[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 224 (Tuesday, November 19, 1996)] [Notices] [Pages 58919-58921] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 96-29550] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION [Release No. 34-37941; File No. SR-NYSE-96-26] Self-Regulatory Organizations; Notice of Filing of Proposed Rule Change and Amendment No. 1 to the Proposed Rule Change by the New York Stock Exchange, Inc., Relating to NYSE Rules 342, ``Offices--Approval, Supervision and Control,'' 440, ``Books and Records,'' and 472, ``Communications With the Public'' November 13, 1996. Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (``Act''), 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1), notice is hereby given that on September 12, 1996, the New York Stock Exchange, Inc. (``NYSE'' or ``Exchange'') filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (``SEC'' or ``Commission'') the proposed rule change as described in Items I, II and III below, which Items have been prepared by the self- regulatory organization.\1\ The Commission is publishing this notice to solicit comments on the proposed rule change from interested persons. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \1\ On November 7, 1996, the NYSE amended NYSE Rule 440, ``Books and Records,'' to indicate that members must preserve books and records as required under SEC Rule 17a-3 and comply with the recordkeeping format, medium and retention period specified in SEC Rule 17a-4. In addition, the NYSE amended paragraph (c) of NYSE Rule 472, ``Communications with the Public,'' to clarify that records retained must be readily available to the Exchange, upon request. See Letter from James E. Buck, Senior Vice President and Secretary, NYSE, to Katherine A. England, Assistant Director, Division of Market Regulation (``Division''), Commission, dated November 6, 1996 (``Amendment No. 1''). In addition, the NYSE submitted a draft of an information memo to members which explains the proposed changes to the Exchange's rules governing supervision and review of communications with the public. See Letter from Donald Van Weezel, Managing Director, Regulatory Affairs, NYSE, to Katherine A. England, Assistant Director, Division, Commission, dated November 5, 1996 (``NYSE Information Memo''). --------------------------------------------------------------------------- I. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Terms of Substance of the Proposed Rule Change Currently, Supplementary Material .16, ``Supervision of registered representatives,'' to NYSE Rule 342, ``Offices--Approval, Supervision, and Control,'' requires supervisors to review the correspondence of registered representatives. The NYSE proposes to amend Exchange Rule 342.16 to provide that the supervision of registered representatives will ordinarily include, among other things, reasonable procedures for review of registered representatives' communications with the public relating to their business. Under NYSE Rule 342.16, as amended, such policies and procedures should be in writing and be designed to reasonably supervise each registered representative. The NYSE also proposes to adopt NYSE Rule 342.17, ``Review of communications with the public,'' which will require members to develop written policies and procedures for review of public communications relating to their business that are appropriate for the member's business, size, structure and customers. The Exchange proposes to amend NYSE Rule 472, ``Communications with the Public,'' to require prior approval of each advertisement, market letter, sales literature, or other similar communication which is generally distributed or made available to customers or the public, rather than require prior approval of any communication which is generally distributed or made available to customers or the public. In addition, NYSE Rule 472, as amended, provides that research reports must be approved in advance by a supervisory analyst. Finally, the NYSE proposes to amend Exchange Rule 440, ``Books and Records,'' to indicate that members must preserve books and records as required under SEC Rule 17a-3 and comply with the recordkeeping format, medium and retention period specified in SEC Rule 17a-4. The text of the proposed rule change is available at the office of the Secretary, NYSE, and at the Commission. II. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Purpose of, and Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change In its filing with the Commission, the self-regulatory organization 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. The self-regulatory organization has prepared summaries, set forth in sections (A), (B), and (C) below, of the most significant aspects of such statements. [[Page 58920]] (A) Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Purpose of, and Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change (a) Purpose According to the NYSE, new technology and new means of communication (e.g., e-mail and the Internet) have and will continue to impact and change the way member organizations and their associated persons conduct business and communicate with customers and other members of the public. The NYSE states that the Exchange has been working with a committee composed of member organization representatives to study questions that have arisen as a result of those communications means with emphasis on supervision and review. As a result, the Exchange has developed and is proposing amendments to NYSE Rules, 342, 440, and 472. NYSE Rule 342.16, as amended, will provide that supervision of registered representatives will ordinarily include, among other things, reasonable procedures for review of registered representatives' communications with the public relating to a member or member organization's business. The proposal states that such policies and procedures should be in writing and designed to provide reasonable supervision of each registered representative. Evidence that the supervisory policies and procedures have been implemented and carried out must be maintained and made available to the NYSE upon request. In developing supervisory systems, the NYSE notes that members should specify, among other things, what is to be pre- or post-reviewed, the level and qualifications of persons who will conduct the reviews, the frequency of review, and how the review will be evidenced.\2\ --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \2\ See NYSE Information memo, supra note 1. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- New NYSE Rule 342.17 will require each member and member organization to develop written policies and procedures for review of incoming and outgoing communications with the public relating to its business, tailored to its structure and the nature and size of its business and customer base.\3\ Under the proposal, prior review of outgoing correspondence (other than research reports and advertisements; market letters, sales literature, and similar types of communication) and review of all incoming correspondence will no longer be required.\4\ However, any organization that does not conduct pre-use review (whether electronic or manual) will be required to: --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \3\ In developing supervisory procedures for the review of communications with the public, the NYSE notes that members should consider the appropriateness of implementing uniform firm-wide procedures or procedures tailored to specifics (e.g., functions, offices/locations, individuals, groups of persons or specific registration categories). In this regard, the NYSE states that members may consider such factors as ``the number, size and location of offices, the volume of communications overall and in specific areas of the organization, the activities conducted by registered representatives and other applicable persons, the nature and extent of training provided, the complaint and overall disciplinary record, if any, of registered representatives and other applicable persons (with particular emphasis on complaints regarding written or oral communications with clients) and the overall experience levels of applicable persons using communications media.'' See NYSE Information Memo, supra note 1. \4\ The NYSE plans to delete from the NYSE Interpretation Handbook interpretation /04 to NYSE Rule 342 (a) and (b) regarding review and retention of incoming mail. See Letter from Don Van Weezel, Managing Director, Regulatory Affairs, NYSE, to Katherine A. England, Assistant Director, Division, Commission, dated November 5, 1996. The NYSE states that members' supervisory systems should provide specific processes for the receipt and handling of incoming checks and customer complaints as well as standards for communications to include permitted and prohibited activities and any restrictions imposed by the member upon such communications. See NYSE Information Memo, supra note 1. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------Regularly educate and train employees as to the organization's current policies and procedures governing review of communications; Document how and when employees are educated and trained; and Monitor and test to ensure implementation and compliance with such policies and procedures. The NYSE proposes to amend NYSE Rule 472(a) to clarify the types of communications that will continue to require pre-use approval (e.g., advertisements, market letters, sales literature, and other similar types of communications).\5\ In addition, the NYSE proposes to amend Exchange Rule 472(b) to clarify that research reports must continue to be prepared or approved in advance by a supervisory analyst. The Exchange notes that pre-approval of ``any'' communication which is distributed or made available to customers or the public will no longer be required.\6\ The NYSE proposes to amend Exchange Rule 472(c) to provide that the names of persons who prepared and who reviewed and approved communications with the public must be readily ascertainable from the retained records. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \5\ Specifically, under NYSE Rule 472, as amended, each advertisement, market letter, sales literature or other similar type of communication which is generally distributed or made available by a member to customers or the public must be approved in advance. In addition, research reports must be prepared or approved in advance by a supervisory analyst. \6\ See proposed NYSE Rule 342.17 requirements for organizations not conducting pre-use reviews. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- The standards for communications set forth in NYSE rule 472 will continue to apply to all communications regardless of the transmission medium used or the policies and procedures for review and supervision adopted by members and member organizations pursuant to NYSE Rule 342. Finally, the NYSE proposes to amend Exchange Rule 440 to recognize that members must preserve books and records as required under SEC Rule 17a-3 and comply with the recordkeeping format, medium and retention period specified in SEC Rule 17a-4. (b) Basis The NYSE believes that the proposed rule change is consistent with the requirements of the Act and, in particular, furthers the objectives of Section 6(b)(5), in that it is designed to prevent fraudulent acts and practices, to promote just and equitable principles of trade and, in general, to protect investors and the public interest. In addition, the NYSE believes that the proposed amendment to NYSE Rule 440 ensures compliance with Rules 17a-3 and 17a-4 under the Act. (B) Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Burden on Competition The Exchange believes that the proposed rule change will not impose 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 No written comments were either solicited or received. III. Date of Effectiveness of the Proposed Rule Change and Timing for Commission Action Within 35 days of the date of publication of this notice in the Federal Register or within such longer period (i) as the Commission may designate up to 90 days of such date if it finds such longer period to be appropriate and publishes its reason for so finding or (ii) as to which the self-regulatory organization consents, the Commission will: (a) by order approve such proposed rule change, or (b) institute proceedings to determine whether the proposed rule change should be disapproved. [[Page 58921]] IV. Solicitation of Comments Interested persons are invited to submit written data, views and arguments concerning the foregoing. Persons making written submissions should file six copies thereof with the Secretary, Securities and Exchange Commission, 450 Fifth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20549. 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 at the Commission's Public Reference Section, 450 Fifth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. Copies of such filing will also be available for inspection and copying at the principal office of the above-mentioned self-regulatory organization. All submissions should refer to the file number SR-NYSE-96-26 and should be submitted by December 10, 1996. For the Commission, by the Division of Market Regulation, pursuant to delegated authority.\7\ --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \7\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12) (1995). --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Margaret H. McFarland, Deputy Secretary. [FR Doc. 96-29550 Filed 11-18-96; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 8010-01-M