Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 116 Part 1.djvu/785

 PUBLIC LAW 107-204-JULY 30, 2002 116 STAT. 759 (1) transmitted, in appropriate detail, to the Commission and each appropriate State regulatory authority, accompanied by any letter or comments by the Board or the inspector, and any letter of response from the registered public accounting firm; and (2) made available in appropriate detail to the public (subject to section 105(b)(5)(A), and to the protection of such confidential and proprietary information as the Board may determine to be appropriate, or as may be required by law), except that no portions of the inspection report that deal with criticisms of or potential defects in the quality control systems of the firm under inspection shall be made public if those criticisms or defects are addressed by the firm, to the satisfaction of the Board, not later than 12 months after the date of the inspection report. (h) INTERIM COMMISSION REVIEW.— (1) REVIEWABLE MATTERS. — A registered public accounting firm may seek review by the Commission, pursuant to such rules as the Commission shall promulgate, if the firm— (A) has provided the Board with a response, pursuant to rules issued by the Board under subsection (f), to the substance of particular items in a draft inspection report, and disagrees with the assessments contained in any final report prepared by the Board following such response; or (B) disagrees with the determination of the Board that criticisms or defects identified in an inspection report have not been addressed to the satisfaction of the Board within 12 months of the date of the inspection report, for purposes of subsection (g)(2). (2) TREATMENT OF REVIEW.— Any decision of the Commission with respect to a review under paragraph (1) shall not be reviewable under section 25 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78y), or deemed to be "final agency action" for purposes of section 704 of title 5, United States Code. (3) TIMING.— Review under paragraph (1) may be sought during the 30-day period following the date of the event giving rise to the review under subparagraph (A) or (B) of paragraph (1). SEC. 105. INVESTIGATIONS AND DISCIPLINARY PROCEEDINGS. 15 USC 7215. (a) IN GENERAL.— The Board shall establish, by rule, subject Procedures. to the requirements of this section, fair procedures for the investigation and disciplining of registered public accounting firms and associated persons of such firms. (b) INVESTIGATIONS. — (1) AUTHORITY. —In accordance with the rules of the Board, the Board may conduct an investigation of any act or practice, or omission to act, by a registered public accounting firm, any associated person of such firm, or both, that may violate any provision of this Act, the rules of the Board, the provisions of the securities laws relating to the preparation and issuance of audit reports and the obligations and liabilities of accountants with respect thereto, including the rules of the Commission issued under this Act, or professional standards, regardless of how the act, practice, or omission is brought to the attention of the Board.

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