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5 A B C D E F G H I L M N O P Q R S T V
Interpretive Letter

Application of the OATS rules to orders that are cancelled or replaced due to a merger of the member holding the orders.

February 26, 2002
Interpretive Letter

Member firms may pay retired registered representatives continuing commissions based on contributions to accounts established by the former representatives prior to retirement, provided the conditions of NASD IM-2420-2 are satisfied, and further, that such payments are made in compliance with SEC "no-action" letters addressing the permissibility of those payments under Section 15(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Firms cannot pay retired registered representatives commissions based on activity in accounts established after the representatives' retirement.

February 04, 2002
Exemptive Letter
Exemptive relief is denied based on the following considerations: (1) this marks the second time in three years that Name made a political contribution without following the Firm’s established pre-clearance processes resulting in a prohibition of municipal securities business under the Rule;5 and (2) Name has an extremely high profile within the Firm and the state’s political and business community. -
January 29, 2002
Interpretive Letter
Rule 2210 does not require member to approve, file or maintain as advertising records certain statistical information that is regularly updated on firm's web site.
January 28, 2002
Interpretive Letter

Applicability of the reporting requirement under Rule 3070(a)(8) to a non-securities related automobile insurance settlement exceeding $15,000.

January 02, 2002
Interpretive Letter

Applicability of NASD Rule 3030 to an associated person filing a membership application with the NASD to form a new broker/dealer.

December 06, 2001
Regulatory and Compliance Alerts (RCA)
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December 01, 2001
Interpretive Letter

Applicability of NASD rules to a member's use of a translator for group retirement plan enrollment presentations.

November 26, 2001
Exemptive Letter
Exemptive relief is granted based on the following considerations: 1) the contribution was inadvertent, de minimis, and was returned; and (2) the contribution was made to a candidate for public office who never had the opportunity to influence the award of municipal securities business (Candidate was not an elected official, was never elected to the office for which he was a candidate, and he died during the election campaign).
November 14, 2001
Exemptive Letter

October 18, 2001

Mr. William E. Floria
President
House of Securities Company
12 West Church Street
Frederick, MD 21701

Re: Exemption Request from Fidelity Bonding Requirements

Dear Mr. Floria:

October 18, 2001
Interpretive Letter

Rule 11210(a)(3) does not prohibit a firm from effecting the requirements of the provision electronically, but the firm is responsible for the accuracy and proper functioning of the computer program.

October 15, 2001
Interpretive Letter
During the period a registered representative is inactive for failure to complete the Regulatory Element, a member may pay the registered representative fees or commissions earned by the representative prior to the period of inactivity unless the member has a policy that prohibits it. However, a member may not pay the inactive registered representative commissions on securities sales that occur during the period that the registered representative is inactive.
October 02, 2001
Interpretive Letter
A registered representative must register as an equity trader and pass the Series 55 qualification exam prior to trading distressed convertible debt securities (other than on a securities exchange).
September 27, 2001
Interpretive Letter

An individual who processes transactions by communicating orders to the member’s clearing firm, which then calls or electronically communicates with the contra-side of the transaction, is not involved in the execution of transactions for purposes of Rule 1032(f) and thus is not required to be Series 55 registered.

September 25, 2001
Interpretive Letter

Relief granted to banks to facilitate an orderly and efficient transition of employees from a bank into a broker/dealer to comply with the Financial Modernization Act of 1999.

September 06, 2001
Interpretive Letter

Application of Rule 2320(g) and Rule 3110(b) to quotations displayed in the Electronic Quotation Service (prior to the adoption of proposed Rule 6630).

September 05, 2001
Regulatory and Compliance Alerts (RCA)
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September 01, 2001
Interpretive Letter

A member firm may pay continuing commissions to a former registered representative who is no longer in the securities business provided the conditions of NASD IM-2420-2 are satisfied, and further, that such payments are made in compliance with SEC "no-action" letters addressing the permissibility of those payments under Section 15(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

August 09, 2001
Exemptive Letter
An exemption is granted based on the following: (1) the contribution was made more than one year after Name transferred from the Firm Municipal Finance Department to another department; (2) from his/her transfer on May 1, 2000, to the present, Name continues to be designated an MFP only because of the two year "lookback" provision; (3) Name had no personal involvement in Firm's municipal securities activities with City, including the pre-existing and established selection of Firm as one of several underwriters; and (4) the contribution, which was returned, was made to the campaign of a candidate for public office who is not now an issuer official, and who had no apparent opportunity to influence the award of municipal securities business.
August 08, 2001
Interpretive Letter

Letter addresses circumstances under which persons must report events involving a fixed annuity insurance product.

August 07, 2001
Interpretive Letter

Applicability of Rule 3230 to a three-party clearing agreement.

August 07, 2001
Interpretive Letter

All Letters of Caution represent a determination that a violation has occurred, either of an NASD rule or a rule of the Securities and Exchange Commission over which NASD Regulation has jurisdiction to enforce. A Letter of Caution that results from a finding in a disciplinary proceeding initiated under the Rule 9200 Series of the NASD Code of Procedure is a sanction within the meaning of Procedural Rule 8310(a)(6), but a staff-issued Letter of Caution is not a sanction within the meaning of Procedural Rule 8310(a)(6).

August 02, 2001
Interpretive Letter

Permissible activities of a foreign associate.

July 18, 2001
Exemptive Letter
Exemptive relief is granted based on the following considerations: the Contribution was made by an individual who, at of the time of the Contribution, had never been an MFP nor was Name involved in the Firm’s municipal securities business. We believe the possibility that the payment was intended to influence issuer officials is significantly minimized. To the extent that any potential investor protection concerns exist, the staff believes these concerns will be appropriately addressed by the Firm’s existing firewall procedures for Name.
July 17, 2001
Interpretive Letter

Permissibility of electronic signatures under NASD Rules 3010(d) and 3110(c)(1)(C).

July 05, 2001