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###### Securities and Exchange Commission

          - [Release No. 34-55119; File No. SR-NASDAQ-2006-059] 

                    Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (“Act”),[1]                                          and Rule 19b-4 thereunder,[2]                                          notice is hereby given that on December 19, 2006, The NASDAQ Stock Market LLC (“Nasdaq”) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“Commission”) the proposed rule change as described in Items, I, II, and III below, which Items have been substantially prepared by Nasdaq. Nasdaq has filed the proposal pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A) of the Act [3]                                          and Rule 19b-4(f)(2) thereunder,[4]                                          which renders the proposal effective upon filing with the Commission. 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

                    Nasdaq proposes to clarify the application of periodic membership fees under Rule 7001. Nasdaq proposes to implement the proposed rule change immediately. The text of the proposed rule change is available at Nasdaq, the Commission's Public Reference Room, and                     *http://www.nasdaq.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, Nasdaq 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. Nasdaq has prepared summaries, set forth in sections A, B, and C below, of the most significant aspects of such statements.

### A. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Purpose of, and Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change

#### 1. Purpose

Nasdaq is adding text to Rule 7001 to clarify the application of its membership fees. To simplify the administration of these fees, Nasdaq imposes the fees on all persons that are members as of a date determined by Nasdaq: In December of each year, in the case of the annual membership fee, and a date in the course of the month, in the case of the trading rights fee. Persons that become Nasdaq members after the date on which the fee for a particular period is assessed are not required to pay the fee for that period. Thus, for example, the annual fee for 2007 will be assessed on December 21, 2006; persons that become Nasdaq members after that date would not pay an annual fee for 2007, but would pay the annual fee for 2008 if they continue to be Nasdaq members on the fee assessment date in December 2007. The fees are non-refundable. Thus, if a firm ceased to be a Nasdaq member during the course of 2007, it would not receive a refund of all or any portion of the annual fee. This process is consistent with the long-standing procedures of NASD with respect to its periodic membership fees that have also been adopted by Nasdaq in its transition from NASD subsidiary to independent exchange.

#### 2. Statutory Basis

                    Nasdaq believes that the proposed rule change is consistent with the provisions of Section 6 of the Act,[5]                                          in general, and with Sections 6(b)(4) of the                           ( print page 3179)                        Act,[6]                                          in particular, in that the proposal provides for the equitable allocation of reasonable dues, fees, and other charges among its members and issuers and other persons using any facility or system which Nasdaq operates or controls.                 

### B. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Burden on Competition

Nasdaq does not believe that the proposed rule change will result in any burden on competition that is not necessary or appropriate in furtherance of the purposes of the Act. 

### C. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Comments on the Proposed Rule Change Received From Members, Participants or Others

Written comments were neither solicited nor received.

## III. Date of Effectiveness of the Proposed Rule Change and Timing for Commission Action

                    The foregoing proposed rule change is subject to Section 19(b)(3)(A)(ii) of the Act [7]                                          and subparagraph (f)(2) of Rule 19b-4 thereunder [8]                                          because it establishes or changes a due, fee, or other charge applicable only to a member imposed by the self-regulatory organization. Accordingly, the proposal is effective upon Commission receipt of the filing. At any time within 60 days of the filing of the proposed 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-NASDAQ-2006-059 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-NASDAQ-2006-059. 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 Room. Copies of the filing also will be available for inspection and copying at the principal office of Nasdaq. 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-NASDAQ-2006-059 and should be submitted on or before February 14, 2007.                

                        For the Commission, by the Division of Market Regulation, pursuant to delegated authority.[9] 

Florence E. Harmon, 

Deputy Secretary.

# Footnotes

1.                             15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).                    
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2.                             17 CFR 240.19b-4.                    
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3.                             15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A).                    
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4.                             17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(2).                    
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5.                             15 U.S.C. 78f.                    
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6.                             15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(4).                    
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7.                             15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A)(ii).                    
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8.                             17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(2).                     
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9.                                 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).                        
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[FR Doc. 07-284 Filed 1-23-07; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 8011-01-M