§ 21. Registered futures associations

§ 21. Registered futures associations

(a) Registration statement 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:

(1) Data as to its organization, membership, and rules of procedure, and such other information as the Commission may by rules and regulations require as necessary or appropriate in the public interest; and

(2) Copies of its constitution, charter, or articles of incorporation or association, with all amendments thereto, and of its bylaws, and of any rules or instruments corresponding to the foregoing, whatever the name, hereinafter in this section collectively referred to as the “rules of the association”.

(b) Standards for registration; Commission findings An applicant association shall not be registered as a futures association unless the Commission finds, under standards established by the Commission, that—

(1) such association is in the public interest and that it will be able to comply with the provisions of this section and the rules and regulations thereunder and to carry out the purposes of this section;

(2) the rules of the association provide that any person registered under this chapter, registered entity, or any other person designated pursuant to the rules of the Commission as eligible for membership may become a member of such association, except such as are excluded pursuant to paragraph (3) or (4) of this subsection, or a rule of the association permitted under this subparagraph. The rules of the association may restrict membership in such association on such specified basis relating to the type of business done by its members, or on such other specified and appropriate basis, as appears to the Commission to be necessary or appropriate in the public interest and to carryout the purpose of this section. Rules adopted by the association may provide that the association may, unless the Commission directs otherwise in cases in which the Commission finds it appropriate in the public interest so to direct, deny admission to, or refuse to continue in such association any person if (i) such person, whether prior or subsequent to becoming registered as such, or (ii) any person associated within the meaning of “associated person” as set forth in section 6k of this title, whether prior or subsequent to becoming so associated, has been and is suspended or expelled from a registered entity or has been and is barred or suspended from being associated with all members of such registered entity, for violation of any rule of such registered entity;

(3) 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—

(A) has been and is suspended or expelled from a registered futures association or from a registered entity or has been and is barred or suspended from being associated with all members of such association or from being associated with all members of such registered entity, for violation of any rule of such association or registered entity which prohibits any act or transaction constituting conduct inconsistent with just and equitable principles of trade, or requires any act the omission of which constitutes conduct inconsistent with just and equitable principles of trade;

(B) is subject to an order of the Commission denying, suspending, or revoking his registration pursuant to section 9 of this title, or expelling or suspending him from membership in a registered futures association or a registered entity, or barring or suspending him from being associated with a futures commission merchant;

(C) whether prior or subsequent to becoming a member, by his conduct while associated with a member, was a cause of any suspension, expulsion, or order of the character described in clause (A) or (B) which is in effect with respect to such member, and in entering such a suspension, expulsion, or order, the Commission or any such registered entity or association shall have jurisdiction to determine whether or not any person was a cause thereof; or

(D) has associated with him any person who is known, or in the exercise of reasonable care should be known, to him to be a person who would be ineligible for admission to or continuance in membership under clause (A), (B), or (C) of this paragraph;

(4) 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—

(A) appropriately classify prospective members (taking into account relevant matters, including type or nature of business done) and persons proposed to be associated with members;

(B) specify that all or any portion of such standard shall be applicable to any such class;

(C) require persons in any such class to pass examinations prescribed in accordance with such rules;

(D) provide that persons in any such class other than prospective members and partners, officers and supervisory employees (which latter term may be defined by such rules and as so defined shall include branch managers of members) of members, may be qualified solely on the basis of compliance with specified standards of training and such other qualifications as the association finds appropriate;

(E) provide that applications to become a member or a person associated with a member shall set forth such facts as the association may prescribe as to the training, experience, and other qualifications (including, in the case of an applicant for membership, financial responsibility) of the applicant and that the association shall adopt procedures for verification of qualifications of the applicant, which may require the applicant to be fingerprinted and to submit, or cause to be submitted, such fingerprints to the Attorney General for identification and appropriate processing. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, such an association may receive from the Attorney General all the results of such identification and processing; and

(F) require any class of persons associated with a member to be registered with the association in accordance with procedures specified by such rules (and any application or document supplemental thereto required by such rules of a person seeking to be registered with such association shall, for the purposes of section 9 of this title, be deemed an application required to be filed under this section);

(5) the rules of the association assure a fair representation of its members in the adoption of any rule of the association or amendment thereto, the selection of its officers and directors, and in all other phases of the administration of its affairs;

(6) the rules of the association provide for the equitable allocation of dues among its members, to defray reasonable expenses of administration;

(7) the rules of the association are designed to prevent fraudulent and manipulative acts and practices, to promote just and equitable principles of trade, in general, to protect the public interest, and to remove impediments to and perfect the mechanism of free and open futures trading;

(8) the rules of the association provide that its members and persons associated with its members shall be appropriately disciplined, by expulsion, suspension, fine, censure, or being suspended or barred from being associated with all members, or any other fitting penalty, for any violation of its rules;

(9) 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—

In any proceeding to determine whether a person shall be denied membership or whether any person shall be barred from being associated with a member, such rules shall provide that the person shall be notified of, and be given an opportunity to be heard upon, the specific grounds for denial or bar which are under consideration; that a record shall be kept; and that the determination shall set forth the specific grounds upon which the denial or bar is based;

(A) a statement setting forth any act or practice in which such member or other person may be found to have engaged, or which such member or other person may be found to have omitted;

(B) a statement setting forth the specific rule or rules of the association of which any such act or practice, or omission to act, is deemed to be in violation;

(C) a statement whether the acts or practices prohibited by such rule or rules, or the omission of any act required thereby, are deemed to constitute conduct inconsistent with just and equitable principles of trade; and

(D) a statement setting forth the penalty imposed; 11 So in original. The semicolon probably should be a period.

(10) 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—

(i) for payment of actual damages proximately caused by such violation. If an award of actual damages is made against a floor broker in connection with the execution of a customer order, and the futures commission merchant which selected the floor broker for the execution of the customer order is held to be responsible under section 2(a)(1) of this title for the floor broker’s violation, such futures commission merchant may be required to satisfy such award; and

(ii) where the violation is willful and intentional, for payment to the customer of punitive or exemplary damages, in addition to losses proximately caused by the violation, in an amount equal to no more than two times the amount of such losses. If punitive or exemplary damages are awarded against a floor broker in connection with the execution of a customer order, and the futures commission merchant which selected the floor broker for the execution of such order is held to be responsible under section 2(a)(1) of this title for the floor broker’s violation, such futures commission merchant may be required to satisfy the award of punitive or exemplary damages if the floor broker fails to do so, except that such requirement shall apply to the futures commission merchant only if it willfully and intentionally selected the floor broker with the intent to assist or facilitate the floor broker’s violation; and 22 So in original. The word “and” probably should not appear.

(11) such association provides for meaningful representation on the governing board of such association of a diversity of membership interests and provides that no less than 20 percent of the regular voting members of such board be comprised of qualified nonmembers of or persons who are not regulated by such association.33 So in original. The period probably should be a semicolon.

(12)

(A) 44 So in original. No subpar. (B) has been enacted. such association provides on all major disciplinary committees for a diversity of membership sufficient to ensure fairness and to prevent special treatment or preference for any person in the conduct of disciplinary proceedings and the assessment of penalties.55 So in original. The period probably should be “; and”.

(13) A 66 So in original. Probably should not be capitalized. major disciplinary committee hearing a disciplinary matter shall include—

(A) qualified persons representing segments of the association membership other than that of the subject of the proceeding; and

(B) where appropriate to carry out the purposes of this paragraph, qualified persons who are not members of the association.

(c) Suspension of registration 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.

(d) Fees and charges 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.

(e) Registered persons not members of registered associations 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.

(f) Denial of registration 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.

(g) Withdrawal from registration; notice of with­drawal 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.

(h) Commission review of disciplinary actions taken by registered futures associations

(1) If any registered futures association takes any final disciplinary action against a member of the association or a person associated with a member, denies admission to any person seeking membership therein, or bars any person from being associated with a member, the association promptly shall give notice thereof to such member or person and file notice thereof with the Commission. The notice shall be in such form and contain such information as the Commission, by rule or regulation, may prescribe as necessary or appropriate to carry out the purposes of this chapter.

(2) Any action with respect to which a registered futures association is required by paragraph (1) to file notice shall be subject to review by the Commission on its motion, or on application by any person aggrieved by the action. Such application shall be filed within 30 days after the date such notice is filed with the Commission and received by the aggrieved person, or within such longer period as the Commission may determine.

(3)

(A) Application to the Commission for review, or the institution of review by the Commission on its own motion, shall not operate as a stay of such action unless the Commission otherwise orders, summarily or after notice and opportunity for hearing on the question of a stay (which hearing may consist solely of the submission of affidavits or presentation of oral arguments).

(B) The Commission shall establish procedures for expedited consideration and determination of the question of a stay.

(i) Notice; hearing; findings; cancellation, reduction, or remission of penalties; review by court of appeals

(1) 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)—

(A) if the Commission finds that—

the Commission, by order, shall so declare and, as appropriate, affirm the sanction imposed by the association, modify the sanction in accordance with paragraph (2), or remand the case to the association for further proceedings; or

(i) the member or person associated with a member has engaged in the acts or practices, or has omitted the acts, that the association has found the member or person to have engaged in or omitted;

(ii) the acts or practices, or omissions to act, are in violation of the rules of the association specified in the determination of the association; and

(iii) such rules are, and were applied in a manner, consistent with the purposes of this chapter,

(B) if the Commission does not make any such finding, the Commission, by order, shall set aside the sanction imposed by the association and, if appropriate, remand the case to the association for further proceedings.

(2) If, after a proceeding under paragraph (1), the Commission finds that any penalty imposed on a member or person associated with a member is excessive or oppressive, having due regard for the public interest, the Commission, by order, shall cancel, reduce, or require the remission of the penalty.