Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request; Extension: Rule 17f-2(a)

Upon Written Request, Copies Available From: Securities and Exchange Commission, Office of FOIA Services, 100 F Street NE, Washington, DC 20549-2736.

Notice is hereby given that pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.) (“PRA”), the Securities and Exchange Commission (“Commission”) has submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (“OMB”) a request for approval of extension of the previously approved collection of information provided for in Rule 17f-2(a) (17 CFR 240.17f-2(a)), under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78a et seq.).

Rule 17f-2(a) (Fingerprinting Requirements for Securities Professionals) requires that securities professionals be fingerprinted. This requirement serves to identify security- risk personnel, to allow an employer to make fully informed employment decisions, and to deter possible wrongdoers from seeking employment in the securities industry. Partners, directors, officers, and employees of exchanges, brokers, dealers, transfer agents, and clearing agencies are included.

The Commission staff estimates that approximately 4,480 respondents will submit an aggregate total of 289,780 new fingerprint cards each year or approximately 65 fingerprint cards per year per registrant. The staff estimates that the average number of hours necessary to complete a fingerprint card is one-half hour. Thus, the total estimated annual burden is 144,890 hours for all respondents (289,780 times one-half hour). The average internal cost of compliance per hour is approximately $310. Therefore, the total estimated annual internal cost of compliance for all respondents is $44,915,900 (144,890 times $310).

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 under the PRA unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number.

The public may view background documentation for this information collection at the following website: www.reginfo.gov. Find this particular information collection by selecting “Currently under 30-day Review—Open for Public Comments” or by using the search function. Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of this notice by December 9, 2024 to (i) www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain or MBX.OMB.OIRA.SEC_desk_officer@omb.eop.gov, and (ii) Austin Gerig, Director/Chief Data Officer, Securities and Exchange Commission, c/o Tanya Ruttenberg, 100 F Street NE, Washington, DC 20549, or by sending an email to: PRA_Mailbox@sec.gov.

[FR Doc. 2024-25920 Filed 11-7-24; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 8011-01-P