[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 240 (Friday, December 14, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64380-64381]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-27090]


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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

[SEC File No. 270-264, OMB Control No. 3235-0341]


Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

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

Extension:
    Rule 17Ad-4(b) & (c)

    Notice is hereby given that pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act 
of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.) the Securities and Exchange Commission 
(``Commission'') is soliciting comments on the existing collection of 
information provided for in the following rule: Rule 17Ad-4(b) & (c) 
under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78a et seq.) 
(``Exchange Act'').
    Rule 17Ad-4(b) & (c) (17 CFR 240.17Ad-4) is used to document when 
transfer agents are exempt, or no longer exempt, from the minimum 
performance standards and certain

[[Page 64381]]

recordkeeping provisions of the Commission's transfer agent rules. 
Pursuant to Rule 17Ad-4(b), if the Commission or the Office of the 
Comptroller of the Currency (``OCC'') is the appropriate regulatory 
agency (``ARA'') for an exempt transfer agent, that transfer agent is 
required to prepare and maintain in its possession a notice certifying 
that it is exempt from certain performance standards and recordkeeping 
and record retention provisions of the Commission's transfer agent 
rules. This notice need not be filed with the Commission or OCC. If the 
Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (``Fed'') or the 
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (``FDIC'') is the transfer 
agent's ARA, that transfer agent must prepare a notice and file it with 
the Fed or FDIC.
    Rule 17Ad-4(c) sets forth the conditions under which a registered 
transfer agent loses its exempt status. Once the conditions for 
exemption no longer exist, the transfer agent, to keep the ARA apprised 
of its current status, must prepare, and file if the ARA for the 
transfer agent is the Fed or the FDIC, a notice of loss of exempt 
status under paragraph (c). The transfer agent then cannot claim exempt 
status under Rule 17Ad-4(b) again until it remains subject to the 
minimum performance standards for non-exempt transfer agents for six 
consecutive months.
    ARAs use the information contained in the notices required by Rules 
17Ad-4(b) and 17Ad-4(c) to determine whether a registered transfer 
agent qualifies for the exemption, to determine when a registered 
transfer agent no longer qualifies for the exemption, and to determine 
the extent to which that transfer agent is subject to regulation.
    The Commission estimates that approximately 10 registered transfer 
agents each year prepare or file notices in compliance with Rules 17Ad-
4(b) and 17Ad-4(c). The Commission estimates that each such registered 
transfer agent spends approximately 1.5 hours to prepare or file such 
notices for an aggregate total annual burden of 15 hours (1.5 hours 
times 10 transfer agents). The Commission staff estimates that 
compliance staff work at registered transfer agents results in an 
internal cost of compliance, at an estimated hourly wage of $283, of 
$424.5 per year per transfer agent (1.5 hours x $283 per hour = $424.5 
per year). Therefore, the aggregate annual internal cost of compliance 
for the approximate 10 transfer agents annually preparing or filing 
notices pursuant to Rules 17Ad-4(b) and 17Ad-4(c) is approximately 
$4,245 ($424.5 x 10 = $4,245).
    This rule does not involve the collection of confidential 
information.
    An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required 
to respond to, a collection of information under the PRA unless it 
displays a currently valid OMB control number.
    The public may view background documentation for this information 
collection at the following website: www.reginfo.gov. Comments should 
be directed to: (i) Desk Officer for the Securities and Exchange 
Commission, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of 
Management and Budget, Room 10102, New Executive Office Building, 
Washington, DC 20503, or by sending an email to: 
[email protected]; and (ii) Charles Riddle, Acting Director/
Chief Information Officer, Securities and Exchange Commission, c/o 
Candace Kenner, 100 F Street NE, Washington, DC 20549, or by sending an 
email to: [email protected]. Comments must be submitted to OMB within 
30 days of this notice.

    Dated: December 10, 2018.
Eduardo A. Aleman,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2018-27090 Filed 12-13-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 8011-01-P