[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 235 (Thursday, December 8, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 73044-73045]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-23801]


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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

[Release No. 34-52868; File No. SR-OCC-2005-18]


Self-Regulatory Organizations; The Options Clearing Corporation; 
Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change 
Relating to Margin Deposits for a Customers' Lien Account

December 1, 2005
    Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 
(``Act'',\1\ notice is hereby given that on November 9, 2005, The 
Options Clearing Corporation (``OCC'') filed with the Securities and 
Exchange Commission (``Commission'') the proposed rule change described 
in Items I, II, and III below, which items have been prepared primarily 
by OCC. OCC filed the proposed rule change pursuant to Section 
19(b)(3)(A)(i) of the Act \2\ and Rule 19b-4(f)(1) thereunder \3\ so 
that the proposal was effective upon filing with the Commission. The 
Commission is publishing this notice to solicit

[[Page 73045]]

comments on the proposed rule change from interested parties.
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    \1\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
    \2\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A)(i).
    \3\ 17 U.S.C. 240.19b-4(f)(1).
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I. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Terms of Substance 
of the Proposed Rule Change

    The proposed rule change would clarify that securities held for the 
account of a securities customer (other than a market maker) may be 
deposited as margin in a customers' lien account.

Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Purpose of, and 
Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change

    In its filing with the Commission, OCC 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. OCC has prepared summaries, set forth in sections (A), 
(B), and (C) below, of the most significant aspects of these 
statements.\4\
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    \4\ The Commission has modified the text of the summaries 
prepared by OCC.
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Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Purpose of, and 
Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change

    The proposed rule change would clarify that securities held for the 
account of a securities customer (other than a market maker) may be 
deposited as margin in a customers' lien account. In July 2005, the 
Commission approved an OCC proposed rule change that permitted clearing 
members to clear trades of certain securities customers in a new type 
of account, called a customers' lien account, which is subject to 
portfolio margining.\5\ Although it was clearly intended that clearing 
members be permitted to deposit securities held for the account of 
securities customers participating in portfolio margining in customers' 
lien accounts, the necessary conforming change to OCC Rule 604(b)(5) 
was inadvertently omitted. The purpose of this rule filing is to make 
that conforming change.
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    \5\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 52030 (July 14, 
2005), 70 42405 (July 22, 2005) [File No. SR-OCC-2003-04].
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    OCC believes the proposed changes are consistent with Section 17A 
of the Act \6\ and the rules and regulations thereunder applicable to 
OCC because such changes promote the prompt and accurate clearance and 
settlement of securities transactions by making a conforming change to 
OCC's rules. The proposed rule change is not inconsistent with OCC's 
rules, including any rules proposed to be amended.
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    \6\ 15 U.S.C. 78q-1.
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(B) Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Burden on Competition

    OCC does not believe that the proposed rule change would impose any 
burden on competition.

(C) Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Comments on the 
Proposed Rule Change Received From Members, Participants, or Others

    Written comments were not and are not intended to be solicited with 
respect to the proposed rule change, and none have been received.

III. Date of Effectiveness of the Proposed Rule Change and Timing for 
Commission Action

    The foregoing rule change has become effective upon filing pursuant 
to Section 19(b)(3)(A)(i) of the Act \7\ and Rule 19b-4(f)(1) \8\ 
thereunder because it constitutes a stated policy, practice, or 
interpretation with respect to the meaning, administration, or 
enforcement of an existing rule. At any time within sixty days of the 
filing of such rule change, the Commission may summarily abrogate such 
rule change if it appears to the Commission that such action is 
necessary or appropriate in the public interest, for the protection of 
investors, or otherwise in furtherance of the purposes of the Act.
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    \7\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A)(i).
    \8\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(1).
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IV. Solicitation of Comments

    Interested persons are invited to submit written data, views, and 
arguments concerning the foregoing, including whether the proposed rule 
change is consistent with the Act. Comments may be submitted by any of 
the following methods:

Electronic Comments

     Use the Commission's Internet comment form (http://www.sec.gov/rules/sro.shtml) or
     Send an e-mail to [email protected]. Please include 
File Number SR-OCC-2005-18 on the subject line.

Paper Comments

     Send paper comments in triplicate to Jonathan G. Katz, 
Secretary, Securities and Exchange Commission, 100 F Street, NE., 
Washington, DC 20549-9303.
    All submissions should refer to File Number SR-OCC-2005-18. This 
file number should be included on the subject line if e-mail is used. 
To help the Commission process and review your comments more 
efficiently, please use only one method. The Commission will post all 
comments on the Commission's Internet Web site (http://www.sec.gov/rules/sro.shtml). 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 in the Commission's Public Reference Section, 100 F Street, 
NE., Washington, DC 20549. Copies of such filing also will be available 
for inspection and copying at the principal office of OCC and on OCC's 
Web site at http://www.optionsclearing.com. All comments received will 
be posted without change; the Commission does not edit personal 
identifying information from submissions. You should submit only 
information that you wish to make available publicly. All submissions 
should refer to File Number SR-OCC-2005-18 and should be submitted on 
or before December 29, 2005.

    For the Commission by the Division of Market Regulation, 
pursuant to delegated authority.\9\
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    \9\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).
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Jonathan G. Katz,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 05-23801 Filed 12-7-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8010-01-M