NASD Adopts Amendments to Rule 3011 to Require Members to Provide to NASD Contact Information for an Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Person(s)

INFORMATIONAL

Anti-Money Laundering CompliancePrograms

Effective date: December 31, 2002

Executive Summary

NASD has adopted amendments to NASD Rule 3011 (Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Program) to require each member to provide to NASD contact information for the individual or individuals responsible for implementing and monitoring the dayto- day operations and internal controls of the member's anti-money laundering (AML) compliance program (AML Program) and to update the contact information as necessary. The rule change became effective immediately upon filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission on October 21, 2002 and will become operative on December 31, 2002. Attachment A contains the text of the amendments.

Questions/Further Information

Questions regarding this Notice to Members may be directed to Grace Yeh, Assistant General Counsel, Office of General Counsel, NASD Regulatory Policy and Oversight, at (202) 728-6939.

Discussion

The USA PATRIOT Act of 2001 (PATRIOT Act),¹ which was signed into law on October 26, 2001, recognizes that effective identification of money laundering and terrorist activities requires the expedited sharing and reporting of information among governmental and law enforcement authorities and financial institutions. In furtherance of this goal, Section 314(a) of the PATRIOT Act requires the Department of Treasury (Treasury) to adopt regulations to encourage cooperation and information sharing among financial institutions, their regulatory authorities, and law enforcement authorities. In particular, the regulations should be designed to facilitate law enforcement authorities' ability to share information with financial institutions and to request information from financial institutions about persons suspected of engaging in money laundering or terrorist activities. Section 314(a) further provides that the regulations adopted by Treasury may require that each financial institution designate one or more contact persons to receive information concerning, and to monitor accounts of, identified individuals or entities.

On September 18, 2002, Treasury issued a final rule implementing Section 314 of the PATRIOT Act. Consistent with Section 314(a), the rule creates a system for the efficient communication of potential money laundering and terrorist information. Upon receiving a request for information by the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), a bureau of Treasury, the rule requires financial institutions to identify a contact person to handle the request and to receive future information requests. When requested by FinCEN, the financial institution is required to provide the name, title, mailing address, e-mail address, telephone number, and facsimile number of the designated contact person. The financial institution must also promptly notify FinCEN of any changes to the contact information.

NASD Rule 3011 requires each member to designate an individual or individuals responsible for implementing and monitoring the day-to-day operations of the firm's AML Program. To facilitate Treasury's efforts in collecting the AML contact information set forth in Treasury's final rule, NASD has amended Rule 3011 to require that members provide to NASD contact information concerning the members' designated AML compliance person(s). The information will be used by Treasury in connection with its regulatory obligations set forth in Section 314(a) of the PATRIOT Act and the implementing regulations promulgated thereunder. Consistent with Treasury's final rule, members will be required to provide to NASD the name, title, mailing address, e-mail address, telephone number, and facsimile number of the contact person. Members also will be required to promptly notify NASD of any changes to the information.² In addition, NASD anticipates requiring members periodically to review and confirm the accuracy of the contact information. Additional information will be provided in future.

NASD intends to initially collect the contact information through the Member Firm Contact Questionnaire on the NASD Web site. NASD anticipates that form and system changes necessary to collect the contact information will be completed by November 15, 2002. Members will have until December 31, 2002 to provide NASD with the necessary contact information.³

¹ Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001, Pub. L. No. 107- 56, 115 Stat. 272 (2001).

² The amendments to Rule 3011 are consistent with New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) Rule 445 (AML Compliance Program) requirements that NYSE member organizations provide to the NYSE contact information identifying the member organization's designated AML compliance person and promptly notify the NYSE of any changes to the information.

³ New member applicants will be required to provide the contact information during the application process.

Attachment A

New language is underlined.

3011. Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Program