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###### Securities and Exchange Commission

Upon Written Request, Copies Available From: U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Office of Investor Education and Advocacy, Washington, DC 20549-0213. 

Extension:

Rule 9b-1; OMB Control No. 3235-0480 ; SEC File No. 270-429. 

                    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”) has submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (“OMB”) a request for extension of the existing collection of information provided for in the following rule: Rule 9b-1 (17 CFR 240.9b-1) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78a*et seq.*).                 

Rule 9b-1 (17 CFR 240.9b-1) sets forth the categories of information required to be disclosed in an options disclosure document (“ODD”) and requires the options markets to file an ODD with the Commission 60 days prior to the date it is distributed to investors. In addition, Rule 9b-1 provides that the ODD must be amended if the information in the document becomes materially inaccurate or incomplete and that amendments must be filed with the Commission 30 days prior to the distribution to customers. Finally, Rule 9b-1 requires a broker-dealer to furnish to each customer an ODD and any amendments, prior to accepting an order to purchase or sell an option on behalf of that customer. 

                    There are six options markets that must comply with Rule 9b-1. These six respondents work together to prepare a single ODD covering options traded on each market, as well as amendments to the ODD. These respondents file approximately three amendments per year. The staff calculates that the preparation and filing of amendments should take no more than eight hours per options market. Thus, the total compliance burden for options markets per year is 144 hours (6 options markets × 8 hours per amendment × 3 amendments). The estimated cost for an in-house attorney is $295 per hour,[1]                                          resulting in a total cost of compliance for these respondents of $42,480 per year (144 hours @ $295).                 

                    In addition, approximately 1,500 broker-dealers must comply with Rule 9b-1. Each of these respondents will process an average of three new customers for options each week and, therefore, will have to furnish approximately 156 ODDs per year. The postal mailing or electronic delivery of the ODD takes respondents no more than 30 seconds to complete for an annual compliance burden for each of these respondents of 78 minutes, or 1.3 hours. Thus, the total compliance burden per year is 1,950 hours (1,500 broker-dealers × 1.3 hours). The estimated cost for a general clerk of a broker-dealer is $40 per hour,[2]                                          resulting in a total cost of compliance for these respondents of $78,000 per year (1,950 hours @ $40).                 

The total compliance burden for all respondents under this rule (both options markets and broker-dealers) is 2,094 hours per year (144 + 1,950), and total compliance costs of $120,480 ($42,480 + $78,000). 

An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid control number. 

                    Comments should be directed to: (i) Desk Officer for the Securities and Exchange Commission, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, Room 10102, New Executive Office Building, Washington, DC 20503 or by sending an e-mail to:                     *Shagufta_Ahmed@omb.eop.gov*; and (ii) Charles Boucher, Director/Chief Information Officer, Securities and Exchange Commission, c/o Shirley                           ( print page 4485)                        Martinson, 6432 General Green Way, Alexandria, VA 22312 or send an e-mail to                     *PRA_Mailbox@sec.gov*. Comments must be submitted within 30 days of this notice.                 

 Dated: January 14, 2009. 

Florence E. Harmon, 

Deputy Secretary.

# Footnotes

1.                             The $295/hour figure for an attorney is from SIFMA's                         *Management & Professional Earnings in the Securities Industry 2007,*                         modified by the Commission staff to account for an 1800-hour work-year and multiplied by 5.35 to account for bonuses, firm size, employee benefits and overhead.                    
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2.                             The $40/hour figure for a general clerk is from SIFMA's                         *Office Salaries in the Securities Industry 2007,*                         modified by Commission staff to account for an 1800-hour work-year and multiplied by 2.92 to account for bonuses, firm size, employee benefits and overhead. The staff believes that the ODD would be mailed or electronically delivered to customers by a general clerk of the broker-dealer or some other equivalent position.                    
        Back to Citation      

 [FR Doc. E9-1458 Filed 1-23-09; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 8011-01-P