[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 73 (Monday, April 16, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Page 16413]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-07795]


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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION


Proposed Collection; 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:
    Regulation BTR, SEC File No. 270-521, OMB Control No. 3235-0579.

    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 (``Commission'') is soliciting comments on the collection of 
information summarized below. The Commission plans to submit this 
existing collection of information to the Office of Management and 
Budget for extension and approval.
    Regulation Blackout Trade Restriction (``Regulation BTR'') (17 CFR 
245.100-245.104) clarifies the scope and application of Section 306(a) 
of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (``Act'') (15 U.S.C. 7244(a)). 
Section 306(a)(6) [15 U.S.C. 7244(a)(6)] of the Act requires an issuer 
to provide timely notice to its directors and executive officers and to 
the Commission of the imposition of a blackout period that would 
trigger the statutory trading prohibition of Section 306(a)(1) [15 
U.S.C. 7244(a)(1)]. Section 306(a) of the Act prohibits any director or 
executive officer of an issuer of any equity security, directly or 
indirectly, from purchasing, selling or otherwise acquiring or 
transferring any equity security of that issuer during any blackout 
period with respect to such equity security, if the director or 
executive officer acquired the equity security in connection with his 
or her service or employment. Approximately 1,230 issuers file 
Regulation BTR notices approximately 5 times a year for a total of 
6,150 responses. We estimate that it takes approximately 2 hours to 
prepare the blackout notice for a total annual burden of 2,460 hours. 
The issuer prepares 75% of the 2,460 annual burden hours for a total 
reporting burden of (1,230 x 2 x 0.75) 1,845 hours. In addition, we 
estimate that an issuer distributes a notice to five directors and 
executive officers at an estimated 5 minutes per notice (1,230 blackout 
period x 5 notices x 5 minutes) for a total reporting burden of 512 
hours. The combined annual reporting burden is (1,845 hours + 512 
hours) 2,357 hours.
    Written comments are invited on: (a) Whether this collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the agency, including whether the information will have practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden 
imposed by the collection of information; (c) ways to enhance the 
quality, utility, and clarity of the information collected; and (d) 
ways to minimize the burden of the collection 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, and a person is not required 
to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a 
currently valid control number.
    Please direct your written comment to Pamela Dyson, Director/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: April 9, 2018.
Eduardo A. Aleman,
Assistant Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2018-07795 Filed 4-13-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 8011-01-P