E7-5550. Self-Regulatory Organizations; American Stock Exchange LLC; Notice of Filing of Proposed Rule Change and Amendment No. 1 Thereto To Amend Its Minor Rule Violation Fine Systems

March 21, 2007.

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 February 21, 2007, the American Stock Exchange LLC (“Amex” or “Exchange”) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“Commission”) the proposed rule change as described in Items I, II, and III below, which Items have been substantially prepared by the Exchange. On March 20, 2007, the Exchange filed Amendment No. 1 to the proposed rule change. The Commission is publishing this notice to solicit comments on the proposed rule change, as amended, from interested persons.

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

The Exchange proposes to incorporate violations of Amex Rule 131A—AEMI and Commentary .03 to Amex Rule 958—ANTE into Part 1 of its Minor Rule Violation Fine Systems (the “Plan”).^[3] The text of the proposed rule change is available at Amex, the Commission's Public Reference Room, and http://www.amex.com.

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 Exchange 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 Exchange has prepared summaries, set forth in sections A, B, and C below, of the most significant aspects of such statements.

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

1. Purpose

The Exchange's Plan provides a simplified procedure for the resolution of minor rule violations. Codified in Amex Rule 590, the Plan has three distinct sections: (1) Part 1 (General Rule Violations) covers substantive matters that are nonetheless deemed to be minor; (2) Part 2 (Floor Decorum Violations) covers guidelines concerning the personal appearance and conduct of persons on the trading floor and other operational matters; and (3) Part 3 (Reporting Violations) covers the late submission of routine reports required to be filed with the Exchange.

The Exchange proposes to include violations of Amex Rule 131A—AEMI into Part 1 of the Plan. Amex Rule 131A-AEMI, which generally sets forth procedures related to market-on-close (“MOC”) and limit-on-close (“LOC”) orders and expiration, is designed to minimize price volatility on the close by requiring members to enter all MOC and LOC orders as early in the day as possible. Amex Rule 131A—AEMI also establishes deadlines for entering MOC and LOC orders, restrictions on canceling MOC and LOC orders, requirements for publishing imbalances on the consolidated tape, the order of execution for MOC and LOC orders, and procedures for days on which derivative, index-related products (e.g., options, futures, and options on futures) settle against opening prices.

The Exchange also proposes to include violations of Commentary .03 to Amex Rule 958—ANTE into Part 1 of the Plan. Commentary .03 to Amex Rule 958-ANTE provides, in part, that, for purposes of paragraph (a) of such rule, at least 50% of the trading activity in any quarter (measured in terms of contract volume) of a registered options trader must ordinarily be in classes to which such registered options trader is assigned, except for unusual circumstances.^[4]

The inclusion of the foregoing rules in Part 1 of the Plan would enable prompt resolution of violations that do not rise to the level of formal enforcement action,^[5] but warrant more significant action than the issuance of an admonition letter.

2. Statutory Basis

The Exchange believes that the proposed rule change 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 prevent fraudulent and manipulative acts and practices, to promote just and equitable principles of trade, to foster cooperation and coordination with persons engaged in facilitating transactions in securities, to remove impediments to and perfect the mechanisms of a free and open market and a national market system, and, in general, to protect investors and the public interest.

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

The Exchange does not believe that the proposed rule change would impose any burden on competition that is 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 solicited or received with respect to the proposed rule change.

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

Within 35 days of the date of publication of this notice in the Federal Register or within such longer period (i) As the Commission may designate up to 90 days of such date if it finds such longer period to be appropriate and publishes its reasons for so finding or (ii) as to which the self-regulatory organization consents, the Commission will:

(A) By order approve such proposed rule change, or

(B) Institute proceedings to determine whether the proposed rule change should be disapproved.

IV. Solicitation of Comments

Interested persons are invited to submit written data, views, and arguments concerning the foregoing, including whether the proposed rule change, as amended, is consistent with the Act. Comments may be submitted by any of the following methods:

Electronic Comments

• Use the Commission's Internet comment form (http://www.sec.gov/​rules/​sro.shtml); or
• Send an e-mail to [e-mail]. Please include File Number SR-Amex-2007-22 on the subject line.

Paper Comments

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

All submissions should refer to File Number SR-Amex-2007-22. 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 Section, 100 F Street, NE., Washington, DC 20549. Copies of such filing also will be available for inspection and copying at the principal offices of the Exchange. 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-Amex-2007-22 and should be submitted on or before April 17, 2007.

For the Commission by the Division of Market Regulation, pursuant to delegated authority.^[8]

Florence E. Harmon,

Deputy Secretary.

Footnotes

1.  15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).

2.  17 CFR 240.19b-4.

3.  See Amex Rule 590.

4.  The remaining provisions of Commentary .03 to Amex Rule 958—ANTE are not to be included in the Plan.

5.  See generally Article V, Amex Constitution (setting forth the formal disciplinary procedures and penalties with respect to members of the Exchange).

6.  15 U.S.C. 78f(b).

7.  15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).

8.  17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).