02-19319. Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

Upon Written Request, Copies Available From: Securities and Exchange Commission, Office of Filings and Information Services, Washington, DC 20549.

Extension: Rule 17a-22; SEC File No. 270-202; OMB Control No. 3235-0196.

Notice is hereby given that pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), the Securities and Exchange Commission (“Commission”) has submitted to the Office of Management and Budget a request for extension of the previously approved collection of information discussed below.

• Rule 17a-22 Supplemental Material of Registered Clearing Agencies

Rule 17a-22 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (“Exchange Act”) ^[1] requires all registered clearing agencies to file with the Commission three copies of all materials they issue or make generally available to their participants or other entities with whom they have a significant relationship. The filings with the Commission must be made within ten days after the materials are issued, and when the Commission is not the appropriate regulatory agency, the clearing agency must file one copy of the material with its appropriate regulatory agency. The Commission is responsible for overseeing clearing agencies and uses the information filed pursuant to Rule 17a-22 to determine whether a clearing agency is implementing procedural or policy changes. The information filed aides the Commission in determining whether such changes are consistent with the purposes of Section 17A of the Exchange Act. Also, the Commission uses the information to determine whether a clearing agency has changed its rules without reporting the actual or prospective change to the Commission as required under Section 19(b) of the Exchange Act.

The respondents to Rule 17a-22 generally are registered clearing agencies.^[2] The frequency of filings made by clearing agencies pursuant to Rule 17a-22 varies, but on average there are approximately 200 filings per year per clearing agency. Because the filings consist of materials that have been prepared for widespread distribution, the additional cost to the clearing agencies associated with submitting copies to the Commission is relatively small. The Commission staff estimates that the cost of compliance with Rule 17a-22 to all registered clearing agencies is approximately $5,220. This represents one dollar per filing in postage, or a total of $3,600. The remaining $1,620 (or approximately 31% of the total cost of compliance) is the estimated cost of additional printing, envelopes, and other administrative expenses. (The estimated total cost per response is $1.45 per page representing $1.00 per page in postage plus $0.45 for printing, envelopes, and other administrative expenses.)

An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid control number.

General Comments regarding the estimated burden hours should be directed to the following persons: (i) Desk Officer for the Securities and Exchange Commission, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, Room 10202, New Executive Office Building, Washington, DC 20503; and (ii) Michael E. Bartell, Associate Executive Director, Office of Information Technology, Securities and Exchange Commission, 450 5th Street, NW., Washington, DC 20549. Comments must be submitted to OMB within 30 days of this notice.

Dated: July 24, 2002.

Margaret H. McFarland,

Deputy Secretary.

Footnotes

1.  15 U.S.C. 78a et seq.

2.  Respondents include temporarily registered clearing agencies. Respondents also may include clearing agencies granted exemptions from the registration requirements of Section 17A, conditioned upon compliance with Rule 17a-22.