2010-20236. Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request

AGENCY:

Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), Treasury.

ACTION:

Notice and request for comment.

SUMMARY:

The OCC, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to comment on the renewal of an information collection, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a respondent is not required to respond to, an information collection unless it displays a currently valid Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number. The OCC is soliciting comment concerning an information collection titled, “Securities Offering Disclosure Rules.”

DATES:

Comments must be submitted on or before October 18, 2010.

ADDRESSES:

Communications Division, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, Mailstop 2-3, Attention: 1557-0120, 250 E Street, SW., Washington, DC 20219. In addition, comments may be sent by fax to [phone], or by electronic mail to [e-mail]. You can inspect and photocopy the comments at the OCC, 250 E Street, SW., Washington, DC 20219. For security reasons, the OCC requires that visitors make an appointment to inspect comments. You may do so by calling [phone]. Upon arrival, visitors will be required to present valid government-issued photo identification and to submit to security screening in order to inspect and photocopy comments.

Additionally, please send a copy of your comments to OCC Desk Officer, 1557-0120, by mail to U.S. Office of Management and Budget, 725 17th Street, NW., #10235, Washington, DC 20503, or by fax to [phone].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

You may request additional information or a copy of the collection and supporting documentation submitted to OMB by contacting: Mary H. Gottlieb, OCC Clearance Officer, [phone], Legislative and Regulatory Activities Division, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, 250 E Street, SW., Washington, DC 20219.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: Securities Offering Disclosure Rules.

OMB Control No.: 1557-0120.

Type of Review: Regular review.

Description: This information collection covers an existing regulation and involves no change to the regulation or to the information collection. The OCC requests only that OMB extend its approval of the information collection.

The requirements in 12 CFR Part 16 enable the OCC to perform its responsibilities relating to offerings of securities by national banks by providing the investing public with facts about the condition of the bank, the reasons for raising new capital, and the terms of the offering. Part 16 generally requires national banks to conform to Securities and Exchange Commission rules.

The collections of information in part 16 are as follows:

Form for Registration. A national bank offering or selling its own securities to the public is required to make such offer or sale through the use of a prospectus that has been filed with the OCC as part of a registration statement.

Abbreviated Form for Registration. A national bank that is a subsidiary of a company that has securities registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (Exchange Act) may offer and sell securities (nonconvertible debt) only to accredited investors upon meeting conditions in 12 CFR 16.6 and by providing an abbreviated information statement in a form for registration.

Small Issues. A national bank may offer and sell securities publicly in a limited dollar amount by using an Offering Statement meeting the requirements of SEC's Regulation A (17 CFR 230.251 et seq.).

Regulation D. A national bank may offer or sell its own securities in a private placement to accredited or sophisticated investors in compliance with 12 CFR 16.7.

Form 144. A national bank must file Form 144, which contains information on resales of securities originally sold through the private placement exemption, only in certain circumstances.

These information collection requirements ensure bank compliance with applicable Federal law, promote bank safety and soundness, provide protections for banks, and further public policy interests.

Affected Public: Businesses or other for-profit.

Burden Estimates:

 Estimated Number of Respondents: 48.

 Estimated Number of Responses: 48.

 Estimated Annual Burden: 450 hours.

Frequency of Response: On occasion.

Comments: Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized and included in the request for OMB approval. All comments will become a matter of public record. Comments are invited on:

(a) Whether the collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the OCC, including whether the information has practical utility;

(b) The accuracy of the OCC's estimate of the information collection burden;

(c) Ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected;

(d) Ways to minimize the burden of the collection on respondents, including through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology; and

(e) Estimates of capital or start-up costs and costs of operation, maintenance, and purchase of services to provide information.

Dated: August 10, 2010.

Michele Meyer,

Assistant Director, Legislative and Regulatory Activities Division, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency.