Self-Regulatory Organizations; New York Stock Exchange LLC; Notice of Filing of Proposed Rule Change Amending Rule 180 To Require Member Organizations To Use the Automated Liability Notification System of a Registered Clearing Agency

Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (“Act”), notice is hereby given that on August 3, 2006, the New York Stock Exchange LLC (“NYSE”) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“Commission”) and on November 15, 2006, amended the proposed rule change described in Items I, II, and III below, which items have been prepared primarily by the NYSE. The Commission is publishing this notice to solicit comments on the proposed rule change from interested parties.

I. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Terms of Substance of the Proposed Rule Change

The NYSE proposes to amend Rule 180 to mandate that NYSE member organizations utilize the automated liability notification system of a clearing agency registered pursuant to Section 17A of the Exchange Act when issuing liability notifications in connection with certain securities transactions.

II. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Purpose of, and Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change

In its filing with the Commission, the NYSE included statements concerning the purpose of and basis for the proposed rule change and discussed any comments it received on the proposed rule change. The text of these statements may be examined at the places specified in Item IV below. The NYSE has prepared summaries, set forth in sections A, B, and C below, of the most significant aspects of these statements.

A. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Purpose of, and Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change

1. Purpose

Currently, NYSE's Rule 180 provides that if securities are not delivered within the required time frame, the party who fails to deliver is liable for any resulting damages. Rule 180 also requires that claims for damages must be made promptly. It is industry practice when one party is owed and has not received securities that are the subject of a voluntary corporate action for the owed party to send to the failing counterparty a notice of the liability that will be attendant with the failure to delver the securities in time for the owed party to participate in the voluntary corporate action.

It is also customary in the industry for the failing counterparty that receives a liability notification either to reject the notice, to deliver the securities that are the subject of the liability notification, or to convert or exchange the securities to the corresponding corporate actions proceeds and deliver the proceeds. Liability notifications are usually sent by fax directly to the responsible failing counterparty or to its designees.

Failing counterparties are subjected to potential liability by their failure to respond to liability notifications. Failure to respond typically occurs because of processing errors, such as overlooking the faxed liability notification or not receiving it all, and because of the overall lack of centralized control over the process. There is currently no uniform method of notifying and confirming the transmission and receipt of liability notifications.

In response to a need for a reliable and uniform method of transmitting liability notifications, The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) developed the SMART/Track for Corporate Action Liability Notification Service (SMART/Track”), a web-based system for the communication of liability notifications that is currently available to all DTC participants. SMART/Track allows DTC participants to easily create, send, process, and track corporate action liability notifications. Email notifications are automatically generated when liability notifications or replies to liability notifications are sent. SMART/Track helps reduce the risks, costs, and delays resulting from the processing errors and missing or inaccurate information frequently occurring with corporate action liability notifications. It also provides participants with (1) more timely receipt and distribution of corporate action liability notifications; (2) a centralized system to manage and control all liability notifications on all issues; (3) immediate identification of the security affected by a corporate action liability notification; and (4) detailed disclosure and clearer understanding of terms and conditions.

In response to a petition from the Corporate Actions Division of the Securities Industry Association urging NYSE to adopt a rule that would mandate the use of a system that would make uniform the method by which liability notifications are sent and received, NYSE is proposing to amend Rule 180. As amended, Rule 180 clarifies that if securities that were to be delivered pursuant to the rules of a registered clearing agency are not so delivered, the contract may be closed as provided by the rules of that clearing agency. If the contracts are not so closed or if there is a failure to deliver securities which are to be delivered pursuant to NYSE Rule 176 or 177 and in the absence of any notice or agreement, the contract shall continue without interest until the following business day. However, in every such case of non-delivery, the party not delivering the securities shall be liable for any damages which accrue thereby.

Proposed Rule 180 is also being amended to require that when the parties to a failed contract are both participants in a registered clearing agency that has an automated service for notifying a failing party of the liability that will be attendant to a failure to deliver and the contract was to be settled through the facilities of that registered clearing agency, the transmission of the liability notification must be accomplished through the use of the registered clearing agency's automated liability notification system.

2. Statutory Basis

The statutory basis under the Act for this proposed rule change is the requirement under Section 6(b)(5) of the Act, which requires, among other things, that the rules of an exchange are designed to prevent fraudulent and manipulative acts and practices, to promote just and equitable principles of trade, to foster cooperation and coordination with persons engaged in regulating, clearing, settling, processing information with respect to, and facilitating transactions in securities, to remove impediments to perfect the mechanism of a free and open market and a national market system, and, in general, to protect investors and the public interest.

B. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Burden on Competition

The NYSE does not believe that the proposed rule change will impose any burden on competition that is not necessary or appropriate in furtherance of the purposes of the Act.

C. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Comments on the Proposed Rule Change Received From Members, Participants, or Others

The NYSE has neither solicited nor received written comments on the proposed rule change. The NYSE is making the proposed rule change in part as a response to a petition from the Corporate Actions Dvision of the Securities Industry Association that the NYSE amend its rules to mandate that member organizatins use the SMART/Track system.

III. Date of Effectiveness of the Proposed Rule Change and Timing for Commission Action

Within thirty-five days of the date of publication of this notice in the Federal Register or within such longer period: (i) As the Commission may designate up to ninety days of such date if it finds such longer period to be appropriate and publishes its reasons for so finding or (ii) as to which the self-regulatory organization consents, the Commission will:

(A) By order approve such proposed rule change or

(B) Institute proceedings to determine whether the proposed rule change should be disapproved.

IV. Solicitation of Comments

Interested persons are invited to submit written data, views, and arguments concerning the foregoing, including whether the proposed rule change is consistent with the Act. Comments may be submitted by any of the following methods:

Electronic Comments

• Use the Commission's Internet comment form ( http://www.sec.gov/rules/sro.shtml ) or
• Send an e-mail to rule-comments@sec.gov. Please include File Number SR-NYSE-2006-57 in the subject line.

Paper Comments

• Send paper comments in triplicate to Nancy M. Morris, Secretary, Securities and Exchange Commission, 100 F Street, NE., Washington, DC 20549-1090.

All submissions should refer to File Number SR-NYSE-2006-57. This file number should be included on the subject line if e-mail is used. To help the Commission process and review your comments more efficiently, please use only one method. The Commission will post all comments on the Commission's Internet Web site ( http://www.sec.gov/rules/sro.shtml ). Copies of the submission, all subsequent amendments, all written statements with respect to the proposed rule change that are filed with the Commission, and all written communications relating to the proposed rule change between the Commission and any person, other than those that may be withheld from the public in accordance with the provisions of 5 U.S.C. 552, will be available for inspection and copying in the Commission's Public Reference Section, 100 F Street, NE., Washington, DC 20549. Copies of such filings also will be available for inspection and copying at the principal office of the NYSE and on the NYSE's Web site, http://www.nyse.com. All comments received will be posted without change; the Commission does not edit personal identifying information from submissions. You should submit only information that you wish to make available publicly. All submissions should refer to File Number SR-NYSE-2006-57 and should be submitted on or before December 28, 2006.