[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 243 (Wednesday, December 22, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 72667-72669]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-27657]


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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

[Release No. 34-93798; File No. SR-C2-2021-017]


Self-Regulatory Organizations; Cboe C2 Exchange, Inc.; Notice of 
Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of a Proposed Rule Change To Amend 
Its Rules To Make Juneteenth National Independence Day a Holiday of the 
Exchange

December 16, 2021.
    Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 
(the ``Act''),\1\ and Rule 19b-4 thereunder,\2\ notice is hereby given 
that on December 6, 2021, Cboe C2 Exchange, Inc. (the ``Exchange'' or 
``C2'') filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the 
``Commission'') the proposed rule change as described in Items I and II 
below, which Items have been prepared by the Exchange. The Exchange 
filed the proposal as a ``non-controversial'' proposed rule change 
pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A)(iii) of the Act \3\ and Rule 19b-
4(f)(6) thereunder.\4\ 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.
    \3\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A)(iii).
    \4\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6).
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I. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Terms of Substance 
of the Proposed Rule Change

    Cboe C2 Exchange, Inc. (the ``Exchange'' or ``C2 Options'') 
proposes to amend its rules to make Juneteenth National Independence 
Day a holiday of the Exchange. The text of the proposed rule change is 
provided in Exhibit 5.
    The text of the proposed rule change is also available on the 
Exchange's website (http://markets.cboe.com/us/options/regulation/rule_filings/ctwo/), at the Exchange's Office of the Secretary, 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 proposes to amend Rule 5.1 (Days and Hours of 
Business) to make Juneteenth National Independence Day a holiday of the 
Exchange. On June 17, 2021, Juneteenth National Independence Day was 
designated a legal public holiday.\5\ Consistent with broad industry 
sentiment \6\ and the approach recommended by the Securities Industry 
and Financial Markets Association

[[Page 72668]]

(``SIFMA''),\7\ the Exchange proposes to add ``Juneteenth National 
Independence Day'' to the existing list of holidays set forth in Rule 
5.1(d). As a result, the Exchange will not be open for business on 
Juneteenth National Independence Day, which falls on June 19 of each 
year. In accordance with Rule 5.1(d), when a holiday falls on a 
Saturday, the Exchange will not be open for business on the preceding 
Friday, and when it falls on a Sunday, the Exchange will not be open 
for business on the succeeding Monday.\8\
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    \5\ Public Law 117-17.
    \6\ See e.g., https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-06-18/bofa-makesjuneteenth-a-holiday-joining-jpmorgan-wells-fargo?sref=Hhue1scO.
    \7\ SIFMA recommends a full market close in observance of 
Juneteenth National Independence Day. See https://www.sifma.org/resources/general/holidayschedule/. See also https://www.sifma.org/resources/news/sifma-revises-2022-fixed-income-market-close-recommendations-in-the-u-s-to-include-full-close-for-juneteenth-national-independence-day/.
    \8\ See Cboe C2 Exchange Rule 5.1(d). There is an exception to 
the practice if unusual business conditions exist.
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2. Statutory Basis
    The Exchange believes the proposed rule change is consistent with 
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the ``Act'') and the rules and 
regulations thereunder applicable to the Exchange and, in particular, 
the requirements of Section 6(b) of the Act.\9\ Specifically, the 
Exchange believes the proposed rule change is consistent with the 
Section 6(b)(5) \10\ requirements that the rules of an exchange be 
designed to prevent fraudulent and manipulative acts and practices, to 
promote just and equitable principles of trade, to foster cooperation 
and coordination with persons engaged in regulating, clearing, 
settling, processing information with respect to, and facilitating 
transactions in securities, 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. Additionally, 
the Exchange believes the proposed rule change is consistent with the 
Section 6(b)(5) requirement that the rules of an exchange not be 
designed to permit unfair discrimination between customers, issuers, 
brokers, or dealers. The Exchange also believes the proposed rule 
change is consistent with Section 6(b)(1) of the Act,\11\ which 
provides that the Exchange be organized and have the capacity to be 
able to carry out the purposes of the Act and to enforce compliance by 
the Exchange's Trading Permit Holders and persons associated with its 
Trading Permit Holders with the Act, the rules and regulations 
thereunder, and the rules of the Exchange.
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    \9\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b).
    \10\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5)
    \11\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(1).
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    The Exchange believes that the proposed change would remove 
impediments to and perfect the mechanism of a free and open market and 
a national market system and, in general, protect investors and the 
public interest because the proposed amended rule would clearly state 
that the Exchange will not be open for business on Juneteenth National 
Independence Day, which is a federal holiday, and would address what 
day would be taken off if June 19 fell on a Saturday or Sunday. The 
change would thereby promote clarity and transparency in the Exchange 
rules by updating the list of holidays of the Exchange. The proposed 
rule change is also based on recent proposals by other exchanges.\12\ 
Therefore, the proposed change does not raise any new or novel issues.
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    \12\ See e.g., Securities Exchange Act Release No. 93186 
(September 30, 2021), 86 FR 55068 (October 5, 2021) (SR-NYSE-2021-
56). See also Securities Exchange Act Release No. 93461 (October 28, 
2021), 86 FR 60670 (November 3, 2021) (SR-MIAX-2021-55).
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    For these reasons, the Exchange believes that the proposal is 
consistent with the Act.

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

    In accordance with Section 6(b)(8) of the Act,\13\ the Exchange 
believes that the proposed rule change will not impose any burden on 
competition that is not necessary or appropriate in furtherance of the 
purposes of the Act. The proposed change is not designed to address any 
competitive issue but rather to conform to industry practice with 
respect to holidays.
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    \13\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(8).
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C. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Comments on the Proposed 
Rule Change Received From Members, Participants, or Others

    The Exchange neither solicited nor received comments on the 
proposed rule change.

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

    The Exchange has filed the proposed rule change pursuant to Section 
19(b)(3)(A)(iii) of the Act \14\ and Rule 19b-4(f)(6) thereunder.\15\ 
Because the 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 prior to 
30 days from the date on which it was filed, or such shorter time as 
the Commission may designate, if consistent with the protection of 
investors and the public interest, the proposed rule change has become 
effective pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A) of the Act and Rule 19b-
4(f)(6)(iii) thereunder.
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    \14\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A)(iii).
    \15\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6).
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    At any time within 60 days of the filing of such proposed rule 
change, the Commission summarily may temporarily suspend such rule 
change if it appears to the Commission that such action is necessary or 
appropriate in the public interest, for the protection of investors, or 
otherwise in furtherance of the purposes of the Act. If the Commission 
takes such action, the Commission shall institute proceedings under 
Section 19(b)(2)(B) \16\ of the Act to determine whether the proposed 
rule change should be approved or disapproved.
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    \16\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(2)(B).
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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-C2-2021-017 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-C2-2021-017. 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

[[Page 72669]]

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; the Commission does 
not edit personal identifying information from submissions. You should 
submit only information that you wish to make available publicly. All 
submissions should refer to File Number SR-C2-2021-017 and should be 
submitted on or before January 12, 2022.

    For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets, 
pursuant to delegated authority.\17\
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    \17\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).
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J. Matthew DeLesDernier,
Assistant Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2021-27657 Filed 12-21-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011-01-P