[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 165 (Friday, August 24, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42957-42958]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-18360]


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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:
Rule 22e-3, SEC File No. 270-603, OMB Control No. 3235-0658

    Notice is hereby given that, under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 
1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520), the Securities and Exchange Commission (the 
``Commission'') has submitted to the Office of Management and Budget a 
request for extension of the previously approved collection of 
information discussed below.
    Section 22(e) of the Investment Company Act [15 U.S.C. 80a-22(e)] 
(``Act'') generally prohibits funds, including money market funds, from 
suspending the right of redemption, and from postponing the payment or 
satisfaction upon redemption of any redeemable security for more than 
seven days. The provision was designed to prevent funds and their 
investment advisers from interfering with the redemption rights of 
shareholders for improper purposes, such as the preservation of 
management fees. Although section 22(e) permits funds to postpone the 
date of payment or satisfaction upon redemption for up to seven days, 
it does not permit funds to suspend the right of redemption for any 
amount of time, absent certain specified circumstances or a Commission 
order.
    Rule 22e-3 under the Act [17 CFR 270.22e-3] exempts money market 
funds from section 22(e) to permit them to suspend redemptions in order 
to facilitate an orderly liquidation of the fund. Specifically, rule 
22e-3 permits a money market fund to suspend redemptions and postpone 
the payment of proceeds pending board-approved liquidation proceedings 
if: (i) The fund's board of directors, including a majority of 
disinterested directors, determines pursuant to Sec.  270.2a-
7(c)(8)(ii)(C) that the extent of the deviation between the fund's 
amortized cost price per share and its current net asset value per 
share calculated using available market quotations (or an appropriate 
substitute that reflects current market conditions) may result in 
material dilution or other unfair results to investors or existing 
shareholders; (ii) the fund's board of directors, including a majority 
of disinterested directors, irrevocably approves the liquidation of the 
fund; and (iii) the fund, prior to suspending redemptions, notifies the 
Commission of its decision to liquidate and suspend redemptions. Rule 
22e-3 also provides an exemption from section 22(e) for registered 
investment companies that own shares of a money market fund pursuant to 
section 12(d)(1)(E) of the Act (``conduit funds''), if the underlying 
money market fund has suspended redemptions pursuant to the rule. A 
conduit fund that suspends redemptions in reliance on the exemption 
provided by rule 22e-3 is required to provide prompt notice of the 
suspension of redemptions to the Commission. Notices required by the 
rule must be provided by electronic mail, directed to the attention of 
the Director of the Division of Investment Management or the Director's 
designee.\1\ Compliance with the notification requirement is mandatory 
for money market funds and conduit funds that rely on rule 22e-3 to 
suspend redemptions and postpone payment of proceeds pending a 
liquidation, and are not kept confidential.
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    \1\ See rule 22e-3(a)(3).
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    Commission staff estimates that, on average, one money market fund 
would break the buck and liquidate every six years.\2\ In addition, 
Commission staff estimates that there are an average of two conduit 
funds that may be invested in a money market fund that breaks the 
buck.\3\ Commission staff further estimates that a money market fund or 
conduit fund would spend approximately one hour of an in-house 
attorney's time to prepare and submit the notice required by the rule. 
Given these estimates, the total annual burden of the notification 
requirement of rule 22e-3 for all money market funds and

[[Page 42958]]

conduit funds would be approximately 30 minutes,\4\ at a cost of 
$201.\5\
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    \2\ This estimate is based upon the Commission's experience with 
the frequency with which money market funds have historically 
required sponsor support. Although the vast majority of money market 
fund sponsors have supported their money market funds in times of 
market distress, for purposes of this estimate Commission staff 
conservatively estimates that one or more sponsors may not provide 
support.
    \3\ Based on a review of filings with the Commission, Commission 
staff estimates that 2.3 conduit funds are invested in each master 
fund. However, master funds account for only 5.1% of all money 
market funds. Solely for the purposes of this information 
collection, and to avoid underestimating possible burdens, the 
Commission conservatively assumes that any money market that breaks 
the buck and liquidates would be a master fund.
    \4\ This estimate is based on the following calculations: (1 
hour / 6 years) = 10 minutes per year for each fund and conduit fund 
that is required to provide notice under the rule. 10 minutes per 
year x 3 (combined number of affected funds and conduit funds) = 30 
minutes.
    \5\ This estimate is based on the following calculation: $401/
hour x 30 minutes = $200.50. The estimated hourly wages used in this 
PRA analysis were derived from reports prepared by the Securities 
Industry and Financial Markets Association, modified to account for 
an 1,800-hour work year and multiplied by 5.35 to account for 
bonuses, firm size, employee benefits and overhead, and adjusted for 
inflation.
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    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 of the costs of 
Commission rules and forms.
    Compliance with the collection of information requirements of the 
rule is necessary to obtain the benefit of relying on the rule. 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.
    Written comments are invited on: (a) Whether the collection of 
information is 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 burden of 
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 after this 
publication.
    Please direct your written comments to Pamela Dyson, Director/Chief 
Information Officer, Securities and Exchange Commission, C/O Candace 
Kenner, 100 F Street NE, Washington, DC 20549; or send an email to: 
[email protected].

    Dated: August 21, 2018.
Eduardo A. Aleman,
Assistant Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2018-18360 Filed 8-23-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011-01-P