2016-04354. Agency Information Collection Activities: Information Collection Renewal; Comment Request; Municipal Securities Dealers and Government Securities Brokers and Dealers-Registration and Withdrawal

AGENCY:

Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), Treasury.

ACTION:

Notice and request for comment.

SUMMARY:

The OCC, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on a continuing information collection, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (the PRA), Federal Agencies are required to publish notice in the Federal Register concerning each proposed collection of information, including each proposed extension of an existing collection of information and to allow 60 days for public comment in response to the notice.

In accordance with the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. chapter 35), the OCC may not conduct or sponsor, and the respondent is not required to respond to, an information collection unless it displays a currently valid Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number. The OCC is soliciting comment concerning the renewal of its information collection titled, ”Municipal Securities Dealers and Government Securities Brokers and Dealers—Registration and Withdrawal.”

DATES:

You should submit written comments by May 2, 2016.

ADDRESSES:

Because paper mail in the Washington, DC area and at the OCC is subject to delay, commenters are encouraged to submit comments by email, if possible. Comments may be sent to: Legislative and Regulatory Activities Division, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, Mail Stop 9W-11, Attention: 1557-0184, Washington, DC 20219. In addition, comments may be sent by fax to [phone] or by electronic mail to [e-mail]. You may personally inspect and photocopy comments at the OCC, 400 7th Street SW., Washington, DC 20219. For security reasons, the OCC requires that visitors make an appointment to inspect comments. You may do so by calling [phone] or, for persons who are deaf or hard of hearing, TTY, [phone]. Upon arrival, visitors will be required to present valid government-issued photo identification and to submit to security screening in order to inspect and photocopy comments.

All comments received, including attachments and other supporting materials, are part of the public record and subject to public disclosure. Do not include any information in your comment or supporting materials that you consider confidential or inappropriate for public disclosure.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Shaquita Merritt, Clearance Officer, [phone] or, for persons who are deaf or hard of hearing, TTY, [phone], Legislative and Regulatory Activities Division, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, 400 7th Street SW., Washington, DC 20219.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Under the PRA, Federal agencies must obtain approval from the OMB for each collection of information they conduct or sponsor. “Collection of information” is defined in 44 U.S.C. 3502(3) and 5 CFR 1320.3(c) to include obtaining, causing to be obtained, soliciting, or requiring the disclosure to an Agency of information by means of identical questions posed to, or identical reporting, recordkeeping, or disclosure requirements imposed on, ten or more persons. Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA requires Federal agencies to provide a 60-day notice in the Federal Register concerning each proposed collection of information, including each proposed extension or revision of an existing collection of information, before submitting the collection to OMB for approval. In compliance with the PRA, the OCC is publishing notice of the proposed extension of the collection of information set forth in this document.

The OCC is proposing to extend OMB approval of the following information collection:

Title: Municipal Securities Dealers and Government Securities Brokers and Dealers—Registration and Withdrawal.

OMB Control No.: 1557-0184.

Form Numbers: MSD, MSDW,^[1] MSD-4, MSD-5, G-FIN, G-FINW, GFIN-4 and GFIN-5.^[2]

Abstract: This information collection is required to satisfy the requirements of section 15B ^[3] and section 15C ^[4] of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, which require, in part, any national bank or Federal savings association that acts as a government securities broker/dealer or a municipal securities dealer to file the appropriate form with the OCC to inform the agency of its broker/dealer activities. The OCC uses this information to determine which national banks and Federal savings associations are acting as government securities broker/dealers and municipal securities dealers and to monitor entry into and exit from these activities by institutions and registered persons. The OCC also uses the information in planning national bank and Federal savings association examinations.

Type of Review: Renewal of a currently approved collection. The collection has not changed. The OCC asks only that OMB approve its revised estimates and extend its approval of the forms.

Affected Public: Businesses or other for-profit; individuals.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 19 (8 government securities dealers; 1 municipal securities dealer; and 10 municipal and government securities dealers).

Estimated Number of Responses: 802. Frequency of Response: On occasion.

Estimated Annual Burden: 735.5 burden hours.

Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized and included in the request for OMB approval. All comments will become a matter of public record. Comments are invited on:

(a) Whether the collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the OCC, including whether the information has practical utility;

(b) The accuracy of the OCC's estimate of the information collection burden;

(c) Ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected;

(d) Ways to minimize the burden of the collection on respondents, including through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology; and

(e) Estimates of capital or start-up costs and costs of operation, maintenance, and purchase of services to provide information.

Dated: February 24, 2016.

Mary Hoyle Gottlieb,

Regulatory Specialist, Legislative & Regulatory Activities Division.

Footnotes

1.  The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) maintains collections for the MSD and MSDW under OMB Control Nos. 3235-0083 and 3235-0087, however, there is a requirement that these be filed with the OCC, which is covered by OMB Control No. 1557-0184.

2.  The Department of the Treasury maintains collections for the G-FIN-4 and G-FIN-5 under OMB Control No. 1535-0089, however there is a requirement that they be filed with the OCC, which is covered by OMB Control No. 1557-0184.

3.  15 U.S.C. 78o-4.

4.  15 U.S.C. 78o-5.