[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 104 (Friday, May 29, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 32434-32435]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-11592]


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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION


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 15c2-5, SEC File No. 270-195; OMB Control No. 3235-
0198

    Notice is hereby given that pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act 
of 1995 (``PRA'') (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), the Securities and Exchange 
Commission (``Commission'') has submitted to the Office of Management 
and Budget (``OMB'') a request for approval of extension of the 
previously approved collection of information provided for in Rule 
15c2-5 (17 CFR 240.15c2-5), under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 
(15 U.S.C. 78 et seq.) (``Exchange Act'').
    Rule 15c2-5 prohibits a broker-dealer from arranging or extending 
certain

[[Page 32435]]

loans to persons in connection with the offer or sale of securities 
unless, before any element of the transaction is entered into, the 
broker-dealer: (1) Delivers to the person a written statement 
containing the exact nature and extent of the person's obligations 
under the loan arrangement; the risks and disadvantages of the loan 
arrangement; and all commissions, discounts, and other remuneration 
received and to be received in connection with the transaction by the 
broker-dealer or certain related persons (unless the person receives 
certain materials from the lender or broker-dealer which contain the 
required information); and (2) obtains from the person information on 
the person's financial situation and needs, reasonably determines that 
the transaction is suitable for the person, and retains on file and 
makes available to the person on request a written statement setting 
forth the broker-dealer's basis for determining that the transaction 
was suitable. The collection of information required by Rule 15c2-5 is 
necessary to execute the Commission's mandate under the Exchange Act to 
prevent fraudulent, manipulative, and deceptive acts and practices by 
broker-dealers.
    The Commission estimates that there are approximately 50 
respondents that require an aggregate total of 600 hours to comply with 
Rule 15c2-5.\1\ Each of these approximately 50 registered broker-
dealers makes an estimated six annual responses, for an aggregate total 
of 300 responses per year.\2\ Each response takes approximately two 
hours to complete. Thus, the total compliance burden per year is 600 
burden hours.\3\ The approximate internal compliance cost per hour is 
$63.00 for clerical labor,\4\ resulting in a total internal compliance 
cost of $37,800.\5\ These reflect internal labor costs; there are no 
external labor, capital, or start-up costs.
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    \1\ 50 respondents x 6 responses per year x 2 hours per response 
= 600 hours per year.
    \2\ 50 respondents x 6 responses per year = 300 responses per 
year.
    \3\ 300 responses per year x 2 hours per response = 600 hours 
per year.
    \4\ Cost per hour for a clerk is from SIFMA's Office Salaries in 
the Securities Industry 2013, modified by Commission staff to 
account for an 1800-hour work-year, multiplied by 2.93 to account 
for bonuses, firm size, employee benefits and overhead, and adjusted 
by a factor of 1.0965 to account for inflation.
    \5\ 600 hours per year x $63.00 per hour = $37,800 per year.
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    Although Rule 15c2-5 does not specify a retention period or record-
keeping requirement under the rule, broker-dealers are required to 
preserve the records for a period no less than six years pursuant to 
Rule 17a-4(c). The information required under Rule 15c2-5 is necessary 
for broker-dealers to engage in the lending activities prescribed in 
the Rule. Rule 15c2-5 does not assure confidentiality for the 
information retained under the rule.\6\
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    \6\ The records required by Rule 15c2-5 would be available only 
for examination purposes of the Commission staff, state securities 
authorities, and the self-regulatory organizations. Subject to the 
provisions of the Freedom of Information Act, 5 U.S.C. 552, and the 
Commission's rules thereunder (17 CFR 200.80(b)(4)(iii)), the 
Commission does not generally publish or make available information 
contained in any reports, summaries, analyses, letters, or memoranda 
arising out of, in anticipation of, or in connection with an 
examination or inspection of the books and records of any person or 
any other investigation.
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    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 Find this 
particular information collection by selecting ``Currently under 30-day 
Review--Open for Public Comments'' or by using the search function. 
Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information 
collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of this notice 
to (i) www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain and (ii) David Bottom, 
Director/Chief Information Officer, Securities and Exchange Commission, 
c/o Cynthia Roscoe, 100 F Street NE, Washington, DC 20549, or by 
sending an email to: [email protected].

    Dated: May 26, 2020.
J. Matthew DeLesDernier,
Assistant Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2020-11592 Filed 5-28-20; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 8011-01-P