Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

AGENCY:

Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), Treasury.

ACTION:

Notice and request for comment.

SUMMARY:

The OCC, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on a continuing information collection, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a respondent is not required to respond to, an information collection unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The OCC is soliciting comment concerning its information collection titled, “Fiduciary Activities of National Banks—12 CFR part 9.” The OCC also gives notice that it has sent the information collection to OMB for review and approval.

DATES:

You should submit written comments by February 9, 2006.

ADDRESSES:

You should direct your comments to:

Communications Division, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, Public Information Room, Mailstop 1-5, Attention: 1557-0140, 250 E Street, SW., Washington, DC 20219. In addition, comments may be sent by fax to (202) 874-4448, or by electronic mail to regs.comments@occ.treas.gov. You can inspect and photocopy the comments at the OCC's Public Information Room, 250 E Street, SW., Washington, DC 20219. You can make an appointment to inspect the comments by calling (202) 874-5043.

Additionally, you should send a copy of your comments to OCC Desk Officer, 1557-0140, by mail to U.S. Office of Management and Budget, 725, 17th Street, NW., #10235, Washington, DC 20503, or by fax to (202) 395-6974.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

You can request additional information or a copy of the collection from Mary Gottlieb, OCC Clearance Officer, or Camille Dixon, (202) 874-5090, Legislative and Regulatory Activities Division, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, 250 E Street, SW., Washington, DC 20219.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The OCC is requesting OMB approval for a revision to the following information collection:

Title: Fiduciary Activities of National Banks—12 CFR 9.

OMB Number: 1557-0140.

Description: This submission covers an existing regulation and involves no change to the regulation or to the information collection. The OCC requests only that OMB approve its revised estimate of the burden and extend its approval of the information collection.

Under 12 U.S.C. 92a, the OCC regulates the fiduciary activities of national banks, including the administration of collective investment funds. The requirements in 12 CFR Part 9 enable the OCC to perform its responsibilities relating to the fiduciary activities of national banks and collective investment funds. The collections of information in Part 9 are found in §§ 9.8, 9.9(a) and (b), 9.17(a), 9.18(b)(1), 9.18(b)(6)(ii), 9.18(b)(6)(iv), and 9.18(c)(5) as follows:

Section 9.8 requires a national bank to maintain fiduciary records;

Section 9.9(a) and (b) require a national bank to note the results of a fiduciary audit in the minutes of the board of directors;

Section 9.17(a) requires a national bank that wants to surrender its fiduciary powers to file with the OCC a certified copy of the resolution of its board of directors;

Section 9.18(b)(1) requires a national bank to establish and maintain each collective investment fund in accordance with a written plan;

Section 9.18(b)(1) also requires a national bank to make the plan available for public inspection and to provide a copy of the plan to any person who requests it;

Section 9.18(b)(6)(ii) requires a national bank to prepare a financial report of the fund;

Section 9.18(b)(6)(iv) requires a national bank to disclose the financial report to investors and other interested persons; and

Section 9.18(c)(5) requires a national bank to request OCC approval of special exemption funds.

Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.

Affected Public: Businesses or other for-profit.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 580.

Estimated Total Annual Responses: 1,177,492.

Frequency of Response: On occasion.

Estimated Total Annual Burden: 309,825 hours.

On October 26, 2005, the OCC published in the Federal Register (70 FR 61880) a notice concerning the renewal of this information collection. The OCC received no public comments and is now submitting its request to OMB for approval. Comments continue to be invited on:

(a) Whether the collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information has practical utility;

(b) The accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the collection of information;

(c) Ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected;

(d) Ways to minimize the burden of the collection on respondents, including through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology; and

(e) Estimates of capital or startup costs and costs of operation, maintenance, and purchase of services to provide information.