Document ID: SEC-2011-1875-0001
Agency: sec
Document Type: Notice
Title: Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposals, Submissions, and Approvals
Posted Date: 2011-12-05T05:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 233 (Monday, December 5, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Page 75921]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-31103]

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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

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

Extension:
    Rule 17a-5(c), SEC File No. 270-199, OMB Control No. 3235-0199.

    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 approval of extension of the 
previously approved collection of information provided for in Rule 17a-
5(c) (17 CFR 240.17a-5(c)) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 
(15 U.S.C. 78a et seq.).
    Rule 17a-5(c) generally requires broker-dealers who carry customer 
accounts to provide statements of the broker-dealer's financial 
condition to their customers. Paragraph (5) of Rule 17a-5(c) provides a 
conditional exemption from this requirement. A broker-dealer that 
elects to take advantage of the exemption must publish its statements 
on its Web site in a prescribed manner, and must maintain a toll-free 
number that customers can call to request a copy of the statements.
    The purpose of the Rule is to ensure that customers of broker-
dealers are provided with information concerning the financial 
condition of the firm that may be holding the customers' cash and 
securities. The Commission, when adopting the Rule in 1972, stated that 
the goal was to ``directly'' send a customer essential information so 
that the customer could ``judge whether his broker or dealer is 
financially sound.'' The Commission adopted the Rule in response to the 
failure of several broker-dealers holding customer funds and securities 
in the period between 1968 and 1971.
    The Commission estimates that approximately 244 broker-dealer 
respondents carrying approximately 101 million public customer accounts 
incur an average burden of 128,000 hours per year to comply with the 
Rule.
    The Commission may not conduct or sponsor a collection of 
information unless it displays a currently valid control number. No 
person shall be subject to any penalty for failing to comply with a 
collection of information subject to the PRA that does not display a 
valid Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number.
    The public may view the background documentation for this 
information collection at the following Web site, http://www.reginfo.gov . 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 email 
to: Shagufta_Ahmed@omb.eop.gov; and (ii) Thomas Bayer, Director/Chief 
Information Officer, Securities and Exchange Commission, c/o Remi 
Pavlik-Simon, 6432 General Green Way, Alexandria, VA 22312 or send an 
email to: PRA_Mailbox@sec.gov . Comments must be submitted to OMB 
within 30 days of this notice.

    Dated: November 29, 2011.
Kevin M. O'Neill,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2011-31103 Filed 12-2-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011-01-P