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Rule
Summary

Establishes telemarketing requirements with respect to the municipal securities activities of dealers.

(a) General Telemarketing Requirements. No broker, dealer or municipal securities dealer shall initiate any outbound telephone call to:

 

(i) Time of Day Restriction.  Any residence of a person before the hour of 8:00 a.m. or after 9:00 p.m. (local time at the called party's location), unless

(A) the broker, dealer or municipal securities dealer has an established business relationship with the person pursuant to paragraph (n)(xii)(A),

(B) the broker, dealer or municipal securities dealer has received that person's express prior consent, or

(C) the person called is a broker, dealer or municipal securities dealer;

(ii) Firm-Specific Do-Not-Call List. Any person that previously has stated that he or she does not wish to receive any outbound telephone calls made by or on behalf of the broker, dealer or municipal securities dealer; or

(iii) National Do-Not-Call List. Any person who has registered his or her telephone number on the Federal Trade Commission's national do-not-call registry.

(iv) Compliance with Other Requirements. This rule does not affect the obligation of any broker, dealer or municipal securities dealer that engages in telemarketing to comply with relevant state and federal laws and rules, including, but not limited to, the Telemarketing and Consumer Fraud and Abuse Prevention Act codified at 15 U.S.C. 6101 – 6108, as amended, the Telephone Consumer Protection Act codified at 47 U.S.C. 227, and the rules of the Federal Communications Commission relating to telemarketing practices and the rights of telephone consumers codified at 47 CFR 64.1200.

(b) National Do-Not-Call List Exceptions. A broker, dealer or municipal securities dealer making outbound telephone calls will not be liable for violating paragraph (a)(iii) if:

(i) Established Business Relationship Exception. The broker, dealer or municipal securities dealer has an established business relationship with the recipient of the call.  A person's request to be placed on the broker, dealer or municipal securities dealer’s firm-specific do-not-call list terminates the established business relationship exception to the national do-not-call list provision for that broker, dealer or municipal securities dealer even if the person continues to do business with the broker, dealer or municipal securities dealer;

(ii) Prior Express Written Consent Exception. The broker, dealer or municipal securities dealer has obtained the person's prior express written consent.  Such consent must be clearly evidenced by a signed, written agreement (which may be obtained electronically under the Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, 15 U.S.C. 7001, et seq. (“E-Sign Act”)) between the person and the broker, dealer or municipal securities dealer, which states that the person agrees to be contacted by the broker, dealer or municipal securities dealer and includes the telephone number to which the calls may be placed; or

(iii) Personal Relationship Exception. The broker, dealer or municipal securities dealer making the call has a personal relationship with the recipient of the call.

(c) Safe Harbor Provision.  A broker, dealer or municipal securities dealer making outbound telephone calls will not be liable for violating paragraph (a)(iii) if the broker, dealer or municipal securities dealer demonstrates that the violation is the result of an error and that as part of the broker, dealer or municipal securities dealer's routine business practice, it meets the following standards: 

(i) Written procedures. The broker, dealer or municipal securities dealer has established and implemented written procedures to comply with the national do-not-call rules;

(ii) Training of personnel. The broker, dealer or municipal securities dealer has trained its personnel, and any entity assisting in its compliance, in the procedures established pursuant to the national do-not-call rules;

(iii) Recording. The broker, dealer or municipal securities dealer has maintained and recorded a list of telephone numbers that it may not contact; and

(iv) Accessing the national do-not-call database. The broker, dealer or municipal securities dealer uses a process to prevent outbound telephone calls to any telephone number on any list established pursuant to the do-not-call rules, employing a version of the national do-not-call registry obtained from the administrator of the registry no more than 31 days prior to the date any call is made, and maintains records documenting this process.

(d) Procedures. Prior to engaging in telemarketing, a broker, dealer or municipal securities dealer must institute procedures to comply with paragraph (a). Such procedures must meet the following minimum standards:

(i) Written policy. Brokers, dealers and municipal securities dealers must have a written policy for maintaining a do-not-call list.

(ii) Training of personnel engaged in telemarketing. Personnel engaged in any aspect of telemarketing must be informed and trained in the existence and use of the do-not-call list.

(iii) Recording, disclosure of do-not-call requests. If a broker, dealer or municipal securities dealer receives a request from a person not to receive calls from that broker, dealer or municipal securities dealer, the broker, dealer or municipal securities dealer must record the request and place the person's name, if provided, and telephone number on the firm's do-not-call list at the time the request is made.  Brokers, dealers and municipal securities dealers must honor a person's do-not-call request within a reasonable time from the date such request is made.  This period may not exceed 30 days from the date of such request.  If such requests are recorded or maintained by a party other than the broker, dealer or municipal securities dealer on whose behalf the outbound telephone call is made, the broker, dealer or municipal securities dealer on whose behalf the outbound telephone call is made will be liable for any failures to honor the do-not-call request.

(iv) Identification of sellers and telemarketers. A broker, dealer or municipal securities dealer making an outbound telephone call must provide the called party with the name of the individual caller, the name of the broker, dealer or municipal securities dealer, an address or telephone number at which the broker, dealer or municipal securities dealer may be contacted, and that the purpose of the call is to solicit the purchase of securities or related service.  The telephone number provided may not be a 900 number or any other number for which charges exceed local or long distance transmission charges.

(v) Affiliated persons or entities. In the absence of a specific request by the person to the contrary, a person's do-not-call request shall apply to the broker, dealer or municipal securities dealer making the call, and will not apply to affiliated entities unless the consumer reasonably would expect them to be included given the identification of the caller and the product being advertised.

(vi) Maintenance of do-not-call lists. A broker, dealer or municipal securities dealer making outbound telephone calls must maintain a permanent record of a person's request not to receive further calls.

(e) Wireless Communications.  The provisions set forth in this rule are applicable to brokers, dealers and municipal securities dealers making outbound telephone calls to wireless telephone numbers.

(f) Outsourcing Telemarketing.  If a broker, dealer or municipal securities dealer uses another appropriately registered or licensed entity or person to perform telemarketing services on its behalf, the broker, dealer or municipal securities dealer remains responsible for ensuring compliance with all provisions contained in this rule.

(g) Caller Identification Information.

(i) Any broker, dealer or municipal securities dealer that engages in telemarketing must transmit or cause to be transmitted the telephone number, and, when made available by the broker, dealer or municipal securities dealer’s telephone carrier, the name of the broker, dealer or municipal securities dealer, to any caller identification service in use by a recipient of an outbound telephone call.

(ii) The telephone number so provided must permit any person to make a do-not-call request during regular business hours.

(iii) Any broker, dealer or municipal securities dealer that engages in telemarketing is prohibited from blocking the transmission of caller identification information.

(h) Unencrypted Consumer Account Numbers. No broker, dealer or municipal securities dealer shall disclose or receive, for consideration, unencrypted consumer account numbers for use in telemarketing.  The term “unencrypted” means not only complete, visible account numbers, whether provided in lists or singly, but also encrypted information with a key to its decryption. This paragraph shall not apply to the disclosure or receipt of a customer’s billing information to process a payment pursuant to a telemarketing transaction.

(i) Submission of Billing Information. For any telemarketing transaction, a broker, dealer or municipal securities dealer must obtain the express informed consent of the person to be charged and to be charged using the identified account.

(i) In any telemarketing transaction involving preacquired account information and a free-to-pay conversion feature, the broker, dealer or municipal securities dealer must:

(A) obtain from the customer, at a minimum, the last four digits of the account number to be charged;

(B) obtain from the customer an express agreement to be charged and to be charged using the account number pursuant to paragraph (i)(i)(A); and

(C) make and maintain an audio recording of the entire telemarketing transaction.

(ii) In any other telemarketing transaction involving preacquired account information not described in paragraph (i)(i), the broker, dealer or municipal securities dealer must:

(A) identify the account to be charged with sufficient specificity for the customer to understand what account will be charged; and

(B) obtain from the customer an express agreement to be charged and to be charged using the account number identified pursuant to paragraph (i)(ii)(A).

(j) Abandoned Calls.

(i) No broker, dealer or municipal securities dealer shall “abandon” any outbound telephone call.  An outbound call is “abandoned” if a called person answers it and the call is not connected to a broker, dealer or municipal securities dealer within two seconds of the called person’s completed greeting.

(ii) A broker, dealer or municipal securities dealer shall not be liable for violating paragraph (j)(i) if:

(A) the broker, dealer or municipal securities dealer employs technology that ensures abandonment of no more than three percent of all outbound telephone calls answered by a person, measured over the duration of a single calling campaign, if less than 30 days, or separately over each successive 30-day period or portion thereof that the campaign continues;

(B) the broker, dealer or municipal securities dealer, for each outbound telephone call placed, allows the telephone to ring for at least 15 seconds or four rings before disconnecting an unanswered call;

(C) whenever a broker, dealer or municipal securities dealer is not available to speak with the person answering the outbound telephone call within two seconds after the person’s completed greeting, the broker, dealer or municipal securities dealer promptly plays a recorded message that states the name and telephone number of the broker, dealer or municipal securities dealer on whose behalf the call was placed; and

(D) the broker, dealer or municipal securities dealer retains records establishing compliance with paragraph (j)(ii).

(k) Prerecorded Messages.

(i) No broker, dealer or municipal securities dealer shall initiate any outbound telephone call that delivers a prerecorded message other than a prerecorded message permitted for compliance with the call abandonment safe harbor in paragraph (j)(ii)(C) unless:

(A) the broker, dealer or municipal securities dealer has obtained from the recipient of the call an express agreement, in writing, that:

(1) the broker, dealer or municipal securities dealer obtained only after a clear and conspicuous disclosure that the purpose of the agreement is to authorize the broker, dealer or municipal securities dealer to place prerecorded calls to such person;

(2) the broker, dealer or municipal securities dealer obtained without requiring, directly or indirectly, that the agreement be executed as a condition of opening an account or purchasing any good or service;

(3) evidences the willingness of the recipient of the call to receive calls that deliver prerecorded messages by or on behalf of a specific broker, dealer or municipal securities dealer; and

(4) includes such person’s telephone number and signature (which may be obtained electronically under the E-Sign Act);

(B) the broker, dealer or municipal securities dealer allows the telephone to ring for at least 15 seconds or four rings before disconnecting an unanswered call; and within two seconds after the completed greeting of the person called, plays a prerecorded message that promptly provides the disclosures in paragraph (d)(iv), followed immediately by a disclosure of one or both of the following:

(1) for a call that could be answered by a person, that the person called can use an automated interactive voice and/or keypress-activated opt-out mechanism to assert a firm-specific do-not-call request pursuant to the broker, dealer or municipal securities dealer’s procedures instituted under paragraph (d)(iii) at any time during the message. The mechanism must:

(a) automatically add the number called to the broker, dealer or municipal securities dealer’s firm-specific do-not-call list;

(b) once invoked, immediately disconnect the call; and

(c) be available for use at any time during the message;

(2) for a call that could be answered by an answering machine or voicemail service, that the person called can use a toll-free telephone number to assert a firm-specific do-not-call request pursuant to the broker, dealer or municipal securities dealer’s procedures instituted under paragraph (d)(iii). The number provided must connect directly to an automated interactive voice or keypress-activated opt-out mechanism that:

(a) automatically adds the number called to the broker, dealer or municipal securities dealer’s firm-specific do-not-call list;

(b) immediately thereafter disconnects the call; and

(c) is accessible at any time throughout the duration of the telemarketing campaign; and

(C) the broker, dealer or municipal securities dealer complies with all other requirements of this rule and other applicable federal and state laws.

(ii) Any call that complies with all applicable requirements of paragraph (k) shall not be deemed to violate paragraph (j).

(l) Credit Card Laundering. Except as expressly permitted by the applicable credit card system, no broker, dealer or municipal securities dealer shall:

(i) present to or deposit into, the credit card system for payment, a credit card sales draft generated by a telemarketing transaction that is not the result of a telemarketing credit card transaction between the cardholder and the broker, dealer or municipal securities dealer;

(ii) employ, solicit, or otherwise cause a merchant, or an employee, representative or agent of the merchant, to present to or to deposit into the credit card system for payment, a credit card sales draft generated by a telemarketing transaction that is not the result of a telemarketing credit card transaction between the cardholder and the merchant; or

(iii) obtain access to the credit card system through the use of a business relationship or an affiliation with a merchant, when such access is not authorized by the merchant agreement or the applicable credit card system.

(m) Exemption. Outbound telephone calls from a broker, dealer, or municipal securities dealer to a business entity, government, or political subdivision, agency, or instrumentality of a government are exempt from this rule, other than sections (a)(ii) and (d)(i)-(iii), (v) and (vi).

(n) Definitions.

For purposes of this rule:

(i) The term "account activity" shall include, but not be limited to, purchases, sales, interest credits or debits, charges or credits, dividend payments, transfer activity, securities receipts or deliveries, and/or journal entries relating to securities or funds in the possession or control of the broker, dealer or municipal securities dealer.

(ii) The term “acquirer” means a business organization, financial institution, or an agent of a business organization or financial institution that has authority from an organization that operates or licenses a credit card system to authorize merchants to accept, transmit, or process payment by credit card through the credit card system for money, goods or services, or anything else of value.

(iii) The term “billing information” means any data that enables any person to access a customer’s or donor’s account, such as a credit or debit card number, a brokerage, checking, or savings account number, or a mortgage loan account number.  A “donor” means any person solicited to make a charitable contribution.  A “charitable contribution” means any donation or gift of money or any other thing of value, for example a transfer to a pooled income fund.

(iv) The term "broker, dealer or municipal securities dealer of record" refers to the broker, dealer or municipal securities dealer identified on a customer's account application for accounts held by the issuer’s agent for municipal fund securities.

(v) The term “caller identification service” means a service that allows a telephone subscriber to have the telephone number, and, where available, name of the calling party transmitted contemporaneously with the telephone call, and displayed on a device in or connected to the subscriber’s telephone.

(vi) The term “cardholder” means a person to whom a credit card is issued or who is authorized to use a credit card on behalf of or in addition to the person to whom the credit card is issued.

(vii) The term “credit” means the right granted by a creditor to a debtor to defer payment of debt or to incur debt and defer its payment.

(viii) The term “credit card” means any card, plate, coupon book, or other credit device existing for the purpose of obtaining money, property, labor, or services on credit.

(ix) The term “credit card sales draft” means any record or evidence of a credit card transaction.

(x) The term “credit card system” means any method or procedure used to process credit card transactions involving credit cards issued or licensed by the operator of that system.

(xi) The term “customer” means any person who is or may be required to pay for goods or services offered through telemarketing.

(xii) The term “established business relationship” means a relationship between a broker, dealer or municipal securities dealer and a person if:

(A) the person has made a financial transaction or has a security position, a money balance, or account activity with the broker, dealer or municipal securities dealer or at a clearing firm that provides clearing services to such broker, dealer or municipal securities dealer within the eighteen months immediately preceding the date of an outbound telephone call;

(B) the broker, dealer or municipal securities dealer is the broker, dealer or municipal securities dealer of record for an account of the person within the eighteen months immediately preceding the date of an outbound telephone call; or

(C) the person has contacted the broker, dealer or municipal securities dealer to inquire about a product or service offered by the broker, dealer or municipal securities dealer within the three months immediately preceding the date of an outbound telephone call.

A person's established business relationship with a broker, dealer or municipal securities dealer does not extend to the broker, dealer or municipal securities dealer's affiliated entities unless the person would reasonably expect them to be included.  Similarly, a person's established business relationship with a broker, dealer or municipal securities dealer's affiliate does not extend to the broker, dealer or municipal securities dealer unless the person would reasonably expect the broker, dealer or municipal securities dealer to be included.

(xiii) The term “free-to-pay conversion” means, in an offer or agreement to sell or provide any goods or services, a provision under which a customer receives a product or service for free for an initial period and will incur an obligation to pay for the product or service if he or she does not take affirmative action to cancel before the end of that period.

(xiv) The term “merchant” means a person who is authorized under a written contract with an acquirer to honor or accept credit cards, or to transmit or process for payment credit card payments, for the purchase of goods or services or a charitable contribution.

(xv) The term “merchant agreement” means a written contract between a merchant and an acquirer to honor or accept credit cards, or to transmit or process for payment credit card payments, for the purchase of goods or services or a charitable contribution.

(xvi) The term “outbound telephone call” means a telephone call initiated by a telemarketer to induce the purchase of goods or services or to solicit a charitable contribution from a donor.

(xvii) The term “person” means any individual, group, unincorporated association, limited or general partnership, corporation, other business entity, government, or political subdivision, agency, or instrumentality of a government.

(xviii) The term “personal relationship” means any family member, friend, or acquaintance of the broker, dealer or municipal securities dealer making an outbound telephone call.

(xix) The term “preacquired account information” means any information that enables a broker, dealer or municipal securities dealer to cause a charge to be placed against a customer’s or donor’s account without obtaining the account number directly from the customer or donor during the telemarketing transaction pursuant to which the account will be charged.

(xx) The term “telemarketer” means any person who, in connection with telemarketing, initiates or receives telephone calls to or from a customer or donor.

(xxi) The term “telemarketing” means consisting of or relating to a plan, program, or campaign involving at least one outbound telephone call pertaining to municipal securities or municipal financial products, for example cold-calling.  The term does not include the solicitation of sales through the mailing of written marketing materials, when the person making the solicitation does not solicit customers by telephone but only receives calls initiated by customers in response to the marketing materials and during those calls takes orders only without further solicitation. For purposes of the previous sentence, the term “further solicitation” does not include providing the customer with information about, or attempting to sell, anything promoted in the same marketing materials that prompted the customer’s call.

No Compliance Resources for this rule
Interpretive Guidance - Interpretive Notices
Publication date:

Electronic Delivery and Receipt of Information by Brokers, Dealers and Municipal Securities Dealers

On May 9, 1996, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) issued an interpretative release expressing its views on the use of electronic media for delivery of information by, among others, brokers and dealers.[1] The SEC stated that brokers, dealers and others may satisfy their delivery obligations under federal securities laws by using electronic media as an alternative to paper-based media within the framework established in the SEC’s October 1995 interpretive release on the use of electronic media for delivery purposes.[2] The SEC also indicated that an electronic communication from a customer to a broker or dealer generally would satisfy the requirements for written consent or acknowledgment under the federal securities laws.

 

The Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board (the “Board”) is publishing this notice to address the use by brokers, dealers and municipal securities dealers (“dealers”) of electronic media to deliver and receive information under Board rules.[3] The Board will permit dealers to transmit documents electronically that they are required or permitted to furnish to customers under Board rules provided that they adhere to the standards set forth in the SEC Releases and summarized below.[4] Dealers also may receive consents and acknowledgments from customers electronically in satisfaction of required written consents and acknowledgments. Furthermore, the Board believes that the standards applied by the SEC to communications with customers should also apply to communications among dealers and between dealers and issuers. However, although it is the Board’s goal ultimately to permit dealers to make required submissions of materials to the Board electronically if possible, this notice does not affect existing requirements for the submission of materials to the Board, its designees and certain other entities to which information is required to be delivered under Board rules.[5]

Dealers are urged to review the SEC Releases in their entirety to ensure that they comply with all aspects of the SEC’s electronic delivery requirements. Although the examples provided in the SEC Releases are based on SEC rules, the examples nonetheless provide important guidance as to the intended application of the standards set out by the SEC with respect to electronic communications.

Electronic Communications from Dealers to Customers

General. According to the standards established by the SEC, dealers may use electronic media to satisfy their delivery obligations to customers under Board rules, provided that the electronic communication satisfies the following principles:[6]

1. Notice – The electronic communication should provide timely and adequate notice to customers that the information is available electronically.[7] Since certain forms of electronic delivery may not always provide a likelihood of notice that recipients have received information that they may wish to review, dealers should consider supplementing such forms of electronic communication with a separate communication, providing notice similar to that provided by delivery in paper through the postal mail, that information has been sent electronically that the recipients may wish to review.[8]

2. Access – Customers who are provided information through electronic delivery should have access to that information comparable to the access that would be provided if the information were delivered in paper form.[9] The use of a particular electronic medium should not be so burdensome that intended recipients cannot effectively access the information provided.[10] A recipient should have the opportunity to retain the information through the selected medium (e.g., by downloading or printing the information) or have ongoing access equivalent to personal retention.[11] Also, as a matter of policy, the SEC believes that a person who has a right to receive a document under the federal securities laws and chooses to receive it electronically should be provided with a paper version of the document upon specific request or if consent to receive documents electronically is revoked.[12]

3. Evidence to Show Delivery – Dealers must have reason to believe that electronically delivered information will result in the satisfaction of the delivery requirements under the federal securities laws. Dealers should consider the need to establish procedures to ensure that applicable delivery obligations are met, including recordkeeping procedures to evidence such satisfaction.[13] Such procedures should also be designed to ensure the integrity and security of information being delivered so as to ensure that it is the information that was intended to be delivered.[14] Dealers may be able to evidence satisfaction of delivery obligations, for example, by:

(1) obtaining the intended recipient’s informed consent [15] to delivery through a specified electronic medium and ensuring that the recipient has appropriate notice and access;

(2) obtaining evidence that the intended recipient actually received the information, such as by an electronic mail return-receipt [16] or by confirmation that the information was accessed, downloaded, or printed; or

(3) disseminating information through certain facsimile methods (e.g., faxing information to a customer who has requested the information and has provided the telephone number for the fax machine).

Personal Financial Information. The SEC has noted, and the Board agrees, that special precautions are appropriate when dealers are delivering information to customers that is specific to that particular customer’s personal financial information, including but not limited to information contained on confirmations and account statements.[17] In transmitting such personal financial information, dealers should consider the following factors:

1. Confidentiality and Security – Dealers sending personal financial information through electronic means or in paper form should take reasonable precautions to ensure the integrity, confidentiality, and security of that information. Dealers transmitting personal financial information electronically must tailor those precautions to the medium used in order to ensure that the information is reasonably secure from tampering or alteration.

2. Consent – Unless a dealer is responding to a request for information that is made through electronic media or the person making the request specifies delivery through a particular electronic medium, the dealer should obtain the intended recipient’s informed consent prior to delivering personal financial information electronically. The customer’s consent may be made either by a manual signature or by electronic means.

Electronic Communications from Customers to Dealers

Consistent with the position taken by the SEC, dealers may rely on consents and acknowledgments received from customers by electronic means for purposes of Board rules. In relying on such communications from customers, dealers must be cognizant of their responsibilities to prevent, and the potential liability associated with, unauthorized transactions. In this regard, the SEC states, and the Board agrees, that dealers should have reasonable assurance that the communication from a customer is authentic.

Electronic Transmission of Non-Required Communications

The 1996 SEC Release states that the above standards are intended to permit dealers to comply with their delivery obligations under federal securities laws when using electronic media. While compliance with the guidelines is not mandatory for the electronic delivery of non-required information that, in some cases, is being provided voluntarily to customers, the Board believes adherence to the guidelines should be considered, especially with respect to delivery of personal financial information.

Electronic Communications Among Dealers and Between Dealers and Issuers

The Board believes that the standards applied by the SEC to communications with customers should also apply to mandated communications among dealers and between dealers and issuers. Thus, a dealer that undertakes communications required under Board rules with other dealers and with issuers in a manner that conforms with the principles stated above relating to customer communications will have met its obligations with respect to such communications. In addition, a dealer may rely on consents and acknowledgments received from other dealers or issuers by electronic means for purposes of Board rules, provided that the dealer should have reasonable assurance that the communication from such other party is authentic. However, any Board rule that explicitly requires that a dealer enter into a written agreement with another party will continue to require that such agreement be in written form.[18] Financial information, as well as other privileged or confidential information, relating to another dealer or an issuer (or relating to another person or entity contained in a transmission between a dealer and another dealer or an issuer) should be transmitted using precautions similar to those used by a dealer in transmitting personal financial information to a customer.

Rules to Which this Notice Applies

Set forth below is a list of current Board rules to which dealers may apply the guidance provided in this notice. The Board believes that the list sets forth all of the rules that require or permit communications among dealers and between dealers and customers and issuers.[19] The summaries provided of the delivery obligations under the listed rules is intended for ease of reference only and are not intended to be complete statements of all the requirements under such rules.

  • Rule G-8, on books and records to be made by dealers, prohibits dealers from obtaining or submitting for payment a check, draft or other form of negotiable paper drawn on a customer’s checking, savings, share or similar account without the customer’s express written authorization.

  • Rule G-10, on delivery of investor brochure, requires dealers to deliver a copy of the investor brochure to a customer upon receipt of a complaint by the customer.

  • Rule G-11, on sales of new issue municipal securities during the underwriting period, requires certain communications between senior syndicate managers and other members of the syndicate.[20]

  • Rule G-12, on uniform practice, provides for confirmation of inter-dealer transactions and certain other inter-dealer communications.[21]

  • Rule G-15, on confirmation, clearance and settlement of transactions with customers, provides for confirmation of transactions with customers and the provision of additional information to customers upon request.[22]

  • Rule G-19, on suitability of recommendations and transactions and discretionary accounts, requires that dealers obtain certain information from their customers in connection with transactions and recommendations and also receive customer authorizations with respect to discretionary account transactions.

  • Rule G-22, on control relationships, requires certain disclosures from a dealer effecting a transaction for a customer in municipal securities with respect to which such dealer has a control relationship and customer authorization of such transaction with respect to discretionary accounts.

  • Rule G-23, on activities of financial advisors, requires that, under certain circumstances, dealers acting as financial advisors to issuers provide various disclosures to issuers and customers and receive certain consents and acknowledgments from issuers.[23]

  • Rule G-24, on use of ownership information obtained in fiduciary or agency capacity, requires a dealer seeking to use for its own purposes information obtained while acting in a fiduciary or agency capacity for an issuer or other dealer to receive consents to the use of such information.

  • Rule G-25, on improper use of assets, provides that put options and repurchase agreements will not be deemed to be guaranties against loss if their terms are provided in writing to customers with or on the transaction confirmation.

  • Rule G-26, on customer account transfers, provides for written notice from customers requesting account transfers between dealers and the use of Form G-26 to effect such transfer.[24]

  • Rule G-28, on transactions with employees and partners of other municipal securities professionals, requires that a dealer opening an account for a customer who is an employee or partner of another dealer must provide notice and copies of confirmations to such other dealer and permits such other dealers to provide instructions for handling of transactions with such customer.

  • Rule G-29, on availability of Board rules, provides that dealers must make available to customers for examination promptly upon request a copy of the Board’s rules required to be kept in their offices.[25]

  • Rule G-32, on disclosures in connection with new issues, requires dealers selling new issue municipal securities to customers to deliver official statements[26] and certain other information by settlement and requires selling dealers, managing underwriters and certain dealers acting as financial advisors to deliver such materials to dealers purchasing new issue municipal securities, upon request.[27]

  • Rule G-34, on CUSIP numbers and new issue requirements, requires underwriters to communicate information regarding CUSIP numbers and initial trade date to syndicate and selling group members.[28]

  • Rule G-38, on consultants, requires dealers to provide certain information to issuers regarding consulting arrangements.[29]

  • Rule G-39, on telemarketing, prohibits certain telemarketing calls without the prior consent of the person being called.[30]


ENDNOTES

[1] See Securities Act Release No. 7288, Exchange Act Release No. 37182 (May 9, 1996), 61 FR 24644 (May 15, 1996) (the “1996 SEC Release”).

[2] See Securities Act Release No. 7233, Exchange Act Release No. 36345 (October 6, 1995), 60 FR 53458 (October 13, 1995) (the “1995 SEC Release” and, together with the 1996 SEC Release, the “SEC Releases”).

[3] This notice has been filed with the SEC as File No. SR-MSRB-98-12.

[4] The Board also reminds dealers that the SEC indicated in the 1996 SEC Release that dealers may fulfill their obligation to deliver to customers, upon request, preliminary official statements and final official statements in connection with primary offerings of municipal securities subject to SEC Rule 15c2-12 by electronic means, subject to the guidelines set forth in the 1996 SEC Release. See 1996 SEC Release at note 47.

[5] For example, this notice does not apply to any requirements that dealers supply the Board with written information pursuant to Board rules A-12, A-14, A-15, G-36, G-37 and G-38. The Board has begun the planning process for electronic submission of information required under rule A-15 and of Form G-37/G-38 under rules G-37 and G-38. At such time as electronic submission becomes available, the Board will publish notice thereof and of the procedures to be used for such submission. Although submission of Forms G-36(OS) and G-36(ARD) under rule G-36 could also be made electronically by means similar to those which the Board may develop for Form G-37/G-38, such electronic submission is complicated by the requirement that Forms G-36(OS) and G-36(ARD) be accompanied by an official statement or advance refunding document, as appropriate. Given the current debate and lack of consensus among the various sectors of the municipal securities industry regarding electronic formatting of disclosure materials, and since the Board does not have the authority to dictate the format of issuer documents, the Board believes that any further action regarding electronic submissions under rule G-36 should await resolution of these issues. Finally, the Board does not at this time anticipate permitting electronic submission of information required under rules A-12 and A-14 since such information must be accompanied by payment of certain required fees.

Electronic submission of information under rule G-14 will continue to be governed by rule G-14 and associated Transaction Reporting Procedures. In addition, this notice does not alter the current submission standards applicable to the Board’s Continuing Disclosure Information (CDI) System of the Municipal Securities Information Library[®] (MSIL[®]) system. The Municipal Securities Information Library and MSIL are registered trademarks of the Board.

Furthermore, submission of information to the Board’s designees or certain other designated entities under Board rules must continue to be done in accordance with the procedures established by such designees or other entities. Board rules in which such requirements currently appear include rules G-7 (with respect to information required to be filed with the appropriate enforcement agencies), G-12 and G-15 (with respect to information to be submitted to registered clearing agencies and registered securities depositories), G-26 (with respect to customer account transfer instructions (other than Form G-26) required by registered clearing agencies), G-34 (with respect to information to be submitted to the Board’s designee for assignment of CUSIP numbers and to registered securities depositories) and G-37 (with respect to application to the appropriate enforcement agencies for exemptions from the ban on municipal securities business).

[6] Dealers that structure their deliveries in accordance with the principles set forth in this notice can be assured, except where otherwise noted, that they have satisfied their delivery obligations under Board rules. However, as the SEC stated in the 1995 SEC Release, the three enumerated principles are not the only factors relevant to determining whether the legal requirements pertaining to delivery of documents have been satisfied. Consistent with the SEC’s view, the Board believes that, if a dealer develops a method of electronic delivery that differs from the principles discussed herein, but provides assurance comparable to paper delivery that the required information will be delivered, that method may satisfy delivery obligations. See 1995 SEC Release, text following note 22. For example, a dealer can satisfy its obligation to send a confirmation to a customer under rule G-15 by electronic means in a manner that meets the principles set forth in this notice. In addition, dealers may continue to deliver confirmations electronically through the OASYS Global system established by Thomson Financial Services, Inc. on the conditions described in the Board’s Notice Concerning Use of the OASYS Global Trade Confirmation System to Satisfy Rule G-15(a), dated June 6, 1994, without specifically complying with the principles described in this notice. See MSRB Reports, Vol. 14, No. 3 (June 1994) at 37. See also 1996 SEC Release, note 38, and 1995 SEC Release, note 12. Also, rule G-29 provides that dealers must make available to customers for examination promptly upon request a copy of the Board’s rules required to be kept in their offices. Dealers may continue to comply with such requirement by giving customers access to the rules either in printed form or by viewing the rules on screen from the Board’s Internet web site (www.msrb.org) or from software products produced by other companies. See Interpretive Notice on Availability of Board Rules, dated May 20, 1998, in MSRB Reports, Vol. 18, No. 2 (August 1998) at 37.

[7] See 1996 SEC Release, text at note 20.

[8] See 1996 SEC Release, text at note 21, and 1995 SEC Release, text at note 23. The SEC notes, for example, that if information is provided by physically delivering material (such as a diskette or CD-ROM) or by electronic mail, such communication itself generally should be sufficient notice. However, if information is made available electronically through a passive delivery system, such as an Internet web site, separate notice would be necessary to satisfy the delivery requirements unless the dealer can otherwise evidence that delivery to the customer has been satisfied. 1996 SEC Release, note 21.

[9] The SEC states that, regardless of whether information is delivered in paper form or by electronic means, it should convey all material and required information. For example, if a paper document is required to present information in a certain order, then the information delivered electronically should be in substantially the same order. 1996 SEC Release, text at note 14.

[10] The SEC notes, for example, that if a customer must proceed through a confusing series of ever-changing menus to access a required document so that it is not reasonable to expect that access would generally occur, this procedure would likely be viewed as unduly burdensome. In that case, the SEC would deem delivery not to have occurred unless delivery otherwise could be shown. 1995 SEC Release, note 24.

[11] See 1996 SEC Release, note 22 and accompanying text, and 1995 SEC Release, notes 25-26 and accompanying text.

[12] See 1996 SEC Release, note 17 and accompanying text, and 1995 SEC Release, note 27 and accompanying text.

[13] See 1996 SEC Release, text following note 22, and 1995 SEC Release, note 22 and text at note 28. The Board is of the view that dealers that choose to deliver information to customers electronically should consider establishing systems and procedures for providing paper copies or using alternate electronic means in a timely manner should the primary electronic media fail for any reason.

[14] See 1996 SEC Release, text at note 25, and 1995 SEC Release, note 22. Dealers also should consider the need for systems and procedures to deter or detect misconduct by firm personnel in connection with the delivery of information, whether by electronic or paper means. 1996 SEC Release, text at note 16.

[15] In order for a consent to be an informed consent, the SEC has stated that the consent should specify the electronic medium or source through which the information will be delivered and the period during which the consent will be effective, describe the information that will be delivered using such means, and disclose the potential for the customer to incur costs in accessing the information. See 1996 SEC Release, note 23, and 1995 SEC Release, note 29.

[16] To the extent that material is distributed as an attachment to an electronic mail transmission, dealers must have a reasonable basis for believing that the attachment will in fact be transmitted along with the electronic mail transmission and that the attachment will be received by the recipient in an accessible format.

[17] In addition, the Board believes that other information that is privileged or confidential, regardless of whether such information is financial in nature, should be accorded the same precautions as is personal financial information.

[18] For example, the written agreements required under rules G-20(c), G-23(c) and G-38(b) must continue to be entered into in paper form.

[19] Unless otherwise provided in connection with the adoption by the Board of any new rules or amendments to existing rules that require or permit communications among dealers and between dealers and customers, issuers and others, the guidance provided in this notice would also apply to any such communications.

[20] Rule G-11 also requires that syndicate members furnish certain information to others, upon request. The Board believes that, solely for purposes of this requirement under rule G-11, such information may be provided to others by electronic means so long as the standards established in this notice with respect to electronic deliveries to customers are met.

[21] See, however, note 5 above with respect to information to be submitted to registered clearing agencies and registered securities depositories.

[22] See, however, note 5 above with respect to information to be submitted to registered clearing agencies and registered securities depositories. See also note 6 above regarding alternate electronic means previously reviewed by the Board.

[23] See, however, note 18 above and accompanying text regarding the written agreement to be entered into between a dealer acting as financial advisor and the issuer.

[24] See, however, note 5 above with respect to use of customer account transfer instructions (other than Form G-26).

[25] See note 6 above regarding alternate electronic means previously reviewed by the Board.

[26] The Board believes that dealers must be particularly cautious in delivering official statements by electronic means since they may present special challenges in ensuring that they are received by customers and other dealers without material omissions or distortions in formatting (for example, tables in which data is more than negligibly misaligned) that may cause such materials not to meet the standard for electronically transmitted information comparable to information delivered in paper form. See note 9 above and accompanying text.

[27] The Board believes that, to the extent that rule G-32(b)(i) [currently codified at rule G-32(c)(i)] obligates a managing or sole underwriter to provide, upon request, multiple copies of the official statement to a dealer with respect to new issue municipal securities sold by such dealer to customers, such obligation must continue to be met with paper copies of the official statement unless the purchasing dealer has consented to electronic delivery of the official statement in lieu of delivery of multiple paper copies. Compare 1995 SEC Release, example 11.

[28] See, however, note 5 above with respect to information to be submitted to the Board’s designee with respect to CUSIP number assignment and to registered securities depositories.

[29] See, however, note 18 above and accompanying text regarding the written agreement to be entered into between a dealer and its consultant and note 5 above with respect to submission of Form G-37/G-38 to the Board.

[30] Although the person receiving such telemarketing call may in many cases not be a customer, the Board believes that, solely for purposes of this provision of rule G-39, such consent may be accepted by the dealer by electronic means so long as the standards established in this notice with respect to electronic communications from customers to dealers are met.


Interpretation on the Application of Rules G-32 and G-36 to New Issue Offerings Through Auction Procedures

March 26, 2001

Traditionally, brokers, dealers and municipal securities dealers (“dealers”) have underwritten new issue municipal securities through syndicates in which one dealer serves as the managing underwriter. In some cases, a single dealer may serve as the sole underwriter for a new issue. Typically, these underwritings are effected on an “all-or-none” basis, meaning that the underwriters bid on the entire new issue. In addition, new issues are occasionally sold to two or more underwriters that have not formed a syndicate but instead each underwriter has purchased a separate portion of the new issue (in effect, each underwriter serving as the sole underwriter for its respective portion of the new issue).

In the primary market in recent years, some issuers have issued their new offerings through an electronic “auction” process that permits the taking of bids from both dealers and investors directly. In some cases, these bids may be taken on other than an all-or-none basis, with bidders making separate bids on each maturity of a new issue.  The issuer may engage a dealer as an auction agent to conduct the auction process on its behalf. In addition, to effectuate the transfer of the securities from the issuer to the winning bidders and for certain other purposes connected with the auction process, the issuer may engage a dealer to serve in the role of settlement agent or in some other intermediary role.

Although the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board (the “MSRB”) has not examined all forms that these auction agent, settlement agent or other intermediary roles (collectively referred to as “dealer-intermediaries”) may take, it believes that in most cases such dealer-intermediary is effecting a transaction between the issuer and each of the winning bidders. The MSRB also believes that in many cases such dealer-intermediary may be acting as an underwriter, as such term is defined in Rule 15c2-12(f)(8) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”).[1] A dealer-intermediary that is effecting transactions in connection with such an auction process has certain obligations under rule G-32. If it is also an underwriter with respect to an offering, it has certain additional obligations under rules G-32 and G-36.

Application of Rule G-32, on Disclosures in Connection with New Issues

Rule G-32(a) generally requires that any dealer (i.e., not just the underwriter) selling municipal securities to a customer during the issue’s underwriting period must deliver the official statement in final form, if any, to the customer by settlement of the transaction. Any dealer selling a new issue municipal security to another dealer is obligated under rule G-32(b) to send such official statement to the purchasing dealer within one business day of request. In addition, under rule G-32(c), the managing or sole underwriter for new issue municipal securities is obligated to send to any dealer purchasing such securities (regardless of whether the securities were purchased from such managing or sole underwriter or from another dealer), within one business day of request, one official statement plus one additional copy per $100,000 par value of the new issue municipal securities sold by such dealer to customers. Where multiple underwriters underwrite a new issue without forming an underwriting syndicate, each underwriter is considered a sole underwriter for purposes of rule G-32 and therefore each must undertake the official statement delivery obligation described in the preceding sentence.

If a dealer-intermediary is involved in an auction or similar process of primary offering of municipal securities in which all or a portion of the securities are sold directly to investors that have placed winning bids with the issuer, the dealer-intermediary is obligated under rule G-32(a) to deliver an official statement to such investors by settlement of their purchases. If all or a portion of the securities are sold to other dealers that have placed winning bids with the issuer, the dealer-intermediary is obligated under rule G-32(b) to send an official statement to such purchasing dealers within one business day of a request. Further, to the extent that the dealer-intermediary is an underwriter, such dealer-intermediary typically would have the obligations of a sole underwriter under rule G-32(c) to distribute the official statement to any other dealer that subsequently purchases the securities during the underwriting period and requests a copy. Any dealer that has placed a winning bid in a new issue auction would have the same distribution responsibility under rule G-32(c), to the extent that it is acting as an underwriter.

The MSRB views rule G-32 as permitting one or more dealer-intermediaries involved in an auction process to enter into an agreement with one or more other dealers that have purchased securities through a winning bid in which the parties agree that one such dealer (i.e., a dealer-intermediary or one of the winning bidders) will serve in the role of managing underwriter for purposes of rule G-32. In such a case, such single dealer (rather than all dealers individually) would have the responsibility for distribution of official statements to the marketplace typically undertaken by a managing or sole underwriter under rule G-32(c).[2] Such an agreement may be entered into by less than all dealers that have purchased securities through the auction process. All dealers that agree to delegate this duty to a single dealer may rely on such delegation to the same extent as if they had in fact formed an underwriting syndicate.

Application of Rule G-36, on Delivery of Official Statements, Advance Refunding Documents and Forms G-36(OS) and G-36(ARD) to the MSRB

Rule G-36 requires that the managing or sole underwriter for most primary offerings send the official statement and Form G-36(OS) to the MSRB within certain time frames set forth in the rule. In addition, if the new issue is an advance refunding and an advance refunding document has been prepared, the advance refunding document and Form G-36(ARD) also must be sent to the MSRB by the managing or sole underwriter. Where multiple underwriters underwrite an offering without forming an underwriting syndicate, the MSRB has stated that each underwriter would have the role of sole underwriter for purposes of rule G-36 and therefore each would have a separate obligation to send official statements, advance refunding documents and Forms G-36(OS) and G-36(ARD) to the MSRB.[3]

To the extent that the dealer-intermediary in an auction or similar process of primary offering of municipal securities is an underwriter for purposes of the Exchange Act, such dealer-intermediary would have obligations under rule G-36. If all or a portion of the securities are sold directly to investors that have placed winning bids with the issuer, the dealer-intermediary would be obligated to send the official statement and Form G-36(OS) (as well as any applicable advance refunding document and Form G-36(ARD)) to the MSRB with respect to the issue or portion thereof purchased by investors. If all or a portion of the securities are sold to other dealers that have placed winning bids with the issuer, the dealer-intermediary and each of the purchasing dealers (to the extent that they are underwriters for purposes of the Exchange Act) also typically would be separately obligated to send such documents to the MSRB with respect to the issue or portion thereof purchased by dealers.

To avoid duplicative filings under rule G-36, the MSRB believes that one or more dealer-intermediaries involved in an auction process may enter into an agreement with one or more other dealers that have purchased securities through a winning bid in which the parties agree that one such dealer (i.e., a dealer-intermediary or one of the winning bidders) will serve in the role of managing underwriter for purposes of rule G-36. In such a case, such single dealer (rather than all dealers individually) would have the responsibility for sending the official statement, advance refunding document and Forms G-36(OS) and G-36(ARD) to the MSRB.[4] Such an agreement may be entered into by less than all dealers that have purchased securities. All dealers that agree to delegate this duty to a single dealer may rely on such delegation to the same extent as if they had in fact formed an underwriting syndicate.


ENDNOTES

1 Questions regarding whether  an entity acting in an intermediary role is effecting a transaction or whether a dealer acting in such an intermediary role for a particular primary offering of municipal securities would constitute an underwriter should be addressed to staff of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

2 Each dealer that is party to this agreement would be required to inform any dealer seeking copies of the official statement from such dealer under rule G-32(c) of the identity of the dealer that has by agreement undertaken this obligation or, in the alternative, may fulfill the request for official statements. In either case, the dealer would be required to act promptly so as either to permit the dealer undertaking the distribution obligation to fulfill its duty in a timely manner or to provide the official statement itself in the time required by the rule. Such agreement would not affect the obligation of a dealer that sells new issue securities to another dealer to provide a copy of the official statement to such dealer upon request as required under rule G-32(b), nor would it affect the obligation to deliver official statements to customers as required under rule G-32(a).

3 See Rule G-36 Interpretive Letter – Multiple underwriters, MSRB interpretation of January 30, 1998, MSRB Rule Book (January 1, 2001) at 189.

4 The dealer designated to act as managing underwriter for purposes of rule G-36 would be billed the full amount of any applicable underwriting assessment due under rule A-13, on underwriting and transaction assessments. Such dealer would be permitted, in turn, to bill each other dealer that is party to the agreement for its share of the assessment.