[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 213 (Friday, November 3, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64750-64751]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-18607]



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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

[Release No. 34-54671; File No. SR-MSRB-2006-08]


 Self-Regulatory Organizations; Municipal Securities Rulemaking 
Board; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule 
Change Relating to Amendment to Rule A-6, on Committees of the Board

October 30, 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 October 24, 2006, the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board 
(``MSRB'' or ``Board''), filed with the Securities and Exchange 
Commission (``Commission'' or ``SEC'') the proposed rule change as 
described in Items I, II and III below, which Items have been prepared 
by the MSRB. The MSRB has filed the proposal pursuant to Section 
19(b)(3)(A)(iii) of the Act,\3\ and Rule 19b-4(f)(3) 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\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4.
    \3\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A)(iii).
    \4\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(3).
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I. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Terms of Substance 
of the Proposed Rule Change

    The MSRB is filing with the Commission a proposed rule change 
consisting of an amendment to Rule A-6, on committees of the Board, to 
delete a provision from the rule that states that, in all matters, the 
role of any committee shall be solely advisory. The text of the 
proposed rule change is available on the MSRB's Web site (http://www.msrb.org), at the MSRB's principal office, 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, the MSRB 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 MSRB 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 Board has been reviewing its Administrative Rules and by-laws 
to ensure that they are consistent with current good corporate 
governance practices. Rule A-6, on committees of the Board, currently 
provides, among other things, that in all matters, the role of any 
Board committee shall be solely advisory. The Board has determined to 
delete this provision from the rule (as well as from By-Law Article 6) 
to allow Board committees to undertake appropriate responsibilities at 
the direction of the Board or pursuant to the committee charters 
consistent with such good corporate governance practices.\5\
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    \5\ Such practices include, but are not limited to, vesting 
responsibility in the audit committee for the hiring, firing and 
compensation of the independent financial auditors.
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2. Statutory Basis
    The MSRB believes that the proposed rule change is consistent with 
Section 15B(b)(2)(I) of the Act,\6\ which authorizes the MSRB to adopt 
rules that provide for the operation and administration of the MSRB. 
The MSRB believes that the proposed rule change is consistent with this 
provision because it is concerned solely with the operation and 
administration of the MSRB.
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    \6\ 15 U.S.C. 78o-4(b)(2)(I).
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B. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Burden on Competition

    The MSRB does not believe that the proposed rule change will impose 
any burden on competition that is not necessary or appropriate in 
furtherance of the purposes of the Act since it only applies to the 
operation and administration of the MSRB.

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

    Written comments were neither solicited nor received.

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

    The proposed rule change has become effective pursuant to Section 
19(b)(3)(A) of the Act \7\ and Rule 19b-4(f)(3) thereunder \8\ because 
it is concerned solely with the administration of the MSRB. At any time 
within 60 days of the filing of the 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.\9\
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    \7\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A).
    \8\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(3).
    \9\ See Section 19(b)(3)(C) of the Act, 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(C).
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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-MSRB-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-MSRB-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 MSRB. 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

[[Page 64751]]

submissions should refer to File Number SR-MSRB-2006-08 and should be 
submitted on or before November 24, 2006.

    For the Commission, by the Division of Market Regulation, 
pursuant to delegated authority.\10\
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    \10\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).
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Nancy M. Morris,
Secretary.
 [FR Doc. E6-18607 Filed 11-2-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011-01-P