Overview

The Securities and Exchange Commission is publishing for comment proposed amendments to Form BDW, the uniform request for withdrawal from broker-dealer registration under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The proposed amendments are designed to implement recommended changes to the Central Registration Depository system, a computer system operated by the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. that maintains registration information regarding registered broker-dealers and their registered personnel for use by the Commission, the self-regulatory organizations, and state securities regulators. The amendments include certain clarifying amendments to Form BDW and its filing requirements. The Commission also is publishing for comment proposed amendments to rules governing the withdrawal of broker-dealer registration under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Specifically, the proposed amendments would permit broker-dealers that are withdrawing from registration to consent to an extension of the effective date of their withdrawal. The proposed amendments also would permit the Commission to extend the effective date for such period as the Commission by order may determine. In addition, the Commission is publishing for comment proposed revisions to rules under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 governing the filing of Form BD and Form BDW to provide for electronic filing of these forms and to accommodate the conversion of existing registration information to the redesigned Central Registration Depository system.