[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 229 (Wednesday, November 27, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 70974-70975]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-28428]


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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION


Proposed Collection; Comment Request

Upon Written Request, Copies Available From: Securities and Exchange 
Commission, Office of Investor Education and Advocacy, Washington, DC 
20549-0213.

Extension:
    Rule 206(4)-6, OMB Control No. 3235-0571, SEC File No. 270-513.

    Notice is hereby given that pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act 
of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.) the Securities and Exchange Commission 
(the ``Commission'') is soliciting comments on the collections of 
information summarized below. The Commission plans to submit these 
existing collections of information to the Office of Management and 
Budget (``OMB'') for extension and approval.
    The title for the collection of information is ``Rule 206(4)-6'' 
under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80b-1 et seq.) 
(``Advisers Act'') and the collection has been approved under OMB 
Control No. 3235-0571. The Commission adopted rule 206(4)-6 (17 CFR 
275.206(4)-6), the proxy voting rule, to address an investment 
adviser's fiduciary obligation to clients who have given the adviser 
authority to vote their securities. Under the rule, an investment 
adviser that exercises voting authority over client securities is 
required to: (i) Adopt and implement policies and procedures that are 
reasonably designed to ensure that the adviser votes securities in the 
best interest of clients, including procedures to address any material 
conflict that may arise between the interest of the adviser and the 
client; (ii) disclose to clients how they may obtain information on how 
the adviser has voted with respect to their securities; and (iii) 
describe to clients the adviser's proxy voting policies and procedures 
and, on request, furnish a copy of the policies and procedures to the 
requesting client. The rule is designed to assure that advisers that 
vote proxies for their clients vote those proxies in their clients' 
best interest and provide

[[Page 70975]]

clients with information about how their proxies were voted.
    Rule 206(4)-6 contains ``collection of information'' requirements 
within the meaning of the Paperwork Reduction Act. The respondents are 
investment advisers registered with the Commission that vote proxies 
with respect to clients' securities. Advisory clients of these 
investment advisers use the information required by the rule to assess 
investment advisers' proxy voting policies and procedures and to 
monitor the advisers' performance of their proxy voting activities. The 
information also is used by the Commission staff in its examination and 
oversight program. Without the information collected under the rules, 
advisory clients would not have information they need to assess the 
adviser's services and monitor the adviser's handling of their 
accounts, and the Commission would be less efficient and effective in 
its programs.
    The estimated number of investment advisers subject to the 
collection of information requirements under the rule is 9,650. It is 
estimated that each of these advisers is required to spend on average 
10 hours annually documenting its proxy voting procedures under the 
requirements of the rule, for a total burden of 96,500 hours. We 
further estimate that on average, approximately 139 clients of each 
adviser would request copies of the underlying policies and procedures. 
We estimate that it would take these advisers 0.1 hours per client to 
deliver copies of the policies and procedures, for a total burden of 
134,135 hours. Accordingly, we estimate that rule 206(4)-6 results in 
an annual aggregate burden of collection for SEC-registered investment 
advisers of a total of 230,635 hours.
    Written comments are invited on: (a) Whether the collections of 
information are necessary for the proper performance of the functions 
of the Commission, including whether the information has practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of the Commission's estimate of the burdens 
of the collections of information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, 
utility, and clarity of the information collected; and (d) ways to 
minimize the burdens of the collections of information on respondents, 
including through the use of automated collection techniques or other 
forms of information technology. Consideration will be given to 
comments and suggestions submitted in writing within 60 days of this 
publication. An agency may not conduct or sponsor a collection of 
information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. No 
person shall be subject to any penalty for failing to comply with a 
collection of information subject to the PRA that does not display a 
valid OMB control number.
    Please direct your written comments to Thomas Bayer, Chief 
Information Officer, Securities and Exchange Commission, C/O Remi 
Pavlik-Simon, 100 F Street NE., Washington, DC 20549; or send an email 
to: [email protected].

    Dated: November 21, 2013.
Kevin M. O'Neill,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2013-28428 Filed 11-26-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011-01-P