[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 233 (Tuesday, December 6, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Page 74695]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-26426]


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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

[SEC File No. 270-019, OMB Control No. 3235-0012]


Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Extension: Rule 15b1-1/Form 
BD

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

    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'') is soliciting comments on the 
collection of information provided for in Rule 15b1-1 (17 CFR 240.15b1-
1) and Form BD (17 CFR 249.501) under the Securities Exchange Act of 
1934 (17 U.S.C. 78a et seq.). The Commission plans to submit this 
existing collection of information to the Office of Management and 
Budget (``OMB'') for extension and approval.
    Form BD is the application form used by firms to apply to the 
Commission for registration as a broker-dealer, as required by Rule 
15b1-1. Form BD also is used by firms other than banks and registered 
broker-dealers to apply to the Commission for registration as a 
municipal securities dealer or a government securities broker-dealer. 
In addition, Form BD is used to change information contained in a 
previous Form BD filing that becomes inaccurate.
    The total industry-wide annual time burden imposed by Form BD is 
approximately 3,703 hours, based on approximately 9,842 responses (175 
initial filings + 9,667 amendments). Each application filed on Form BD 
requires approximately 2.75 hours to complete and each amended Form BD 
requires approximately 20 minutes to complete. (175 x 2.75 hours = 481 
hours; 9,667 x 0.33333333 hours = 3,222 hours; 481 hours + 3,222 hours 
= 3,703 hours.) The staff believes that a broker-dealer would have a 
Compliance Manager complete and file both applications and amendments 
on Form BD at a cost of approximately $344/hour. Consequently, the 
staff estimates that the total internal cost of compliance associated 
with the annual time burden is approximately $1,273,832 per year ($344 
x 3,703).
    The Commission uses the information disclosed by applicants in Form 
BD: (1) to determine whether the applicant meets the standards for 
registration set forth in the provisions of the Exchange Act; (2) to 
develop a central information resource where members of the public may 
obtain relevant, up-to-date information about broker-dealers, municipal 
securities dealers, and government securities broker-dealers, and where 
the Commission, other regulators, and SROs may obtain information for 
investigatory purposes in connection with securities litigation; and 
(3) to develop statistical information about broker-dealers, municipal 
securities dealers, and government securities broker-dealers. Without 
the information disclosed in Form BD, the Commission could not 
effectively implement policy objectives of the Exchange Act with 
respect to its investor protection function.
    Completing and filing Form BD is mandatory in order to engage in 
broker-dealer activity. Compliance with Rule 15b1-1 does not involve 
the collection of confidential information.
    Written comments are invited on: (a) whether the proposed 
collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of 
the functions of the Commission, including whether the information 
shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the Commission's 
estimates of the burden of the proposed collection of information; (c) 
ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information 
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 by 
February 6, 2023.
    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: David Bottom, Director/
Chief Information Officer, Securities and Exchange Commission, c/o John 
Pezzullo, 100 F Street NE, Washington, DC 20549, or send an email to: 
[email protected].

     Dated: November 30, 2022.
Sherry R. Haywood,
Assistant Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2022-26426 Filed 12-5-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011-01-P