2020-11592. 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 15c2-5, SEC File No. 270-195; OMB Control No. 3235-0198

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”) 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 15c2-5 (17 CFR 240.15c2-5), under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78 et seq.) (“Exchange Act”).

Rule 15c2-5 prohibits a broker-dealer from arranging or extending certain loans to persons in connection with the offer or sale of securities unless, before any element of the transaction is entered into, the broker-dealer: (1) Delivers to the person a written statement containing the exact nature and extent of the person's obligations under the loan arrangement; the risks and disadvantages of the loan arrangement; and all commissions, discounts, and other remuneration received and to be received in connection with the transaction by the broker-dealer or certain related persons (unless the person receives certain materials from the lender or broker-dealer which contain the required information); and (2) obtains from the person information on the person's financial situation and needs, reasonably determines that the transaction is suitable for the person, and retains on file and makes available to the person on request a written statement setting forth the broker-dealer's basis for determining that the transaction was suitable. The collection of information required by Rule 15c2-5 is necessary to execute the Commission's mandate under the Exchange Act to prevent fraudulent, manipulative, and deceptive acts and practices by broker-dealers.

The Commission estimates that there are approximately 50 respondents that require an aggregate total of 600 hours to comply with Rule 15c2-5.^[1] Each of these approximately 50 registered broker-dealers makes an estimated six annual responses, for an aggregate total of 300 responses per year.^[2] Each response takes approximately two hours to complete. Thus, the total compliance burden per year is 600 burden hours.^[3] The approximate internal compliance cost per hour is $63.00 for clerical labor,^[4] resulting in a total internal compliance cost of $37,800.^[5] These reflect internal labor costs; there are no external labor, capital, or start-up costs.

Although Rule 15c2-5 does not specify a retention period or record-keeping requirement under the rule, broker-dealers are required to preserve the records for a period no less than six years pursuant to Rule 17a-4(c). The information required under Rule 15c2-5 is necessary for broker-dealers to engage in the lending activities prescribed in the Rule. Rule 15c2-5 does not assure confidentiality for the information retained under the rule.^[6]

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 Find this particular information collection by selecting “Currently under 30-day Review—Open for Public Comments” or by using the search function. Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of this notice to (i) www.reginfo.gov/​public/​do/​PRAMain and (ii) David Bottom, Director/Chief Information Officer, Securities and Exchange Commission, c/o Cynthia Roscoe, 100 F Street NE, Washington, DC 20549, or by sending an email to: [e-mail].

Dated: May 26, 2020.

J. Matthew DeLesDernier,

Assistant Secretary.

Footnotes

1.  50 respondents × 6 responses per year × 2 hours per response = 600 hours per year.

2.  50 respondents × 6 responses per year = 300 responses per year.

3.  300 responses per year × 2 hours per response = 600 hours per year.

4.  Cost per hour for a clerk is from SIFMA's Office Salaries in the Securities Industry 2013, modified by Commission staff to account for an 1800-hour work-year, multiplied by 2.93 to account for bonuses, firm size, employee benefits and overhead, and adjusted by a factor of 1.0965 to account for inflation.

5.  600 hours per year × $63.00 per hour = $37,800 per year.

6.  The records required by Rule 15c2-5 would be available only for examination purposes of 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. 552, 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.