Start Preamble July 15, 2008.

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 July 1, 2008, International Securities Exchange, LLC (the “ISE” or the “Exchange”) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“Commission”) the proposed rule change as described in Items I, II and III below, which Items have been prepared by the Exchange. The ISE filed the proposal pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A) of the Act ^[3] and Rule 19b–4(f)(2) thereunder,^[4] which renders Start Printed Page 42639 the proposal effective upon filing with the Commission. The Commission is publishing this notice to solicit comments on the proposed rule change from interested persons.

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

The ISE is proposing to amend its Schedule of Fees by adopting fee waivers related to the execution on ISE of public customer orders exposed to members before those orders are sent out for execution on another exchange through the intermarket linkage (“Linkage”). The text of the proposed rule change is available at the Exchange, http://www.ise.com, and the Commission's Public Reference Room.

II. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Purpose of, and Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change

In its filing with the Commission, the self-regulatory organization 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. The self-regulatory organization has prepared summaries, set forth in sections A, B, and C below, of the most significant aspects of such statements.

A. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Purpose of, and Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change

1. Purpose

Before a Primary Market Maker (“PMM”) sends a customer order through the Linkage when ISE is not at the national best bid or offer (“NBBO”), the Exchange exposes these customer orders to all its members to give them an opportunity to match the NBBO.^[5]

Specifically, before the PMM sends a Linkage Order on behalf of a public customer, the public customer order is exposed at the NBBO price for a period established by the Exchange not to exceed one second. During this exposure period, Exchange members may enter responses up to the size of the order being exposed in the regular trading increment applicable to the option. If at the end of the exposure period, the order is executable at the then-current NBBO and the ISE is not at the then-current NBBO, the order is executed against responses that equal or better the then-current NBBO. The exposure period is terminated if the exposed order becomes executable on the ISE at the prevailing NBBO or if the Exchange receives an unrelated order that could trade against the exposed order at the prevailing NBBO price. If, after an order is exposed, the order is not executed in full on the Exchange at the then-current NBBO or better, and it is marketable against the then-current NBBO, the PMM sends a Linkage Order on the customer's behalf for the balance of the order as provided in Rule 803(c)(2)(ii). If the balance of the order is not marketable against the then-current NBBO, it is placed on the ISE book.

To encourage ISE members to respond to the exposure of these public customer orders, ISE proposes to waive the Firm Proprietary, ISE Market Maker and Payment for Order Flow fees incurred by members who step up and match or improve the NBBO during the exposure period so these public customer orders can be executed on the Exchange.^[6]

The Exchange notes that the proposed rule change will allow ISE to retain more flow by giving these customer orders additional opportunity to be executed at the NBBO at ISE and will also reduce PMM costs by reducing the number of Linkage orders they must send to other exchanges.^[7]

2. Statutory Basis

The basis under the Act for this proposed rule change is the requirement under Section 6(b)(4) that an exchange have an equitable allocation of reasonable dues, fees and other charges among its members and other persons using its facilities.

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

The proposed rule change does not impose any burden on competition that is not necessary or appropriate in furtherance of the purposes of the Act.

C. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Comments on the Proposed Rule Change Received From Members, Participants, or Others

The Exchange has not solicited, and does not intend to solicit, comments on this proposed rule change. The Exchange has not received any unsolicited written comments from members or other interested parties.

III. Date of Effectiveness of the Proposed Rule Change and Timing for Commission Action

The foregoing proposed rule change has been designated as a fee change pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A) of the Act ^[8] and Rule 19b–4(f)(2) thereunder,^[9] because it establishes or changes a due, fee, or other charge imposed on members by ISE. Accordingly, the proposal is effective upon filing with the Commission. At any time within 60 days of the filing of the proposed rule change, the Commission may summarily abrogate 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.

IV. 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–ISE–2008–56 on the subject line.

Paper Comments

• Send paper comments in triplicate to Secretary, Securities and Exchange Commission, 100 F Street, NE., Washington, DC 20549–1090.

All submissions should refer to File Number SR–ISE–2008–56. 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 inspection and copying in Start Printed Page 42640 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 the filing also will be available for inspection and copying at the principal office of the Exchange. 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–ISE–2008–56 and should be submitted on or before August 12, 2008.

Start SignatureEnd Signature End Preamble

Footnotes