Request for Public Comment

Upon Written Request, Copies Available From: Securities and Exchange Commission, Office of Filings and Information Services, Washington, DC 20549.

Extensions: Rule 6c-7, SEC File No. 270-269, OMB Control No. 3235-0276, and Rule 11a-2, SEC File No. 270-267, OMB Control No. 3235-0272.

Notice is hereby given that pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) is soliciting comments on the collection of information summarized below. The Commission plans to submit this existing collection of information to the Office of Management and Budget for extension and approval.

Rule 6c-7 [17 CFR 270.6c-7] under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80a-1 et seq.) (“1940 Act”) provides exemption from certain provisions of Sections 22(e) and 27 of the 1940 Act for registered separate accounts offering variable annuity contracts to certain employees of Texas institutions of higher education participating in the Texas Optional Retirement Program. There are approximately 82 registrants governed by Rule 6c-7. The burden of compliance with Rule 6c-7, regarding obtaining from a purchaser, prior to or at the time of purchase, a signed document acknowledging the restrictions on redeemability imposed by Texas law, is estimated to be approximately 3 minutes per response for each of 2,649 purchasers annually, for a total annual burden of 132.45 hours.

Rule 11a-2 [17 CFR 270.11a-2] permits certain registered insurance company separate accounts, subject to certain conditions, to make exchange offers without prior approval by the Commission of the terms of those offers. Rule 11a-2 requires disclosure, in certain registration statements filed pursuant to the 1933 Act, of any administrative fee or sales load imposed in connection with an exchange offer. There are approximately 649 restraints governed by Rule 11a-2, with an estimated compliance time of 15 minutes per registrant.

The estimate of average burden hours is made solely for the purposes of the Paperwork Reduction Act, and is not derived from a comprehensive or even a representative survey or study of the costs of Commission rules or forms. With regard to Rule 6c-7, the Commission does not include in the estimate of average burden hours the time preparing registration statement and sales literature disclosure regarding the restrictions or redeemability imposed by Texas law. The estimate of burden hours for completing the relevant registration statements are reported on the separate PRA submissions for those statements (see the separate PRA submissions for Form N-3 [17 CFR 274.11b] and Form N-4 [17 CFR 274.11c]). With regard to Rule 11a-2, the Commission includes the estimate of burden hours in the total number of burden hours estimated for completing the relevant registration statements and reported on the separate PRA submissions for those statements (see the separate PRA submissions for Form N-3 and Form N-4).

Complying with the collection of information requirements of the rules is necessary to obtain a benefit. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid control number.

Written comments are invited on: (a) Whether the collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Commission, including whether the information has practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the Commission's estimate of the burden of the collection of information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents, including through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology. Consideration will be given to comments and suggestions submitted in writing within 60 days of this publication.

Direct your written comment to Michael E. Bartell, Associate Executive Director, Office of Information Technology, Securities and Exchange Commission, 450 Fifth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20549.