate annual burden hours associated with the adoption and 
documentation requirement is 10,605 hours.
    All funds are required to conduct an annual review of the adequacy 
of their existing policies and procedures and the policies and 
procedures of each investment adviser, principal underwriter, 
administrator, and transfer agent of the fund, and the effectiveness of 
their implementation. In addition, each fund chief compliance officer 
is required to prepare an annual report that addresses the operation of 
the policies and procedures of the fund and the policies and procedures 
of each investment adviser, principal underwriter, administrator, and 
transfer agent of the fund, any material changes made to those policies 
and procedures since the date of the last report, any material changes 
to the policies and procedures recommended as a result of the annual 
review, and certain compliance matters that occurred since the date of 
the last report. The staff estimates that each fund spends 49 hours per 
year, on average, conducting the annual review and preparing the annual 
report to the board of directors. Thus, we estimate that the annual 
aggregate burden hours associated with the annual review and annual 
report requirement is 200,557 hours.
    Finally, the staff estimates that each fund spends 6 hours 
annually, on average, maintaining the records required by proposed Rule 
38a-1. Thus, the annual aggregate burden hours associated with the 
recordkeeping requirement is 24,558 hours.
    In total, the staff estimates that the aggregate annual information 
collection burden of Rule 38a-1 is 235,720 hours.
    The estimate of average burden hours is made solely for the 
purposes of the Paperwork Reduction Act. The estimate is based on 
communications with industry representatives, and is not derived from a 
comprehensive or even a representative survey or study. 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 OMB control number.
    Written comments are invited on: (i) Whether the collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the Commission, including whether the information has practical 
utility; (ii) the accuracy of the Commission's estimate of the 
burden(s) of the collection of information; (iii) ways to enhance the 
quality, utility, and clarity of the information collected; and (iv) 
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 30 
days of this publication.
    The public may view the background documentation for this 
information collection at the following website, 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: 
[email protected]; and (ii) David Bottom, Director/Chief 
Information Officer, Securities and Exchange Commission, c/o Cynthia 
Roscoe, 100 F Street NE, Washington, DC 20549 or send an email to: 
[email protected]. Written comments and recommendations for the 
proposed information collection should be sent within 30 days of 
publication of this notice to www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Find 
this particular information collection by selecting ``Currently under 
30-day Review--Open for Public Comments'' or by using the search 
function.

    Dated: November 10, 2020.
J. Matthew DeLesDernier,
Assistant Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2020-25253 Filed 11-16-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011-01-P
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