§ 78iii — Functions Of Self-regulatory Organizations

(a) Each self-regulatory organization shall act as collection agent for SIPC to collect the assessments payable by all members of SIPC for whom such self-regulatory organization is the examining authority, unless SIPC designates a self-regulatory organization other than the examining authority to act as collection agent for any member of SIPC who is a member of or participant in more than one self-regulatory organization. If the only self-regulatory organization of which a member of SIPC is a member or in which it is a participant is a registered clearing agency that is not the examining authority for the member, SIPC may, nevertheless, designate such registered clearing agency as collection agent for the member or may require that payments be made directly to SIPC. The collection agent shall be obligated to remit to SIPC assessments made under section 78ddd of this title only to the extent that payments of such assessment are received by such collection agent. Members of SIPC who are not members of or participants in a self-regulatory organization shall make payments directly to SIPC. (b) No self-regulatory organization shall have any liability to any person for any action taken or omitted in good faith pursuant to section 78eee(a)(1) and section 78eee(a)(2) of this title. (c) The self-regulatory organization of which a member of SIPC is a member or in which it is a participant shall inspect or examine such member for compliance with applicable financial responsibility rules, except that— (1) if the self-regulatory organization is a registered clearing agency, the Commission may designate itself as responsible for the examination of such member for compliance with applicable financial responsibility rules; and (2) if a member of SIPC is a member of or participant in more than one self-regulatory organization, the Commission, pursuant to section 78q(d) of this title, shall designate one of such self-regulatory organizations or itself as responsible for the examination of such member for compliance with applicable financial responsibility rules. (d) There shall be filed with SIPC by the self-regulatory organizations such reports of inspections or examinations of the members of SIPC (or copies thereof) as may be designated by SIPC by bylaw or rule. (e) SIPC shall consult and cooperate with the self-regulatory organizations toward the end: (1) that there may be developed and carried into effect procedures reasonably designed to detect approaching financial difficulty upon the part of any member of SIPC; (2) that, as nearly as may be practicable, examinations to ascertain whether members of SIPC are in compliance with applicable financial responsibility rules will be conducted by the self-regulatory organizations under appropriate standards (both as to method and scope) and reports of such examinations will, where appropriate, be standard in form; and (3) that, as frequently as may be practicable under the circumstances, each member of SIPC will file financial information with, and be examined by, the self-regulatory organization which is the examining authority for such member. (f) The Commission may, by such rules as it determines necessary or appropriate in the public interest and to carry out the purposes of this chapter, require any self-regulatory organization to furnish SIPC with reports and records (or copies thereof) relating to the financial condition of members of or participants in such self-regulatory organization.