[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 82 (Friday, April 28, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 25256-25257]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-6415]


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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

[Release No. 34-53704; File No. SR-Amex-2006-37]


Self-Regulatory Organizations; American Stock Exchange LLC; 
Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change To 
Amend the Floor Participant Technology Fee

April 21, 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 April 20, 2006, the American Stock Exchange LLC (``Amex'' or 
``Exchange'') submitted to 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 Exchange. Amex 
filed the proposed rule change pursuant to section 19(b)(3)(A)(ii) of 
the Act \3\ and Rule 19b-4(f)(2) thereunder,\4\ which renders the 
proposal effective upon filing with the Commission. The Commission is 
publishing this notice to solicit comments on the proposed rule change 
from interested persons.
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    \1\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
    \2\ 7 CFR 240.19b-4.
    \3\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A)(ii).
    \4\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(2).
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I. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Terms of Substance 
of the Proposed Rule Change

    The Exchange proposes to increase the technology fee charged to the 
floor participants from its current rate of $3,000 per year ($250 per 
month) to $6,000 per year ($500 per month). The text of the proposed 
rule change is available on Amex's Web site at http://www.amex.com, at 
the principal office of Amex, and at the Commission's Public Reference 
Room.

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

    In its filing with the Commission, Amex 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. Amex 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
    The purpose of this proposal is to amend the Amex's Floor Fee 
Schedule to increase the technology fee and to remove any obsolete 
items. Since the technology fee has not been increased since December 
2001,\5\ the Exchange believes that an increase in the technology fee 
is appropriate at this time to cover increased costs resulting from the 
enhancement and development of trading technology, including new data 
centers, the Auction and Electronic Market Integration (``AEMI''), and 
improvements to the Amex New Trading Environment (``ANTE''), as well as 
other technology costs. The current technology fee is $3,000 per year 
or $250 per month. The Exchange proposes to increase the fee to $6,000 
per year or $500 per month. The Exchange also proposes to remove 
references to fees that are no longer applicable due to their 
expiration so that the Floor Fee Schedule reflects the fees for current 
service levels.
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    \5\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 45163 (December 18, 
2001), 66 FR 66958 (December 27, 2001) (SR-Amex-2001-101).
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    The Exchange asserts that the proposal is equitable as required by 
section 6(b)(4) of the Act.\6\ In connection with an increase to the 
technology fee from $3,000 per year (or $250 per month) to $6,000 per 
year (or $500 per month), the Exchange believes that said increase is 
reasonable and appropriate to cover the Exchange's rising costs 
associated with a number of technology initiatives benefiting floor 
members.
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    \6\ Section 6(b)(4) states that the rules of a national 
securities exchange provide for the equitable allocation of 
reasonable dues, fees, and other charges among its members and 
issuers and other persons using its facilities. 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(4).
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2. Statutory Basis
    Amex believes that the proposed rule change is consistent with 
section 6(b) of the Act,\7\ in general, and furthers the objectives of 
section 6(b)(4) of the Act,\8\ in particular, in that it is designed to 
provide for the equitable allocation of reasonable dues, fees, and 
other charges among its members and issuers and other persons using 
exchange facilities.
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    \7\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b).
    \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 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

    The foregoing rule change establishes or changes a due, fee, or 
other charge applicable only to a member imposed by the Exchange, and, 
therefore, has become effective pursuant to section 19(b)(3)(A)(ii) of 
the Act \9\ and subparagraph (f)(2) of Rule 19b-4 thereunder.\10\ At 
any time within 60 days of the filing of such proposed 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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    \9\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A)(ii).
    \10\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(2).
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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:

[[Page 25257]]

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-Amex-2006-37 on the subject line.

Paper Comments

     Send paper comments in triplicate to Nancy M. Morris, 
Secretary, Securities and Exchange Commission, 100 F Street, NE., 
Washington, DC 20549-1090.

All submissions should refer to File Number SR-Amex-2006-37. 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 Amex. 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-Amex-2006-37 and should be submitted on or before May 19, 2006.

    For the Commission, by the Division of Market Regulation, 
pursuant to delegated authority.\11\
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    \11\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).
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Nancy M. Morris,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. E6-6415 Filed 4-27-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8010-01-P