[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 49 (Tuesday, March 14, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13196-13197]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-3542]


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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

[Release No. 34-53433; File No. SR-CHX-2006-08]


Self-Regulatory Organizations; Chicago Stock Exchange, Inc.; 
Notice of Filing of a Proposed Rule Change and Amendment No. 1 Thereto 
Relating to Specialist Participant Fees and Credits

 March 7, 2006.
    Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 
(``Act'')\1\ and Rule 19b-4 thereunder,\2\ notice is hereby given that 
on February 27, 2006, the Chicago Stock Exchange, Inc. (``CHX'' or 
``Exchange'') filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission 
(``Commission'') the proposed rule change as described in Items I, II 
and III below, which Items have been prepared by the CHX. On March 2, 
2006, CHX filed Amendment No. 1 to the proposed rule change.\3\ The 
Commission is publishing this notice to solicit comments on the 
proposed rule change, as amended, from interested parties.
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    \1\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
    \2\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4.
    \3\ In Amendment No. 1, the Exchange revised the proposed rule 
text to clarify its meaning.
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I. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Terms of Substance 
of the Proposed Rule Change

    The CHX proposes to amend its Participant Fee Schedule to confirm 
that, retroactive to January 1, 2006, specialist fixed fees would not 
be assessed to a specialist firm with respect to securities that are 
temporarily assigned. The text of the proposed rule change is available 
on the Exchange's Web site (http://www.chx.com/rules/proposed_rules.htm) and at the Commission's Public Reference Room. Below is the 
text of the proposed rule change, as amended. Proposed new language is 
underlined; proposed deletions are in [brackets].

FEES AND ASSESSMENTS

* * * * *
E. Specialist Fixed Fees
* * * * *
    Effective January 1, 2006, t[T]hese fixed fees shall not be 
assessed to a firm with respect to securities that are temporarily 
assigned.
* * * * *

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 CHX included statements 
concerning the purpose of, and basis for, the proposed rule change, as 
amended, and discussed any comments it received regarding the proposal, 
as amended. The text of these statements may be examined at the places 
specified in Item IV below. The CHX has prepared summaries, set forth 
in Sections A, B, and C below, of the most significant aspects of such 
statements.

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

1. Purpose
    Under the Exchange's rules, the Committee on Specialist Assignment 
and Evaluation (``CSAE'') is responsible for appointing participant 
firms to act as specialists on the Exchange.\4\ From time to time, the 
CSAE may make a temporary assignment of one or more securities to a 
specialist firm.\5\ Temporary assignments may be made, for example, 
when one specialist firm has requested and been granted the opportunity 
to deregister in one or more of its securities before the formal 
posting and assignment process has been completed.\6\ Through this 
filing, the Exchange proposes to confirm that, when a firm has been 
appointed to act as specialist in a security on a temporary basis, the 
firm will not be charged the specialist fixed fees otherwise associated 
with the trading of that security. The Exchange believes that this fee 
waiver creates an appropriate (and limited) incentive for a firm to 
agree to act as specialist on a temporary basis. This proposed rule 
change is designed to take effect, on a

[[Page 13197]]

retroactive basis, on January 1, 2006 so that it can apply to temporary 
assignments made on or after that date.\7\
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    \4\ See Article IV, Rule 6.
    \5\ See Article XXX, Rule 1.
    \6\ The Exchange represents that when a security is to be 
assigned or reassigned, the Exchange notifies specialist firms of 
the assignment opportunity and invites applications for the 
security. See Article XXX, Rule 1, Interpretation and Policy .01, 
Section II. The Exchange further represents that if more than one 
firm seeks the assignment, the CSAE holds meetings with the firms to 
review their demonstrated ability, experience, financial 
responsibility and other factors that are relevant to the CSAE's 
assignment decision. See Article XXX, Rule 1, Interpretation and 
Policy .01, Section II and Section III. The Exchange represents that 
depending upon the number of firms applying for a security and the 
availability of committee members and specialist firm 
representatives, this process could take several weeks to complete. 
An interim temporary assignment allows a security to continue to be 
traded by a specialist firm, while the process is completed.
    \7\ The Exchange also has filed a proposal to make this fee 
change effective immediately. See SR-CHX-2006-07.
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2. Statutory Basis
    The Exchange believes that the proposed rule change, as amended, is 
consistent with Section 6(b)(4) of the Act \8\ in that it provides for 
the equitable allocation of reasonable dues, fees and other charges 
among CHX's members and creates an appropriate (and limited) incentive 
for a firm to agree to act as specialist on a temporary basis.
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    \8\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(4).
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B. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Burden on Competition

    The Exchange does not believe that the proposed rule change, as 
amended, will impose any burden on competition.

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

    No written comments were solicited or received with respect to the 
proposed rule change.

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 reasons for so finding or (ii) as to 
which the self-regulatory organization consents, the Commission will:
    A. By order approve such proposed rule change, as amended; or
    B. Institute proceedings to determine whether the proposed rule 
change, as amended, should be disapproved.

IV. Solicitation of Comments

    Interested persons are invited to submit written data, views, and 
arguments concerning the foregoing, including whether the proposed rule 
change, as amended, 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-CHX-2006-08 on the subject line.

Paper Comments

     Send paper comments in triplicate to Nancy M. Morris, 
Secretary, Securities and Exchange Commission, Station Place, 100 F 
Street, NE., Washington, DC 20549-1090.
    All submissions should refer to File Number SR-CHX-2006-08. 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 Room. Copies of such 
filing also will be available for inspection and copying at the 
principal office of the CHX. 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-CHX-2006-08 and should be submitted on or before April 
4, 2006.

    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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Nancy M. Morris,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. E6-3542 Filed 3-13-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8010-01-P