Proposed Rule Change to Amend FINRA Rule Series 9100, 9200, 9300, 9550, and 9800 Regarding Temporary and Permanent Cease and Desist Orders

Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”) is filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC” or “Commission”) a proposed rule change to amend FINRA Rule Series 9100, 9200, 9300, 9550, and 9800 to modify the evidentiary standard that must be met to impose a temporary cease and desist order, to adopt a new expedited proceeding for repeated failures to comply with temporary or permanent cease and desist orders, to ease administrative burdens in temporary cease and desist proceedings, to harmonize the provisions governing how documents are served in temporary cease and desist proceedings and expedited proceedings, to clarify the process for issuing permanent cease and desist orders, and to make conforming changes throughout FINRA’s Code of Procedure.