[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 164 (Monday, August 25, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50712-50713]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-20088]


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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION


Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

Upon Written Request, Copies Available From: Securities and Exchange 
Commission, Office of FOIA Services, 100 F Street NE., Washington, DC 
20549-2736.

Extension:
    Rule 31a-1; OMB Control No. 3235-0178; SEC File No. 270-173.

    Notice is hereby given that, pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520), the Securities and Exchange 
Commission (``Commission'') has submitted to the Office of Management 
and Budget (``OMB'') a request for extension of the previously approved 
collection of information discussed below.
    Rule 31a-1 (17 CFR 270.31a-1) under the Investment Company Act of 
1940 (the ``Act'') (15 U.S.C. 80a) is entitled ``Records to be 
maintained by registered investment companies, certain majority-owned 
subsidiaries thereof, and other persons having transactions with 
registered investment companies.'' Rule 31a-1 requires registered 
investment companies (``funds''), and every underwriter, broker, 
dealer, or investment adviser that is a majority-owned subsidiary of a 
fund, to maintain and keep current accounts, books, and other documents 
which constitute the record forming the basis for financial statements 
required to be filed pursuant to section 31 of the Act (15 U.S.C. 80a-
30) and of the auditor's certificates relating thereto. The rule lists 
specific records to be maintained by funds. The rule also requires 
certain underwriters, brokers, dealers, depositors, and investment 
advisers to maintain the records that they are required to maintain 
under federal securities laws. The Commission periodically inspects the 
operations of funds to insure their compliance with the provisions of 
the Act and the rules thereunder. The books and records required to be 
maintained by rule 31a-1 constitute a major focus of the Commission's 
inspection program.
    There are approximately 4132 investment companies registered with 
the Commission, all of which are required to comply with rule 31a-1. 
For purposes of determining the burden imposed by rule 31a-1, the 
Commission staff estimates that each fund is divided into approximately 
four series, on average, and that each series is required to comply 
with the recordkeeping requirements of rule 31a-1. Based on 
conversations with fund representatives, it is estimated that rule 31a-
1 imposes an average burden of approximately 1750 hours annually per 
series for a total of 7000 annual hours per fund. The estimated total 
annual burden for all 4132 funds subject to the rule therefore is 
approximately 28,924,000 hours. Based on conversations with fund 
representatives, however, the Commission staff estimates that even 
absent the requirements of rule 31a-1, 90 percent of the records 
created pursuant to the rule are the type that generally would be 
created as a matter of normal business practice and to prepare 
financial statements. Thus, the Commission staff estimates that the 
total annual burden associated with rule 31a-1 is 2,892,400 hours.
    The estimate of average burden hours is made solely for the 
purposes of the Paperwork Reduction Act, and is not derived from a 
comprehensive or even a representative survey or study. The collection 
of information required by rule 31a-1 is mandatory. Responses will not 
be kept confidential. The records required by rule 31a-1 are required 
to be preserved pursuant to rule 31a-2 under the Investment Company Act 
(17 CFR 270.31a-2). Rule 31a-2 requires that certain of these records 
be preserved permanently, and that others be preserved six years from 
the end of the fiscal year in which any transaction

[[Page 50713]]

occurred. In both cases, the records should be kept in an easily 
accessible place for the first two years. An agency may not conduct or 
sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of 
information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number.
    The public may view the background documentation for this 
information collection at the following Web site, www.reginfo.gov. 
Comments should be directed to: (i) Desk Officer for the Securities and 
Exchange Commission, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, 
Office of Management and Budget, Room 10102, New Executive Office 
Building, Washington, DC 20503, or by sending an email to: [email protected]; and (ii) 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]. 
Comments must be submitted to OMB within 30 days of this notice.

    Dated: August 19, 2014.
Kevin M. O'Neill,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2014-20088 Filed 8-22-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011-01-P