Document Headings

                    Document headings vary by document type but may contain                    the following:                  
                -                       the agency or agencies that issued and signed a document                    
                -                       the number of the CFR title and the number of each part                      the document amends, proposes to amend, or is directly                      related to                    
                -                       the agency docket number / agency internal file number                    
                -                       the RIN which identifies each regulatory action listed in                      the Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory                      Actions                    

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###### Securities and Exchange Commission

*Upon Written Request, Copies Available From:*                     Securities and Exchange Commission, Office of Filings and Information Services, Washington, DC 20549.                 

*Extension:*

Rule 15c2-12; SEC File No. 270-330; OMB Control No. 3235-0372. 

                    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 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 15c2-12 Disclosure requirements for municipal securities.

Rule 15c2-12, under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, requires underwriters of municipal securities: (1) To obtain and review a copy of an official statement deemed final by an issuer of the securities, except for the omission of specified information; (2) in non-competitively bid offerings, to make available, upon request, the most recent preliminary official statement, if any; (3) to contract with the issuer of the securities, or its agent, to receive, within specified time periods, sufficient copies of the issuer's final official statement to comply both with this rule and any rules of the MSRB; (4) to provide, for a specified period of time, copies of the final official statement to any potential customer upon request; (5) before purchasing or selling municipal securities in connection with an offering, to reasonably determine that the issuer or other specified person has undertaken, in a written agreement or contract, for the benefit of holders of such municipal securities, to provide certain information about the issue or issuer on a continuing basis to a nationally recognized municipal securities information repository; and (6) to review the information the issuer of the municipal security has undertaken to provide prior to recommending a transaction in the municipal security. 

                    These disclosure and recordkeeping requirements will ensure that investors have adequate access to official disclosure documents that contain details about the value and risks of particular municipal securities at the time of issuance while the existence of                           ( print page 706)                        compulsory repositories will ensure that investors have continued access to terms and provisions relating to certain static features of those municipal securities. The provisions of Rule 15c2-12 regarding an issuer's continuing disclosure requirements assist investors by ensuring that information about an issue or issuer remains available after the issuance.                 

Municipal offerings of less than $1 million are exempt from the rule, as are offerings of municipal securities issued in large denominations that are sold to no more than 35 sophisticated investors, have short-term maturities, or have short-term tender or put features. It is estimated that approximately 12,000 brokers, dealers, municipal securities dealers, issuers of municipal securities, and nationally recognized municipal securities information repositories will spend a total of 123,850 hours per year complying with Rule 15c2-12. 

There is no specific retention period applied by Rule 15c2-12 for the recordkeeping requirement contained in Rule 15c2-12. The retention period is determined by private agreement between a nationally recognized municipal securities information repository and the issuer. 

The recordkeeping requirement is mandatory to ensure that investors have access to information about the issuer and particular issues of municipal securities. This rule does not involve the collection of confidential information. Please note that 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. 

General Comments regarding the estimated burden hours should be directed to the following persons: (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; and (ii) Kenneth A. Fogash, Acting Associate Executive Director/CIO, Office of Information Technology, Securities and Exchange Commission, 450 5th Street, NW., Washington, DC 20549. Comments must be submitted to OMB within 30 days of this notice. 

Dated: December 29, 2003. 

Margaret H. McFarland, 

Deputy Secretary. 

[FR Doc. 04-215 Filed 1-5-04; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 8010-01-P