Proposed Collection; Comment Request, 13410-13411 [2021-04657]

Download as PDF 13410 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 43 / Monday, March 8, 2021 / Notices jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with NOTICES annually, with a total of 6 responses.2 Thus, the total annual hour burden for rule 17f–1 is approximately 21 hours.3 Funds that rely on rule 17f–1 generally use outside counsel to prepare the custodial contract for the board’s review and to transmit the contract to the Commission. Commission staff estimates the cost of outside counsel to perform these tasks for a fund each year is $978.4 Funds also must have an independent public accountant verify the fund’s assets three times each year and prepare the certificate of examination. Commission staff estimates the annual cost for an independent public accountant to perform this service is $9,050.5 Therefore, the total annual cost burden for a fund that relies on rule 17f–1 would be approximately $10,028.6 As noted above, the staff estimates that 6 funds rely on rule 17f–1 each year, for an estimated total annualized cost burden of $60,168.7 The estimate of average burden hours is made solely for the purposes of the Paperwork Reduction Act, and is not derived from a comprehensive or even a representative survey or study of the costs of Commission rules. Compliance with the collections of information required by rule 17f–1 is mandatory for funds that place their assets in the custody of a national securities exchange member. 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. The public may view background documentation for this information collection at the following website: www.reginfo.gov. Find this particular information collection by selecting ‘‘Currently under 30-day Review—Open for Public Comments’’ or by using the 2 Based on a review of Form N–17f–1 filings over the last three years the Commission staff estimates that an average of 6 funds rely on rule 17f–1 each year. 3 This estimate is based on the following calculation: (6 respondents × 3.5 hours = 21 hours). The annual burden for rule 17f–1 does not include time spent preparing Form N–17f–1. The burden for Form N–17f–1 is included in a separate collection of information. 4 This estimate is based on the following calculation: (2 hours of outside counsel time × $489 = $978). The staff has estimated the average cost of outside counsel at $489 per hour, based on information received from funds and their counsel. 5 This estimate is based on information received from fund representatives estimating the aggregate annual cost of an independent public accountant’s periodic verification of assets and preparation of the certificate of examination. 6 This estimate is based on the following calculation: ($978 + $9,050 = $10,028). 7 This estimate is based on the following calculation: (6 funds × $10,028 = $60,168). VerDate Sep<11>2014 19:05 Mar 05, 2021 Jkt 253001 search function. Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of this notice to (i) www.reginfo.gov/public/do/ PRAMain and (ii) David Bottom, Director/Chief Information Officer, Securities and Exchange Commission, c/o Cynthia Roscoe, 100 F Street NE, Washington, DC 20549, or by sending an email to: PRA_Mailbox@sec.gov. Dated: March 2, 2021. J. Matthew DeLesDernier, Assistant Secretary. [FR Doc. 2021–04655 Filed 3–5–21; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 8011–01–P SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION [SEC File No. 270–429, OMB Control No. 3235–0480] Proposed Collection; 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 9b–1 Notice is hereby given that pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (‘‘PRA’’) (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), the Securities and Exchange Commission (‘‘Commission’’) is soliciting comments on the existing collection of information provided for in Rule 9b–1, Options Disclosure Document (17 CFR 240.9b– 1), under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78a et seq.). The Commission plans to submit this existing collection of information to the Office of Management and Budget (‘‘OMB’’) for extension and approval. Rule 9b–1 (17 CFR 240.9b–1) sets forth the categories of information required to be disclosed in an options disclosure document (‘‘ODD’’) and requires the options markets to file an ODD with the Commission 60 days prior to the date it is distributed to investors. In addition, Rule 9b–1 provides that the ODD must be amended if the information in the document becomes materially inaccurate or incomplete and that amendments must be filed with the Commission 30 days prior to the distribution to customers. Finally, Rule 9b–1 requires a broker-dealer to furnish to each customer an ODD and any amendments prior to accepting an order to purchase or sell an option on behalf of that customer or when approving a customer’s account for options trading. PO 00000 Frm 00132 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 There are 16 options markets 1 that must comply with Rule 9b–1. These respondents work together to prepare a single ODD covering options traded on each market, as well as amendments to the ODD. These respondents file approximately 3 amendments per year. The staff calculates that the preparation and filing of amendments should take no more than eight hours per options market. Thus, the total time burden for options markets per year is approximately 384 hours (16 options markets × 8 hours per amendment × 3 amendments). The estimated cost for an in-house attorney is $420 per hour,2 resulting in a total internal cost of compliance for these respondents of approximately $161,280 per year (384 hours at $420 per hour). In addition, approximately 1,020 broker-dealers 3 must comply with Rule 9b–1. Each of these respondents will process an average of 3 new customers for options each week and, therefore, will have to furnish approximately 156 ODDs per year. The postal mailing or electronic delivery of the ODD takes respondents no more than 30 seconds to complete for an annual time burden for each of these respondents of approximately 78 minutes or 1.3 hours. Thus, the total time burden per year for broker-dealers is approximately 1,326 hours (1,020 broker-dealers × 1.3 hours). The estimated cost for a general clerk of a broker-dealer is $63 per hour,4 1 The sixteen options markets are as follows: BOX Exchange LLC, Cboe BZX Exchange, Inc., Cboe C2 Exchange, Inc., Cboe EDGX Exchange, Inc., Cboe Exchange, Inc., Miami International Securities Exchange LLC, MIAX Emerald, LLC, MIAX PEARL, LLC, Nasdaq BX, Inc., Nasdaq GEMX, LLC, Nasdaq ISE, LLC, Nasdaq MRX, LLC, Nasdaq PHLX LLC, Nasdaq Options Market (NOM), NYSE Arca, Inc., and NYSE American LLC. 2 SIFMA did its last annual survey in 2013 and will not resume the survey process. Accordingly, the $420 figure is based on the 2013 figure ($380) adjusted by the inflation rate calculated using the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ CPI Inflation Calculator. The $380 per hour figure for an Attorney is from SIFMA’s Management & Professional Earnings in the Securities Industry 2013, modified by Commission staff to account for an 1800-hour workyear and multiplied by 5.35 to account for bonuses, firm size, employee benefits and overhead. 3 The estimate of 1,020 broker-dealers required to comply with Rule 9b–1 is derived from Item 12 of the Form BD (OMB Control No. 3235–0012). This estimate may be high as it includes broker-dealers that engage in only a proprietary business, and as a result are not required to deliver an ODD, as well as those broker-dealers subject to Rule 9b–1. 4 The $63 figure is based on the 2013 figure ($57) adjusted for inflation. See supra note 2. The $57 per hour figure for a General Clerk is from SIFMA’s Office Salaries in the Securities Industry 2013, modified by Commission staff to account for an 1800-hour work-year and multiplied by 2.93 to account for bonuses, firm size, employee benefits and overhead. The staff believes that the ODD would be mailed or electronically delivered to customers by a general clerk of the broker-dealer or some other equivalent position. E:\FR\FM\08MRN1.SGM 08MRN1 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 43 / Monday, March 8, 2021 / Notices resulting in a total internal cost of compliance for these respondents of approximately $83,538 per year (1,326 hours at $63 per hour). The total time burden for all respondents under this rule (both options markets and broker-dealers) is approximately 1,710 hours per year (384 + 1,326), and the total internal cost of compliance is approximately $244,818 per year ($161,280 + $83,538). Written comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Commission, including whether the information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the Commission’s estimates of the burden of the proposed 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. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information under the PRA unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. Please direct your written comments to: 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. Dated: March 2, 2021. J. Matthew DeLesDernier, Assistant Secretary. [FR Doc. 2021–04657 Filed 3–5–21; 8:45 am] SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION [Release No. 34–91190A; File No. S7–24– 89] Self-Regulatory Organizations; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of the Fiftieth Amendment to the Joint Self-Regulatory Organization Plan Governing the Collection, Consolidation and Dissemination of Quotation and Transaction Information for Nasdaq-Listed Securities Traded on Exchanges on an Unlisted Trading Privileges Basis; Correction March 3, 2021. Securities and Exchange Commission. ACTION: Notice; correction. AGENCY: The Securities and Exchange Commission published a document in the Federal Register on March 1, 2021, concerning a Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of the Fiftieth Amendment to the Joint Self-Regulatory Organization Plan. The document header contained a typographical error. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mia Zur, Division of Trading and Markets, Securities and Exchange Commission, 100 F Street NE, Washington, DC 20549, (202) 551–3088. SUMMARY: Correction In the Federal Register of March 1, 2021 in FR Doc. 2021–04089, on page 12045, in the heading ‘‘Joint Industry Plan; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of the Fiftieth Amendment to the Joint Self-Regulatory Organization Plan Governing the Collection, Consolidation and Dissemination of Quotation and Transaction Information to Nasdaq-Listed Securities Traded on Exchanges on an Unlisted Trading Privileges Basis’’ remove ‘‘and Immediate Effectiveness’’ from the heading. J. Matthew DeLesDernier, Assistant Secretary. BILLING CODE 8011–01–P [FR Doc. 2021–04712 Filed 3–5–21; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 8011–01–P jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with NOTICES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION [SEC File No. 270–361, OMB Control No. 3235–0411] Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request Upon Written Request, Copies Available From: Securities and Exchange Commission, Office of FOIA Services, VerDate Sep<11>2014 19:05 Mar 05, 2021 Jkt 253001 PO 00000 Frm 00133 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 13411 100 F Street NE, Washington, DC 20549–2736 Extension: Rule 489 and Form F–N Notice is hereby given that, pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.) (‘‘Paperwork Reduction Act’’), the Securities and Exchange Commission (the ‘‘Commission’’) has submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (‘‘OMB’’) a request for extension of the previously approved collection of information discussed below. Rule 489 (17 CFR 230.489) under the Securities Act of 1933 (15 U.S.C. 77a et seq.) requires foreign banks and foreign insurance companies and holding companies and finance subsidiaries of foreign banks and foreign insurance companies that are exempted from the definition of ‘‘investment company’’ by virtue of rules 3a–1 (17 CFR 270.3a–1), 3a–5 (17 CFR 270.3a–5), and 3a–6 (17 CFR 270.3a–6) under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80a–1 et seq.) to file Form F–N (17 CFR 239.43) to appoint an agent for service of process when making a public offering of securities in the United States. The information is collected so that the Commission and private plaintiffs may serve process on foreign entities in actions and administrative proceedings arising out of or based on the offer or sales of securities in the United States by such foreign entities. The Commission received an average of 27 Form F–N filings from 18 unique filers each year for the last three years (2017–2019). The Commission has previously estimated that the total annual burden associated with information collection and Form F–N preparation and submission is one hour per filing. Based on the Commission’s experience with disclosure documents generally, the Commission continues to believe that this estimate is appropriate. Thus the estimated total annual burden for rule 489 and Form F–N is 27 hours.1 Estimates of the average 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 and forms. Compliance with the collection of information requirements of rule 489 and Form F–N is mandatory to obtain the benefit of the exemption. Responses to the collection of information will not be kept confidential. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of 1 27 responses per year × 1 hour per response = 27 hours per year. E:\FR\FM\08MRN1.SGM 08MRN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 43 (Monday, March 8, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13410-13411]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-04657]


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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

[SEC File No. 270-429, OMB Control No. 3235-0480]


Proposed Collection; 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 9b-1

    Notice is hereby given that pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act 
of 1995 (``PRA'') (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), the Securities and Exchange 
Commission (``Commission'') is soliciting comments on the existing 
collection of information provided for in Rule 9b-1, Options Disclosure 
Document (17 CFR 240.9b-1), under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 
(15 U.S.C. 78a et seq.). The Commission plans to submit this existing 
collection of information to the Office of Management and Budget 
(``OMB'') for extension and approval.
    Rule 9b-1 (17 CFR 240.9b-1) sets forth the categories of 
information required to be disclosed in an options disclosure document 
(``ODD'') and requires the options markets to file an ODD with the 
Commission 60 days prior to the date it is distributed to investors. In 
addition, Rule 9b-1 provides that the ODD must be amended if the 
information in the document becomes materially inaccurate or incomplete 
and that amendments must be filed with the Commission 30 days prior to 
the distribution to customers. Finally, Rule 9b-1 requires a broker-
dealer to furnish to each customer an ODD and any amendments prior to 
accepting an order to purchase or sell an option on behalf of that 
customer or when approving a customer's account for options trading.
    There are 16 options markets \1\ that must comply with Rule 9b-1. 
These respondents work together to prepare a single ODD covering 
options traded on each market, as well as amendments to the ODD. These 
respondents file approximately 3 amendments per year. The staff 
calculates that the preparation and filing of amendments should take no 
more than eight hours per options market. Thus, the total time burden 
for options markets per year is approximately 384 hours (16 options 
markets x 8 hours per amendment x 3 amendments). The estimated cost for 
an in-house attorney is $420 per hour,\2\ resulting in a total internal 
cost of compliance for these respondents of approximately $161,280 per 
year (384 hours at $420 per hour).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ The sixteen options markets are as follows: BOX Exchange 
LLC, Cboe BZX Exchange, Inc., Cboe C2 Exchange, Inc., Cboe EDGX 
Exchange, Inc., Cboe Exchange, Inc., Miami International Securities 
Exchange LLC, MIAX Emerald, LLC, MIAX PEARL, LLC, Nasdaq BX, Inc., 
Nasdaq GEMX, LLC, Nasdaq ISE, LLC, Nasdaq MRX, LLC, Nasdaq PHLX LLC, 
Nasdaq Options Market (NOM), NYSE Arca, Inc., and NYSE American LLC.
    \2\ SIFMA did its last annual survey in 2013 and will not resume 
the survey process. Accordingly, the $420 figure is based on the 
2013 figure ($380) adjusted by the inflation rate calculated using 
the Bureau of Labor Statistics' CPI Inflation Calculator. The $380 
per hour figure for an Attorney is from SIFMA's Management & 
Professional Earnings in the Securities Industry 2013, modified by 
Commission staff to account for an 1800-hour work-year and 
multiplied by 5.35 to account for bonuses, firm size, employee 
benefits and overhead.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    In addition, approximately 1,020 broker-dealers \3\ must comply 
with Rule 9b-1. Each of these respondents will process an average of 3 
new customers for options each week and, therefore, will have to 
furnish approximately 156 ODDs per year. The postal mailing or 
electronic delivery of the ODD takes respondents no more than 30 
seconds to complete for an annual time burden for each of these 
respondents of approximately 78 minutes or 1.3 hours. Thus, the total 
time burden per year for broker-dealers is approximately 1,326 hours 
(1,020 broker-dealers x 1.3 hours). The estimated cost for a general 
clerk of a broker-dealer is $63 per hour,\4\

[[Page 13411]]

resulting in a total internal cost of compliance for these respondents 
of approximately $83,538 per year (1,326 hours at $63 per hour).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \3\ The estimate of 1,020 broker-dealers required to comply with 
Rule 9b-1 is derived from Item 12 of the Form BD (OMB Control No. 
3235-0012). This estimate may be high as it includes broker-dealers 
that engage in only a proprietary business, and as a result are not 
required to deliver an ODD, as well as those broker-dealers subject 
to Rule 9b-1.
    \4\ The $63 figure is based on the 2013 figure ($57) adjusted 
for inflation. See supra note 2. The $57 per hour figure for a 
General Clerk is from SIFMA's Office Salaries in the Securities 
Industry 2013, modified by Commission staff to account for an 1800-
hour work-year and multiplied by 2.93 to account for bonuses, firm 
size, employee benefits and overhead. The staff believes that the 
ODD would be mailed or electronically delivered to customers by a 
general clerk of the broker-dealer or some other equivalent 
position.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The total time burden for all respondents under this rule (both 
options markets and broker-dealers) is approximately 1,710 hours per 
year (384 + 1,326), and the total internal cost of compliance is 
approximately $244,818 per year ($161,280 + $83,538).
    Written comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed 
collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of 
the functions of the Commission, including whether the information 
shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the Commission's 
estimates of the burden of the proposed 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.
    An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required 
to respond to, a collection of information under the PRA unless it 
displays a currently valid OMB control number.
    Please direct your written comments to: 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].

    Dated: March 2, 2021.
J. Matthew DeLesDernier,
Assistant Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2021-04657 Filed 3-5-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011-01-P


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