2024-01350. Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Extension: Form N-CEN

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.), the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) is soliciting comments on the collection of information summarized below. The Commission plans to submit this existing collection of information to the Office of Management and Budget for extension and approval.

The title for the collection of information is “Form N–CEN under the Investment Company Act of 1940.” Form N–CEN is used to collect annual, census-type information for registered funds. Filers must submit this report electronically using the Commission's electronic filing system “(EDGAR”) in Extensible Markup Language (“XML”) format. The purpose of Form N–CEN is to satisfy the filing and disclosure requirements of Section 30 of the Investment Company Act, and of rule 30a–1 thereunder.

We estimate that the average annual hour burden to complete the generally applicable items on Form N–CEN response will be 18 hours per year. We estimate that the aggregate annual hour burden to complete the generally applicable items will be 59,490 hours per year. We therefore estimate that filers would have total average annualized paperwork related expenses related to complete the generally applicable items of $605,520 for reports on Form N–CEN.

The requirements of this collection of information are mandatory. Responses will not be kept confidential. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid control number.

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 estimate of the burden of the 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 March 25, 2024.

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, Chief Information Officer, Securities and Exchange Commission, c/o John Pezzullo, 100 F Street NE, Washington, DC 20549 or send an email to: [e-mail].

Dated: January 19, 2024.

Sherry R. Haywood,

Assistant Secretary.