7436 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 17 / Thursday, January 28, 2021 / Notices 

19 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A). 

20 17 CFR 240.19b–4(f)(6). 

21 In addition, Rule 19b–4(f)(6)(iii) requires the 

Exchange 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 

filing of the proposed rule change, or such shorter 

time as designated by the Commission. The 

Exhange has satisfied this requirement. 

22 Id. 

23 17 CFR 240.19b–4(f)(6)(iii). 

24For purposes only of waiving the 30-day 

operative delay, the Commission has also 

considered the proposed rule’s impact on 

efficiency, competition, and capital formation. See 

15 U.S.C. 78c(f). 

25 17 CFR 200.30–3(a)(12). 

1See 17 CFR 240.17g–1 and 17 CFR 249b.300. 

III. Date of Effectiveness of the 

Proposed Rule Change and Timing for 

Commission Action 

The Exchange has designated this rule 

filing as non-controversial under 

Section 19(b)(3)(A) 19 of the Act and 

Rule 19b–4(f)(6) 20 thereunder. Because 

the 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 and Rule 19b– 

4(f)(6) thereunder.21

A proposed rule change filed under 

Rule 19b–4(f)(6) 22 normally does not 

become operative for 30 days after the 

date of filing. However, pursuant to 

Rule 19b–4(f)(6)(iii),23 the Commission 

may designate a shorter time if such 

action is consistent with the protection 

of investors and the public interest. The 

Exchange has asked the Commission to 

waive the 30-day operative delay so that 

the proposal may become operative 

upon filing. Waiver of the operative 

delay will immediately permit series to 

open for trading on the Exchange when 

those series are already open for trading 

on other options exchanges pursuant 

their respective rules, and provide 

Users’ orders that are otherwise resting 

in the Queuing Book and awaiting 

execution with the ability to get into the 

market for potential execution, thereby 

putting such Users on equal footing 

with other market participants as soon 

as possible. In addition, the proposal 

automates an aspect of the opening 

process that the Exchange currently has 

the authority to perform manually. 

Therefore, the Commission believes that 

waiving the 30-day operative delay is 

consistent with the protection of 

investors and the public interest. The 

Commission hereby designates the 

proposed rule change to be operative 

upon filing.24

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 (http://www.sec.gov/ 

rules/sro.shtml); or 

• Send an email to rule-comments@

sec.gov. Please include File Number SR– 

CboeEDGX–2021–005 on the subject 

line. 

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–CboeEDGX–2021–005. 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 (http://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 20549–1090 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–CboeEDGX–2021–005 and 

should be submitted on or before 

February 18, 2021. 

For the Commission, by the Division of 

Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated 

authority.25

J. Matthew DeLesDernier, 

Assistant Secretary. 

[FR Doc. 2021–01833 Filed 1–27–21; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 8011–01–P 

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE 

COMMISSION 

[SEC File No. 270–563, OMB Control No. 

3235–0626] 

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 17g–3 

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 existing collection of information 

provided for in Rule 17g–3 under the 

Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 

U.S.C. 78a et seq.).1 The Commission 

plans to submit this existing collection 

of information to the Office of 

Management and Budget for extension 

and approval. 

Rule 17g–3 contains certain reporting 

requirements for NRSROs including 

financial statements and information 

concerning its financial condition that 

the Commission, by rule, may prescribe 

as necessary or appropriate in the public 

interest or for the protection of 

investors. Currently, there are 9 credit 

rating agencies registered as NRSROs 

with the Commission. The Commission 

estimates that the total burden for 

respondents to comply with Rule 17g– 

3 is 3,285 hours. 

Written comments are invited on: (a) 

Whether the proposed collection of 

information is necessary for the proper 

performance of the functions of the 

Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 17 / Thursday, January 28, 2021 / Notices 7437 

1 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1). 

2 17 CFR 240.19b–4. 

3 If BOX wishes to provide additional temporary 

relief from the rule requirements identified in this 

proposed rule change beyond April 30, 2021, BOX 

will submit a separate rule filing to further extend 

the temporary extension of time. 

4See Exchange Act Release No. 90617 (December 

9, 2020), 85 FR 81258 (December 15, 2020) (SR– 

FINRA–2020–043) (the ‘‘FINRA Filing’’). The 

Exchange notes that the FINRA Filing also provides 

temporary relief to individuals registered with 

FINRA as Operations Professionals under FINRA 

Rule 1220. The Exchange does not have a 

registration category for Operations Professionals 

and therefore, the Exchange is not proposing to 

adopt that aspect of the FINRA Filing. 

5See https://www.finra.org/rules-guidance/keytopics/covid-19/faq#qe. 

6At the outset of the COVID–19 pandemic, all 

FINRA qualification examinations were 

administered at test centers operated by Prometric. 

Based on the health and welfare concerns resulting 

from COVID–19, in March Prometric closed all of 

its test centers in the United States and Canada and 

began to slowly reopen some of them at limited 

capacity in May. Currently, Prometric has resumed 

testing in many of its United States and Canada test 

centers, at either full or limited occupancy, based 

on local and government mandates. 

7BOX Rule 2020(d) is similar to FINRA Rule 

1210.04. The Exchange notes there are several 

differences between its rule text and FINRA’s rule. 

FINRA’s rule provides that registered persons under 

the rule must have at least 18 months of experience 

functioning as a representative within a five-year 

period immediately preceding their designation as 

principal, and the person must have fulfilled all 

applicable prerequisite registration, fee and 

examination requirements prior to their designation 

as principal. The Exchange’s rule does not have 

similar qualifying prerequisites. Unlike the 

Exchange’s rule text, FINRA’s rule also provides 

that the requirements of the rule apply to any 

principal category, and persons registered as an 

‘‘Order Processing Assistant Representative’’, or a 

‘‘Foreign Associate’’ are not eligible to be 

designated as a principal under the rule. Lastly, 

FINRA’s rule also accounts for situations in which 

a person registered as a principal can function in 

another principal category for a period of 120 

calendar days prior to passing an appropriate 

qualification examination. The Exchange believes 

these differences are minor in substance and do not 

materially impact this proposal. Specifically, the 

Exchange simply seeks to adopt similar relief in 

regards to its examination requirements for 

representatives functioning as principals, due to the 

COVID–19 pandemic. 

8FINRA Rule 1210.04 (Requirements for 

Registered Persons Functioning as Principals for a 

Limited Period) allows a member firm to designate 

certain individuals to function in a principal 

Continued 

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 on respondents; 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. 

The Commission may not conduct or 

sponsor a collection of information 

unless it displays a currently valid 

control number. No person shall be 

subject to any penalty for failing to 

comply with a collection of information 

subject to the PRA that does not display 

a valid Office of Management and 

Budget (OMB) control number. 

Please direct your written comments 

to: Dave Bottom, Director/Chief 

Information Officer, Securities and 

Exchange Commission, c/o Cynthia 

Roscoe, 100 F St. NE, Washington, DC 

20549 or send an email to: PRA_

Mailbox@sec.gov. 

Dated: January 22, 2021. 

J. Matthew DeLesDernier, 

Assistant Secretary. 

[FR Doc. 2021–01816 Filed 1–27–21; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 8011–01–P 

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE 

COMMISSION 

[Release No. 34–90973; File No. SR–BOX– 

2021–02] 

Self-Regulatory Organizations; BOX 

Exchange LLC; Notice of Filing and 

Immediate Effectiveness of a Proposed 

Rule Change To Adopt Temporary IM– 

2020–1 (Temporary Extension for 

Representatives To Function as 

Principals) 

January 22, 2021. 

Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the 

Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (‘‘Act’’ 

or ‘‘Exchange Act’’) 1 and Rule 19b–4 

thereunder,2 notice is hereby given that 

on January 12, 2021, the BOX Exchange 

LLC (‘‘BOX’’ or the ‘‘Exchange’’) filed 

with the Securities and Exchange 

Commission (‘‘SEC’’ or ‘‘Commission’’) 

the proposed rule change as described 

in Items I and II below, which Items 

have been prepared by the Exchange. 

The Commission is publishing this 

notice to solicit comments on the 

proposed rule change from interested 

persons. 

I. Self-Regulatory Organization’s 

Statement of the Terms of Substance of 

the Proposed Rule Change 

The Exchange proposes to adopt 

temporary IM–2020–1 (Temporary 

Extension for Representatives to 

Function as Principals). The text of the 

proposed rule change is available from 

the principal office of the Exchange, at 

the Commission’s Public Reference 

Room and also on the Exchange’s 

internet website at http://

boxoptions.com. 

II. Self-Regulatory Organization’s 

Statement of the Purpose of, and 

Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule 

Change 

In its filing with the Commission, the 

Exchange included statements 

concerning the purpose of, and basis for, 

the proposed rule change and discussed 

any comments it received on the 

proposed rule change. The text of those 

statements may be examined at the 

places specified in Item IV below. The 

Exchange has prepared summaries, set 

forth in sections A, B, and C below, of 

the most significant parts of such 

statements. 

A. Self-Regulatory Organization’s 

Statement of the Purpose of, and 

Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule 

Change 

1. Purpose 

The purpose of the proposed rule 

change is to adopt temporary IM–2020– 

1 (Temporary Extension for 

Representatives to Function as 

Principals). The proposed rule change 

would extend the 120-day period that 

certain individuals on the Exchange can 

function as a Principal without having 

successfully passed an applicable 

qualification examination through April 

30, 2021,3 and would apply only to 

those individuals who were designated 

to function as a principal prior to 

January 1, 2021. This proposed rule 

change is based on a filing recently 

submitted by the Financial Industry 

Regulatory Authority, Inc. (‘‘FINRA’’) 4

and is intended to harmonize the 

Exchange’s registration rules with those 

of FINRA so as to promote uniform 

standards across the securities industry. 

The COVID–19 pandemic is an 

unpredictable, exogenous event that has 

resulted in unavoidable disruptions to 

the securities industry and impacted 

Participant firms, regulators, investors 

and other stakeholders. In response to 

COVID–19, earlier this year FINRA 

began providing temporary relief by way 

of frequently asked questions 

(‘‘FAQs’’) 5 to address disruptions to the 

administration of FINRA qualification 

examinations caused by the pandemic 

that have significantly limited the 

ability of individuals to sit for 

examinations due to Prometric test 

center capacity issues.6

FINRA published the first FAQ on 

March 20, 2020, providing that 

individuals who were designated to 

function as principals under FINRA 

Rule 1210.04 7 prior to February 2, 2020, 

would be given until May 31, 2020, to 

pass the appropriate principal 

qualification examination.8 On May 19,