[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 249 (Tuesday, December 29, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 85821-85824]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-28661]
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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
[Release No. 34-90754; File No. SR-NYSEAMER-2020-85]
Self-Regulatory Organizations; NYSE American LLC; Notice of
Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change To Extend
the Effective Date in Commentary .10 Under NYSE American Rule 2.1210
December 21, 2020.
Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
(``Act'' or ``Exchange Act'') \1\ and Rule 19b-4 thereunder,\2\ notice
is hereby given that on December 15, 2020, NYSE American LLC (``NYSE
American'' or the ``Exchange'') filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (``SEC'' or ``Commission'') the proposed rule change as
described in Items I and II below, which Items have been prepared by
the Exchange. The Commission is publishing this notice to solicit
comments on the proposed rule change from interested persons.
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\1\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
\2\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4.
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I. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Terms of Substance
of the Proposed Rule Change
The Exchange proposes a rule change to extend the effective date in
Commentary .10 (Temporary Extension of the Limited Period for
Registered Persons to Function as Principals) under NYSE American Rule
2.1210 (Registration Requirements) applicable to member organizations,
Equity Trading Permit (``ETP'') Holders and American Trading Permit
(``ATP'') Holders, from December 31, 2020 to April 30, 2021. The
proposed rule change is available on the Exchange's website at
www.nyse.com, at the principal office of the Exchange, and at 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 those statements may be examined at
the places specified in Item IV below. The Exchange has prepared
summaries, set forth in sections A, B, and C below, of the most
significant parts of such statements.
[[Page 85822]]
A. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Purpose of, and
Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change
1. Purpose
The Exchange proposes to extend the effective date in Commentary
.10 (Temporary Extension of the Limited Period for Registered Persons
to Function as Principals) under NYSE American Rule 2.1210
(Registration Requirements) applicable to member organizations, ETP
Holders and ATP Holders (collectively, ``Members'') \3\ from December
31, 2020 to April 30, 2021. The proposed rule change would extend the
120-day period that certain individuals can function as a principal
without having successfully passed an appropriate qualification
examination through April 30, 2021,\4\ and would apply only to those
individuals who were designated to function as a principal prior to
January 1, 2021. This proposed rule change is based on a filing
recently submitted by the Financial Regulatory Authority, Inc.
(``FINRA'') \5\ and is intended to harmonize the Exchange's
registration rules with those of FINRA so as to promote uniform
standards across the securities industry.
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\3\ The term ``member organization'' is defined in Rule 24
(Office Rules) as ``a partnership, corporation or such other entity
as the Exchange may, by Rule, permit to become a member
organization, and which meets the qualifications specified in the
Rules.'' The term ``member organization'' is defined in Rule 2(b)(i)
(Equities Rules) as a registered broker or dealer (unless exempt
pursuant to the Exchange Act that is a member of the Financial
Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (``FINRA'') or another
registered securities exchange. Member organizations that transact
business with public customers or conduct business on the Floor of
the Exchange shall at all times be members of FINRA. A registered
broker or dealer must also be approved by the Exchange and
authorized to designate an associated natural person to effect
transactions on the floor of the Exchange or any facility thereof.
This term shall include a natural person so registered, approved and
licensed who directly effects transactions on the floor of the
Exchange or any facility thereof.'' The term ``member organization''
also includes any registered broker or dealer that is a member of
FINRA or a registered securities exchange, consistent with the
requirements of section 2(b)(i) of this Rule, which does not own a
trading license and agrees to be regulated by the Exchange as a
member organization and which the Exchange has agreed to regulate.''
See Rule 2(a)(ii) (Equities Rules). The term ``ETP Holder'' means a
member organization that has been issued an ETP. An ETP Holder will
agree to be bound by the Rules of the Exchange, and by all
applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange
Commission. See Rule 1.1E(n). References to ``member organization''
as used in Exchange rules include ATP Holders, which are registered
brokers or dealers approved to effect transactions on the Exchange's
options marketplace. Under the Exchange's rules, an ATP Holder has
the status as a ``member'' of the Exchange as that term is defined
in Section 3 of the Act. See Rule 900.2NY(4) & (5).
\4\ If NYSE American seeks to provide additional temporary
relief from the rule requirements identified in this proposed rule
change beyond April 30, 2021, NYSE American will submit a separate
rule filing to further extend the temporary extension of time.
\5\ See Exchange Act Release No. 90617 (December 9, 2020), 85 FR
81258 (December 15, 2020) (SR-FINRA-2020-043) (the ``FINRA
Filing''). The Exchange notes that the FINRA Filing also provides
temporary relief to individuals registered with FINRA as Operations
Professionals under FINRA Rule 1220. The Exchange does not have a
registration category for Operations Professionals and therefore,
the Exchange is not proposing to adopt that aspect of the FINRA
Filing.
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The COVID-19 pandemic is an unpredictable, exogenous event that has
resulted in unavoidable disruptions to the securities industry and
impacted member firms, regulators, investors and other stakeholders. In
response to COVID-19, earlier this year FINRA began providing temporary
relief by way of frequently asked questions (``FAQs'') \6\ to address
disruptions to the administration of FINRA qualification examinations
caused by the pandemic that have significantly limited the ability of
individuals to sit for examinations due to Prometric test center
capacity issues.\7\
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\6\ See https://www.finra.org/rules-guidance/key-topics/covid-19/faq#qe.
\7\ At the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic, all FINRA
qualification examinations were administered at test centers
operated by Prometric. Based on the health and welfare concerns
resulting from COVID-19, in March Prometric closed all of its test
centers in the United States and Canada and began to slowly reopen
some of them at limited capacity in May. Currently, Prometric has
resumed testing in many of its United States and Canada test
centers, at either full or limited occupancy, based on local and
government mandates.
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FINRA published the first FAQ on March 20, 2020, providing that
individuals who were designated to function as principals under FINRA
Rule 1210.04 \8\ prior to February 2, 2020, would be given until May
31, 2020, to pass the appropriate principal qualification
examination.\9\ On May 19, 2020, FINRA extended the relief to pass the
appropriate examination until June 30, 2020. On June 29, 2020, FINRA
again extended the temporary relief providing that individuals who were
designated to function as principals under FINRA Rule 1210.04 prior to
May 4, 2020, would be given until August 31, 2020, to pass the
appropriate principal qualification examination.
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\8\ NYSE American Rule 2.1210.03 is the corresponding rule to
FINRA Rule 1210.04.
\9\ FINRA Rule 1210.04 (Requirements for Registered Persons
Functioning as Principals for a Limited Period) allows a member firm
to designate certain individuals to function in a principal capacity
for 120 calendar days before having to pass an appropriate principal
qualification examination. NYSE American Rule 2.1210.03 provides the
same allowance to Members.
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On September 25, 2020, NYSE American filed with the Commission a
proposed rule change for immediate effectiveness to extend the
temporary relief provided via the FAQ by adopting temporary Commentary
.10 (Temporary Extension of the Limited Period for Registered Persons
to Function as Principals) under NYSE American Rule 2.1210
(Registration Requirements).\10\ Pursuant to this rule filing,
individuals who were designated prior to September 3, 2020, to function
as a principal under NYSE American Rule 2.1210.10 have until December
31, 2020, to pass the appropriate qualification examination.
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\10\ See Exchange Act Release No. 90115 (October 7, 2020), 85 FR
64595 (October 13, 2020) (Notice of Filing and Immediate
Effectiveness of SR-NYSEAMER-2020-71).
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The COVID-19 conditions necessitating the extension of relief
provided in the FAQ and SR-NYSEAMER-2020-71 persist and in fact appear
to be worsening.\11\ One of the impacts of COVID-19 continues to be
serious interruptions in the administration of FINRA qualification
examinations at Prometric test centers and the limited ability of
individuals to sit for the examinations.\12\ Although Prometric has
been reopening its test centers, Prometric's safety practices mean that
currently not all test centers are open, some of the open test centers
are at limited capacity, and some open test centers are delivering only
certain examinations that have been deemed essential by the local
government.\13\ Furthermore, Prometric has had to close some reopened
test centers due to incidents of COVID-19 cases. The initial nationwide
closure in March along with the inability to fully reopen all Prometric
test centers due to COVID-19 have led to a significant backlog of
individuals who are waiting to sit for FINRA examinations that are not
available online, including the General Securities Principal Exam
(Series 24).\14\
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\11\ See, e.g., Meryl Kornfield, Jacqueline Dupree, Marisa Iati,
Paulina Villegas, Siobhan O'Grady and Hamza Shaban, New daily
coronavirus cases in U.S. rise to 145,000, latest all-time high,
Wash. Post, November 11, 2020, https://www.washingtonpost .com/
nation/2020/11/11/coronavirus-covid-live-updates-us/.
\12\ Information about the continued impact of COVID-19 on
FINRA-administered examinations is available at https://www.finra.org/rules-guidance/key-topics/covid-19/exams.
\13\ Information from Prometric about its safety practices and
the impact of COVID-19 on its operations is available at https://www.prometric.com/corona-virus-update. See also supra note 12.
\14\ Earlier this year, an online test delivery service was
launched for candidates seeking to take qualification examination
remotely. Only certain qualification examinations are available
online. See supra note 12. FINRA is considering making additional
qualification examinations available remotely on a limited basis.
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In addition, firms are continuing to experience operational
challenges with
[[Page 85823]]
much of their personnel working from home due to shelter-in-place
orders, restrictions on businesses and social activity imposed in
various states, and adherence to other social distancing guidelines
consistent with the recommendations of public health officials.\15\ As
a result, firms continue to face potentially significant disruptions to
their normal business operations that may include a limitation of in-
person activities and staff absenteeism as a result of the health and
welfare concerns stemming from COVID-19. Such potential disruptions may
be further exacerbated and may even affect client services if firms
cannot continue to keep principal positions filled as they may have
difficulty finding other qualified individuals to transition into these
roles or may need to reallocate employee time and resources away from
other critical responsibilities at the firm.
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\15\ See, e.g., Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, How
to Protect Yourself & Others, https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/prevention.html.
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These ongoing, extenuating circumstances make it impracticable for
Members to ensure that the individuals whom they have designated to
function in a principal capacity, as set forth in NYSE American Rule
2.1210.03, are able to successfully sit for and pass an appropriate
qualification examination within the 120-calendar day period required
under the rule, or to find other qualified staff to fill this position.
The ongoing circumstances also require individuals to be exposed to the
health risks associated with taking an in-person examination, because
the General Securities Principal examination is not available online.
Therefore, NYSE American is proposing to extend the effective date of
the temporary relief provided through SR-NYSEAMER-2020-71 until April
30, 2021. The proposed rule change would apply only to those
individuals who were designated to function as a principal prior to
January 1, 2021. Any individuals designated to function as a principal
on or after January 1, 2021, would need to successfully pass an
appropriate qualification examination within 120 days.
NYSE American believes that this proposed continued extension of
time is tailored to address the needs and constraints on a Member's
operations during the COVID-19 pandemic, without significantly
compromising critical investor protection. The proposed extension of
time will help to minimize the impact of COVID-19 on Members by
providing continued flexibility so that Members can ensure that
principal positions remain filled. The potential risks from the
proposed extension of the 120-day period are mitigated by the Member's
continued requirement to supervise the activities of these designated
individuals and ensure compliance with federal securities laws and
regulations, as well as NYSE American rules.
2. Statutory Basis
The proposed rule change is consistent with Section 6(b) of the
Act,\16\ in general, and furthers the objectives of Section
6(b)(5),\17\ in particular, because it is designed to prevent
fraudulent and manipulative acts and practices, to promote just and
equitable principles of trade, to foster cooperation and coordination
with persons engaged in facilitating transactions in securities, to
remove impediments to, and perfect the mechanism of, a free and open
market and a national market system and, in general, to protect
investors and the public interest.
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\16\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b).
\17\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).
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The proposed rule change is intended to minimize the impact of
COVID-19 on Member operations by extending the 120-day period certain
individuals may function as a principal without having successfully
passed an appropriate qualification examination under NYSE American
Rule 2.1210.03 until April 30, 2021. The proposed rule change does not
relieve Members from maintaining, under the circumstances, a reasonably
designed system to supervise the activities of their associated persons
to achieve compliance with applicable securities laws and regulations,
and with applicable NYSE American rules that directly serve investor
protection. In a time when faced with unique challenges resulting from
the COVID-19 pandemic, NYSE American believes that the proposed rule
change is a sensible accommodation that will continue to afford Members
the ability to ensure that critical positions are filled and client
services maintained, while continuing to serve and promote the
protection of investors and the public interest in this unique
environment.
B. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Burden on Competition
The Exchange does not believe that the proposed rule change will
impose any burden on competition that is not necessary or appropriate
in furtherance of the purposes of the Act. As set forth in SR-NYSEAMER-
2020-71, the proposed rule change is intended solely to extend
temporary relief necessitated by the continued impacts of the COVID-19
pandemic and the related health and safety risks of conducting in-
person activities. In its filing, FINRA notes that the proposed rule
change is necessary to temporarily rebalance the attendant benefits and
costs of the obligations under FINRA Rule 1210 in response to the
impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic that would otherwise result if the
temporary amendments were to expire on December 31, 2020.\18\ The
Exchange accordingly incorporates FINRA's abbreviated economic impact
assessment by reference.
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\18\ See FINRA Filing, 85 FR at 81260.
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C. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Comments on the Proposed
Rule Change Received From Members, Participants, or Others
No written comments were solicited or received with respect to the
proposed rule change.
III. Date of Effectiveness of the Proposed Rule Change and Timing for
Commission Action
Because the foregoing proposed rule change does not: (i)
Significantly affect the protection of investors or the public
interest; (ii) impose any significant burden on competition; and (iii)
become operative for 30 days from the date on which it was filed, or
such shorter time as the Commission may designate, it has become
effective pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A) of the Act \19\ and Rule 19b-
4(f)(6) thereunder.\20\
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\19\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A).
\20\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6). In addition, Rule 19b-4(f)(6)(iii)
requires a self-regulatory organization to give the Commission
written notice of its intent to file the proposed rule change, along
with a brief description and text of the proposed rule change, at
least five business days prior to the date of filing of the proposed
rule change, or such shorter time as designated by the Commission.
The Exchange has satisfied this requirement.
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A proposed rule change filed under Rule 19b-4(f)(6) normally does
not become operative for 30 days after the date of filing. However,
pursuant to Rule 19b-4(f)(6)(iii), the Commission may designate a
shorter time if such action is consistent with the protection of
investors and the public interest. The Exchange has asked the
Commission to waive the 30-day operative delay so that the proposed
rule change may become operative immediately upon filing. As noted
above, the Exchange stated that the proposed extension of time will
help minimize the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on Members'
operations by allowing them to keep principal positions filled and
minimizing disruptions to client services and other critical
responsibilities. The Exchange further stated that the ongoing
[[Page 85824]]
extenuating circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic make it impractical
to ensure that individuals designated to act in these capacities are
able to take and pass the appropriate qualification examination during
the 120-calendar day period required under the rules. The Exchange also
explained that shelter-in-place orders, quarantining, restrictions on
business and social activity and adherence to social distancing
guidelines consistent with the recommendations of public officials
remain in place in various states.\21\ In addition, the Exchange
observed that, following a nationwide closure of all test centers
earlier in the year, some test centers have re-opened, but are
operating at limited capacity or are only delivering certain
examinations that have been deemed essential by the local
government.\22\ Although, as the Exchange noted, FINRA has launched an
online test delivery service to help address this backlog, the General
Securities Principal (Series 24) Examination is not available
online.\23\ Nevertheless, the Exchange explained that the proposed rule
change will provide needed flexibility to ensure that these positions
remain filled and is tailored to address the constraints on Members'
operations during the COVID-19 pandemic without significantly
compromising critical investor protection.\24\
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\21\ See supra note 15.
\22\ See supra notes 12 and 13. The Exchange states that
Prometric has also had to close some reopened test centers due to
incidents of COVID-19 cases.
\23\ See supra note 14. FINRA is considering making additional
qualification examinations available remotely on a limited basis.
\24\ The Exchange states that Members remain subject to the
continued requirement to supervise the activities of these
designated individuals and ensure compliance with federal securities
laws and regulations, as well as NYSE American rules.
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The Commission observes that the Exchange's proposal, like the
FINRA Filing, provides only an extension to temporary relief from the
requirement to pass certain qualification examinations within the 120-
day period in the rules. As proposed, this relief would extend the 120-
day period that certain individuals can function as principals through
April 30, 2021. If a further extension of temporary relief from the
rule requirements identified in this proposal beyond April 30, 2021 is
required, the Exchange noted that it may submit a separate rule filing
to extend the effectiveness of the temporary relief under these
rules.\25\ For these reasons, the Commission believes that waiver of
the 30-day operative delay is consistent with the protection of
investors and the public interest.\26\ Accordingly, the Commission
hereby waives the 30-day operative delay and designates the proposal
operative upon filing.\27\
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\25\ See supra note 4.
\26\ As noted above by NYSE American, this proposal is an
extension of temporary relief provided in a prior filing where NYSE
American also requested and the Commission granted a waiver of the
30-day operative delay. See supra note 10, 85 FR at 64597.
\27\ For purposes only of waiving the 30-day operative delay,
the Commission has considered the proposed rule change's impact on
efficiency, competition, and capital formation. See 15 U.S.C.
78c(f).
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At any time within 60 days of the filing of the proposed rule
change, the Commission summarily may temporarily suspend 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. If the Commission
takes such action, the Commission shall institute proceedings to
determine whether the proposed rule should be approved or 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 to rule-comments@sec.gov. Please include
File Number SR-NYSEAMER-2020-85 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-NYSEAMER-2020-85. 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 website (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 website viewing and printing in
the Commission's Public Reference Room, 100 F Street NE, Washington, DC
20549, on official business days between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and
3:00 p.m. Copies of such filing also will be available for inspection
and copying at the principal office of the Exchange. All comments
received will be posted without change. Persons submitting comments are
cautioned that we do not redact or edit personal identifying
information from comment submissions. You should submit only
information that you wish to make available publicly. All submissions
should refer to File Number SR-NYSEAMER-2020-85 and should be submitted
on or before January 19, 2021.
For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets,
pursuant to delegated authority.\28\
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\28\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).
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J. Matthew DeLesDernier,
Assistant Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2020-28661 Filed 12-28-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011-01-P