2019-08034. Proposed Collection; 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 31 and Form R31, SEC File No. 270-537, OMB Control No. 3235-0597.

Notice is hereby given that, pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (“PRA”) (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), the Securities and Exchange Commission (“Commission”) is soliciting comments on the existing collection of information provided for in Rule 31 (17 CFR 240.31) and Form R31 (17 CFR 249.11) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78ee) (“Exchange Act”). The Commission plans to submit this existing collection of information to the Office of Management and Budget (“OMB”) for extension and approval.

Section 31 of the Exchange Act requires the Commission to collect fees and assessments from national securities exchanges and national securities associations (collectively, “self-regulatory organizations” or “SROs”) based on the volume of their securities transactions. To collect the proper amounts, the Commission adopted Rule 31 and Form R31 under the Exchange Act whereby each SRO must report to the Commission the volume of its securities transactions and the Commission, based on those data, calculates the amount of fees and assessments that each SRO owes pursuant to Section 31. Rule 31 and Form R31 require each SRO to provide these data on a monthly basis.

Currently, there are 26 respondents under Rule 31 that are subject to the collection of information requirements of Rule 31: 22 National securities exchanges, one security futures exchange, one national securities association, and two registered clearing agencies that are required to provide certain data in their possession needed by the SROs to complete Form R31, although these two clearing agencies are not themselves required to complete and submit Form R31. The Commission estimates that the total burden for all 26 respondents is 390 hours per year. The Commission estimates that, based on previous and current experience, three additional national securities exchanges will become registered and subject to the reporting requirements of Rule 31 over the course of the authorization period and collectively incur a burden of 18 hours per year. Thus, the Commission estimates the total burden for the existing and expected new respondents to be 408 hours per year.

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 proposed collection of information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be 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 in writing within 60 days of this publication.

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: Charles Riddle, Acting Director/Chief Information Officer, Securities and Exchange Commission, c/o Candace Kenner, 100 F Street NE, Washington, DC 20549 or send an email to: [e-mail].

Dated: April 17, 2019.

Jill M. Peterson,

Assistant Secretary.