Self-Regulatory Organizations; Proposed Rule Changes:

Federal Register Volume 76, Number 123 (Monday, June 27, 2011)

Notices

Pages 37384-37386

From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]

FR Doc No: 2011-15965

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Release No. 34-64717; File No. SR-FINRA-2011-029

Self-Regulatory Organizations; Financial Industry Regulatory

Authority, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of

Proposed Rule Change Relating to Exemptions from the Order Audit Trail

System Recording and Reporting Requirements

June 21, 2011.

Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

(``Act'') \1\ and Rule 19b-4 thereunder,\2\ notice is hereby given that on June 14, 2011, Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc.

(``FINRA'') filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission

Page 37385

(``SEC'' or ``Commission'') the proposed rule change as described in

Items I and II below, which Items have been prepared by FINRA. FINRA has designated the proposed rule change as constituting a ``non- controversial'' rule change under paragraph (f)(6) of Rule 19b-4 under the Act,\3\ which renders the proposal effective upon receipt of this filing by the Commission. The Commission is publishing this notice to solicit comments on the proposed rule change from interested persons.

\1\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).

\2\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4.

\3\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6).

1. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Terms of Substance of the Proposed Rule Change

   FINRA is proposing to amend FINRA Rule 7470 to extend for four years FINRA's ability to exempt certain members from the recording and reporting requirements of the Order Audit Trail System (``OATS'') Rules

   (``OATS Rules'') for manual orders received by the member.

   The text of the proposed rule change is available on FINRA's Web site at http://www.finra.org, at the principal office of FINRA and at the Commission's Public Reference Room.

2. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Purpose of, and

   Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change

   In its filing with the Commission, FINRA included statements concerning the purpose of and basis for the proposed rule change and discussed any comments it received on the proposed rule change. The text of these statements may be examined at the places specified in

   Item IV below. FINRA has prepared summaries, set forth in sections A,

   B, and C below, of the most significant aspects of such statements.

   1. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Purpose of, and

      Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change 1. Purpose

      On September 28, 2005, the SEC approved amendments to the OATS

      Rules that, among other things, permitted FINRA to grant exemptive relief from the OATS reporting requirements for manual orders.\4\ In 2006, FINRA's exemptive authority was expanded to include the authority to exempt manual orders received by members from the OATS recording requirements.\5\ At a minimum, under FINRA Rule 7470, members must meet the following criteria to be eligible to request an exemption from the

      OATS recording and reporting requirements for manual orders: (1) The member and current control affiliates and associated persons of the member have not been subject within the last five years to any final disciplinary action, and within the last ten years to any disciplinary action involving fraud; (2) the member has annual revenues of less than

      $2 million; (3) the member does not conduct any market making activities in any security subject to the OATS Rules; (4) the member does not execute principal transactions with its customers (with limited exceptions for principal transactions executed pursuant to error corrections); and (5) the member does not conduct clearing or carrying activities for other firms.\6\ An exemption granted by FINRA pursuant to Rule 7470 is for a maximum of two years; however, a member that continues to meet the criteria may request subsequent exemptions at or prior to the expiration of a grant of exemptive relief.\7\

      Finally, Rule 7470 includes a sunset provision of five years from the original effective date of the rule, which was July 10, 2006.

      Consequently, Rule 7470 is set to expire as of July 10, 2011.

      \4\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 52521 (September 28, 2005), 70 FR 57909 (October 4, 2005).

      \5\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 53580 (March 30, 2006), 71 FR 17529 (April 6, 2006). In 2006, the exemptive provision was also relocated from NASD Rule 6955(d) to NASD Rule 6958. As of

      December 15, 2008, NASD Rule 6958 was renumbered as FINRA Rule 7470.

      See FINRA Regulatory Notice 08-57 (October 2008).

      \6\ See FINRA Rule 7470(a).

      \7\ See FINRA Rule 7470(b).

      FINRA adopted this exemptive authority so that it would have the ability to grant relief to members that meet certain criteria in situations where, for example, the reporting of order information would be unduly burdensome for the member or where temporary relief from the rules, in the form of additional time to achieve compliance, would permit the members to avoid unnecessary expense or hardship.\8\ FINRA believes that these concerns continue to be present for many firms and, consequently, proposes to extend the period for FINRA to grant exemptive relief for an additional four years. In addition, as part of the its recent proposal to create a consolidated audit trail across self-regulatory organizations, the SEC is evaluating, among other things, the impact of consolidated audit trail requirements on smaller member firms.\9\ FINRA believes it is appropriate to allow firms that have received an exemption from OATS to continue to rely on their current exemption (or request an additional two-year exemption) until the scope and application of the SEC's consolidated audit trail is determined.

      \8\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 52521 (September 28, 2005), 70 FR 57909 (October 4, 2005).

      \9\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 62174 (May 26, 2010), 75 FR 32556 (June 8, 2010).

      FINRA is not proposing any substantive changes to the criteria necessary for firms to qualify for an exemption because FINRA believes that the criteria continue to ensure that only those firms with limited revenue, no recent final disciplinary actions, and limited business models will be eligible for exemptions.\10\

      \10\ FINRA notes that although many of the members relying on current exemptions pursuant to Rule 7470 also qualify for the exception from the definition of ``Reporting Member'' in Rule 7410(o), some firms relying on exemptions route orders to multiple clearing firms or otherwise fail to meet the exception in Rule 7410(o).

      FINRA has filed the proposed rule change for immediate effectiveness. The operative date will be July 9, 2011. 2. Statutory Basis

      FINRA believes that the proposed rule change is consistent with the provisions of Section 15A(b)(6) of the Act,\11\ which requires, among other things, that FINRA rules must be designed to prevent fraudulent and manipulative acts and practices, to promote just and equitable principles of trade, and, in general, to protect investors and the public interest. FINRA believes that the proposed rule change will provide a continued way to exempt manual orders received by certain small firms from the OATS Rules and avoid imposing potentially unnecessary expense or hardship on those firms that qualify for the exemption.

      \11\ 15 U.S.C. 78o-3(b)(6).

   2. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Burden on Competition

      FINRA does not believe that the proposed rule change will result in any burden on competition that is not necessary or appropriate in furtherance of the purposes of the Act.

   3. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Comments on the Proposed

      Rule Change Received From Members, Participants, or Others

      Written comments were neither solicited nor received.

3. Date of Effectiveness of the Proposed Rule Change and Timing for

   Commission Action

   Because the foregoing proposed rule change does not: (i)

   Significantly affect

   Page 37386

   the protection of investors or the public interest; (ii) impose any significant burden on competition; and (iii) become operative for 30 days from the date on which it was filed, or such shorter time as the

   Commission may designate, it has become effective pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A) of the Act \12\ and Rule 19b-4(f)(6) thereunder.\13\

   \12\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A).

   \13\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6). Among other things, Rule 19b- 4(f)(6)(iii) requires that a self-regulatory organization submit to the Commission written notice of its intent to file the proposed rule change, along with a brief description and text of the proposed rule change, at least five business days prior to the date of filing of the proposed rule change, or such shorter time as designated by the Commission. The Commission notes that FINRA has satisfied the pre-filing notice requirement.

   FINRA has requested that the Commission waive the requirement that the rule change, by its terms, not become operative for 30 days after the date of the filing as set forth in Rule 19b-4(f)(6)(iii).\14\ FINRA believes that the proposed rule change should become operative on July 9, 2011, to avoid any lapse in the application of the rule. The

   Commission agrees that it is consistent with the protection of investors and the public interest to allow FINRA's limited exemptive authority to grant relief to members that meet certain criteria from the OATS recording and reporting requirements to continue without a lapse. Therefore, the Commission hereby grants a waiver of the 30-day operative delay.\15\

   \14\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6)(iii).

   \15\ For the purposes only of waiving the operative delay of this proposal, the Commission has considered the proposed rule's impact on efficiency, competition, and capital formation. See 15

   U.S.C. 78c(f).

   At any time within 60 days of the filing of the proposed rule change, the Commission summarily may temporarily suspend such rule change if it appears to the Commission that such action is necessary or appropriate in the public interest, for the protection of investors, or otherwise in furtherance of the purposes of the Act. If the Commission takes such action, the Commission shall institute proceedings to determine whether the proposed rule should be approved or disapproved.

4. Solicitation of Comments

   Interested persons are invited to submit written data, views and arguments concerning the foregoing, including whether the proposed rule change is consistent with the Act. Comments may be submitted by any of the following methods:

   Electronic Comments

   Use the Commission's Internet comment form (http://www.sec.gov/rules/sro.shtml); or

   Send an e-mail to rule-comments@sec.gov. Please include

   File Number SR-FINRA-2011-029 on the subject line.

   Paper Comments

   Send paper comments in triplicate to Elizabeth M. Murphy,

   Secretary, Securities and Exchange Commission, 100 F Street, NE.,

   Washington, DC 20549-1090.

   All submissions should refer to File Number SR-FINRA-2011-029. This file number should be included on the subject line if e-mail is used.

   To help the Commission process and review your comments more efficiently, please use only one method. The Commission will post all comments on the Commission's Internet Web site (http://www.sec.gov/rules/sro.shtml). Copies of the submission, all subsequent amendments, all written statements with respect to the proposed rule change that are filed with the Commission, and all written communications relating to the proposed rule change between the Commission and any person, other than those that may be withheld from the public in accordance with the provisions of 5 U.S.C. 552, will be available for Web site viewing and printing in the Commission's Public Reference Room, 100 F

   Street, NE., Washington, DC 20549, on official business days between the hours of 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Copies of such filing also will be available for inspection and copying at the principal office of FINRA.

   All comments received will be posted without change; the Commission does not edit personal identifying information from submissions. You should submit only information that you wish to make available publicly. All submissions should refer to File Number SR-FINRA-2011-029 and should be submitted on or before July 18, 2011.

   For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated authority.\16\

   \16\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).

   Cathy H. Ahn,

   Deputy Secretary.

   FR Doc. 2011-15965 Filed 6-24-11; 8:45 am

   BILLING CODE 8011-01-P