2023-00218. Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request; Extension: Rule 17f-1(g)

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 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.) (“PRA”), 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 17f-1(g) (17 CFR 240.17f-1(g)), under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78a et seq.).

Rule 17f-1(g) requires that all reporting institutions ( i.e., every national securities exchange, member thereof, registered securities association, broker, dealer, municipal securities dealer, registered transfer agent, registered clearing agency, participant therein, member of the Federal Reserve System, and bank insured by the FDIC) maintain and preserve a number of documents related to their participation in the Lost and Stolen Securities Program (“Program”) under Rule 17f-1. The following documents must be kept in an easily accessible place for three years, according to paragraph (g): (1) copies of all reports of theft or loss (Form X-17F-1A) filed with the Commission's designee: (2) all agreements between reporting institutions regarding registration in the Program or other aspects of Rule 17f-1; and (3) all confirmations or other information received from the Commission or its designee as a result of inquiry.

Reporting institutions utilize these records and reports (a) to report missing, lost, stolen or counterfeit securities to the database, (b) to confirm inquiry of the database, and (c) to demonstrate compliance with Rule 17f-1. The Commission and the reporting institutions' examining authorities utilize these records to monitor the incidence of thefts and losses incurred by reporting institutions and to determine compliance with Rule 17f-1. If such records were not retained by reporting institutions, compliance with Rule 17f-1 could not be monitored effectively.

The Commission estimates that there are approximately 10,018 reporting institutions (respondents) and, on average, each respondent would need to retain 33 records annually, with each retention requiring approximately 1 minute (a total of 33 minutes or 0.5511 hours per respondent per year). Thus, the total estimated annual time burden for all respondents is 5,521 hours (10,018 × 0.5511 hours = 5,521). Assuming an average hourly cost for clerical work of $50.00, the average total yearly record retention internal cost of compliance for each respondent would be $27.56 ($50 × 0.5511 hours). Based on these estimates, the total annual internal compliance cost for the estimated 10,018 reporting institutions would be approximately $276,096 (10,018 × $27.56).

Rule 17f-1(g) does not require periodic collection, but it does require retention of records generated as a result of compliance with Rule 17f-1. Under Section 17(b) and (f) of the Act, the information required by Rule 17f-1(g) is available to the Commission and Federal bank regulators for examinations or collection purposes. Rule 0-4 of the Securities Exchange Act deems such information to be confidential.

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 by February 9, 2023 to (i) www.reginfo.gov/​public/​do/​PRAMain and (ii) David Bottom, Director/Chief Information Officer, Securities and Exchange Commission, c/o John Pezzullo, 100 F Street NE, Washington, DC 20549, or by sending an email to: [e-mail].

Dated: January 4, 2023.

Sherry R. Haywood,

Assistant Secretary.