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Upon written request, copies available from: U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Office of Investor Education and Advocacy, Washington, DC 20549-0213.

Extension: Rule 17Ac2-1, SEC File No. 270-95, OMB Control No. 3235-0084.

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 (“OMB”) a request for approval of extension of the existing collection of information provided for in the following rule: Rule 17Ac2-1 (17 CFR 240.17Ac2-1) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78a et seq.) (“Exchange Act”). The Commission plans to submit this existing collection of information to the Office of Management and Budget (“OMB”) for extension and approval.

Rule 17Ac-2, pursuant to Section 17A(c) of the Exchange Act, generally requires transfer agents to register with their Appropriate Regulatory Agency (“ARA”), whether the Commission, the Start Printed Page 76070Comptroller of the Currency, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, or the Office of Thrift Supervision, and to amend their registrations if the information becomes inaccurate, misleading, or incomplete.

Paragraph 1 of Rule 17Ac-2, requires transfer agents to file a Form TA-1 application for registration with the Commission where the Commission is their appropriate regulatory agency. Transfer agents must also file an amended Form TA-1 application for registration if the existing Form TA-1 becomes inaccurate, misleading, or incomplete. The Form TA-1s must be filed with the Commission electronically, absent an exemption, on EDGAR pursuant to Regulation S-T (17 CFR 232).

The Commission receives on an annual basis approximately 100 applications for registration on Form TA-1 from transfer agents required to register with the Commission. Included in this figure are amendments to Form TA-1 as required by Paragraph (c) of Rule 17Ac2-1 to address information that has become inaccurate, misleading, or incomplete. Based on past submissions, the staff estimates that the average number of hours necessary to comply with the requirements of Rule 17Ac-1 and Form TA-1 is one and one-half hours with a total burden of 150 hours per year.

Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Commission, including whether the information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the Commission's estimates of the burden of the proposed collection of information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology. Consideration will be given to comments and suggestions submitted within 60 days of this publication.

Comments should be directed to Lewis A. Walker, Acting Director/Chief Information Officer, Securities and Exchange Commission, c/o Shirley Martinson, 6432 General Green Way, Alexandria, VA 22312 or send an e-mail to: PRA_Mailbox@sec.gov.

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