Registered futures associations

Any association of persons may be registered with the Commission as a registered futures association pursuant to subsection (b) of this section, under the terms and conditions hereinafter provided in this section, by filing with the Commission for review and approval a registration statement in such form as the Commission may prescribe, setting forth the information, and accompanied by the documents, below specified: An applicant association shall not be registered as a futures association unless the Commission finds, under standards established by the Commission, that— the rules of the association provide that, except with the approval or at the direction of the Commission in cases in which the Commission finds it appropriate in the public interest so to approve or direct, no person shall be admitted to or continued in membership in such association, if such person— the rules of the association provide that, except with the approval or at the direction of the Commission in cases in which the Commission finds it appropriate in the public interest so to approve or direct, no person shall become a member and no natural person shall become a person associated with a member, unless such person is qualified to become a member or a person associated with a member in conformity with specified and appropriate standards with respect to the training, experience, and such other qualifications of such person as the association finds necessary or desirable, and in the case of a member, the financial responsibility of such a member. For the purpose of defining such standards and the application thereof, such rules may— the rules of the association provide a fair and orderly procedure with respect to the disciplining of members and persons associated with members and the denial of membership to any person seeking membership therein or the barring of any person from being associated with a member. In any proceeding to determine whether any member or other person shall be disciplined, such rules shall require that specific charges be brought; that such member or person shall be notified of, and be given an opportunity to defend against, such charges; that a record shall be kept; and that the determination shall include— the rules of the association provide a fair, equitable, and expeditious procedure through arbitration or otherwise for the settlement of customers’ claims and grievances against any member or employee thereof: Provided, That (A) the use of such procedure by a customer shall be voluntary, (B) the term “customer” as used in this paragraph shall not include another member of the association, and (C) in the case of a claim arising from a violation in the execution of an order on the floor of a registered entity, such procedure shall provide, to the extent appropriate— A 66 So in original. Probably should not be capitalized. major disciplinary committee hearing a disciplinary matter shall include— The Commission may, after notice and opportunity for hearing, suspend the registration of any futures association if it finds that the rules thereof do not conform to the requirements of the Commission, and any such suspension shall remain in effect until the Commission issues an order determining that such rules have been modified to conform with such requirements. In addition to the fees and charges authorized by section 12a(1) of this title, each person registered under this chapter, who is not a member of a futures association registered pursuant to this section, shall pay to the Commission such reasonable fees and charges as may be necessary to defray the costs of additional regulatory duties required to be performed by the Commission because such person is not a member of a registered futures association. The Commission shall establish such additional fees and charges by rules and regulations. Any person registered under this chapter, who is not a member of a futures association registered pursuant to this section, in addition to the other requirements and obligations of this chapter and the regulations thereunder shall be subject to such other rules and regulations as the Commission may find necessary to protect the public interest and promote just and equitable principles of trade. Upon filing of an application for registration pursuant to subsection (a), the Commission may by order grant such registration if the requirements of this section are satisfied. If, after appropriate notice and opportunity for hearing, it appears to the Commission that any requirement of this section is not satisfied, the Commission shall by order deny such registration. A registered futures association may, upon such reasonable notice as the Commission may deem necessary in the public interest, withdraw from registration by filing with the Commission a written notice of withdrawal in such form as the Commission may by rules and regulations prescribe. In a proceeding to review a final disciplinary action taken by a registered futures association against a member thereof or a person associated with a member, after appropriate notice and opportunity for a hearing (which hearing may consist solely of consideration of the record before the association and opportunity for the presentation of supporting reasons to affirm, modify, or set aside the sanction imposed by the association)— if the Commission finds that— In a proceeding to review the denial of membership in a registered futures association or the barring of any person from being associated with a member, after appropriate notice and opportunity for a hearing (which hearing may consist solely of consideration of the record before the association and opportunity for the presentation of supporting reasons to affirm, modify, or set aside the action of the association)— if the Commission finds that— Every registered futures association shall file with the Commission in accordance with such rules and regulations as the Commission may prescribe as necessary or appropriate in the public interest, copies of any changes in or additions to the rules of the association, and such other information and documents as the Commission may require to keep current or to supplement the registration statement and documents filed pursuant to subsection (a) of this section. A registered futures association shall submit to the Commission any change in or addition to its rules and may make such rules effective ten days after receipt of such submission by the Commission unless, within the ten-day period, the registered futures association requests review and approval thereof by the Commission or the Commission notifies such registered futures association in writing of its determination to review such rules for approval. The Commission shall approve such rules if such rules are determined by the Commission to be consistent with the requirements of this section and not otherwise in violation of this chapter or the regulations issued pursuant to this chapter, and the Commission shall disapprove, after appropriate notice and opportunity for hearing, any such rule which the Commission determines at any time to be inconsistent with the requirements of this section or in violation of this chapter or the regulations issued pursuant to this chapter. If the Commission does not approve or institute disapproval proceedings with respect to any rule within one hundred and eighty days after receipt or within such longer period of time as the registered futures association may agree to, or if the Commission does not conclude a disapproval proceeding with respect to any rule within one year after receipt or within such longer period as the registered futures association may agree to, such rule may be made effective by the registered futures association until such time as the Commission disapproves such rule in accordance with this subsection. The Commission may in writing request any registered futures association to adopt any specified alteration or supplement to its rules with respect to any of the matters hereinafter enumerated. If such association fails to adopt such alteration or supplement within a reasonable time, the Commission is authorized by order to alter or supplement the rules of such association in the manner theretofore requested, or with such modifications of such alteration or supplement as it deems necessary if, after appropriate notice and opportunity for hearing, it appears to the Commission that such alteration or supplement is necessary or appropriate in the public interest or to effectuate the purposes of this section, with respect to— The Commission is authorized, if such action appears to it to be necessary or appropriate in the public interest or to carry out the purposes of this section— after appropriate notice and opportunity for hearing, by order to suspend for a period not exceeding twelve months or to expel from a registered futures association any member thereof, or to suspend for a period not exceeding twelve months or to bar any person from being associated with a member thereof, if the Commission finds that such member or person— Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Commission may approve rules of futures associations that, directly or indirectly, require persons eligible for membership in such associations to become members of at least one such association, upon a determination by the Commission that such rules are necessary or appropriate to achieve the purposes and objectives of this chapter. The Commission shall include in its annual reports to Congress information concerning any futures associations registered pursuant to this section and the effectiveness of such associations in regulating the practices of the members. Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, each futures association registered under this section on January 11, 1983, shall adopt and submit for Commission approval not later than ninety days after such date, and each futures association that applies for registration after such date shall adopt and include with its application for registration, rules of the association that require the association to— Each futures association registered under this section shall develop a comprehensive program that fully implements the rules approved by the Commission under this section as soon as practicable but not later than September 30, 1985, in the case of any futures association registered on January 11, 1983, and not later than two and one-half years after the date of registration in the case of any other futures association registered under this section. Consistent with this chapter, each futures association registered under this section shall issue such rules as are necessary to avoid duplicative or conflicting rules applicable to any futures commission merchant registered with the Commission pursuant to section 6f(a) of this title (except paragraph (2) thereof), that is also registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to section 78o(b) of title 15 (except paragraph (11) thereof), with respect to the application of—