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 Securities and Exchange Commission [Release No. 34-54464; File No. SR-OCC-2006-14]
 Pursuant to section 19(b)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (“Act”),[1]
                    
                     notice is hereby given that on August 15, 2006, The Options Clearing Corporation (“OCC”) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“Commission”) the proposed rule change described in Items I, II, and III below, which items have been prepared primarily by OCC. OCC filed the proposed rule change pursuant to section 19(b)(3)(A)(ii) of the Act [2]
                    
                     and Rule 19b-4(f)(2) thereunder [3]
                    
                     so that the proposal was effective upon filing with the Commission. The Commission is publishing this notice to solicit comments on the proposed rule change from interested parties. I. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Terms of Substance of the Proposed Rule Change The proposed rule change is to reduce OCC's currently discounted clearing fees for securities options and security futures where at least one side of the trade is cleared by an OCC clearing member for the period September 1, 2006, through December 29, 2006. II. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Purpose of, and Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change In its filing with the Commission, OCC 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 these statements may be examined at the places specified in Item IV below. OCC has prepared summaries, set forth in sections (A), (B), 
                    ( print page 56209)
                    and (C) below, of the most significant aspects of these statements.[4] (A) Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Purpose of, and Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change The proposed rule change would reduce OCC's currently discounted clearing fees for securities options and security futures where at least one side of the trade is cleared by an OCC clearing member for the period September 1, 2006, through December 29, 2006. Clearing fees for such contracts will be reduced as reflected in the following chart. Contracts/trade
Discounted fee effective July 1, 2005
Discounted fee effective September 1, 2006 through December 29, 20061-500
$0.05/contract
$0.035/contract.501-1,000
$0.04/contract
$0.028/contract.1,001-2,000
$0.03/contract
$0.021/contract.>2,000
$55.00 (capped)
$35.00 (capped)
 The additional fee reduction recognizes the increased contract volume experienced by OCC through the first six months of 2006. OCC believes that this fee reduction will financially benefit clearing members and other market participants without adversely affecting OCC's ability to meet its expenses and maintain an acceptable level of retained earnings. OCC believes the proposed rule change is consistent with Section 17A of the Act because it financially benefits clearing members by reducing clearing fees and allocates such fees among clearing members in a fair and equitable manner. The proposed rule change is not inconsistent with the existing rules of OCC, including any other rules proposed to be amended. (B) Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Burden on Competition OCC does not believe that the proposed rule change would impose any burden on competition. (C) Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Comments on the Proposed Rule Change Received From Members, Participants, or Others Written comments were not and are not intended to be solicited with respect to the proposed rule change, and none have been received. III. Date of Effectiveness of the Proposed Rule Change and Timing for Commission Action The foregoing rule change has become effective upon filing pursuant to section 19(b)(3)(A)(ii) of the Act [5]
                    
                     and Rule 19b-4(f)(2) [6]
                    
                     thereunder because the proposed rule establishes or changes a due, fee, or other charge. At any time within sixty days of the filing of such rule change, the Commission may summarily abrogate 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. 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 e-mail to*rule-comments@sec.gov*. Please include File Number SR-OCC-2006-14 on the subject line. Paper Comments Send paper comments in triplicate to Nancy M. Morris, Secretary, Securities and Exchange Commission, 100 F Street, NE., Washington, DC 20549-1090. All submissions should refer to File Number SR-OCC-2006-14. This file number should be included on the subject line if e-mail 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 Web site (
                    *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 inspection and copying in the Commission's Public Reference Section, 100 F Street, NE., Washington, DC 20549. Copies of such filing also will be available for inspection and copying at the principal office of OCC and on OCC's Web site at 
                    *http://www.optionsclearing.com.*
                     All comments received will be posted without change; the Commission does not edit personal identifying information from submissions. You should submit only information that you wish to make available publicly. All submissions should refer to File Number SR-OCC-2006-14 and should be submitted on or before October 27,
                    
                     2006. For the Commission by the Division of Market Regulation, pursuant to delegated authority.7 Nancy M. Morris, Secretary.


# Footnotes

1.
    
                         15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1). Back to Citation
 2.
    
                         15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A)(ii). Back to Citation
 3.
    
                         17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(2). Back to Citation
 4.
    
                         The Commission has modified the text of the summaries prepared by OCC. Back to Citation
 5.
    
                         15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A)(ii). Back to Citation
 6.
    
                         17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(2). Back to Citation
 7.
    
                         17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12). Back to Citation


[FR Doc. 06-8237 Filed 9-25-06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 8010-01-P