Document ID: SEC-2013-0118-0001
Agency: sec
Document Type: Notice
Title: Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposals, Submissions, and Approvals
Posted Date: 2013-01-22T05:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 14 (Tuesday, January 22, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Page 4480]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-01112]

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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

[SEC File No. 270-7, OMB Control No. 3235-0010]

Proposed Collection; Comment Request

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

Extension:
    Rule 15a-4.

    Notice is hereby given that, pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.) (``PRA''), the Securities and 
Exchange Commission (``Commission'') is soliciting comments on the 
existing collection of information provided for in Rule 15a-4 (17 CFR 
240.15a-4) under the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78a 
et seq.) (``Exchange Act''). The Commission plans to submit this 
existing collection of information to the Office of Management and 
Budget (``OMB'') for extension and approval.
    Rule 15a-4 permits a natural person member of a securities exchange 
who terminates his or her association with a registered broker-dealer 
to continue to transact business on the exchange while the Commission 
reviews his or her application for registration as a broker-dealer 
filed on Form BD if the exchange files a statement (``Statement'') 
indicating that there do not appear to be any grounds for disapproving 
the application.
    The total annual hourly burden imposed by Rule 15a-4 is 
approximately 8.46 hours, based on approximately 2 responses (2 
Respondents x 1 Statement/Respondent), each requiring approximately 
4.23 hours to complete.
    The Commission uses the information disclosed by applicants in Form 
BD: (1) To determine whether the applicant meets the standards for 
registration set forth in the provisions of the Exchange Act; (2) to 
develop a central information resource where members of the public may 
obtain relevant, up-to-date information about broker-dealers, municipal 
securities dealers and government securities broker-dealers, and where 
the Commission, other regulators and SROs may obtain information for 
investigatory purposes in connection with securities litigation; and 
(3) to develop statistical information about broker-dealers, municipal 
securities dealers and government securities broker-dealers. Without 
the information disclosed in Form BD, the Commission could not 
effectively implement policy objectives of the Exchange Act with 
respect to its investor protection function. The Statement submitted by 
the exchange assures the Commission that the applicant, in the opinion 
of the exchange, is qualified to transact business on the exchange 
during the time that the applications are reviewed.
    Written comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed 
collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of 
the functions of the Commission, including whether the information 
shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the Commission's 
estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information; (c) 
ways to enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information to 
be collected; 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. 
Consideration will be given to comments and suggestions submitted in 
writing within 60 days of this publication.
    The Commission may not conduct or sponsor a collection of 
information unless it displays a currently valid OMB 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 OMB control number.
    Please direct your written comments to: Thomas Bayer, Director/
Chief Information Officer, Securities and Exchange Commission, c/o Remi 
Pavlik-Simon, 6432 General Green Way, Alexandria, Virginia 22312 or 
send an email to: PRA_Mailbox@sec.gov.

    Dated: January 15, 2013.
Kevin M. O'Neill,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2013-01112 Filed 1-18-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011-01-P