Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Extension: Rule 17a-8, 4321 [2022-01546]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 18 / Thursday, January 27, 2022 / Notices For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated authority.11 J. Matthew DeLesDernier, Assistant Secretary. [FR Doc. 2022–01561 Filed 1–26–22; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 8011–01–P SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION [SEC File No. 270–225, OMB Control No. 3235–0235] lotter on DSK11XQN23PROD with NOTICES1 Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Extension: Rule 17a–8 Upon Written Request, Copies Available From: Securities and Exchange Commission, Office of FOIA Services, 100 F Street NE, Washington, DC 20549–2736 Notice is hereby given that pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501–3520), the Securities and Exchange Commission (the ‘‘Commission’’) is soliciting comments on the collection of information summarized below. The Commission plans to submit this existing collection of information to the Office of Management and Budget for extension and approval. Rule 17a–8 (17 CFR 270.17a–8) under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the ‘‘Act’’) (15 U.S.C. 80a–1 et seq.) is entitled ‘‘Mergers of affiliated companies.’’ Rule 17a–8 exempts certain mergers and similar business combinations (‘‘mergers’’) of affiliated registered investment companies (‘‘funds’’) from prohibitions under section 17(a) of the Act (15 U.S.C. 80a– 17(a)) on purchases and sales between a fund and its affiliates. The rule requires fund directors to consider certain issues and to record their findings in board minutes. The rule requires the directors of any fund merging with an unregistered entity to approve procedures for the valuation of assets received from that entity. These procedures must provide for the preparation of a report by an independent evaluator that sets forth the fair value of each such asset for which market quotations are not readily available. The rule also requires a fund being acquired to obtain approval of the merger transaction by a majority of its outstanding voting securities, except in certain situations, and requires any surviving fund to preserve written records describing the merger and its terms for six years after the merger (the first two in an easily accessible place). The average annual burden of meeting the requirements of rule 17a–8 is estimated to be 7 hours for each fund. The Commission staff estimates that each year approximately 384 funds rely on the rule. The estimated total average annual burden for all respondents therefore is 2,688 hours. The average cost burden of preparing a report by an independent evaluator in a merger with an unregistered entity is estimated to be $15,000. The average net cost burden of obtaining approval of a merger transaction by a majority of a fund’s outstanding voting securities is estimated to be $100,000. The Commission staff estimates that each year approximately 59 funds hold shareholder votes that would not otherwise have held a shareholder vote. The total annual cost burden of meeting these requirements is estimated to be $5,900,000. The estimates of average burden hours and average cost burdens 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. 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 requested on: (a) Whether the collection of information is 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 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 David Bottom, Director/Chief Information Officer, Securities and Exchange Commission, C/O John R. Pezzullo, 100 F Street NE, Washington, DC 20549; or send an email to: PRA_ Mailbox@sec.gov. Dated: January 21, 2022. J. Matthew DeLesDernier, Assistant Secretary. [FR Doc. 2022–01546 Filed 1–26–22; 8:45 am] 11 17 CFR 200.30–3(a)(12). VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:53 Jan 26, 2022 BILLING CODE 8011–01–P Jkt 256001 PO 00000 Frm 00131 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 4321 SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION [SEC File No. 270–224, OMB Control No. 3235–0217] Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request, Extension: Rule 17e–1 Upon Written Request, Copies Available From: Securities and Exchange Commission, Office of FOIA Services, 100 F Street NE, Washington, DC 20549–2736 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 described below. Rule 17e–1 (17 CFR 270.17e–1) under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80a–1 et seq.) (the ‘‘Investment Company Act’’) deems a remuneration as ‘‘not exceeding the usual and customary broker’s commission’’ for purposes of Section 17(e)(2)(A) of the Act (15 U.S.C. 80a– 17(e)(2)(A)) if, among other things, a registered investment company’s (‘‘fund’s’’) board of directors has adopted procedures reasonably designed to provide that the remuneration to an affiliated broker is reasonable and fair compared to that received by other brokers in connection with comparable transactions involving similar securities being purchased or sold on a securities exchange during a comparable period of time and the board makes and approves such changes as it deems necessary. In addition, each quarter, the board must determine that all transactions effected under the rule during the preceding quarter complied with the established procedures (‘‘review requirement’’). Rule 17e–1 also requires the fund to (i) maintain permanently a written copy of the procedures adopted by the board for complying with the requirements of the rule; and (ii) maintain for a period of six years, the first two in an easily accessible place, a written record of each transaction subject to the rule, setting forth the amount and source of the commission, fee, or other remuneration received; the identity of the broker; the terms of the transaction; and the materials used to determine that the transactions were effected in compliance with the procedures adopted by the board (‘‘recordkeeping requirement’’). The review and E:\FR\FM\27JAN1.SGM 27JAN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 18 (Thursday, January 27, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Page 4321]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-01546]


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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

[SEC File No. 270-225, OMB Control No. 3235-0235]


Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Extension: Rule 17a-8

Upon Written Request, Copies Available From: Securities and Exchange 
Commission, Office of FOIA Services, 100 F Street NE, Washington, DC 
20549-2736

    Notice is hereby given that pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act 
of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520), the Securities and Exchange Commission 
(the ``Commission'') is soliciting comments on the collection of 
information summarized below. The Commission plans to submit this 
existing collection of information to the Office of Management and 
Budget for extension and approval.
    Rule 17a-8 (17 CFR 270.17a-8) under the Investment Company Act of 
1940 (the ``Act'') (15 U.S.C. 80a-1 et seq.) is entitled ``Mergers of 
affiliated companies.'' Rule 17a-8 exempts certain mergers and similar 
business combinations (``mergers'') of affiliated registered investment 
companies (``funds'') from prohibitions under section 17(a) of the Act 
(15 U.S.C. 80a-17(a)) on purchases and sales between a fund and its 
affiliates. The rule requires fund directors to consider certain issues 
and to record their findings in board minutes. The rule requires the 
directors of any fund merging with an unregistered entity to approve 
procedures for the valuation of assets received from that entity. These 
procedures must provide for the preparation of a report by an 
independent evaluator that sets forth the fair value of each such asset 
for which market quotations are not readily available. The rule also 
requires a fund being acquired to obtain approval of the merger 
transaction by a majority of its outstanding voting securities, except 
in certain situations, and requires any surviving fund to preserve 
written records describing the merger and its terms for six years after 
the merger (the first two in an easily accessible place).
    The average annual burden of meeting the requirements of rule 17a-8 
is estimated to be 7 hours for each fund. The Commission staff 
estimates that each year approximately 384 funds rely on the rule. The 
estimated total average annual burden for all respondents therefore is 
2,688 hours.
    The average cost burden of preparing a report by an independent 
evaluator in a merger with an unregistered entity is estimated to be 
$15,000. The average net cost burden of obtaining approval of a merger 
transaction by a majority of a fund's outstanding voting securities is 
estimated to be $100,000. The Commission staff estimates that each year 
approximately 59 funds hold shareholder votes that would not otherwise 
have held a shareholder vote. The total annual cost burden of meeting 
these requirements is estimated to be $5,900,000.
    The estimates of average burden hours and average cost burdens 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. 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 requested on: (a) Whether the collection of 
information is 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 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 David Bottom, Director/Chief 
Information Officer, Securities and Exchange Commission, C/O John R. 
Pezzullo, 100 F Street NE, Washington, DC 20549; or send an email to: 
[email protected].

    Dated: January 21, 2022.
J. Matthew DeLesDernier,
Assistant Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2022-01546 Filed 1-26-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011-01-P
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