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 16, 2012, The Options Clearing Corporation (“OCC” or the “Corporation”) 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 primarily by OCC. 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 proposed rule change would amend OCC's By-Laws to allow the Corporation to approve OCC's form of clearing member application and form of clearing agreement. The proposed rule change also amends the Agreement for OCC Services to reflect operational changes OCC made since OCC first created the agreement.

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

In its filing with the Commission, OCC 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. OCC 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

The purpose of this proposed rule change is to amend OCC's By-Laws to allow the Corporation to approve OCC's form of clearing member application and form of clearing agreement. Currently, OCC's Board of Directors must approve the form of these documents. OCC is also proposing general updates to its Agreement for OCC Services which has not been updated for several years.

OCC requires applicants for clearing membership at OCC to complete an application and, once an applicant becomes a clearing member, requires clearing members to enter into a clearing member agreement. Currently, OCC's By-Laws and Rules set forth the qualifications and requirements for clearing membership at OCC. The clearing member application is designed to elicit relevant information from an applicant for clearing membership in order for OCC to determine if the applicant meets OCC's qualifications for clearing membership. The clearing member agreement is a contract between OCC and a clearing member whereby the clearing member agrees to meet all of the requirements of clearing membership at OCC. The By-Laws require OCC's Board of Directors to ( printed page 45703) approve both the form of clearing member application and the form of clearing member agreement.

In addition to the clearing member agreement, clearing members may also enter into an Agreement for OCC Services. The Agreement for OCC Services sets forth certain ancillary services OCC provides to its clearing members that are in addition to those services set forth in the By-Laws and Rules. The Agreement for OCC Services is set up as a master agreement. Clearing members may then choose the specific ancillary services they desire and then execute the appropriate ancillary services supplement. Such ancillary services may include, for example, access to OCC's Data Distribution Services, internet access to OCC information and data systems, and OCC's theoretical profit and loss values service.

Proposed By-Law and Rule Changes

OCC proposes to amend the applicable provisions of its By-Laws to state that both the form of clearing member application and the form of clearing member agreement be specified by OCC generally, rather than its Board of Directors. The requirement that the Board of Directors approve the form of such documents is overly ministerial given that OCC's By-Laws specify the substantive requirements of both the clearing member application and the clearing member agreement.

OCC also proposes to amend its Agreement for OCC Services (see Exhibit 5 to OCC's proposed rule filing) to reflect operational changes OCC made since OCC first created the agreement. These changes include broader references to “clearing services” provided by OCC and not only to “options” clearing services. Advanced notice of 90 days of fee changes would be eliminated because fee changes to the ancillary services program are filed as rule changes and are infrequent in nature. Language would be added to the Agreement for OCC Services such that the clearing member authorizes OCC to withdraw funds from the clearing member's firm account, on or after the fifth business day following the end of the calendar month. This language conforms to OCC Rules. In addition, a provision referring to the exclusivity of the warranties set forth in the Agreement for OCC Services would be eliminated because the agreement contains no warranty provisions. Any applicable warranty provisions would be contained within the ancillary supplements to the Agreement for OCC Services.

OCC believes that the proposed changes to its By-Laws and Agreement for OCC Services are consistent with the purposes and requirements of Section 17A of the Act because they are designed to remove impediments to, and perfect the mechanism of, a national system for the prompt and accurate clearance and settlement of securities transactions.^[3] The proposed changes eliminate inefficient and burdensome administrative procedures which unnecessarily require OCC's Board approval for the form of clearing member application and agreement. The proposed rule change is not inconsistent with any rules of OCC, including those proposed to be amended.

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

OCC does not believe that the proposed rule change would impose any burden on competition.

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

Written comments were not and are not intended to be solicited with respect to the proposed rule change and none have been received.

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

Within 45 days of the date of publication of this notice in the Federal Register or within such longer period (i) as the Commission may designate up to 90 days of such date if it finds such longer period to be appropriate and publishes its reasons for so finding or (ii) as to which the self-regulatory organization consents, the Commission will:

(A) By order approve or disapprove the proposed rule change or

(B) institute proceedings to determine whether the proposed rule change should be disapproved.

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 email torule-comments@sec.gov. Please include File Number SR-OCC-2012-12 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.

July 26, 2012.

All submissions should refer to File Number SR-OCC-2012-12. This file number should be included on the subject line if email 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 the Commission's Public Reference Room, 100 F Street NE., Washington, DC 20549-1090. Copies of such filing will also be available for inspection and copying at the principal office of OCC and on OCC's Web site at http://www.optionsclearing.com/​components/​docs/​legal/​rules_​and_​bylaws/​sr_​occ_​12_​12.pdf. 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-OCC-2012-12 and should be submitted on or before August 22, 2012.