The SEC on Friday announced that, on 2/21/12, the fees rates applicable to most securities transactions will decrease from $19.20 per million dollars to $18.00 per million dollars.  The assessment on security futures transactions will remain unchanged at $0.0042 for each round turn transaction.  This is the 5th Fee Rate Advisory for Fiscal 2012. The SEC notes that the fee rates for fiscal year 2012, which previously were announced on 5/2/11, never became effective.  As stated in that announcement, those fee rates would never become effective if, as was the case, a regular appropriation to the Commission for fiscal year 2012 was not enacted by 10/1/11.  Instead, the Commission now is issuing revised fee rates in accordance with the amendments to Section 31 of the Exchange Act, made by the Dodd-Frank Reform Act. Direct Questions. The Office of Interpretation and Guidance in the Commission’s Division of Trading and Markets is available for questions on Section 31 at (202) 551-5777, or by e-mail at tradingandmarkets@sec.gov. [SEC PR 12-15, 1/20/12]