[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 199 (Monday, October 15, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52023-52039]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-22292]


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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

[Release No. 34-84385; File No. SR-MRX-2018-31]


Self-Regulatory Organizations; Nasdaq MRX, LLC; Notice of Filing 
and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change To Amend, 
Reorganize and Enhance Its Membership, Registration and Qualification 
Rules and To Make Conforming Changes to Certain Other Rules

October 9, 2018.
    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 September 27, 2018, Nasdaq MRX, LLC (``MRX'' or ``Exchange'') filed 
with the Securities and Exchange Commission (``SEC'' or ``Commission'') 
the proposed rule change as described in Items I and II below, which 
Items have been prepared by the Exchange. 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.
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I. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Terms of Substance 
of the Proposed Rule Change

    The Exchange proposes to amend, reorganize and enhance its 
membership, registration and qualification rules and to make conforming 
changes to certain other rules.
    The text of the proposed rule change is available on the Exchange's 
website at http://nasdaqmrx.cchwallstreet.com/, at the principal office 
of the Exchange, 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 Exchange 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 Exchange 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 Exchange has adopted registration requirements to ensure that 
associated persons attain and maintain specified levels of competence 
and knowledge pertinent to their function. In general, the current 
rules require that persons engaged in a member's securities business 
who are to function as representatives or principals register with the 
Exchange in each category of registration appropriate to their 
functions by passing one or more qualification examinations \3\ and 
exempt specified associated persons from the registration 
requirements.\4\ They also prescribe ongoing continuing education 
requirements for registered persons.\5\ The Exchange now proposes to 
amend, reorganize and enhance its rules regarding registration, 
qualification examinations and continuing education, as described 
below.
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    \3\ See, e.g., MRX Rule 306, Registration Requirements, Section 
(a)(1).
    \4\ See, e.g., MRX Rule 306, Registration Requirements, Section 
(a)(2).
    \5\ See ISE Rule 604, Continuing Education for Registered 
Persons, incorporated by reference into the MRX rules as explained 
below.
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    Recently, the Commission approved a Financial Industry Regulatory 
Authority (``FINRA'') proposed rule change consolidating and adopting 
NASD and Incorporated NYSE rules relating to qualification and 
registration requirements into the Consolidated FINRA Rulebook,\6\ 
restructuring the FINRA representative-level qualification 
examinations, creating a general knowledge examination and specialized 
knowledge examinations, allowing permissive registration, establishing 
an examination waiver process for persons working for a financial 
services affiliate of a member, and amending certain continuing 
education (``CE'') requirements (collectively, the ``FINRA Rule 
Changes'').\7\ The FINRA Rule Changes will become effective on October 
1, 2018.
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    \6\ The current FINRA rulebook consists of: (1) FINRA rules; (2) 
NASD rules; and (3) rules incorporated from the New York Stock 
Exchange (``NYSE'') (the ``Incorporated NYSE rules''). While the 
NASD rules generally apply to all FINRA members, the Incorporated 
NYSE rules apply only to those members of FINRA that are also 
members of the NYSE.
    \7\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 81098 (July 7, 
2017), 82 FR 32419 (July 13, 2017) (Order Approving File No. SR-
FINRA-2017-007). See also FINRA Regulatory Notice 17-30 (SEC 
Approves Consolidated FINRA Registration Rules, Restructured 
Representative-Level Qualification Examinations and Changes to 
Continuing Education Requirements) (October 2017). FINRA articulated 
its belief that the proposed rule change would streamline, and bring 
consistency and uniformity to, its registration rules, which would, 
in turn, assist FINRA members and their associated persons in 
complying with the rules and improve regulatory efficiency. FINRA 
also determined to enhance the overall efficiency of its 
representative-level examinations program by eliminating redundancy 
of subject matter content across examinations, retiring several 
outdated representative-level registrations, and introducing a 
general knowledge examination that could be taken by all potential 
representative-level registrants and the general public. FINRA 
amended certain aspects of its continuing education rule, including 
by codifying existing guidance regarding the effect of failing to 
complete the Regulatory Element on a registered person's activities 
and compensation.
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    The Exchange now proposes to amend, reorganize and enhance its own 
membership, registration and qualification requirements rules in part 
in response to the FINRA Rule Changes, and also in order to conform its 
rules to those of its affiliated exchanges in the interest of 
uniformity and to facilitate compliance with membership, registration 
and qualification regulatory requirements by members of multiple 
Nasdaq-affiliated exchanges including MRX. Last, the Exchange proposes 
to enhance its registration rules by adding a new registration 
requirement for developers of algorithmic trading systems similar to a 
requirement adopted by FINRA pursuant to a 2016 FINRA proposed rule 
change.\8\
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    \8\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 77551 (April 7, 
2016), 81 FR 21914 (April 13, 2016) (Order Approving File No. SR-
FINRA-2016-007). In its proposed rule change FINRA addressed the 
increasing significance of algorithmic trading strategies by 
amending its rules to require registration, as Securities Traders, 
of associated persons primarily responsible for the design, 
development or significant modification of algorithmic trading 
strategies, or who are responsible for the day-to-day supervision or 
direction of such activities.
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    As part of this proposed rule change, current Rule 306, 
Registration Requirements, is proposed to be deleted.\9\ Additionally, 
as part of a parallel ISE filing that proposes to adopt the same 
registration, qualification examinations and continuing education rule 
changes proposed herein, Nasdaq ISE, LLC (``ISE'') is proposing to 
amend ISE Rules 601, Registration of Options Principals, 602, 
Registration of Representatives, 603, Termination of Registered 
Persons, and 604, Continuing Education for Registered Persons. The 
Exchange's own Chapter 6, Doing Business with the Public, incorporates 
by reference the ISE rules that are set forth in Chapter 6 of the ISE 
rulebook, including ISE Rules 601, 602, 603 and 604, such that the 
proposed changes to

[[Page 52024]]

these ISE rules will apply automatically to the Exchange's own 
rules.\10\ Citations herein to Rules 601, 602, 603, 604 and other 
Chapter 6 rules will be preceded by the term ``ISE Rule'' to reflect 
the Exchange's incorporation by reference of those rules.
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    \9\ Conforming changes are proposed to Rules 100, Definitions, 
and to Chapter 90, Code of Procedure.
    \10\ See SR-ISE-2018-82.
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    The Exchange, like ISE, is proposing to adopt a new 1200 Series of 
rules captioned Registration, Qualification and Continuing Education, 
generally conforming to and based upon FINRA's new 1200 Series of rules 
resulting from the FINRA Rule Changes but with a number of Exchange-
specific variations.\11\ The 1200 Series would replace Exchange Rule 
306 and portions of ISE Rules 601, 602 and 604. MRX's intent is to 
adopt the same rule changes that ISE is proposing in SR-ISE-2018-82 
resulting in the same new 1200 Series of rules on both exchanges, and 
ultimately the same changes to ISE Rules 601, 602 and 604 on both 
exchanges through the Exchange's incorporation by reference of those 
rules. The proposed new 1200 Series is also being proposed for adoption 
by MRX's affiliated exchanges, in order to facilitate compliance with 
membership, registration and qualification regulatory requirements by 
members of two or more of those affiliated exchanges.\12\ In the new 
1200 Series the Exchange would, among other things, recognize an 
additional associated person registration category, recognize a new 
general knowledge examination, permit the maintenance of permissive 
registrations, and require Securities Trader registration of developers 
of algorithmic trading strategies consistent with a comparable existing 
FINRA registration requirement.\13\
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    \11\ The proposed 1200 Series of Rules would consist of Rule 
1210, Registration Requirements; Rule 1220, Registration Categories; 
Rule 1230, Associated Persons Exempt from Registration; Rule 1240, 
Continuing Education Requirements; and Rule 1250, Electronic Filing 
Requirements for Uniform Forms.
    \12\ The Exchange's other four affiliated exchanges, The Nasdaq 
Stock Market LLC (``Nasdaq''), Nasdaq BX, Inc. (``BX''), Nasdaq PHLX 
LLC (``PHLX''), and Nasdaq GEMX, LLC (``GEMX'') (together with MRX 
and ISE, the ``Nasdaq Affiliated Exchanges'') are also submitting 
proposed rule changes to adopt the 1200 Series of rules. See SR-
NASDAQ-2018-078, SR-BX-2018-047, SR-Phlx-2018-61, and SR-GEMX-2018-
33. Additionally, the Exchange recently added a shell structure to 
its rulebook with the purpose of improving efficiency and 
readability and to align its rules closer to those of the other 
Nasdaq Affiliated Exchanges. See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 
82172 (November 29, 2017), 82 FR 57495 (December 5, 2017) (SR-MRX-
2017-26). Ultimately, the Exchange intends to submit another 
proposed rule change to transfer the 1200 Series of rules into the 
new shell structure.
    \13\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 77551 (April 7, 
2016), 81 FR 21914 (April 13, 2016) (Order Approving File No. SR-
FINRA-2016-007). In its proposed rule change FINRA addressed the 
increasing significance of algorithmic trading strategies by 
amending its rules to require registration, as Securities Traders, 
of associated persons primarily responsible for the design, 
development or significant modification of algorithmic trading 
strategies, or who are responsible for the day-to-day supervision or 
direction of such activities.
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    The proposed rule change would become operative October 1, 2018 
with the exception of the new registration requirement for developers 
of algorithmic trading strategies which would become operative April 1, 
2019.
Proposed Rules
A. Registration Requirements (Proposed Rule 1210)
    Exchange Rule 306(a) currently requires individual associated 
persons engaged or to be engaged in the securities business of a member 
to be registered with the Exchange in the category of registration 
appropriate to the function to be performed as prescribed by the 
Exchange. The Exchange is proposing to delete this language and to 
adopt in its place Exchange Rule 1210.\14\
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    \14\ In general the 1200 Series would conform the Exchange's 
rules to FINRA's rules as revised in the FINRA Rule Changes, with 
modifications tailored to the business of the Exchange and of the 
other Nasdaq Affiliated Exchanges. However, the Exchange also 
proposes to adopt Rule 1210, Supplementary Material .12, which is 
not based upon a FINRA rule but instead on current Nasdaq Rule 
1031(c), (d) and (e), which Nasdaq is proposing in SR-Nasdaq-2018-
078 to relocate to Rule 1210, Supplementary Material .12 in the 
Nasdaq rulebook. These provisions govern the process for applying 
for registration and amending the registration application, as well 
as for notifying the Exchange of termination of the member's 
association with a person registered with the Exchange. The Exchange 
proposes to adopt Rule 1210, Supplemental Material .12, in order to 
have uniform processes and requirements in this area across the 
Nasdaq Affiliated Exchanges.
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    Proposed Rule 1210 provides that each person engaged in the 
securities business of a member must register with the Exchange as a 
representative or principal in each category of registration 
appropriate to his or her functions and responsibilities as specified 
in proposed Rule 1220, unless exempt from registration pursuant to 
proposed Rule 1230.\15\ Proposed Exchange Rule 1210 also provides that 
such person is not qualified to function in any registered capacity 
other than that for which the person is registered, unless otherwise 
stated in the rules.
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    \15\ Because the Exchange's proposed registration rules focus 
solely on securities trading activity, the proposed rules differ 
from the FINRA Rule Changes by omitting references to investment 
banking in proposed Rules 1210, 1210.03, 1210.10, 1220(a)(1), 
1220(a)(2)(B), 1220(b), and 1240(b)(1), and also by omitting as 
unnecessary from Rule 1220(a)(10) a limitation on the qualification 
of a General Securities Sales Supervisor to supervise the 
origination and structuring of an underwriting.
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B. Minimum Number of Registered Principals (Proposed Rule 1210.01)
    Existing Rule 306.07 requires members to register with the Exchange 
as a principal each individual acting in any of the following 
capacities: (i) Officer; (ii) partner; (iii) director; (iv) supervisor 
of proprietary trading, market-making or brokerage activities; and/or 
(v) supervisor of those engaged in proprietary trading, market-making 
or brokerage activities with respect to those activities. Members must 
register with the Exchange at least two individuals acting in one or 
more of these heightened capacities (the ``two-principal 
requirement''). The Exchange may waive this requirement if a member 
demonstrates conclusively that only one individual acting in one or 
more of these capacities should be required to register. Further, a 
member that conducts proprietary trading only and has 25 or fewer 
registered persons is only required to have one officer or partner who 
is registered in this capacity.\16\
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    \16\ Rule 306, Supplementary Material .07, describes when a 
member is considered to be conducting only proprietary trading of 
the member. Because the Exchange is proposing to delete Rule 306 in 
its entirety, Rule 306, Supplementary Material .07 would be reworded 
and relocated to Rule 100(a), Definitions, as a provision defining 
the term ``proprietary trading'' for purposes of Rule 1210.
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    The Exchange is proposing to delete these requirements and in their 
place to adopt new Rule 1210.01. The new rule would provide firms that 
limit the scope of their business with flexibility in satisfying the 
two-principal requirement. In particular, proposed Rule 1210.01 
requires that a member have a minimum of two General Securities 
Principals, provided that a member that is limited in the scope of its 
activities may instead have two officers or partners who are registered 
in a principal category that corresponds to the scope of the member's 
activities.\17\ For instance, if a firm's business is limited to 
securities trading, the firm may have two Securities Trader Principals, 
instead of two General Securities Principals. Additionally, Exchange 
Rule 1210.01 provides that any member with only one associated person 
is excluded from the two principal requirement. Proposed Rule 1210.01 
would provide that existing members as well as new applicants may 
request a waiver of the two-principal requirement, consistent with 
current Exchange Rule 306.07. Finally, the

[[Page 52025]]

Exchange is proposing to include a provision currently found in current 
Rule 306 permitting a proprietary trading firm with 25 or fewer 
registered representatives to have just one registered principal. The 
FINRA Rule Changes do not include this provision.\18\
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    \17\ The principal registration categories are described in 
greater detail below.
    \18\ The Exchange is not proposing provisions comparable to the 
new FINRA Rule 1210.01 requirements that all FINRA members are 
required to have a Principal Financial Officer and a Principal 
Operations Officer, because it believes that its proposed Rule 
1220(a)(4), Financial and Operations Principal, which requires 
member firms operating pursuant to certain provisions of SEC rules 
to designate at least one Financial and Operations Principal, is 
sufficient. Further, the Exchange is not adopting the FINRA Rule 
1210.01 requirements that (1) a member engaged in investment banking 
activities have an Investment Banking Principal, (2) a member 
engaged in research activities have a Research Principal, or (3) a 
member engaged in options activities with the public have a 
Registered Options Principal. The Exchange does not recognize the 
Investment Banking Principal or the Research Principal registration 
categories, and the Registered Options Principal registration 
requirement is set forth in Rule 1210.08 and its inclusion is 
therefore unnecessary in Rule 1210.01.
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C. Permissive Registrations (Proposed Rule 1210.02)
    Current Rule 306(a)(1) prohibits members from maintaining a 
registration with the Exchange for any person (1) who is no longer 
active in the member's securities business; (2) who is no longer 
functioning in the registered capacity; or (3) where the sole purpose 
is to avoid an examination requirement. It further prohibits a member 
from making an application for the registration of any person where 
there is no intent to employ that person in the member's securities 
business. A member may, however, maintain or make application for the 
registration of an individual who performs legal, compliance, internal 
audit, back-office operations, or similar responsibilities for the 
member, or a person who performs administrative support functions for 
registered personnel, or a person engaged in the securities business of 
a foreign securities affiliate or subsidiary of the member.
    The Exchange is proposing to replace this provision with new Rule 
1210.02. The Exchange is also proposing to expand the scope of 
permissive registrations and to clarify a member's obligations 
regarding individuals who are maintaining such registrations.
    Specifically, proposed Rule 1210.02 allows any associated person to 
obtain and maintain any registration permitted by the member. For 
instance, an associated person of a member working solely in a clerical 
or ministerial capacity, such as in an administrative capacity, would 
be able to obtain and maintain a General Securities Representative 
registration with the member. As another example, an associated person 
of a member who is registered, and functioning solely, [sic] as a 
General Securities Representative would be able to obtain and maintain 
a General Securities Principal registration with the member. Further, 
proposed Rule 1210.02 allows an individual engaged in the securities 
business of a foreign securities affiliate or subsidiary of a member to 
obtain and maintain any registration permitted by the member.
    The Exchange is proposing to permit the registration of such 
individuals for several reasons. First, a member may foresee a need to 
move a former representative or principal who has not been registered 
for two or more years back into a position that would require such 
person to be registered. Currently, such persons are required to 
requalify (or obtain a waiver of the applicable qualification 
examinations) and reapply for registration. Second, the proposed rule 
change would allow members to develop a depth of associated persons 
with registrations in the event of unanticipated personnel changes. 
Third, allowing registration in additional categories encourages 
greater regulatory understanding. Finally, the proposed rule change 
would eliminate an inconsistency in the current rules, which permit 
some associated persons of a member to obtain permissive registrations, 
but not others who equally are engaged in the member's business.
    Individuals maintaining a permissive registration under the 
proposed rule change would be considered registered persons and subject 
to all Exchange rules, to the extent relevant to their activities. For 
instance, an individual working solely in an administrative capacity 
would be able to maintain a General Securities Representative 
registration and would be considered a registered person for purposes 
of rules relating to borrowing from or lending to customers, but the 
rule would have no practical application to his or her conduct because 
he or she would not have any customers.
    Consistent with the Exchange's supervision rules, members would be 
required to have adequate supervisory systems and procedures reasonably 
designed to ensure that individuals with permissive registrations do 
not act outside the scope of their assigned functions.\19\ With respect 
to an individual who solely maintains a permissive registration, such 
as an individual working exclusively in an administrative capacity, the 
individual's day-to-day supervisor may be a nonregistered person. 
Members would be required to assign a registered supervisor to this 
person who would be responsible for periodically contacting such 
individual's day-to-day supervisor to verify that the individual is not 
acting outside the scope of his or her assigned functions. If such 
individual is permissively registered as a representative, the 
registered supervisor must be registered as a representative or 
principal. If the individual is permissively registered as a principal, 
the registered supervisor must be registered as a principal.\20\
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    \19\ The FINRA Proposed Rules at Rule 1210.02 cite FINRA's own 
supervision rule, by number. Because the 1200 Series of rules is 
intended to apply to the Exchange as well as to its affiliates which 
have different supervision rules, proposed Rule 1210.02 refers 
generally to the supervision rules rather than identifying them by 
number.
    \20\ In either case, the registered supervisor of an individual 
who solely maintains a permissive registration would not be required 
to be registered in the same representative or principal 
registration category as the permissively-registered individual.
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D. Qualification Examinations and Waivers of Examinations (Proposed 
Rule 1210.03)
    Current Rule 306(a)(1) provides that before a registration can 
become effective, the individual associated person shall submit the 
appropriate application for registration, pass a qualification 
examination appropriate to the category of registration as prescribed 
by the Exchange and submit any required registration and examination 
fees. The Exchange is proposing to replace this rule language with new 
Rule 1210.03, Qualification Examinations and Waivers of Examinations.
    As part of the FINRA Rule Changes, FINRA has adopted a restructured 
representative-level qualification examination program whereby 
representative-level registrants would be required to take a general 
knowledge examination (the Securities Industry Essentials Exam or 
``SIE'') and a specialized knowledge examination appropriate to their 
job functions at the firm with which they are associating. Therefore, 
proposed Rule 1210.03 provides that before the registration of a person 
as a representative can become effective under proposed Rule 1210, such 
person must pass the SIE and an appropriate representative-level 
qualification examination as specified in proposed Rule 1220. Proposed 
Rule 1210.03 also provides that before the registration of a person as 
a principal can become effective under proposed Rule 1210, such person 
must pass an appropriate principal-level qualification examination as 
specified in proposed Rule 1220.

[[Page 52026]]

    Further, proposed 1210.03 provides that if the job functions of a 
registered representative, other than an individual registered as an 
Order Processing Assistant Representative, change and he or she needs 
to become registered in another representative-level category, he or 
she would not need to pass the SIE again. Rather, the registered person 
would need to pass only the appropriate representative-level 
qualification examination.\21\ Thus under the proposed rule change, 
individuals seeking registration in two or more representative-level 
categories would experience a net decrease in the total number of exam 
questions they would be required to answer because the SIE content 
would be tested only once.
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    \21\ The exception for Order Processing Assistant 
Representatives and Foreign Associates was adopted by FINRA in FINRA 
Rule 1210.03, and is included in proposed Exchange Rule 1210.03 
without the reference to Foreign Associates which is a registration 
category the Nasdaq Affiliated Exchanges do not recognize. FINRA has 
stated that the SIE would assess basic product knowledge; the 
structure and function of the securities industry markets, 
regulatory agencies and their functions; and regulated and 
prohibited practices. Proposed Rule 1210.03 provides that all 
associated persons, such as associated persons whose functions are 
solely and exclusively clerical or ministerial, are eligible to take 
the SIE. Proposed Rule 1210.03 also provides that individuals who 
are not associated persons of firms, such as members of the general 
public, are eligible to take the SIE. FINRA has stated its belief 
that expanding the pool of individuals who are eligible to take the 
SIE would enable prospective securities industry professionals to 
demonstrate to prospective employers a basic level of knowledge 
prior to submitting a job application. Further, this approach would 
allow for more flexibility and career mobility within the securities 
industry. While all associated persons of firms as well as 
individuals who are not associated persons would be eligible to take 
the SIE pursuant to proposed Rule 1210.03, passing the SIE alone 
would not qualify them for registration with the Exchange. Rather, 
to be eligible for registration with the Exchange, an individual 
would be required to pass an applicable representative or principal 
qualification examination and complete the other requirements of the 
registration process.
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    The proposed rule change solely impacts the representative-level 
qualification requirements. The proposed rule change does not change 
the scope of the activities under the remaining representative 
categories. For instance, after the operative date of the proposed rule 
change, a previously unregistered individual registering as a 
Securities Trader for the first time would be required to pass the SIE 
and an appropriate specialized knowledge examination. However, such 
individual may engage only in those activities in which a current 
Securities Trader may engage under current Exchange Rules.
    Individuals who are registered on the operative date of the 
proposed rule change would be eligible to maintain those registrations 
without being subject to any additional requirements. Individuals who 
had been registered within the past two years prior to the operative 
date of the proposed rule change would also be eligible to maintain 
those registrations without being subject to any additional 
requirements, provided that they reregister with the Exchange within 
two years from the date of their last registration.
    Further, registered representatives, other than an individual 
registered as an Order Processing Assistant Representative, would be 
considered to have passed the SIE in the CRD system, and thus if they 
wish to register in any other representative category after the 
operative date of the proposed rule change, they could do so by taking 
only the appropriate specialized knowledge examination.\22\ However, 
with respect to an individual who is not registered on the operative 
date of the proposed rule change but was registered within the past two 
years prior to the operative date of the proposed rule change, the 
individual's SIE status in the CRD system would be administratively 
terminated if such individual does not register within four years from 
the date of the individual's last registration.\23\
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    \22\ Under the proposed rule change, only individuals who have 
passed an appropriate representative-level examination would be 
considered to have passed the SIE. Registered principals who do not 
hold an appropriate representative-level registration would not be 
considered to have passed the SIE. For example, an individual who is 
registered solely as a Financial and Operations Principal (Series 
27) today would have to take the Series 7 to become registered as a 
General Securities Representative. Under the proposed rule change, 
in the future, this individual would have to pass the SIE and the 
specialized Series 7 examination to obtain registration as a General 
Securities Representative.
    \23\ As discussed below, the Exchange is proposing a four-year 
expiration period for the SIE.
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    In addition, individuals, with the exception of Order Processing 
Assistant Representatives, who had been registered as representatives 
two or more years, but less than four years, prior to the operative 
date of the proposed rule change would also be considered to have 
passed the SIE and designated as such in the CRD system. Moreover, if 
such individuals re-register with a firm after the operative date of 
the proposed rule change and within four years of having been 
previously registered, they would only need to pass the specialized 
knowledge examination associated with that registration position. 
However, if they do not register within four years from the date of 
their last registration, their SIE status in the CRD system would be 
administratively terminated. Similar to the current process for 
registration, firms would continue to use the CRD system to request 
registrations for representatives. An individual would be able to 
schedule both the SIE and specialized knowledge examinations for the 
same day, provided the individual is able to reserve space at one of 
FINRA's designated testing centers.
    Finally, under current Rule 306.05, the Exchange may, in 
exceptional cases and where good cause is shown, waive the applicable 
qualification examination and accept other standards as evidence of an 
applicant's qualifications for registration. The Exchange is proposing 
to replace Rule 306.05 with proposed Rule 1210.03 with changes which 
track FINRA Rule 1210.03. The proposed rule provides that the Exchange 
will only consider examination waiver requests submitted by a firm for 
individuals associated with the firm who are seeking registration in a 
representative- or principal-level registration category. Moreover, 
proposed Rule 1210.03 states that the Exchange will consider waivers of 
the SIE alone or the SIE and the representative- and principal-level 
examination(s) for such individuals.
E. Requirements for Registered Persons Functioning as Principals for a 
Limited Period (Proposed Rule 1210.04)
    The Exchange is proposing to adopt new Rule 1210.04, which provides 
that a member may designate any person currently registered, or who 
becomes registered, with the member as a representative to function as 
a principal for a period of 120 calendar days prior to passing an 
appropriate principal qualification examination, provided that such 
person has at least 18 months of experience functioning as a registered 
representative within the five-year period immediately preceding the 
designation and has fulfilled all prerequisite registration, fee and 
examination requirements prior to designation as principal. These 
requirements apply to any principal category, including those 
categories that are not subject to a prerequisite representative-level 
registration requirement, such as the Financial and Operations 
Principal registration category.\24\ Similarly, the rule would permit a 
member to designate any person currently registered, or who becomes 
registered, with the member as a principal to function in another 
principal category for a period of 120 calendar days prior to passing 
an

[[Page 52027]]

appropriate qualification examination as specified under Rule 1220.\25\
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    \24\ In this regard, the Exchange notes that qualifying as a 
registered representative is currently a prerequisite to qualifying 
as a principal on the Exchange except with respect to the Financial 
and Operations Principal registration category.
    \25\ Proposed Rule 1210.04 omits FINRA Rule 1210.04's reference 
to Foreign Associates, which is a registration category not 
recognized by the Nasdaq Affiliated Exchanges, but otherwise tracks 
the language of FINRA Rule 1210.04.
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    This provision, which has no counterpart in the Exchange's current 
rules, is intended to provide flexibility to members in meeting their 
principal requirements on a temporary basis.
F. Rules of Conduct for Taking Examinations and Confidentiality of 
Examinations (Proposed Rule 1210.05)
    Before taking an examination, FINRA currently requires each 
candidate to agree to the Rules of Conduct for taking a qualification 
examination. Among other things, the examination Rules of Conduct 
require each candidate to attest that he or she is in fact the person 
who is taking the examination. These Rules of Conduct also require that 
each candidate agree that the examination content is the intellectual 
property of FINRA and that the content cannot be copied or 
redistributed by any means. If FINRA discovers that a candidate has 
violated the Rules of Conduct for taking a qualification examination, 
the candidate may forfeit the results of the examination and may be 
subject to disciplinary action by FINRA. For instance, for cheating on 
a qualification examination, FINRA's Sanction Guidelines recommend a 
bar.\26\
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    \26\ See SR-FINRA-2017-007, pp. 26-27.
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    Effective October 1, 2018 FINRA has codified the requirements 
relating to the Rules of Conduct for examinations under FINRA Rule 
1210.05. FINRA also adopted Rules of Conduct for taking the SIE for 
associated persons and non-associated persons who take the SIE.
    The Exchange proposes to adopt its own version of Rule 1210.05, 
which would provide that associated persons taking the SIE are subject 
to the SIE Rules of Conduct, and that associated persons taking any 
representative or principal examination are subject to the Rules of 
Conduct for representative and principal examinations. Under the 
proposed rule, a violation of the SIE Rules of Conduct or the Rules of 
Conduct for representative and principal examinations by an associated 
person would be deemed to be a violation of Exchange rules requiring 
observance of high standards of commercial honor or just and equitable 
principles of trade, such as Exchange Rule 400.\27\ Further, if the 
Exchange determines that an associated person has violated the SIE 
Rules of Conduct or the Rules of Conduct for representative and 
principal examinations, the associated person may forfeit the results 
of the examination and may be subject to disciplinary action by the 
Exchange.
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    \27\ Exchange Rule 400 prohibits members from engaging in acts 
or practices inconsistent with just and equitable principles of 
trade. Persons associated with members have the same duties and 
obligations as members under Rule 400. FINRA Rule 1210.05 cites 
FINRA Rule 2010, which is a comparable rule.
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    Proposed Rule 1210.05 also states that the Exchange considers all 
of the qualification examinations' content to be highly confidential. 
The removal of examination content from an examination center, 
reproduction, disclosure, receipt from or passing to any person, or use 
for study purposes of any portion of such qualification examination or 
any other use that would compromise the effectiveness of the 
examinations and the use in any manner and at any time of the questions 
or answers to the examinations would be prohibited and would be deemed 
to be a violation of Exchange rules requiring observance of high 
standards of commercial honor or just and equitable principles of 
trade. Finally, proposed Rule 1210.05 would prohibit an applicant from 
receiving assistance while taking the examination, and require the 
applicant to certify that no assistance was given to or received by him 
or her during the examination.\28\
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    \28\ The Exchange is not adopting portions of FINRA's Rule 
1210.05 which apply to non-associated persons, over whom the 
Exchange would in any event have no jurisdiction.
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G. Waiting Periods for Retaking a Failed Examination (Proposed Rule 
1210.06)
    The Exchange proposes to adopt new Rule 1210.06, which provides 
that a person who fails an examination may retake that examination 
after 30 calendar days from the date of the person's last attempt to 
pass that examination.\29\ Proposed Rule 1210.06 further provides that 
if a person fails an examination three or more times in succession 
within a two-year period, the person is prohibited from retaking that 
examination until 180 calendar days from the date of the person's last 
attempt to pass it. These waiting periods would apply to the SIE and 
the representative- and principal-level examinations.\30\
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    \29\ Proposed Rule 1210.06 has no counterpart in existing 
Exchange rules.
    \30\ FINRA Rule 1210.06 requires individuals taking the SIE who 
are not associated persons to agree to be subject to the same 
waiting periods for retaking the SIE. The Exchange is not including 
this language in proposed Rule 1210.06, as the Exchange will not 
apply the 1200 Series of rules in any event to individuals who are 
not associated persons of members.
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H. CE Requirements (Proposed Rule 1210.07)
    Pursuant to current Exchange Rule 306.04, each individual required 
to register under Rule 306 is required to satisfy the continuing 
education requirements set forth in ISE Rule 604, Continuing Education 
for Registered Persons, or any other applicable continuing education 
requirements as prescribed by the Exchange. Under ISE Rule 604 the CE 
requirements applicable to registered persons consist of a Regulatory 
Element \31\ and a Firm Element.\32\ The Regulatory Element applies to 
registered persons and must be completed within prescribed time 
frames.\33\ For purposes of the Regulatory Element, a ``registered 
person'' is defined as any person registered or required to be 
registered with the Exchange under the Exchange's rules.\34\ The Firm 
Element consists of annual, member-developed and administered training 
programs designed to keep covered registered persons current regarding 
securities products, services and strategies offered by the member. For 
purposes of the Firm Element, the term ``covered registered persons'' 
is defined in the current rule as any registered person who has a 
Series 57 registration or who has direct contact with customers in the 
conduct of the member's securities sales and trading activities, and 
the immediate supervisors of such persons.\35\
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    \31\ See ISE Rule 604(a).
    \32\ See ISE Rule 604(c).
    \33\ Pursuant to ISE Rule 604(a), each registered person is 
required to complete the Regulatory Element initially within 120 
days after the person's second registration anniversary date and, 
thereafter, within 120 days after every third registration 
anniversary date. Unless otherwise determined by the Exchange, a 
registered person who has not completed the Regulatory Element 
program within the prescribed time frames will have their 
registrations deemed inactive until such time as the requirements of 
the program have been satisfied. Any person whose registration has 
been deemed inactive under Rule ISE Rule 604(a) must cease all 
activities as a registered person and is prohibited from performing 
any duties and functioning in any capacity requiring registration. A 
person whose registration is so terminated may reactivate the 
registration only by reapplying for registration and meeting the 
qualification requirements of the applicable provisions of the 
Exchange's rules. The Exchange may, upon application and a showing 
of good cause, allow for additional time for a registered person to 
satisfy the program requirements.
    \34\ See ISE Rule 604.01.
    \35\ See ISE Rule 604(c)(1).
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    The Exchange proposes to delete Rule 306.04. The CE requirements 
set forth in Rule 306.04 have been reorganized and renumbered, and are 
now proposed to be adopted as new Rule 1240. The Exchange believes that 
all registered persons, regardless of their activities,

[[Page 52028]]

should be subject to the Regulatory Element of the CE requirements so 
that they can keep their knowledge of the securities industry current. 
Therefore, the Exchange is proposing Rule 1210.07, to clarify that all 
registered persons, including those who solely maintain a permissive 
registration, are required to satisfy the Regulatory Element, as 
specified in proposed new Rule 1240, discussed below.\36\ Individuals 
who have passed the SIE but not a representative or principal-level 
examination and do not hold a registered position would not be subject 
to any CE requirements. Consistent with current practice, proposed Rule 
1210.07 also provides that a registered person of a member who becomes 
CE inactive would not be permitted to be registered in another 
registration category with that member or be registered in any 
registration category with another member, until the person has 
satisfied the Regulatory Element.
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    \36\ Current Rule 306.04 would be deleted.
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I. Lapse of Registration and Expiration of SIE (Proposed Rule 1210.08)
    Existing Rule 306(e) states that any person whose registration has 
been revoked by the Exchange as a disciplinary sanction or whose most 
recent registration has been terminated for two or more years 
immediately preceding the date of receipt by the Exchange of a new 
application shall be required to pass a qualification examination 
appropriate to the category of registration as prescribed by the 
Exchange. The two year period is calculated from the termination date 
to the date the Exchange receives a new application for registration. 
The Exchange is proposing to delete existing Rule 306(e), and to 
replace it with Rule 1210.08, Lapse of Registration and Expiration of 
SIE.
    Proposed Rule 1210.08 contains language comparable to that of 
existing Rule 306(e) but also clarifies that, for purposes of the 
proposed rule, an application would not be considered to have been 
received by the Exchange if that application does not result in a 
registration. Proposed Rule 1210.08 also sets forth the expiration 
period of the SIE. Based on the content covered on the SIE, the 
Exchange is proposing that a passing result on the SIE be valid for 
four years. Therefore, under the proposed rule change, an individual 
who passes the SIE and is an associated person of a firm at the time 
would have up to four years from the date he or she passes the SIE to 
pass a representative-level examination to register as a representative 
with that firm, or a subsequent firm, without having to retake the SIE. 
In addition, an individual who passes the SIE and is not an associated 
person at the time would have up to four years from the date he or she 
passes the SIE to become an associated person of a firm, pass a 
representative-level examination and register as a representative 
without having to retake the SIE.
    Moreover, an individual holding a representative-level registration 
who leaves the industry after the operative date of the proposed rule 
change would have up to four years to re-associate with a firm and 
register as a representative without having to retake the SIE. However, 
the four-year expiration period in the proposed rule change extends 
only to the SIE, and not the representative- and principal-level 
registrations. The representative- and principal-level registrations 
would continue to be subject to a two year expiration period as is the 
case today.
J. Waiver of Examinations for Individuals Working for a Financial 
Services Industry Affiliate of a Member (Proposed Rule 1210.09)
    The Exchange is proposing Rule 1210.09 to provide a new process 
whereby individuals who would be working for a financial services 
industry affiliate of a member \37\ would terminate their registrations 
with the member and would be granted a waiver of their requalification 
requirements upon re-registering with a member, provided the firm that 
is requesting the waiver and the individual satisfy the criteria for a 
Financial Services Affiliate (``FSA'') waiver.\38\ The purpose of the 
FSA waiver is to provide a firm greater flexibility to move personnel, 
including senior and middle management, between the firm and its 
financial services affiliate(s) so that they may gain organizational 
skills and better knowledge of products developed by the affiliate(s) 
without the individuals having to requalify by examination each time 
they returned to the firm.
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    \37\ Proposed Rule 1210.09 defines a ``financial services 
industry affiliate of a member'' as a legal entity that controls, is 
controlled by or is under common control with a member and is 
regulated by the SEC, Commodity Futures Trading Commission 
(``CFTC''), state securities authorities, federal or state banking 
authorities, state insurance authorities, or substantially 
equivalent foreign regulatory authorities.
    \38\ There is no counterpart to proposed Rule 1210.09 in the 
Exchange's existing rules. FINRA Rule 1210.09 was recently adopted 
as a new waiver process for FINRA registrants, as part of the FINRA 
Rule Changes.
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    Under the proposed waiver process, the first time a registered 
person is designated as eligible for a waiver based on the FSA 
criteria, the member with which the individual is registered would 
notify the Exchange of the FSA designation. The member would 
concurrently file a full Form U5 terminating the individual's 
registration with the firm, which would also terminate the individual's 
other SRO and state registrations.
    To be eligible for initial designation as an FSA-eligible person by 
a member, an individual must have been registered for a total of five 
years within the most recent 10-year period prior to the designation, 
including for the most recent year with that member.\39\ An individual 
would have to satisfy these preconditions only for purposes of his or 
her initial designation as an FSA-eligible person, and not for any 
subsequent FSA designation(s). Thereafter, the individual would be 
eligible for a waiver for up to seven years from the date of initial 
designation \40\ provided that the other conditions of the waiver, as 
described below, have been satisfied. Consequently, a member other than 
the member that initially designated an individual as an FSA-eligible 
person may request a waiver for the individual and more than one member 
may request a waiver for the individual during the seven-year 
period.\41\
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    \39\ For purposes of this requirement, a five year period of 
registration with the Exchange, with FINRA or with another self-
regulatory organization would be sufficient.
    \40\ Individuals would be eligible for a single, fixed seven-
year period from the date of initial designation, and the period 
would not be tolled or renewed.
    \41\ The following examples illustrate this point: Example 1. 
Firm A designates an individual as an FSA-eligible person by 
notifying the Exchange and files a Form U5. The individual joins 
Firm A's financial services affiliate. Firm A does not submit a 
waiver request for the individual. After working for Firm A's 
financial services affiliate for three years, the individual 
directly joins Firm B's financial services affiliate for three 
years. Firm B then submits a waiver request to register the 
individual. Example 2. Same as Example 1, but the individual 
directly joins Firm B after working for Firm A's financial services 
affiliate, and Firm B submits a waiver request to register the 
individual at that point in time. Example 3. Firm A designates an 
individual as an FSA-eligible person by notifying the Exchange and 
files a Form U5. The individual joins Firm A's financial services 
affiliate for three years. Firm A then submits a waiver request to 
reregister the individual. After working for Firm A in a registered 
capacity for six months, Firm A re-designates the individual as an 
FSA-eligible person by notifying FINRA and files a Form U5. The 
individual rejoins Firm A's financial services affiliate for two 
years, after which the individual directly joins Firm B's financial 
services affiliate for one year. Firm B then submits a waiver 
request to register the individual. Example 4. Same as Example 3, 
but the individual directly joins Firm B after the second period of 
working for Firm A's financial services affiliate, and Firm B 
submits a waiver request to register the individual at that point in 
time.

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[[Page 52029]]

    An individual designated as an FSA-eligible person would be subject 
to the Regulatory Element of CE while working for a financial services 
industry affiliate of a member. The individual would be subject to a 
Regulatory Element program that correlates to his or her most recent 
registration category, and CE would be based on the same cycle had the 
individual remained registered. If the individual fails to complete the 
prescribed Regulatory Element during the 120-day window for taking the 
session, he or she would lose FSA eligibility (i.e., the individual 
would have the standard two-year period after termination to re-
register without having to retake an examination). The Exchange is 
making corresponding changes in proposed Rule 1240 (currently ISE Rule 
604, Continuing Education for Registered Persons).
    Upon registering an FSA-eligible person, a firm would file a Form 
U4 and request the appropriate registration(s) for the individual. The 
firm would also submit an examination waiver request to the 
Exchange,\42\ similar to the process used today for waiver requests, 
and it would represent that the individual is eligible for an FSA 
waiver based on the conditions set forth below. The Exchange would 
review the waiver request and make a determination of whether to grant 
the request within 30 calendar days of receiving the request. The 
Exchange would summarily grant the request if the following conditions 
are met:
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    \42\ The Exchange would consider a waiver of the representative-
level qualification examination(s), the principal-level 
qualification examination(s) and the SIE, as applicable.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    (1) Prior to the individual's initial designation as an FSA-
eligible person, the individual was registered for a total of five 
years within the most recent 10- year period, including for the most 
recent year with the member that initially designated the individual as 
an FSA-eligible person;
    (2) The waiver request is made within seven years of the 
individual's initial designation as an FSA-eligible person by a member;
    (3) The initial designation and any subsequent designation(s) were 
made concurrently with the filing of the individual's related Form U5;
    (4) The individual continuously worked for the financial services 
affiliate(s) of a member since the last Form U5 filing;
    (5) The individual has complied with the Regulatory Element of CE; 
and
    (6) The individual does not have any pending or adverse regulatory 
matters, or terminations, that are reportable on the Form U4, and has 
not otherwise been subject to a statutory disqualification while the 
individual was designated as an FSA-eligible person with a member.
    Following the Form U5 filing, an individual could move between the 
financial services affiliates of a member so long as the individual is 
continuously working for an affiliate. Further, a member could submit 
multiple waiver requests for the individual, provided that the waiver 
requests are made during the course of the seven-year period.\43\ An 
individual who has been designated as an FSA-eligible person by a 
member would not be able to take additional examinations to gain 
additional registrations while working for a financial services 
affiliate of a member.
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    \43\ For example, if a member submits a waiver request for an 
FSA-eligible person who has been working for a financial services 
affiliate of the member for three years and re-registers the 
individual, the member could subsequently file a Form U5 and re-
designate the individual as an FSA-eligible person. Moreover, if the 
individual works with a financial services affiliate of the member 
for another three years, the member could submit a second waiver 
request and re-register the individual upon returning to the member.
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K. Status of Persons Serving in the Armed Forces of the United States 
(Proposed Rule 1210.10)
    The Exchange is proposing to adopt new Rule 1210.10, Status of 
Persons Serving in the Armed Forces of the United States.\44\ Rule 
1210.10(a) would permit a registered person of a member who volunteers 
for or is called into active duty in the Armed Forces of the United 
States to be placed, after proper notification to the Exchange, on 
inactive status. The registered person would not need to be re-
registered by such member upon his or her return to active employment 
with the member.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \44\ There is no counterpart to proposed Rule 1210.10 in the 
Exchange's existing rules.
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    The registered person would remain eligible to receive transaction-
related compensation, including continuing commissions, and the 
employing member could allow the registered person to enter into an 
arrangement with another registered person of the member to take over 
and service the person's accounts and to share transaction-related 
compensation based upon the business generated by such accounts. 
However, because such persons would be inactive, they could not perform 
any of the functions and responsibilities performed by a registered 
person, nor would they be required to complete either the continuing 
education Regulatory Element or Firm Element set forth in proposed Rule 
1240 during the pendency of such inactive status.\45\
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    \45\ The relief provided in Rule 1210.10(a) would be available 
to a registered person during the period that such person remains 
registered with the member with which he or she was registered at 
the beginning of active duty in the Armed Forces of the United 
States, regardless of whether the person returns to active 
employment with another member upon completion of his or her active 
duty. The relief would apply only to a person registered with a 
member and only while the person remains on active military duty. 
Further, the member with which such person is registered would be 
required to promptly notify the Exchange of such person's return to 
active employment with the member.
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    Pursuant to proposed Exchange Rule 1210.10(b), a member that is a 
sole proprietor who temporarily closes his or her business by reason of 
volunteering for or being called into active duty in the Armed Forces 
of the United States, shall be placed, after proper notification to the 
Exchange, on inactive status while the member remains on active 
military duty, would not be required to pay dues or assessments during 
the pendency of such inactive status and would not be required to pay 
an admission fee upon return to active participation in the securities 
business. This relief would be available only to a sole proprietor 
member and only while the person remains on active military duty, and 
the sole proprietor would be required to promptly notify the Exchange 
of his or her return to active participation in the securities 
business.
    If a person who was formerly registered with a member volunteers 
for or is called into active duty in the Armed Forces of the United 
States at any time within two years after the date the person ceased to 
be registered with a member, the Exchange shall defer the lapse of 
registration requirements set forth in proposed Rule 1210.08 (i.e., 
toll the two-year expiration period for representative and principal 
qualification examinations) and the lapse of the SIE (i.e., toll the 
four-year expiration period for the SIE). The Exchange would defer the 
lapse of registration requirements and the SIE commencing on the date 
the person begins actively serving in the Armed Forces of the United 
States, provided that the Exchange is properly notified of the person's 
period of active military service within 90 days following his or her 
completion of active service or upon his or her re-registration with a 
member, whichever occurs first. The deferral will terminate 90 days 
following the person's completion of active service in the Armed Forces 
of the United States. Accordingly, if such person does not re-register 
with a member within 90 days following his or her completion of active 
service in the Armed Forces of

[[Page 52030]]

the United States, the amount of time in which the person must become 
re-registered with a member without being subject to a representative 
or principal qualification examination or the SIE shall consist of the 
standard two-year period for representative and principal qualification 
examinations or the standard four-year period for the SIE, whichever is 
applicable, as provided in Rule 1210.08 reduced by the period of time 
between the person's termination of registration and beginning of 
active service in the Armed Forces of the United States.
    Finally, under proposed Rule 1210.10(c), if a person placed on 
inactive status while serving in the Armed Forces of the United States 
ceases to be registered with a member, the Exchange would defer the 
lapse of registration requirements set forth in Rule 1210.08 (i.e., 
toll the two-year expiration period for representative and principal 
qualification examinations) and the lapse of the SIE (i.e., toll the 
four-year expiration period for the SIE) during the pendency of his or 
her active service in the Armed Forces of the United States. The 
Exchange would defer the lapse of registration requirements based on 
existing information in the CRD system, provided that the Exchange is 
properly notified of the person's period of active military service 
within two years following his or her completion of active service or 
upon his or her re-registration with a member, whichever occurs first. 
The deferral would terminate 90 days following the person's completion 
of active service in the Armed Forces of the United States. 
Accordingly, if such person did not re-register with a member within 90 
days following completion of active service, the amount of time in 
which the person must become re-registered with a member without being 
subject to a representative or principal qualification examination or 
the SIE would consist of the standard two-year period for 
representative and principal qualification examinations or the standard 
four-year period for the SIE, whichever is applicable, as provided in 
Rule 1210.08.\46\
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    \46\ Proposed Rule 1210.10 tracks FINRA Rule 1210.10 except for 
the statement that inactive registered persons are not to be 
included within the definition of ``Personnel'' for purposes of dues 
or assessments as provided in Article VI of the FINRA By-Laws. 
Instead, proposed Rule 1210.10 includes language from existing 
Nasdaq IM-1002-2 stating that inactive persons under the rule are 
not included within the scope of fees, if any, charged by the 
Exchange with respect to registered persons.
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L. Impermissible Registrations (Proposed Rule 1210.11)
    Existing Rule 306(a)(1) prohibits a member from maintaining a 
representative or principal registration with the Exchange for any 
person who is no longer active in the member's securities business, who 
is no longer functioning in the registered capacity, or where the sole 
purpose is to avoid an examination requirement. The rule also prohibits 
a member from applying for the registration of a person as 
representative or principal where the member does not intend to employ 
the person in its securities business. These prohibitions do not apply 
to the current permissive registration categories identified in Rule 
306(a)(1).
    In light of proposed Rule 1210.02, Permissive Registrations, 
discussed above, the Exchange is proposing to delete these provisions 
of Rule 306(a)(1) and instead adopt Rule 1210.11 prohibiting a member 
from registering or maintaining the registration of a person unless the 
registration is consistent with the requirements of proposed Rule 
1210.\47\
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    \47\ As discussed above, the Exchange is also proposing Rule 
1210, Supplementary Material .12, Application for Registration and 
Jurisdiction, which is not included in FINRA Rule 1210. Proposed 
Exchange Rule 1210, Supplementary Material .12, is based upon 
portions of existing Nasdaq Rule 1031.
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M. Registration Categories (Proposed Rule 1220)
    The Exchange is proposing to adopt new and revised registration 
category rules and related definitions in proposed Rule 1220, 
Registration Categories.\48\
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    \48\ For ease of reference, the Exchange proposes to adopt as 
Rule 1220, Supplementary Material .07, in chart form, a Summary of 
Qualification Requirements for each of the Exchange's permitted 
registration categories discussed below.
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1. Definition of Principal (Proposed Rule 1220(a)(1))
    The Exchange's registration rules currently do not include a 
definition of the term ``principal.'' Rather than employing a defined 
term, the Exchange's principal registration requirement directly 
identifies the types of persons who would be encompassed within the 
term ``principal'' if that term were defined.\49\ The Exchange is now 
proposing to adopt a definition of ``principal'' in Rule 1220(a)(1).
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    \49\ Pursuant to existing Rule 306.07 each member must register 
with the Exchange each individual acting as an officer, partner, 
director, supervisor of proprietary trading, market-making or 
brokerage activities, and/or supervisor of those engaged in 
proprietary trading, market-making or brokerage activities with 
respect to those activities. This requirement is consistent with 
FINRA's current registration requirement for principals (NASD Rule 
1021).
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    Under proposed Rule 1220(a)(1) a ``principal'' would be defined as 
any person associated with a member, including, but not limited to, 
sole proprietor, officer, partner, manager of office of supervisory 
jurisdiction, director or other person occupying a similar status or 
performing similar functions, who is actively engaged in the management 
of the member's securities business, such as supervision, solicitation, 
conduct of business in securities or the training of persons associated 
with a member for any of these functions. Such persons would include, 
among other persons, a member's chief executive officer and chief 
financial officer (or equivalent officers). A ``principal'' would also 
include any other person associated with a member who is performing 
functions or carrying out responsibilities that are required to be 
performed or carried out by a principal under Exchange rules. The term 
``actively engaged in the management of the member's securities 
business'' would include the management of, and the implementation of 
corporate policies related to, such business, as well as managerial 
decision-making authority with respect to the member's securities 
business and management-level responsibilities for supervising any 
aspect of such business, such as serving as a voting member of the 
member's executive, management or operations committees.
2. General Securities Principal (Proposed Rule 1220(a)(2))
    The Exchange currently does not impose a General Securities 
Principal registration obligation. The Exchange is now proposing to 
adopt new Rule 1220(a)(2), which establishes an obligation to register 
as a General Securities Principal, but with certain exceptions.\50\
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    \50\ There is no counterpart to proposed Rule 1220(a)(2) in the 
Exchange's existing rules.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Proposed Rule 1220(a)(2)(A) states that each principal as defined 
in proposed Rule 1220(a)(1) is required to register with the Exchange 
as a General Securities Principal, except that if a principal's 
activities are limited to the functions of a Compliance Official, a 
Financial and Operations Principal, a Securities Trader Principal a 
Securities Trader Compliance Officer, or a Registered Options 
Principal, then the principal shall appropriately register in one or 
more of these categories.\51\

[[Page 52031]]

Proposed Rule 1220(a)(2)(A) further provides that if a principal's 
activities are limited solely to the functions of a General Securities 
Sales Supervisor, then the principal may appropriately register in that 
category in lieu of registering as a General Securities Principal, 
provided that if the principal is engaged in options sales activities 
he or she would be required to register as a General Securities Sales 
Supervisor or as a Registered Options Principal.\52\
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    \51\ The Exchange is proposing to recognize the General 
Securities Principal and the Compliance Official registration 
categories for the first time in this proposed rule change.
    \52\ The Exchange's proposed Rule 1220(a)(2)(A) deviates 
somewhat from the counterpart FINRA rule in that it does not offer 
various limited registration categories provided for in FINRA's new 
Rule 1220(a)(2)(A). It therefore proposes to reserve Rules 
1220(a)(2)(A)(ii) and (iv).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Proposed Rule 1220(a)(2)(B) requires that an individual registering 
as a General Securities Principal satisfy the General Securities 
Representative prerequisite registration and pass the General 
Securities Principal qualification examination. Proposed Rule 
1220(a)(2)(B) provides that, subject to the lapse of registration 
provisions in proposed Rule 1210.08, General Securities Principals who 
obtained the Corporate Securities Representative prerequisite 
registration on the Exchange in lieu of the General Securities 
Representative prerequisite registration and individuals who had been 
registered as such within the past two years prior to the operative 
date of the proposed rule change, may continue to supervise corporate 
securities activities as currently permitted.\53\ Proposed Rule 
1220(a)(2)(B) requires all other individuals registering as General 
Securities Principals after October 1, 2018, to first become registered 
as a General Securities Representative pursuant to Rule 1220(b)(2). The 
Exchange is not adopting the FINRA Rule 1220(a)(2)(B) language 
permitting an individual registering as a General Securities Principal 
after October 1, 2018 to register as a General Securities Sales 
Supervisor and to pass the General Securities Principal Sales 
Supervisor Module qualification examination. The Exchange believes that 
individuals registering as General Securities Principals should be 
required to demonstrate their competence for that role by passing the 
General Securities Principal qualification examination.\54\
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    \53\ The Exchange itself does not recognize the Corporate 
Securities Representative registration category, but understands 
that FINRA and Nasdaq currently accept Corporate Securities 
Representative registration as a prerequisite to General Securities 
Principal registration.
    \54\ Proposed Rule 1220(a)(2) generally tracks FINRA Rule 
1220(a)(2), except that it omits references to a number of 
registration categories which FINRA recognizes but that the Exchange 
does not, and it includes a reference to the Securities Trader 
Compliance Officer category which the Exchange proposes to 
recognize, but which FINRA does not. Additionally, proposed Rule 
1220(a)(2)(A)(i) extends that provision's exception to the General 
Securities Principal registration requirement to certain principals 
whose activities are ``limited to'' (rather than ``include'') the 
functions of a more limited principal. The Exchange believes that 
activities ``limited to'' expresses the intent of that exception 
more accurately than activities that ``include.'' Finally, proposed 
Rule 1220(a)(2)(B) specifies that registration as a Corporate 
Securities Representative must be with the Exchange in order to 
fulfill the Corporate Securities Representative registration 
prerequisite for General Securities Principal registration pursuant 
to that rule.
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3. Compliance Official (Proposed Rule 1220(a)(3))
    Existing Rule 306(c) requires each member to designate a Chief 
Compliance Officer on Schedule A of Form BD, and requires individuals 
designated as a Chief Compliance Officer to register with the Exchange 
and pass the appropriate heightened qualification examination(s) as 
prescribed by the Exchange.\55\ Current Rule 306.08(a)(3) provides that 
an individual associated person who is a Chief Compliance Officer (or 
performs similar functions) for a member that engages in proprietary 
trading, market-making or effecting transactions on behalf of a broker-
dealer is required to register and qualify as a Securities Trader 
Compliance Officer (CT) in WebCRD and to satisfy the prerequisite 
registration and qualification requirements.\56\
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    \55\ Rule 306(c) further provides that a person who has been 
designated as a Chief Compliance Officer on Schedule A of Form BD 
for at least two years immediately prior to January 1, 2002, and who 
has not been subject within the last ten years to any statutory 
disqualification as defined in Section 3(a)(39) of the Act; a 
suspension; or the imposition of a fine of $5,000 or more for a 
violation of any provision of any securities law or regulation, or 
any agreement with, rule or standard of conduct of any securities 
governmental agency, securities self-regulatory organization, or as 
imposed by any such regulatory or self-regulatory organization in 
connection with a disciplinary proceeding shall be required to 
register in the category of registration appropriate to the function 
to be performed as prescribed by the Exchange, but shall be exempt 
from the requirement to pass the heightened qualification 
examination as prescribed by the Exchange.
    \56\ Rule 306.08(b) establishes the Series 14 as the appropriate 
qualification examination for a Securities Trader Compliance 
Officer, but also permits General Securities Principal Registration 
(GP) or Securities Trader Principal (TP) (Series 24) as alternative 
acceptable qualifications.
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    The Exchange is proposing to delete Rules 306(c) and 306.08(a)(3) 
and to adopt Rule 1220(a)(3), Compliance Official, in their place. 
Proposed Rule 1220(a)(3) provides that each person designated as a 
Chief Compliance Officer on Schedule A of Form BD shall be required to 
register with the Exchange as a General Securities Principal, provided 
that such person may instead register as a Compliance Official if his 
or her duties do not include supervision of trading. All individuals 
registering as Compliance Official would be required, prior to or 
concurrent with such registration, to pass the Compliance Official 
qualification examination. An individual designated as a Chief 
Compliance Officer on Schedule A of Form BD of a member that is engaged 
in limited securities business could be registered in a principal 
category under Rule 1220(a) that corresponds to the limited scope of 
the member's business.
    Additionally, Rule 1220(a)(3) would provide that an individual 
designated as a Chief Compliance Officer on Schedule A of Form BD may 
register and qualify as a Securities Trader Compliance Officer if, with 
respect to transactions in equity, preferred or convertible debt 
securities, or options such person is engaged in proprietary trading, 
the execution of transactions on an agency basis, or the direct 
supervision of such activities other than a person associated with a 
member whose trading activities are conducted principally on behalf of 
an investment company that is registered with the Commission pursuant 
to the Investment Company Act and that controls, is controlled by, or 
is under common control with a member. All individuals registering as 
Securities Trader Compliance Officers would be required to first become 
registered pursuant to paragraph (b)(4) as a Securities Trader, and to 
pass the Compliance Official qualification exam.\57\
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    \57\ Proposed Rule 1220(a)(3) differs from FINRA Rule 
1220(a)(3), Compliance Officer. The Exchange does not recognize the 
Compliance Officer registration category. Similarly, FINRA does not 
recognize the Compliance Official or the Securities Trader 
Compliance Officer registration categories which the Exchange 
proposes to recognize. However, FINRA Rule 1220(a)(3), like proposed 
Rule 1220(a)(3), offers an exception pursuant to which a Chief 
Compliance Officer designated on Schedule A of Form BD may register 
in a principal category that corresponds to the limited scope of the 
member's business.
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4. Financial and Operations Principal (Proposed Rule 1220(a)(4))
    Existing Rule 306(b) provides that each member subject to Exchange 
Act Rule 15c3-1 must designate a Financial/Operations Principal. It 
specifies that the duties of a Financial/Operations Principal shall 
include taking appropriate actions to assure that the member complies 
with applicable financial and operational requirements under the Rules 
and the Exchange Act, including but not limited to those requirements 
relating to the submission

[[Page 52032]]

of financial reports and the maintenance of books and records. It 
requires [sic] Financial/Operations Principal to have successfully 
completed the Financial and Operations Principal Examination (Series 27 
Exam). The rule provides that each Financial/Operations Principal 
designated by a trading member shall be registered in that capacity 
with the Exchange as prescribed by the Exchange, and that a Financial/
Operations Principal of a member may be a full-time employee, a part-
time employee or independent contractor of the member.
    The Exchange is proposing to delete Rule 306(b) and to adopt in its 
place Rule 1220(a)(4). Under the new rule, every member of the Exchange 
that is operating pursuant to the provisions of SEC Rule 15c3-
1(a)(1)(ii), (a)(2)(i) or (a)(8), shall designate at least one 
Financial and Operations Principal who shall be responsible for 
performing the duties described in subparagraph (B) of that rule. In 
addition, each person associated with a member who performs such duties 
shall be required to register as a Financial and Operations Principal 
with the Exchange. \58\
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    \58\ FINRA Rule 1220(a)(4) differs from proposed Rule 1220(a)(4) 
in that it includes an Introducing Broker-Dealer Financial and 
Operations Principal registration requirement. Additionally, 
proposed Rule 1220(a)(4) contains a requirement, which the FINRA 
rule does not, that each person associated with a member who 
performs the duties of a Financial and Operations Principal must 
register as such with the Exchange. Further, as discussed above, the 
Exchange is not adopting a Principal Financial Officer or Principal 
Operations Officer requirement like FINRA Rule 1220(a)(4)(B), as it 
believes the Financial and Operations Principal requirement is 
sufficient. Finally, proposed Rule 1220(a)(4)(B)(v) and (vi) contain 
minor wording variations from the FINRA rule.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Subparagraph (B) defines the term Financial and Operations 
Principal as a person associated with a member whose duties include (i) 
final approval and responsibility for the accuracy of financial reports 
submitted to any duly established securities industry regulatory body, 
(ii) final preparation of such reports, (iii) supervision of 
individuals who assist in the preparation of such reports, (iv) 
supervision of and responsibility for individuals who are involved in 
the actual maintenance of the member's books and records from which 
such reports are derived, (v) supervision and/or performance of the 
member's responsibilities under all financial responsibility rules 
promulgated pursuant to the provisions of the Act, (vi) overall 
supervision of and responsibility for the individuals who are involved 
in the administration and maintenance of the member's back office 
operations and (vii) any other matter involving the financial and 
operational management of the member.
    Subparagraph (C) would require all individuals registering as a 
Financial and Operations Principal to pass the Financial and Operations 
Principal qualification examination before such registration may become 
effective. Finally, subparagraph (D) would prohibit a person registered 
solely as a Financial and Operations Principal from functioning in a 
principal capacity with responsibility over any area of business 
activity not described in subparagraph (2) of the rule.
5. Investment Banking Principal (Proposed Rule 1220(a)(5))
    The Exchange does not recognize the Investment Banking Principal 
registration category and is therefore reserving Rule 1220(a)(5), 
retaining the caption solely to facilitate comparison with FINRA's 
rules.
6. Research Principal (Proposed Rule 1220(a)(6))
    The Exchange does not recognize the Research Principal registration 
category and is therefore reserving Rule 1220(a)(6), retaining the 
caption solely to facilitate comparison with FINRA's rules.
7. Securities Trader Principal (Proposed Rule 1220(a)(7))
    Existing Rule 306.08(a)(2) provides that an individual associated 
person who (i) supervises or monitors proprietary trading, market-
making and/or brokerage activities for broker-dealers; (ii) supervises 
or trains those engaged in proprietary trading, market-making and/or 
effecting transactions on behalf of a broker-dealer, with respect to 
those activities; and/or (iii) is an officer, partner or director of a 
member is required to register and qualify as a Securities Trader 
Principal (TP) in WebCRD and to satisfy the prerequisite registration 
and qualification requirements. Further, current Rule 306.08(b) 
specifies that the Series 24 is the appropriate qualification 
examination, and that General Securities Sales Supervision Registration 
and General Securities Principal--Sales Supervisor Module Registration 
(Series 9/10 and Series 23) is an alternative acceptable qualification. 
Finally, current Rule 306.08(a)(2) provides that Securities Trader 
Principals' (TP) supervisory authority is limited to supervision of the 
securities trading functions of members and of officers, partners, and 
directors of a member.
    The Exchange is proposing to delete Rules 306.08(a)(2) and related 
portions of Rule 306.08(b) (a summary chart) and to adopt in their 
place Rule 1220(a)(7), Securities Trader Principal. Proposed Rule 
1220(a)(7) requires that a principal responsible for supervising the 
securities trading activities specified in proposed Rule 1220(b)(4) 
\59\ register as a Securities Trader Principal. The proposed rule 
requires individuals registering as Securities Trader Principals to be 
registered as Securities Traders and to pass the General Securities 
Principal qualification examination.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \59\ Proposed Rule 1220(b)(4), discussed below, provides for 
representative-level registration in the ``Securities Trader'' 
category.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

8. Registered Options Principal (Proposed Rule 1220(a)(8))
    The Exchange is proposing to adopt Rule 1220(a)(8), Registered 
Options Principal, which would require under its section (a)(8)(A) that 
each member that is engaged in transactions in options with the public 
to [sic] have at least one Registered Options Principal.\60\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \60\ Proposed Rule 1220(a)(8) differs from FINRA Rule 1220(a)(8) 
in that it omits certain references to other specific FINRA rules.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    In addition, each principal as defined in Rule 1220(a)(1) who is 
responsible for supervising a member's options sales practices with the 
public would be required to register with the Exchange as a Registered 
Options Principal, subject to the following exception. If a principal's 
options activities are limited solely to those activities that may be 
supervised by a General Securities Sales Supervisor, then such person 
may register as a General Securities Sales Supervisor pursuant to 
paragraph (a)(10) of the Rule in lieu of registering as a Registered 
Options Principal.\61\
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    \61\ Current ISE Rule 601(a) provides that no member shall be 
approved to transact options business with the public until those 
associated persons who are designated as Options Principals have 
been approved by and registered with the Exchange, and that persons 
engaged in the supervision of options sales practices or a person to 
whom the designated general partner or executive officer (pursuant 
to ISE Rule 609) or another Registered Options Principal delegates 
the authority to supervise options sales practices shall be 
designated as Options Principals. ISE Rule 601(e) provides that 
individuals who are delegated responsibility pursuant to ISE Rule 
609 for the acceptance of discretionary accounts, for approving 
exceptions to a member's criteria or standards for uncovered options 
accounts, and for approval of communications, shall be designated as 
Options Principals and are required to qualify as an Options 
Principal by passing the Registered Options Principal Qualification 
Examination (Series 4). The foregoing provisions of ISE Rule 601 are 
specific to conducting an options business with the public and are 
not proposed to be amended by ISE. However, ISE Rule 601(b) and (c) 
contain provisions regarding submission of Forms U4 and U5 to WebCRD 
that are duplicative of the proposed 1200 Series of rules, in 
particular proposed Rules 1210.12, Application for Registration and 
Jurisdiction, and 1250, Electronic Filing Requirements for 
Electronic Forms, and ISE is therefore proposing to delete them. 
Current ISE Rule 601(d) provides that individuals engaged in the 
supervision of options sales practices and designated as Options 
Principals are required to qualify as an Options Principal by 
passing the Registered Options Principals Qualification Examination 
(Series 4) or the Sales Supervisor Qualification Examination (Series 
9/10), and is proposed to be deleted in view of proposed Rule 
1220(a)(8)(A). Exchange Rule 306(d), which merely serves as a cross-
reference to ISE Rules 601 and 602, is unnecessary and is therefore 
proposed to be deleted with the rest of Rule 306.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

[[Page 52033]]

    Pursuant to proposed Rule 1220(a)(8)(B), subject to the lapse of 
registration provisions in Rule 1210.08, each person registered with 
the Exchange as a Registered Options Principal on October 1, 2018 and 
each person who was registered as a Registered Options Principal within 
two years prior to October 1, 2018 would be qualified to register as a 
Registered Options Principal without passing any additional 
qualification examinations. All other individuals registering as 
Registered Options Principals after October 1, 2018 would, prior to or 
concurrent with such registration, be required to become registered 
pursuant to Rule 1220(b)(2) as a General Securities Representative and 
pass the Registered Options Principal qualification examination.\62\
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    \62\ Although the Exchange does not currently list security 
futures products, it is also proposing to adopt Rule 1220, 
Supplementary Material .02, which provides that each person who is 
registered with the Exchange as a Registered Options Principal, 
General Securities Representative, Options Representative or General 
Securities Sales Supervisor shall be eligible to engage in security 
futures activities as a principal provided that such individual 
completes a Firm Element program as set forth in proposed Rule 1240 
that addresses security futures products before such person engages 
in security futures activities. Unlike FINRA Rule 1220.02, proposed 
Exchange Rule 1220.02 omits references to United Kingdom Securities 
Representatives and Canada Securities Representatives, which are 
registration categories the Exchange does not recognize. In 
addition, the Exchange is also proposing to adopt Rule 1220, 
Supplementary Material .03 which requires notification to the 
Exchange in the event a member's sole Registered Options Principal 
is terminated, resigns, becomes incapacitated or is otherwise unable 
to perform the duties of a Registered Options Principal, and imposes 
certain restrictions on the member's options business in that event.
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9. Government Securities Principal (Rule 1220(a)(9))
    The Exchange does not recognize the Government Securities Principal 
registration category and is therefore reserving Rule 1220(a)(9), 
retaining the caption solely to facilitate comparison with FINRA's 
rules.
10. General Securities Sales Supervisor (Proposed Rules 1220(a)(10) and 
1220.04)
    The Exchange is proposing to adopt new Rule 1220(a)(10), General 
Securities Sales Supervisor, as well as new Rule 1220, Supplementary 
Material .04, which explains the purpose of the General Securities 
Sales Supervisor registration category.\63\ Proposed Rule 1220(a)(10) 
provides that each principal, as defined in Rule 1220(a)(1), may 
register with the Exchange as a General Securities Sales Supervisor if 
his or her supervisory responsibilities in the securities business of a 
member are limited to the securities sales activities of the member, 
including the approval of customer accounts, training of sales and 
sales supervisory personnel and the maintenance of records of original 
entry or ledger accounts of the member required to be maintained in 
branch offices by the Exchange Act's record-keeping rules.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \63\ Proposed Rule 1220(a)(10) has no counterpart in the 
Exchange's current rules.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    A person registered solely as a General Securities Sales Supervisor 
would not be qualified to perform any of the following activities: 
Supervision of market making commitments, supervision of the custody of 
broker-dealer or customer funds or securities for purposes of SEA Rule 
15c3-3, or supervision of overall compliance with financial 
responsibility rules for broker-dealers promulgated pursuant to the 
provisions of the Exchange Act.\64\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \64\ Rule 1220(a)(10), however, omits the FINRA Rule 1220(a)(10) 
prohibition against supervision of the origination and structuring 
of underwritings as unnecessary, as this kind activity does not fall 
within the scope of ``securities trading'' covered by the Exchange's 
new 1200 Series of rules.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Each person seeking to register as a General Securities Sales 
Supervisor would be required, prior to or concurrent with such 
registration, to become registered pursuant to Rule 1220(b)(2) of the 
rule as a General Securities Representative and pass the General 
Securities Sales Supervisor qualification examinations.\65\
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    \65\ Unlike FINRA Rule 1220.04, proposed Exchange Rule 1220.04 
refers to ``multiple exchanges'' rather than listing the various 
exchanges where a sales principal might be required to qualify in 
the absence of the General Securities Sales Supervisor registration 
category. It also omits FINRA internal cross-references.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

11. Investment Company and Variable Contracts Products Principal and 
Direct Participation Programs Principal (Rules 1220(a)(11) and (a)(12))
    The Exchange does not recognize the Investment Company and Variable 
Contracts Products Principal and the Direct Participation Programs 
Principal registration categories and is reserving Rule 1220(a)(11) and 
(a)(12), retaining the captions solely to facilitate comparison with 
FINRA's rules.
12. Private Securities Offerings Principal (Rule 1220(a)(13))
    The Exchange does not recognize the Private Securities Offerings 
Principal registration category and is reserving Rule 1220(a)(13), 
retaining the caption solely to facilitate comparison with FINRA's 
rules.
13. Supervisory Analyst (Rule 1220(a)(14))
    The Exchange does not recognize the Supervisory Analyst 
registration category and is reserving Rule 1220(a)(14), retaining the 
caption solely to facilitate comparison with FINRA's rules.
14. Definition of Representative (Proposed Rule 1220(b)(1))
    Exchange rules currently do not define the term ``representative'' 
although ISE Rule 602(b) states that persons who perform duties for the 
member which are customarily performed by sales representatives or 
branch office managers shall be designated as representatives of the 
member.
    ISE is proposing to delete ISE Rule 602(b). The Exchange proposes 
to adopt a definition of ``representative'' in proposed Rule 
1220(b)(1). Proposed 1220(b)(1) would define the term representative as 
any person associated with a member, including assistant officers other 
than principals, who is engaged in the member's securities business, 
such as supervision, solicitation, conduct of business in securities or 
the training of persons associated with a member for any of these 
functions.
15. General Securities Representative (Proposed Rule 1220(b)(2))
    The Exchange proposes to adopt new Rule 1220(b)(2), General 
Securities Representative. Proposed Rule 1220(b)(2)(A) states that each 
representative as defined in proposed Rule 1220(b)(1) is required to 
register with the Exchange as a General Securities Representative, 
subject to the exception that if a representative's activities include 
the functions of a Securities Trader, as specified in Rule 1220(b)(2), 
then such person shall appropriately register as a Securities 
Trader.\66\
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    \66\ Current ISE Rule 602(a) and (b) provide that no member 
shall be approved to transact business with the public until those 
persons associated with it who are designated representatives have 
been approved by and registered with the Exchange, and that persons 
who perform duties for the member which are customarily performed by 
sales representatives or branch office managers shall be designated 
as Representatives of the member. Further, ISE Rule 602(d) provides 
that a person accepting orders from non-member customers (unless 
such customer is a broker-dealer registered with the Commission) is 
required to register with the Exchange and to be qualified by 
passing the General Securities Registered Representative Examination 
(Series 7). The foregoing provisions of current ISE Rule 602 are 
specific to conducting an options business with the public, and ISE 
is not proposing to amend them. However, ISE Rule 602(c) contains 
provisions regarding the submission of Form U4 through WebCRD and 
the necessity of completing a qualification examination that are 
duplicative of the proposed 1200 Series of rules, in particular 
proposed Rules 1210.12, Application for Registration and 
Jurisdiction, and 1250, Electronic Filing Requirements for 
Electronic Forms. ISE is therefore proposing to delete these 
provisions.

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[[Page 52034]]

    Further, consistent with the proposed restructuring of the 
representative-level examinations, proposed Rule 1220(b)(2)(B) would 
require that individuals registering as General Securities 
Representatives pass the SIE and the General Securities Representative 
examination except that individuals registered as a General Securities 
Representatives within two years prior to October 1, 2018 would be 
qualified to register as General Securities Representatives without 
passing any additional qualification examinations.\67\
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    \67\ Proposed Rule 1220(b)(2)(B) differs from FINRA Rule 
1220(b)(2)(B) in that it omits references to various registration 
categories which FINRA recognizes but which the Exchange does not 
propose to recognize.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    In addition, the Exchange is proposing to adopt Rule 1220.01 to 
provide individuals who are associated persons of firms and who hold 
foreign registrations an alternative, more flexible, process to obtain 
an Exchange representative-level registration. The Exchange believes 
that there is sufficient overlap between the SIE and these foreign 
qualification requirements to permit them to act as exemptions to the 
SIE. Under proposed Rule 1220.01, individuals who are in good standing 
as representatives with the Financial Conduct Authority in the United 
Kingdom or with a Canadian stock exchange or securities regulator would 
be exempt from the requirement to pass the SIE, and thus would be 
required only to pass a specialized knowledge examination to register 
with the Exchange as a representative. The proposed approach would 
provide individuals with a United Kingdom or Canadian qualification 
more flexibility to obtain an Exchange representative-level 
registration.
16. Operations Professional, Securities Trader, Investment Banking 
Representative, Research Analyst, Investment Company and Variable 
Contracts Products Representative, Direct Participation Programs 
Representative and Private Securities Offerings Representative (Rules 
1220(b)(3), 1220(b)(4), 1220(b)(5), 1220(b)(6), 1220(b)(7), 1220(b)(8), 
1220(b)(9) and 1220.05)
    Operations Professional, Investment Banking Representative, 
Research Analyst, Investment Company and Variable Products 
Representative, Direct Participation Programs Representative and 
Private Securities Offerings Representative. The Exchange does not 
recognize these registration categories for its associated persons. The 
Exchange is therefore reserving Rules 1220(b)(3)--Operations 
Professional, and related Rule 1220.05, Scope of Operations 
Professional Requirement; 1220(b)(5)--Investment Banking 
Representative; 1220(b)(6)--Research Analyst; 1220(b)(7)--Investment 
Company and Variable Products Representative; 1220(b)(8)--Direct 
Participation Programs Representative; and 1220(b)(9)--Private 
Securities Offerings Representative, retaining the captions for each of 
them solely to facilitate comparison with FINRA's rules.
    Securities Trader--Proposed Rule 1220(b)(4). Pursuant to current 
Exchange Rule 306, Supplementary Material .08, an individual associated 
person who is engaged in proprietary trading, market-making and/or 
effecting transactions on behalf of a broker-dealer is required to 
register and qualify as a Securities Trader (TD).
    The Exchange now proposes to delete that section of Exchange Rule 
306, Supplementary Material .08, and to replace it with proposed Rule 
1220(b)(4).\68\ Rule 1220(b)(4) would require each representative as 
defined in Rule 1220(b)(1) of the Rule to register with the Exchange as 
a Securities Trader if, with respect to transactions in equity, 
preferred or convertible debt securities, or options such person is 
engaged in proprietary trading, the execution of transactions on an 
agency basis, or the direct supervision of such activities other than a 
person associated with a member whose trading activities are conducted 
principally on behalf of an investment company that is registered with 
the SEC pursuant to the Investment Company Act and that controls, is 
controlled by, or is under common control with a member. The revised 
definition of Securities Trader is consistent with the Securities 
Trader definition in the Nasdaq rules.\69\ As a result of the revised 
rule, additional types of activity on the Exchange would fall within 
the Securities Trader registration category, including engaging in 
customer business. Rule 1220(b)(4) would require individuals 
registering as Securities Traders to pass the SIE as well as the 
Securities Trader qualification exam.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \68\ Proposed Rule 1220(b)(4)(A) differs from FINRA Rule 
1220(b)(4)(A) in that it applies to trading on the Exchange while 
the FINRA rule is limited to the specified trading which is 
``effected otherwise than on a securities exchange.'' Additionally, 
the FINRA rule does not specifically extend to options trading.
    \69\ See current Nasdaq Rule 1032(f), Securities Trader.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Additionally, proposed Rule 1220(b)(4)(A) would require each person 
associated with a member who is: (i) primarily responsible for the 
design, development or significant modification of an algorithmic 
trading strategy relating to equity, preferred or convertible debt 
securities or options; or (ii) responsible for the day-to-day 
supervision or direction of such activities to register with the 
Exchange as a Securities Trader.\70\
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    \70\ As noted above, this new registration requirement was 
recently added to the FINRA rulebook. The Exchange has determined to 
add a parallel requirement to its own rules, but also to add options 
to the scope of products within the proposed rule's coverage. See 
Securities Exchange Act Release No. 77551 (April 7, 2016), 81 FR 
21914 (April 13, 2016) (Order Approving File No. SR-FINRA-2016-007).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    For purposes of this proposed new registration requirement an 
``algorithmic trading strategy'' is an automated system that generates 
or routes orders (or order-related messages) but does not include an 
automated system that solely routes orders received in their entirety 
to a market center. The proposed registration requirement applies to 
orders and order related messages whether ultimately routed or sent to 
be routed to an exchange or over the counter. An order router alone 
would not constitute an algorithmic trading strategy. However, an order 
router that performs any additional functions would be considered an 
algorithmic trading strategy. An algorithm that solely generates 
trading ideas or investment allocations--including an automated 
investment service that constructs portfolio recommendations--but that 
is not equipped to automatically generate orders and order-related 
messages to effectuate such trading ideas into the market--whether 
independently or via a linked router--would not constitute an 
algorithmic trading strategy.\71\
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    \71\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 77551 (April 7, 
2016), 81 FR 21914 (April 13, 2016) (Order Approving File No. SR-
FINRA-2016-007).

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[[Page 52035]]

    The associated persons covered by the expanded registration 
requirement would be required to pass the requisite qualification 
examination and be subject to the same continuing education 
requirements that are applicable to individual Securities Traders. The 
Exchange believes that potentially problematic conduct stemming from 
algorithmic trading strategies--such as failure to check for order 
accuracy, inappropriate levels of messaging traffic, and inadequate 
risk management controls--could be reduced or prevented, in part, 
through improved education regarding securities regulations for the 
specified individuals involved in the algorithm design and development 
process.
    The proposal is intended to ensure the registration of one or more 
associated persons that possesses knowledge of, and responsibility for, 
both the design of the intended trading strategy and the technological 
implementation of the strategy, sufficient to evaluate whether the 
resulting product is designed to achieve regulatory compliance in 
addition to business objectives. For example, a lead developer who 
liaises with a head trader regarding the head trader's desired 
algorithmic trading strategy and is primarily responsible for the 
supervision of the development of the algorithm to meet such objectives 
must be registered under the proposal as the associated person 
primarily responsible for the development of the algorithmic trading 
strategy and supervising or directing the team of developers. 
Individuals under the lead developer's supervision would not be 
required to register under the proposal if they are not primarily 
responsible for the development of the algorithmic trading strategy or 
are not responsible for the day-to-day supervision or direction of 
others on the team. Under this scenario, the person on the business 
side that is primarily responsible for the design of the algorithmic 
trading strategy, as communicated to the lead developer, also would be 
required to register. In the event of a significant modification to the 
algorithm, members, likewise, would be required to ensure that the 
associated person primarily responsible for the significant 
modification (or the associated person supervising or directing such 
activity), is registered as a Securities Trader.
    A member employing an algorithm is responsible for the algorithm's 
activities whether the algorithm is designed or developed in house or 
by a third-party. Thus, in all cases, robust supervisory procedures, 
both before and after deployment of an algorithmic trading strategy, 
are a key component in protecting against problematic behavior stemming 
from algorithmic trading. In addition, associated persons responsible 
for monitoring or reviewing the performance of an algorithmic trading 
strategy would be required to be registered, and a member's trading 
activity must always be supervised by an appropriately registered 
person. Therefore, even where a firm purchases an algorithm off-the-
shelf and does not significantly modify the algorithm, the associated 
person responsible for monitoring or reviewing the performance of the 
algorithm would be required to be registered.
    Pursuant to proposed Rule 1220(b)(4)(B) each person registered as a 
Securities Trader on October 1, 2018 and each person who was registered 
as a Securities Trader within two years prior to October 1, 2018 would 
be qualified to register as a Securities Trader without passing any 
additional qualification examinations. All other individuals 
registering as Securities Traders after October 1, 2018 would be 
required, prior to or concurrent with such registration, to pass the 
SIE and the Securities Trader qualification examination.
17. Eliminated Registration Categories (Proposed Rule 1220.06)
    Proposed Rule 1220.06 has no practical relevance to MRX, but is 
included because all the Nasdaq Affiliated Exchanges, including Nasdaq 
and BX, are also proposing to adopt the new 1200 Series, on a uniform 
basis. Proposed Rule 1220.06 will be relevant to Nasdaq and BX which, 
unlike MRX, are proposing to eliminate a number of existing 
registration categories that are not currently recognized by the 
Exchange.\72\
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    \72\ See SR-NASDAQ-2018-078 and SR-BX-2018-047.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Proposed Rule 1220.06 provides that, subject to the lapse of 
registration provisions in proposed Rule 1210.08, individuals who are 
registered with the Exchange in any capacity recognized by the Exchange 
immediately prior to October 1, 2018, and each person who was 
registered with the Exchange in such categories within two years prior 
to October 1, 2018, shall be eligible to maintain such registrations 
with the Exchange. However, if individuals registered in such 
categories terminate their registration with the Exchange and the 
registration remains terminated for two or more years, they would not 
be able to re-register in that category. In addition, proposed Rule 
1220.06 would include the current restrictions to which Order 
Processing Assistant Representatives are subject under Nasdaq 
rules.\73\ As stated above, Rule 1220.06 would have no application to 
the Exchange.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \73\ See Nasdaq Rule 1042. Proposed Exchange Rule 1220.06 omits 
references to a number of registration categories it does not 
propose to recognize, but which FINRA refers to in its own Rule 
1220.06.
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18. Grandfathering Provisions
    In addition to the grandfathering provisions in proposed Rule 
1220(a)(2) (relating to General Securities Principals), and in proposed 
Rule 1220.06 (relating to the eliminated registration categories), the 
Exchange is proposing to include grandfathering provisions in proposed 
Rule 1220(a)(8) (Registered Options Principal), 1220(b)(2) (General 
Securities Representative), and 1220(b)(4) (Securities Trader). 
Specifically, the proposed grandfathering provisions provide that, 
subject to the lapse of registration provisions in proposed Rule 
1210.08, individuals who are registered in specified registration 
categories on the operative date of the proposed rule change and 
individuals who had been registered in such categories within the past 
two years prior to the operative date of the proposed rule change would 
be qualified to register in the proposed corresponding registration 
categories without having to take any additional examinations.
N. Associated Persons Exempt From Registration (Proposed Rules 1230 and 
1230.01)
    Existing Rule 306(a)(2) currently provides that the following 
persons associated with a member are not required to register:
    (A) individual associated persons whose functions are solely and 
exclusively clerical or ministerial;
    (B) individual associated persons who are not actively engaged in 
the securities business;
    (C) individual associated persons whose functions are related 
solely and exclusively to the Member's need for nominal corporate 
officers or for capital participation;
    (D) individual associated persons whose functions are related 
solely and exclusively to:
    (i) transactions in commodities;
    (ii) transactions in security futures; and/or
    (iii) effecting transactions on the floor of another national 
securities exchange and who are registered as floor members with such 
exchange.
    Rule 306(a)(2) is not meant to provide an exclusive or exhaustive 
list of

[[Page 52036]]

exemptions from registration. Associated persons may otherwise be 
exempt from registration based on their activities and functions.
    The Exchange is proposing to adopt Rule 306(a)(2) as Rule 1230 
subject to certain changes. As noted above, Rule 306(a)(2)(B) exempts 
from registration those associated persons who are not actively engaged 
in the securities business. Rule 306(a)(2)(C) also exempts from 
registration those associated persons whose functions are related 
solely and exclusively to a member's need for nominal corporate 
officers or for capital participation.\74\ The Exchange believes that 
the determination of whether an associated person is required to 
register must be based on an analysis of the person's activities and 
functions in the context of the various registration categories. The 
Exchange does not believe that categorical exemptions for associated 
persons who are not ``actively engaged'' in a member's securities 
business, associated persons whose functions are related only to a 
member's need for nominal corporate officers or associated persons 
whose functions are related only to a member's need for capital 
participation is consistent with this analytical framework.\75\ The 
Exchange therefore is proposing to delete these exemptions. Rule 
306(a)(2) further exempts from registration associated persons whose 
functions are related solely and exclusively to effecting transactions 
on the floor of another national securities exchange as long as they 
are registered as floor members with such exchange. Because exchanges 
have registration categories other than the floor member category, 
proposed Rule 1230 clarifies that the exemption applies to associated 
persons solely and exclusively effecting transactions on the floor of 
another national securities exchange, provided they are appropriately 
registered with such exchange.\76\ Additionally, the Exchange proposes 
to add Section 3 of Rule 1230, pursuant to which persons associated 
with a member that are not citizens, nationals, or residents of the 
United States or any of its territories or possessions, that will 
conduct all of their securities activities in areas outside the 
jurisdiction of the United States, and that will not engage in any 
securities activities with or for any citizen, national or resident of 
the United States need not register with the Exchange.\77\
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    \74\ These exemptions generally apply to associated persons who 
are corporate officers of a member in name only to meet specific 
corporate legal obligations or who only provide capital for a 
member, but have no other role in a member's business.
    \75\ The Exchanges also proposes to delete Rule 306.06 which 
specifies circumstances in which the Exchange considers an 
associated person of a member to be engaged in the securities 
business of a member. The Exchange believes these determinations may 
be made on case by case basis, depending upon facts and 
circumstances.
    \76\ Proposed Rule 1230 differs from FINRA Rule 1230 in that it 
contains a number of additional exemptions, based upon current 
Nasdaq Rule 1060(a), which are not included in FINRA Rule 1230.
    \77\ Individuals described by Section 3 of Rule 1230 who are 
associated with FINRA members may be registered with FINRA as 
Foreign Associates pursuant to FINRA Rule 1220.06. FINRA is 
eliminating this registration category effective October 1, 2018, 
and the Exchange has never recognized it.
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    The Exchange proposes to adopt Rule 1230.01 to clarify that the 
function of accepting customer orders is not considered a clerical or 
ministerial function and that associated persons who accept customer 
orders under any circumstances are required to be appropriately 
registered. However, the proposed rule provides that an associated 
person is not accepting a customer order where occasionally, when an 
appropriately registered person is unavailable, the associated person 
transcribes the order details and the registered person contacts the 
customer to confirm the order details before entering the order.
O. Changes to Continuing Education Requirements (Proposed Rule 1240)
    As described above, existing ISE Rule 604, Continuing Education for 
Registered Persons, includes a Regulatory Element and a Firm Element. 
The Regulatory Element applies to registered persons and consists of 
periodic computer-based training on regulatory, compliance, ethical, 
supervisory subjects and sales practice standards. The Firm Element 
consists of at least annual, member-developed and administered training 
programs designed to keep covered registered persons current regarding 
securities products, services and strategies offered by the member. ISE 
proposes to reorganize and renumber the CE requirements set forth in 
ISE Rule 604. This rule, as reorganized and renumbered, is now proposed 
to be adopted by the Exchange with amendments as new Rule 1240.\78\
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    \78\ Proposed Rule 1240 also differs slightly from FINRA Rule 
1240 in that it omits references to certain registration categories 
which the Exchange does not recognize as well as an internal cross 
reference to FINRA Rule 4517.
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1. Regulatory Element
    The Exchange is proposing to replace the term ``registered person'' 
with the term ``covered person'' and make conforming changes to 
proposed Rule 1240(a). For purposes of the Regulatory Element, the 
Exchange is proposing to define the term ``covered person'' in Rule 
1240(a)(5) as any person registered pursuant to proposed Rule 1210, 
including any person who is permissively registered pursuant to 
proposed Rule 1210.02, and any person who is designated as eligible for 
an FSA waiver pursuant to proposed Rule 1210.09. The purpose of this 
change is to ensure that all registered persons, including those with 
permissive registrations, keep their knowledge of the securities 
industry current. The inclusion of persons designated as eligible for 
an FSA waiver under the term ``covered persons'' corresponds to the 
requirements of proposed Rule 1210.09. In addition, consistent with 
proposed Rule 1210.09, proposed Rule 1240(a) provides that an FSA-
eligible person would be subject to a Regulatory Element program that 
correlates to his or her most recent registration category, and CE 
would be based on the same cycle had the individual remained 
registered. The proposed rule also provides that if an FSA-eligible 
person fails to complete the Regulatory Element during the prescribed 
time frames, he or she would lose FSA eligibility.
    Further, the Exchange is proposing to add a rule to address the 
impact of failing to complete the Regulatory Element on a registered 
person's activities and compensation. Specifically, proposed Rule 
1240(a)(2) provides that any person whose registration has been deemed 
inactive under the rule may not accept or solicit business or receive 
any compensation for the purchase or sale of securities. However, like 
the FINRA rule, the proposed rule provides that such person may receive 
trail or residual commissions resulting from transactions completed 
before the inactive status, unless the member with which the person is 
associated has a policy prohibiting such trail or residual commissions.
2. Firm Element
    The Exchange believes that training in ethics and professional 
responsibility should apply to all covered registered persons. 
Therefore, proposed Rule 1240(b)(2)(B), which provides that the Firm 
Element training programs must cover applicable regulatory 
requirements, would also require that a firm's training program cover 
training in ethics and professional responsibility.
P. Electronic Filing Rules
    Existing Rule 306, Supplementary Material .01-.03 requires each

[[Page 52037]]

individual required to register to electronically file a Uniform 
Application for Securities Industry Registration (``Form U4'') through 
the Central Registration Depository system (``Web CRD'') operated by 
the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Incorporated (``FINRA'') 
and to electronically submit to Web CRD any required amendments to Form 
U4. Similarly, any member that discharges or terminates the employment 
or retention of an individual required to register must comply with 
certain termination filing requirements which include the filing of a 
Form U5. Form U4 and U5 electronic filing requirements applicable to 
options principals and representatives, as well a Form U5 requirement 
applicable to members upon termination of employment of any of their 
registered persons, are found in ISE Rules 601, Registration of Options 
Principals, 602, Registration of Representatives, and 603, Termination 
of Registered Persons.
    The Exchange is proposing to delete existing Rule 306, 
Supplementary Material .01-.03. ISE is proposing to delete the 
electronic filing requirements of ISE Rules 601, 602 and 603. The 
Exchange proposes to replace these deleted rules and rule sections with 
new Rule 1250, Electronic Filing Requirements for Uniform Forms which 
will consolidate Form U4 and U5 electronic filing requirements in a 
single location.\79\ The new rule provides that all forms required to 
be filed under the Exchange's registration rules including the Rule 
1200 series shall be filed through an electronic process or such other 
process as the Exchange may prescribe to the Central Registration 
Depository. It also would impose certain new requirements.
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    \79\ Proposed Rule 1250 is based upon current Nasdaq Rule 1140.
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    Under Rule 1250(b) members would be required to designate 
registered principal(s) or corporate officer(s) who are responsible for 
supervising a firm's electronic filings. The registered principal(s) or 
corporate officer(s) who has or have the responsibility to review and 
approve the forms filed pursuant to the rule would be required to 
acknowledge, electronically, that he is filing this information on 
behalf of the member and the member's associated persons. Under Rule 
1250, Supplementary Material .01, the registered principal(s) or 
corporate officer(s) could delegate filing responsibilities to an 
associated person (who need not be registered) but could not delegate 
any of the supervision, review, and approval responsibilities mandated 
in Rule 1250(b). The registered principal(s) or corporate officer(s) 
would be required to take reasonable and appropriate action to ensure 
that all delegated electronic filing functions were properly executed 
and supervised.
    Under Rule 1250(c)(1), initial and transfer electronic Form U4 
filings and any amendments to the disclosure information on Form U4 
must be based on a manually signed Form U4 provided to the member or 
applicant for membership by the person on whose behalf the Form U4 is 
being filed. As part of the member's recordkeeping requirements, it 
would be required to retain the person's manually signed Form U4 or 
amendments to the disclosure information on Form U4 in accordance with 
Rule 17a-4(e)(1) under the Act and make them available promptly upon 
regulatory request. An applicant for membership must also retain every 
manually signed Form U4 it receives during the application process and 
make them available promptly upon regulatory request. Rule 1250(c)(2) 
and Supplementary Material .03 and 04 provide for the electronic filing 
of Form U4 amendments without the individual's manual signature, 
subject to certain safeguards and procedures.
    Rule 1250(d) provides that upon filing an electronic Form U4 on 
behalf of a person applying for registration, a member must promptly 
submit fingerprint information for that person and that the Exchange 
may make a registration effective pending receipt of the fingerprint 
information. It further provides that if a member fails to submit the 
fingerprint information within 30 days after filing of an electronic 
Form U4, the person's registration will be deemed inactive, requiring 
the person to immediately cease all activities requiring registration 
or performing any duties and functioning in any capacity requiring 
registration. Under the rule the Exchange must administratively 
terminate a registration that is inactive for a period of two years. A 
person whose registration is administratively terminated could 
reactivate the registration only by reapplying for registration and 
meeting the qualification requirements of the applicable provisions of 
proposed Exchange Rule 1220. Upon application and a showing of good 
cause, the Exchange could extend the 30-day period.
    Rule 1250(e) would require initial filings and amendments of Form 
U5 to be submitted electronically. As part of the member's 
recordkeeping requirements, it would be required to retain such records 
for a period of not less than three years, the first two years in an 
easily accessible place, in accordance with Rule 17a-4 under the Act, 
and to make such records available promptly upon regulatory request.
    Finally, under proposed Rule 1250, Supplementary Material .02, a 
member could enter into an agreement with a third party pursuant to 
which the third party agrees to file the required forms electronically 
on behalf of the member and the member's associated persons. 
Notwithstanding the existence of such an agreement, the member would 
remain responsible for complying with the requirements of the Rule.
Q. Other Rules
    As noted above, the Exchange is proposing minor conforming 
amendments to Rule 208, Regulatory Fees or Charges, as well as to 
Chapter 90, Code of Procedure. In both cases, the amendments delete 
citations to rules proposed to be deleted or cite the relevant portions 
of the new 1200 Series. Chapter 90 would delete references to Exchange 
Rule 306, proposed to be deleted herein, and to BX Rule 1070, proposed 
to be deleted in SR-BX-2018-047.\80\
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    \80\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 83705 (July 25, 
2018), 83 FR 37020 (July 31, 2018) (SR-MRX-2018-23), adding Chapter 
90. Chapter 90 incorporates into the MRX rules by reference Series 
9000 of the BX rules. Chapter 90 currently states that references in 
the BX Rule 9000 Series to ``Rule 1070'' shall be read to refer to 
the Supplementary Material to MRX Rule 306. As noted above, both the 
BX and the MRX rules are proposed to be deleted.
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2. Statutory Basis
    The Exchange believes that its proposal is consistent with Section 
6(b) of the Act,\81\ in general, and furthers the objectives of Section 
6(b)(5) of the Act,\82\ in particular, in that it is designed to 
promote just and equitable principles of trade, to remove impediments 
to and perfect the mechanism of a free and open market and a national 
market system, and, in general to protect investors and the public 
interest.
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    \81\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b).
    \82\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).
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    The Exchange believes that the proposed rule change will 
streamline, and bring consistency and uniformity to, the registration 
rules, which will, in turn, assist members and their associated persons 
in complying with these rules and improve regulatory efficiency. The 
proposed rule change will also improve the efficiency of the 
examination program, without compromising the qualification standards, 
by eliminating duplicative testing of general securities knowledge on 
examinations and by removing

[[Page 52038]]

examinations that currently have limited utility. In addition, the 
proposed rule change will expand the scope of permissive registrations, 
which, among other things, will allow members to develop a depth of 
associated persons with registrations to respond to unanticipated 
personnel changes and will encourage greater regulatory understanding. 
Further, the proposed rule change will provide a more streamlined and 
effective waiver process for individuals working for a financial 
services industry affiliate of a member, and it will require such 
individuals to maintain specified levels of competence and knowledge 
while working in areas ancillary to the securities business. The 
proposed rule change will improve the supervisory structure of firms by 
imposing an experience requirement for representatives that are 
designated by firms to function as principals for a 120-day period 
before having to pass an appropriate principal qualification 
examination. The proposed rule change will also prohibit unregistered 
persons from accepting customer orders under any circumstances, which 
will enhance investor protection.
    The Exchange believes that, with the introduction of the SIE and 
expansion of the pool of individuals who are eligible to take the SIE, 
the proposed rule change has the potential of enhancing the pool of 
prospective securities industry professionals by introducing them to 
securities laws, rules and regulations and appropriate conduct before 
they join the industry in a registered capacity.
    The extension of the Securities Trader registration requirement to 
developers of algorithmic trading strategies requires associated 
persons primarily responsible for the design, development or 
significant modification of an algorithmic trading strategy or 
responsible for the day-to-day supervision or direction of such 
activities to register and meet a minimum standard of knowledge 
regarding the securities rules and regulations applicable to the member 
employing the algorithmic trading strategy. This minimum standard of 
knowledge is identical to the standard of knowledge currently 
applicable to traditional securities traders. The Exchange believes 
that improved education of firm personnel may reduce the potential for 
problematic market conduct and manipulative trading activity.
    Finally, the proposed rule change makes organizational changes to 
the Exchange's registration and qualification rules to align them with 
registration and qualification rules of the Nasdaq Affiliated 
Exchanges, in order to prevent unnecessary regulatory burdens and to 
promote efficient administration of the rules. The change also makes 
minor updates and corrections to the Exchange's rules which improve 
readability.

B. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Burden on Competition

    The Exchange does not believe that the proposed rule change will 
impose any burden on competition not necessary or appropriate in 
furtherance of the purposes of the Act.
    The proposed rule change is designed to ensure that all associated 
persons of members engaged in a securities business are, and will 
continue to be, properly trained and qualified to perform their 
functions, will be supervised, and can be identified by regulators. The 
proposed new 1200 Series of rules, which are similar in many respects 
to the registration-related requirements adopted by FINRA effective 
October 1, 2018, should enhance the ability of member firms to comply 
with the Exchange's rules as well as with the Federal securities laws. 
Additionally, as described above, the Exchange intends the amendments 
described herein to eliminate inconsistent registration-related 
requirements across the Nasdaq Affiliated Exchanges, thereby promoting 
uniformity of regulation across markets. The new 1200 Series should in 
fact remove administrative burdens that currently exist for members 
seeking to register associated persons on multiple Nasdaq Affiliated 
Exchanges featuring varying registration-related requirements. 
Additionally, all similarly-situated associated persons of members will 
be treated similarly under the new 1200 Series in terms of standards of 
training, experience and competence for persons associated with 
Exchange members.
    With respect to registration of developers of algorithmic trading 
strategies in particular, the Exchange recognizes that the proposal 
would impose costs on member firms employing associated persons engaged 
in the activity subject to the registration requirement. Specifically, 
among other things, additional associated persons would be required to 
become registered under the proposal, and the firm would need to 
establish policies and procedures to monitor compliance with the 
proposed requirement on an ongoing basis. However, given the prevalence 
and importance of algorithmic trading strategies in today's markets, 
the Exchange believes that associated persons engaged in the activities 
covered by this proposal must meet a minimum standard of knowledge 
regarding the applicable securities rules and regulations. To mitigate 
the costs imposed on member firms, the proposed rule change limits the 
scope of registration requirement by excluding technological or 
development support personnel who are not primarily responsible for the 
covered activities. It also excludes supervisors who are not 
responsible for the ``day-to-day'' supervision or direction of the 
covered activities.

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

    No written comments were either solicited or received.

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

    Because the foregoing proposed rule change does not: (i) 
Significantly affect the protection of investors or the public 
interest; (ii) impose any significant burden on competition; and (iii) 
become operative for 30 days from the date on which it was filed, or 
such shorter time as the Commission may designate, it has become 
effective pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A)(iii) of the Act \83\ and 
subparagraph (f)(6) of Rule 19b-4 thereunder.\84\
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    \83\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A)(iii).
    \84\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6). In addition, Rule 19b-4(f)(6) 
requires a self-regulatory organization to give the Commission 
written notice of its intent to file the proposed rule change at 
least five business days prior to the date of filing of the proposed 
rule change, or such shorter time as designated by the Commission. 
The Exchange has satisfied this requirement.
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    A proposed rule change filed under Rule 19b-4(f)(6) normally does 
not become operative for 30 days from the date of filing. However, Rule 
19b-4(f)(6)(iii) \85\ permits the Commission to designate a shorter 
time if such action is consistent with the protection of investors and 
the public interest. The Exchange has asked the Commission to waive the 
30-day operative delay so that the proposal may become operative on 
October 1, 2018 to coincide with the effective date of FINRA's proposed 
rule change on which the proposal is based.\86\ The waiver of the 
operative delay would make the Exchange's qualification requirements 
consistent with those of FINRA, as of October 1, 2018. Therefore, the 
Commission believes that the waiver of the 30-day operative delay is 
consistent with the

[[Page 52039]]

protection of investors and the public interest and hereby waives the 
30-day operative delay and designates the proposal operative on October 
1, 2018.\87\
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    \85\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6)(iii).
    \86\ See supra note 7.
    \87\ For purposes only of waiving the 30-day operative delay, 
the Commission has also considered the proposed rule's impact on 
efficiency, competition, and capital formation. See 15 U.S.C. 
78c(f).
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    At any time within 60 days of the filing of the proposed rule 
change, the Commission summarily may temporarily suspend such rule 
change if it appears to the Commission that such action is: (i) 
Necessary or appropriate in the public interest; (ii) for the 
protection of investors; or (iii) otherwise in furtherance of the 
purposes of the Act. If the Commission takes such action, the 
Commission shall institute proceedings to determine whether the 
proposed rule should be approved or disapproved.

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 email to [email protected]. Please include 
File Number SR-MRX-2018-31 on the subject line.

Paper Comments

     Send paper comments in triplicate to Secretary, Securities 
and Exchange Commission, 100 F Street NE, Washington, DC 20549-1090.

All submissions should refer to File Number SR-MRX-2018-31. This file 
number should be included on the subject line if email 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 website (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 website viewing and printing in 
the Commission's Public Reference Room, 100 F Street NE, Washington, DC 
20549, on official business days between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 
3:00 p.m. Copies of the filing also will be available for inspection 
and copying at the principal office of the Exchange. All comments 
received will be posted without change. Persons submitting comments are 
cautioned that we do not redact or edit personal identifying 
information from comment submissions. You should submit only 
information that you wish to make available publicly. All submissions 
should refer to File Number SR-MRX-2018-31, and should be submitted on 
or before November 5, 2018.

    For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets, 
pursuant to delegated authority.\88\
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    \88\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).
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Eduardo A. Aleman,
Assistant Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2018-22292 Filed 10-12-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 8011-01-P