E6-22092. Self-Regulatory Organizations; Philadelphia Stock Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change Relating to Minor Clarifying Changes to Phlx Rules Governing Registration  

  • Start Preamble December 18, 2006.

    Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (“Act”),[1] and Rule 19b-4 thereunder,[2] notice is hereby given that on December 6, 2006, the Philadelphia Stock Exchange, Inc. (“Phlx” or “Exchange”) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“Commission”) the proposed rule change as described in Items I and II below, which Items have been prepared by the Phlx. The Phlx filed the proposed rule change as a “non-controversial” rule change pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A) of the Act [3] and Rule 19b-4(f)(6) thereunder,[4] which renders the proposal effective upon filing with the Commission. The Commission is publishing this notice to solicit comments on the proposed rule change from interested persons.

    I. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Terms of Substance of the Proposed Rule Change

    The Phlx proposes to make minor clarifying changes to Phlx rules governing registration. The text of the proposed rule change is available on the Phlx's Web site (http://www.phlx.com), at the Phlx'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 Phlx 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 Phlx has prepared summaries, set forth in Sections A, B, and C below, of the most significant aspects of such statements. Start Printed Page 77852

    A. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Purpose of, and Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change

    1. Purpose

    The Exchange recently amended Exchange Rules 600, 604, 620, 623, and 1024 and Equity Floor Procedure Advice (“EFPA”) and Option Floor Procedure Advice (“OFPA”) F-25; and adopted EFPA F-34 and OFPA F-34 to create a more efficient, centralized registration process by migrating from a manual paper-based Exchange procedure to the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.'s Web Central Registration Depository (“Web CRD”) process for registration and processing of fingerprints.[5]

    The purpose of this proposed rule change is to further clarify Exchange Rules 600, 604, 620 and 1024 and corresponding EFPAs and OFPAs F-25 and F-34, as they relate to the new Web CRD process. The Exchange believes that the clarifying language should help all members, participants, and member and participant organizations to better understand the rules relating to Web CRD.

    2. Statutory Basis

    The Exchange believes that its proposal is consistent with Section 6(b) of the Act [6] in general, and furthers the objectives of Section 6(b)(5) of the Act [7] in particular, in that it is designed to promote just and equitable principles of trade, 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 by clarifying Phlx rules and corresponding EFPAs and OFPAs in connection with providing information to Web CRD.

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

    The Exchange does not believe that the proposed rule change will impose any burden on competition not necessary or appropriate in furtherance of the purposes of the Act.

    C. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Comments on the Proposed Rule Change Received From Members, Participants, or Others

    No written comments were either solicited or received.

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

    Because the foregoing 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 for 30 days from the date on which it was filed, or such shorter time as the Commission may designate, it has become effective pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A) of the Act [8] and Rule 19b-4(f)(6) thereunder.[9]

    At any time within 60 days of the filing of the proposed rule change, the Commission may summarily abrogate 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.

    A proposed rule change filed under Rule 19b-4(f)(6) normally may not become operative prior to 30 days after the date of filing.[10] However, Rule 19b-4(f)(6)(iii) [11] permits the Commission to designate a shorter time if such action is consistent with the protection of investors and the public interest. The Phlx provided the Commission with written notice of its intent to file this proposed rule change at least five business days prior to the date of filing of the proposed rule change. In addition, the Phlx has requested that the Commission waive the 30-day operative delay. The Commission believes that waiving the 30-day operative delay is consistent with the protection of investors and the public interest because the proposed rule change clarifies existing Exchange rules relating to Web CRD. For this reason, the Commission designates the proposal to be effective and operative upon filing with the Commission.[12]

    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

    Paper Comments

    • Send paper comments in triplicate to Nancy M. Morris, Secretary, Securities and Exchange Commission, 100 F Street, NE., Washington, DC 20549-1090.

    All submissions should refer to File Number SR-Phlx-2006-83. This file number should be included on the subject line if e-mail 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 Web site (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 provisions of 5 U.S.C. 552, will be available for inspection and copying in the Commission's Public Reference Room. Copies of such filing also will be available for inspection and copying at the principal office of the Phlx. 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-Phlx-2006-83 and should be submitted on or before January 17, 2007.

    Start Signature

    For the Commission, by the Division of Market Regulation, pursuant to delegated authority.13

    Florence E. Harmon,

    Deputy Secretary.

    End Signature End Preamble

    Footnotes

    5.  See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 53612 (April 6, 2006), 71 FR 18798 (April 12, 2006) (SR-Phlx-2006-15).

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    10.  CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6)(iii).

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    12.  For purposes only of waiving the 30-day operative delay, the Commission has considered the proposed rule's impact on efficiency, competition, and capital formation. See 15 U.S.C. 78c(f).

    Back to Citation

    [FR Doc. E6-22092 Filed 12-26-06; 8:45 am]

    BILLING CODE 8011-01-P

Document Information

Comments Received:
0 Comments
Published:
12/27/2006
Department:
Securities and Exchange Commission
Entry Type:
Notice
Document Number:
E6-22092
Pages:
77851-77852 (2 pages)
Docket Numbers:
Release No. 34-54960, File No. SR-Phlx-2006-83
EOCitation:
of 2006-12-18
PDF File:
e6-22092.pdf