32140 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 99 / Monday, May 22, 2000 / Notices

12 17 CFR 200.30–3(a)(12).

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

2 17 CFR 240.19b–4.

3The OHO issues decisions rendered by Hearing

Officers (default decisions) and Hearing Panels.

4Securities Exchange Act Release No. 42607

(April 3, 2000), 65 FR 19421.

5See Special NASD Notice to Member 97–55

(August 1997).

6 15 U.S.C. 78–o 3(b)(6).

7 15 U.S.C. 78–o 3(b)(7).

8 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(2).

9 17 CFR 200.30–3(a)(12).

change is consistent with the Act.

Persons making written submissions

should file six copies thereof with the

Secretary, Securities and Exchange

Commission, 450 Fifth Street, NW,

Washington, DC 20549–0609. 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 inspection and copying in

the Commission’s Public Reference

Room. Copies of such filing will also be

available for inspection and copying at

the principal office of the CBOE. All

submissions should refer to File No.

SR–CBOE–00–17 and should be

submitted by June 6, 2000.

For the Commission, by the Division of

Market Regulation, pursuant to delegated

authority.12

Margaret H. McFarland,

Deputy Secretary.

[FR Doc. 00–12759 Filed 5–19–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 8010–01–M

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE

COMMISSION

[Release No. 34–42783: File No. SR–NASD–

00–05]

Self-Regulatory Organizations; Order

Granting Approval to Proposed Rule

Change by the National Association of

Securities Dealers, Inc. Relating to the

Release of Disciplinary Information

May 15, 2000.

I. Introduction

On February 16, 2000, the National

Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.

(‘‘NASD’’ or ‘‘Association’’), through its

wholly owned subsidiary NASD

Regulation, Inc. (‘‘NASD Regulation’’),

filed with the Securities and Exchange

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

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

Securities Exchange Act of 1934

(‘‘Act’’) 1 and Rule 19b–4 thereunder,2 a

proposed rule change to amend IM–

8310–2 of the Association, to provide

for the publication of all final, litigated

decisions issued by the Office of

Hearing Officers (‘‘OHO’’),3 the National

Ad judicatory Council (‘‘NAC’’), and the

NASD Board, regardless of sanctions

imposed.

The proposed rule change was

published for comment in the Federal

Register on April 11, 2000.4 No

comments were received on the

proposal. This order approves the

proposal.

II. Description of the Proposal

Some NASD disciplinary decisions

are currently available in electronic

legal research databases, such as

Westlaw, Lexis-Nexis, and Books on

Screen. Interpretative Material 8310–2

(the ‘‘Interpretation’’) permits the NASD

to release any disciplinary decision: (1)

Imposing a suspension, cancellation or

expulsion of a member; (2) imposing a

suspension or revocation of the

registration of any associated person; (3)

imposing a suspension or barring a

member or associated person from

association with all members; (4)

imposing monetary sanctions of $10,000

or more on a member or associated

person; (5) containing on alleged

violation of a Designated Rule; or (6)

deemed by the President of NASD

Regulation to involve a significant

policy or enforcement determination

where the release of information would

be in the public interest.

The Association is proposing to

amend the Interpretation to provide for

the publication of all final, litigated

decisions issued by the OHO, the NAC,

and the NASD Board, regardless of

sanctions imposed. However, the names

of the parties and other identifying

information mentioned in the decisions

that do not meet the current enumerated

publication criteria, as outlined in the

Interpretation (listed above), will be

redacted from these decisions.

Settlements, Letters of Acceptance,

Waivers and Consents (‘‘AWCs’’), and

Minor Rule Violation Plan letters are

excluded from this proposal. The

proposed rule change will not have any

impact on the information contained in

or disclosed by the Central Registration

Depository system. The NASD will

make available all decisions covered

under this proposal that were issued

after August 7, 1997, the effective date

of the most recent significant changes to

the NASD Code of Procedure.5

III. Discussion

The Commission finds that the

proposal is consistent with Section

15A(b)(6) of the Act,6 which requires,

among other things, that the rules of an

association be designed to prevent

fraudulent and manipulative acts and

practices, to promote just and equitable

principles of trade, and, in general, to

protect investors and the public interest.

In particular, the Commission finds that

the proposal is consistent with Section

15A(b)(7) of the Act 7 in that it works to

adequately safeguard the interest of

investors while establishing fair rules

for its members and persons associated

with its members.

The Commission believes that

providing the public with this expanded

information on disciplinary decisions

will provide a clearer picture of the

Association’s current application and

interpretation of its substantive and

procedural rules. The NASD will make

the information available to vendors of

legal research databases. Members will

have additional insight into how NASD

rules are enforced, making it easier for

them to comply with the rules.

It is therefore ordered, pursuant to

Section 19(b)(2) of the Act, 8 that the

proposed rule change (SR–NASD–00–

05) is approved. The NASD will

announce the effective date of this rule

in a Notice to Members to be published

within 60 days of the date on this order.

The effective date will be 30 days

following publication of the Notice to

Members announcing Commission

approval.

For the Commission, by the Division

of Market Regulation, pursuant to

delegated authority.9

Margaret H. McFarland,

Deputy Secretary.

[FR Doc. 00–12758 Filed 5–19–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 8010–01–M

SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

[Declaration of Disaster #3253]

State of California

Los Angeles County and the

contiguous counties of Kern, Orange,

San Bernardino, and Ventura in the

State of California constitute a disaster

area as a result of severe storms that

occurred on April 18, 2000.

Applications for loans for physical

damage as a result of this disaster may

be filed until the close of business on

July 10, 2000 and for economic injury

until the close of business on February

9, 2001 at the address listed below or

other locally announced locations: U.S.

Small Business Administration, Disaster

Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 99 / Monday, May 22, 2000 / Notices 32141

Area 4 Office, P.O. Box 13795,

Sacramento, CA 95853–4795.

The interest rates are:

For Physical Damage

Homeowners with credit available

elsewhere: 7.625%

Homeowners without credit available

elsewhere: 3.812%

Businesses with credit available

elsewhere: 8.000%

Businesses and non-profit organizations

without credit available elsewhere:

4.000%

Others (including non-profit

organizations) with credit available

elsewhere: 6.750%

For Economic Injury

Businesses and small agricultural

cooperatives without credit available

elsewhere: 4.000%

The numbers assigned to this disaster

are 325311 for physical damage and

9H3200 for economic injury.

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance

Program Nos. 59002 and 59008)

Dated: May 9, 2000.

Kris Swedin,

Acting Administrator.

[FR Doc. 00–12692 Filed 5–19–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 8025–01–P

SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

[Declaration of Economic Injury Disaster

#9H25]

State of Connecticut (and Contiguous

Counties in the State of Rhode Island)

New London County and the

contiguous counties of Hartford,

Middlesex, Tolland, and Windham in

Connecticut, and Kent and Washington

Counties in Rhode Island constitute an

economic injury disaster loan area as a

result of a fire that occurred on March

6, 2000 in the Village of Mystic, in the

Town of Groton. Eligible small

businesses and small agricultural

cooperatives without credit available

elsewhere may file applications for

economic injury assistance as a result of

this disaster until the close of business

on February 2, 2001 at the address listed

below or other locally announced

locations: U.S. Small Business

Administration, Disaster Area 1 Office,

360 Rainbow Blvd, South, 3rd Floor,

Niagara Falls, NY 14303.

The interest rate for eligible small

businesses and small agricultural

cooperatives is 4 percent.

The economic injury number for the

State of Rhode Island is 9H2600.

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance

Program No. 59002)

Dated: May 8, 2000.

Kris Swedin,

Acting Administrator.

[FR Doc. 00–12693 Filed 5–19–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 8025–01–P

SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

[Declaration of Disaster #3252]

State of Kansas

As a result of the President’s major

disaster declaration on May 3, 2000, I

find that Crawford, Labette, and Neosho

Counties in the State of Kansas

constitute a disaster area due to

damages caused by severe storms and

tornadoes that occurred April 19–20,

2000. Applications for loans for

physical damage as a result of this

disaster may be filed until the close of

business on July 2, 2000, and for loans

for economic injury until the close of

business on February 5, 2001 at the

address listed below or other locally

announced locations: U.S. Small

Business Administration, Disaster Area

3 Office, 4400 Amon Carter Blvd., Suite

102, Fort Worth, TX 76155.

In addition, applications for economic

injury loans from small businesses

located in the following contiguous

counties may be filed until the specified

date at the above location: Allen,

Bourbon, Cherokee, Montgomery,

Wilson, and Woodson Counties in

Kansas; Barton, Jasper, and Vernon

Counties in Missouri; and Craig and

Nowata Counties in Oklahoma.

The interest rates are:

For Physical Damage

Homeowners with credit available

elsewhere: 7.625%

Homeowners without credit available

elsewhere: 3.812%

Businesses with credit available

elsewhere: 8.000%

Businesses and non-profit organizations

without credit available elsewhere:

4.000%

Others (including non-profit

organizations) with credit available

elsewhere: 6.750%

For Economic Injury

Businesses and small agricultural

cooperatives without credit available

elsewhere: 4.000%

The number assigned to this disaster

for physical damage is 325212. For

economic injury the numbers are

9H2200 for Kansas, 9H2300 for

Missouri, and 9H2400 for Oklahoma.

Dated: May 8, 2000.

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance

Program Nos. 59002 and 59008)

Herbert L. Mitchell,

Acting Associate Administrator for Disaster

Assistance.

[FR Doc. 00–12694 Filed 5–19–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 8025–01–P

SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

Region III Advisory Council Meeting;

Public Meeting

The South Atlantic States, Regulatory

Fairness Board will hold a public

hearing on June 22, 2000, at Morgan

State University, Main Lecture Hall,

Schaefer Building, located at 5200

Perring Parkway, Room 241, Baltimore,

Maryland to receive comments and

testimony from small businesses and

representatives of trade associations

concerning federal regulatory

enforcement or compliance activities.

Transcripts of these proceedings will be

posted on the Internet. These transcripts

are subject only to limited review by the

National Ombudsman. For further

information, call Elestine Harvey (312)

353–0880.

Bettie Baca,

Counselor to the Administrator/Public

Liaison.

[FR Doc. 00–12691 Filed 5–19–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 8025–01–P

SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION

Finding Regarding the Social

Insurance System of Bosnia and

Herzegovina

AGENCY: Social Security Administration.

ACTION: Notice of finding regarding the

Social Insurance System of Bosnia and

Herzegovina.

FINDING: Section 202(t)(1) of the Social

Security Act (42 U.S.C. 402(t)(1))

prohibits payment of monthly benefits

to any individual who is not a United

States citizen or national for any month

after he or she has been outside the

United States for 6 consecutive months,

and prior to the first month thereafter

for all of which the individual has been

in the United States. This prohibition

does not apply to such an individual

where one of the exceptions described

in sections 202(t)(2) through 202(t)(5) of

the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C.

402(t)(2) through 402(t)(5)) affects his or

her case.

Section 202(t)(2) of the Social

Security Act provides that, subject to

certain residency requirements of

section 202(t)(11), the prohibition