Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 234 / Friday, December 5, 1997 / Notices 64409

in order that he or she may

communicate with the worker about

legislation which affects the railroad

retirement or railroad unemployment

and sickness insurance program.

[FR Doc. 97–31906 Filed 12–4–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 7905–01–M

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE

COMMISSION

Proposed Collection; Comment

Request

Upon Written Request, Copies Available

From: Securities and Exchange Commission,

Office of Filings and Information Services,

Washington, D.C. 20549.

Extension: Form BD/Rule 15b1–1,

SEC File No. 270–0019, OMB Control

No. 3235–0012.

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

described below. The Commission plans

to submit this existing collection of

information to the Office of

Management and Budget for extension

and approval.

• Form BD/Rule 15b1–1, Application

for Registration as Broker or Dealer

Sections 15(b) (1) and (2) of the

Securities Exchange Act of 1934

authorizes the Commission to prescribe

by rule an application form for

registration that contains such

information about broker-dealers that is

necessary or appropriate in the public

interest or for the protection of

investors. Similarly, Section 15B(a)(2) of

the Exchange Act authorizes the

Commission to prescribe an application

form for registration of municipal

securities dealers, and Section 15C(a)(2)

of the Exchange Act authorizes the

Commission to prescribe an application

form for registration of government

securities broker-dealers. Section

15C(a)(1)(B) further provides that

registered broker-dealers engaging in

government securities activities use

provide the Commission with notice of

such activities, in such form as the

Commission may prescribe. To

implement the foregoing statutory

provisions of the Exchange Act, the

Commission has promulgated, pursuant

to Rule 15b1–1, 17 CFR 240.15b1–1,

Form BD (17 CFR 249.501), the uniform

application for broker-dealer

registration. Form BD requires the

applicant or registrant filing the form to

provide the Commission with certain

information concerning the nature of its

business and the background of its

principals, controlling persons, and

employees. Form BD is designed to

permit the Commission to determine

whether the applicant meets the

statutory requirements to engage in the

securities business. Form BD also is

used to register as broker-dealers with

certain self-regulatory organizations

(‘‘SROs’’) and all of the states.

For fiscal year 1996, the Commission

received approximately 840 full form

BDs for an initial or successor

applications for registration as a brokerdealer, non-bank municipal securities

dealer, or non-bank government

securities broker-dealer (pursuant to

Rule 15b1–1, 15b1–3, 15b1–4, 15Ba2–

2(a), 15Ba2–4, 15Ba2–5, 15Ca2–1,

15Ca2–3, and 15Ca2–4). Although the

time necessary to complete Form BD

will vary depending on the nature and

complexity of the applicant’s securities

business, Commission staff estimates

that the average time necessary to

complete the full form is approximately

2.75 hours. Thus, the total burden hours

for the filing of a full form BD is 2,310

hours (2.75 × 840).

In addition to full form BDs,

applicants are required to file

amendments to Form BD when

information originally reported changes

or becomes inaccurate. For fiscal year

1996, the Commission received

approximately 15,000 amendments. The

staff estimates that the average time

necessary to complete an amendment is

approximately 0.33 hours. Thus, the

total burden hours for the filing of a

form BD amendments is 4,950 hours

(0.33 × 15,000). In sum, the total annual

burden for Form BD and Form BD

amendments is 7,260 hours (2,310 +

4,950).

Written comments are invited on: (a)

whether the proposed collection of

information is necessary for the proper

performance of the functions of the

agency, including whether the

information shall have practical utility;

(b) the accuracy of the agency’s

estimates of the burden of the proposed

collection of information; (c) ways to

enhance the equality, 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.

Considerations will be given to

comments and suggestions submitted in

writing on or before February 3, 1998.

Please direct your comments to

Michael E. Bartell, Associate Executive

Director, Office of Information

Technology, Securities and Exchange

Commission, 450 Fifth Street, N.W.,

Washington, DC 20549.

Dated: November 25, 1997.

Margaret H. McFarland,

Deputy Secretary.

[FR Doc. 97–31845 Filed 12–4–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 8010–01–M

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE

COMMISSION

[Investment Company Act Release No.

22919; 812–10880]

Federated Index Trust, et al.; Notice of

Application

December 1, 1997.

AGENCY: Securities and Exchange

Commission (‘‘SEC’’).

ACTION: Notice of application for

exemption under section 6(c) of the

Investment Company Act of 1940 (the

‘‘Act’’) from section 15(a) of the Act.

SUMMARY OF APPLICATION: The requested

order would permit the implementation,

without shareholder approval, of a new

sub-advisory agreement (‘‘New

Agreement’’) for a period of up to 120

days following the date of a change in

control of ANB Investment Management

and Trust Company (the ‘‘Subadviser’’)

(but in no event later than May 30,

1998) (the ‘‘Interim Period’’). The order

also would permit the Subadviser to

receive all fees earned under the New

Agreement following shareholder

approval.

Applicants: Subadviser and Federated

Index Trust (the ‘‘Trust’’).

Filing Date: The application was filed

on November 25, 1997.

Hearing or Notification of Hearing: An

order granting the application will be

issued unless the SEC orders a hearing.

Interested persons may request a

hearing by writing to the SEC’s

Secretary and serving applicants with a

copy of the request, personally or by

mail. Hearing requests should be

received by the SEC by 5:30 p.m. on

December 24, 1997, and should be

accompanied by proof of service on

applicants in the form of an affidavit or,

for lawyers, a certificate of service.

Hearing requests should state the nature

of the writer’s interest, the reason for the

request, and the issues contested.

Persons who wish to be notified of a

hearing may request notification by

writing to the SEC’s Secretary.

ADDRESSES: Secretary, SEC, 450 Fifth

Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20549.

Trust, c/o John W. McGonigle, Esq.,

Federated Investors Funds, 5800

Corporate Drive, Pittsburgh,

Pennsylvania 15237–7000. Subadviser,