[Federal Register: November 6, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 215)] [Notices] [Page 62839] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr06no03-85] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION 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 17Ad-15, SEC File No. 270-360, OMB Control No. 3235-0409. 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 17Ad-15 Signature Guarantees Rule 17Ad-15 requires approximately 1,093 transfer agents to establish written standards for accepting and rejecting guarantees of securities transfers from eligible guarantor institutions. Transfer agents are also required to establish procedures to ensure that those standards are used by the transfer agent to determine whether to accept or reject guarantees from eligible guarantor institutions. Transfer agents must maintain, for a period of three years following the date of a rejection of transfer, a record of all transfers rejected, along with the reason for the rejection, identification of the guarantor, and whether the guarantor failed to meet the transfer agent's guarantee standard. These recordkeeping requirements assist the Commission and other regulatory agencies with monitoring transfer agents and ensuring compliance with the rule. There are approximately 900 registered transfer agents. The average number of hours necessary for every transfer agent to comply with the Rule 17Ad-15 is about forty hours annually. The total burden is 36,000 hours for all transfer agents. The average cost per hour is approximately $30. Therefore, the total cost of compliance for all transfer agents is about $1,080,000. The retention period for the recordkeeping requirement under Rule 17Ad-15 is three years following the date of a rejection of transfer. The recordkeeping requirement under the rule is mandatory to assist the Commission and other regulatory agencies with monitoring transfer agents and ensuring compliance with the rule. This rule does not involve the collection of confidential information. 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 10102, New Executive Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20503; and (ii) Kenneth A. Fogash, Associate Executive Director/Acting CIO, Office of Information Technology, Securities and Exchange Commission, 450 Fifth Street, NW., Washington, DC 20549. Comments must be submitted to OMB within 30 days of this notice. Dated: October 29, 2003. Margaret H. McFarland, Deputy Secretary. [FR Doc. 03-27978 Filed 11-5-03; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 8010-01-P