2021-18700. 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 35d-1

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 (the “Commission”) is soliciting comments on the collection of information summarized below. The Commission plans to submit this existing collection of information to the Office of Management and Budget for extension and approval.

Rule 35d-1 (17 CFR 270.35d-1) under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80a-1 et seq.) defines as “materially deceptive and misleading” for purposes of Section 35(d), among other things, a name suggesting that a registered investment company or series thereof (a “fund”) focuses its investments in a particular type of investment or investments, in investments in a particular industry or group of industries, or in investments in a particular country or geographic region, unless, among other things, the fund adopts a certain investment policy. Rule 35d-1 further requires either that the investment policy is fundamental or that the fund has adopted a policy to provide its shareholders with at least 60 days prior notice of any change in the investment policy (“notice to shareholders”). The rule's notice to shareholders provision is intended to ensure that when shareholders purchase shares in a fund based, at least in part, on its name, and with the expectation that it will follow the investment policy suggested by that name, they will have sufficient time to decide whether to redeem their shares in the event that the fund decides to pursue a different investment policy.

The Commission estimates that there are approximately 11,502 open-end and closed-end funds that have names that are covered by the rule. The Commission estimates that of these 11,502 funds, approximately 38 will provide prior notice to shareholders pursuant to a policy adopted in accordance with this rule per year. The Commission estimates that the annual burden associated with the notice to shareholders requirement of the rule is 20 hours per response, for annual total of 760 hours per year.

Estimates of average burden hours are made solely for the purposes of the Paperwork Reduction Act and are not derived from a comprehensive or even representative survey or study of the costs of Commission rules and forms. Providing prior notice to shareholders under rule 35d-1 is not mandatory. An investment company may choose to have a name that does not indicate that the fund focuses its investments in a particular type of investment or investments, or in investments in a particular industry or group of industry. If an investment company does choose such a name, it will only need to provide prior notice to shareholders of a change in its 80% investment policy if it first has adopted a policy to provide notice and then has decided to change this investment policy. The information provided under rule 35d-1 will not be kept confidential. 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 OMB control number.

Written comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information will have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the collection of information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information 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.

Please direct your written comments to David Bottom, Director/Chief Information Officer, Securities and Exchange Commission, C/O Cynthia Roscoe, 100 F Street NE, Washington, DC 20549; or send an email to: [e-mail].

Dated: August 25, 2021.

Jill M. Peterson,

Assistant Secretary.