[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 50 (Thursday, March 14, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Page 9403]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-04729]


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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

[SEC File No. 270-482, OMB Control No. 3235-0540]


Proposed Collection; Comment Request

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

Extension:
    Rule 17a-25

    Notice is hereby given that pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act 
of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.) (``PRA''), the Securities and Exchange 
Commission (``Commission'') is soliciting comments on the existing 
collection of information provided for in Rule 17a-25 (17 CFR 204.17a-
25) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78a et. seq.).
    Paragraph (a)(1) of Rule 17a-25 requires registered broker-dealers 
to electronically submit securities transaction information, including 
identifiers for prime brokerage arrangements, average price accounts, 
and depository institutions, in a standardized format when requested by 
the Commission staff. In addition, Paragraph (c) of Rule 17a-25 
requires broker-dealers to submit, and keep current, contact person 
information for electronic blue sheets (``EBS'') requests. The 
Commission uses the information for enforcement inquiries or 
investigations and trading reconstructions, as well as for inspections 
and examinations.
    The Commission estimates that it sends approximately 13,493 
electronic blue sheet requests per year to clearing broker-dealers that 
in turn submit an average 528,551 responses.\1\ It is estimated that 
each broker-dealer that responds electronically will take 8 minutes, 
and each broker-dealer that responds manually will take 1\1/2\ hours to 
prepare and submit the securities trading data requested by the 
Commission. The annual aggregate hour burden for electronic and manual 
response firms is estimated to be 34,577 (253,705 x 8 / 60 = 33,827 
hours) + (500 x 1.5 = 750 hours), respectively.\2\
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    \1\ A single EBS request has a unique number assigned to each 
request (e.g., ``0900001''). However, the number of broker-dealer 
responses generated from one EBS request can range from one to 
several thousand. EBS requests are sent directly to clearing firms, 
as the clearing firm is the repository for trading data for 
securities transactions information provided by it and correspondent 
firms. Clearing brokers respond for themselves and other firms they 
clear for. There were 528,551 responses during the 25 month period 
for an average of 21,142 responses per month or an average of 
253,705 annual responses.
    \2\ Few respondents submit manual EBS responses. The small 
percentage of respondents that submit manual responses do so by 
hand, via email, spreadsheet, disk, or other electronic media. Thus, 
the number of manual submissions (approximately 500 per year) has 
minimal effect on the total annual burden hours.
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    Written comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed 
collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of 
the functions of the agency, including whether the information shall 
have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of 
the burden of the proposed collection of information; (c) ways to 
enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be 
collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of 
information on respondents, including through the use of automated 
collection techniques or other forms of information technology. 
Consideration will be given to comments and suggestions submitted in 
writing within 60 days of this publication.
    An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required 
to respond to, a collection of information under the PRA unless it 
displays a currently valid OMB control number.
    Please direct your written comments to: Charles Riddle, Acting 
Director/Chief Information Office, Securities and Exchange Commission, 
c/o Candace Kenner, 100 F Street NE, Washington, DC 20549 or send an 
email to: [email protected].

    Dated: March 11, 2019.
Eduardo A. Aleman,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2019-04729 Filed 3-13-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 8011-01-P