2019-23601. 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 17a-1, SEC File No. 270-244, OMB Control No. 3235-0208

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 (“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 17a-1 (17 CFR 240.17a-1) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Act”) (15 U.S.C. 78a et seq.).

Rule 17a-1 requires that every national securities exchange, national securities association, registered clearing agency, and the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board keep on file for a period of not less than five years, the first two years in an easily accessible place, at least one copy of all documents, including all correspondence, memoranda, papers, books, notices, accounts, and other such records made or received by it in the course of its business as such and in the conduct of its self-regulatory activity, and that such documents be available for examination by the Commission.

There are 34 entities required to comply with the rule: 23 National securities exchanges, 1 national securities association, 9 registered clearing agencies, and the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board. The Commission staff estimates that the average number of hours necessary for compliance with the requirements of Rule 17a-1 is 52 hours per year. In addition, 4 national securities exchanges notice-registered pursuant to Section 6(g) of the Act (15 U.S.C. 78f(g)) are required to preserve records of determinations made under Rule 3a55-1 under the Act (17 CFR 240.3a55-1), which the Commission staff estimates will take 1 hour per exchange, for a total of 4 hours. Accordingly, the Commission staff estimates that the total number of hours necessary to comply with the requirements of Rule 17a-1 is 1,772 hours. The total internal cost of compliance for all respondents is $124,040, based on an average cost per hour of $70.

Compliance with Rule 17a-1 is mandatory. Rule 17a-1 does not assure confidentiality for the records maintained pursuant to the rule. The records required by Rule 17a-1 are available only for examination by 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. 522, 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.

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. Comments should be directed to: (i) Desk Officer for the Securities and Exchange Commission, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, Room 10102, New Executive Office Building, Washington, DC 20503, or by sending an email to: [e-mail]; and (ii) Charles Riddle, Acting Director/Chief Information Officer, Securities and Exchange Commission, c/o Candace Kenner, 100 F Street NE, Washington, DC 20549, or by sending an email to: [e-mail]. Comments must be submitted to OMB within 30 days of this notice.

Dated: October 24, 2019.

Eduardo A. Aleman,

Deputy Secretary.