[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 25 (Wednesday, February 6, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8530-8533]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-02520]
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FEDERAL ELECTION COMMISSION
[Notice 2013-03]
Price Index Adjustments for Contribution and Expenditure
Limitations and Lobbyist Bundling Disclosure Threshold
AGENCY: Federal Election Commission.
ACTION: Notice of adjustments to contribution and expenditure
limitations and lobbyist bundling disclosure threshold.
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SUMMARY: As mandated by provisions of the Federal Election Campaign Act
of 1971, as amended (``FECA'' or ``the Act''), the Federal Election
Commission (``FEC'' or ``the Commission'') is adjusting certain
contribution and expenditure limitations and the lobbyist bundling
disclosure threshold set forth in the Act, to index the amounts for
inflation. Additional details appear in the supplemental information
that follows.
DATES: Effective Date: The effective date for the limitation at 2
U.S.C. 441a(a)(1)(A) is November 7, 2012. The effective date for the
limitations at 2 U.S.C. 434(i)(3)(A), 441a(a)(1)(B),
[[Page 8531]]
441a(a)(3), 441a(d) and 441a(h) is January 1, 2013.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Elizabeth S. Kurland, Information
Division, 999 E Street NW., Washington, DC 20463; (202) 694-1100 or
(800) 424-9530.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the Federal Election Campaign Act of
1971, 2 U.S.C. 431 et seq., coordinated party expenditure limits (2
U.S.C. 441a(d)(2) and (3)(A), (B)), certain contribution limits (2
U.S.C. 441a(a)(1)(A) and (B), (a)(3) and (h)), and the disclosure
threshold for contributions bundled by lobbyists (2 U.S.C.
434(i)(3)(A)) are adjusted periodically to reflect changes in the
consumer price index. See 2 U.S.C. 434(i)(3) and 441a(c)(1), and 11 CFR
109.32 and 110.17(a), (f). The Commission is publishing this notice to
announce the adjusted limits and disclosure threshold.
Coordinated Party Expenditure Limits for 2013
Under 2 U.S.C. 441a(c), the Commission must adjust the expenditure
limitations established by 2 U.S.C. 441a(d) (the limits on expenditures
by national party committees, state party committees, or their
subordinate committees in connection with the general election campaign
of candidates for Federal office) annually to account for inflation.
This expenditure limitation is increased by the percent difference
between the price index, as certified to the Commission by the
Secretary of Labor, for the 12 months preceding the beginning of the
calendar year and the price index for the base period (calendar year
1974).
1. Expenditure Limitation for House of Representatives in States with
More Than One Congressional District
Both the national and state party committees have an expenditure
limitation for each general election held to fill a seat in the House
of Representatives in states with more than one congressional district.
This limitation also applies to those states and territories that elect
individuals to the office of Delegate or Resident Commissioner.\1\ The
formula used to calculate the expenditure limitation in such states
multiplies the base figure of $10,000 by the difference in the price
index (4.65647), rounding to the nearest $100. See 2 U.S.C.
441a(c)(1)(B) and 441a(d)(3)(B), and 11 CFR 109.32(b) and 110.17. Based
upon this formula, the expenditure limitation for 2013 general
elections for House candidates in these states is $46,600.
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\1\ Currently, these states are the District of Columbia, the
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the territories of American Samoa,
Guam, the United States Virgin Islands and the Northern Mariana
Islands. See http://www.house.gov/representatives/.
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2. Expenditure Limitation for Senate and for House of Representatives
in States With Only One Congressional District
Both the national and state party committees have an expenditure
limitation for a general election held to fill a seat in the Senate or
in the House of Representatives in states with only one congressional
district. The formula used to calculate this expenditure limitation
considers not only the price index but also the voting age population
(``VAP'') of the state. The VAP of each state is published annually in
the Federal Register by the Department of Commerce. 11 CFR 110.18. The
general election expenditure limitation is the greater of: The base
figure ($20,000) multiplied by the difference in the price index,
4.65647 (which totals $93,100); or $0.02 multiplied by the VAP of the
state, multiplied by 4.65647. Amounts are rounded to the nearest $100.
See 2 U.S.C. 441a(c)(1)(B) and 441a(d)(3)(A), and 11 CFR 109.32(b) and
110.17. The chart below provides the state-by-state breakdown of the
2013 general election expenditure limitation for Senate elections. The
expenditure limitation for 2013 House elections in states with only one
congressional district \2\ is $93,100.
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\2\ Currently, these states are: Alaska, Delaware, Montana,
North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont and Wyoming. See http://www.house.gov/representatives/.
Senate General Election Expenditure Limits--2013 Elections
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Senate
expenditure
Voting age VAP x .02 x limit (the
State population the price greater of
(VAP) index the amount in
(4.65647) column 3 or
$93,100)
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Alabama......................................................... 3,697,617 $344,400 $344,400
Alaska.......................................................... 544,349 50,700 93,100
Arizona......................................................... 4,932,361 459,300 459,300
Arkansas........................................................ 2,238,250 208,400 208,400
California...................................................... 28,801,211 2,682,200 2,682,200
Colorado........................................................ 3,956,224 368,400 368,400
Connecticut..................................................... 2,796,789 260,500 260,500
Delaware........................................................ 712,042 66,300 93,100
Florida......................................................... 15,315,088 1,426,300 1,426,300
Georgia......................................................... 7,429,820 691,900 691,900
Hawaii.......................................................... 1,089,302 101,400 101,400
Idaho........................................................... 1,169,075 108,900 108,900
Illinois........................................................ 9,811,190 913,700 913,700
Indiana......................................................... 4,945,857 460,600 460,600
Iowa............................................................ 2,351,233 219,000 219,000
Kansas.......................................................... 2,161,601 201,300 201,300
Kentucky........................................................ 3,362,177 313,100 313,100
Louisiana....................................................... 3,484,090 324,500 324,500
Maine........................................................... 1,063,274 99,000 99,000
Maryland........................................................ 4,540,763 422,900 422,900
Massachusetts................................................... 5,244,729 488,400 488,400
Michigan........................................................ 7,616,490 709,300 709,300
[[Page 8532]]
Minnesota....................................................... 4,102,991 382,100 382,100
Mississippi..................................................... 2,239,593 208,600 208,600
Missouri........................................................ 4,618,513 430,100 430,100
Montana......................................................... 783,161 72,900 93,100
Nebraska........................................................ 1,392,120 129,600 129,600
Nevada.......................................................... 2,095,348 195,100 195,100
New Hampshire................................................... 1,045,878 97,400 97,400
New Jersey...................................................... 6,838,206 636,800 636,800
New Mexico...................................................... 1,571,096 146,300 146,300
New York........................................................ 15,307,107 1,425,500 1,425,500
North Carolina.................................................. 7,465,545 695,300 695,300
North Dakota.................................................... 545,020 50,800 93,100
Ohio............................................................ 8,880,551 827,000 827,000
Oklahoma........................................................ 2,877,457 268,000 268,000
Oregon.......................................................... 3,038,729 283,000 283,000
Pennsylvania.................................................... 10,024,150 933,500 933,500
Rhode Island.................................................... 833,818 77,700 93,100
South Carolina.................................................. 3,643,633 339,300 339,300
South Dakota.................................................... 629,185 58,600 93,100
Tennessee....................................................... 4,962,227 462,100 462,100
Texas........................................................... 19,073,564 1,776,300 1,776,300
Utah............................................................ 1,967,315 183,200 183,200
Vermont......................................................... 502,060 46,800 93,100
Virginia........................................................ 6,329,130 589,400 589,400
Washington...................................................... 5,312,045 494,700 494,700
West Virginia................................................... 1,471,372 137,000 137,000
Wisconsin....................................................... 4,408,841 410,600 410,600
Wyoming......................................................... 440,922 41,100 93,100
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Limitations on Contributions by Individuals, Non-Multicandidate
Committees and Certain Political Party Committees Giving to U.S. Senate
Candidates for the 2013-2014 Election Cycle
The Act requires inflation indexing to: (1) The limitations on
contributions made by persons under 2 U.S.C. 441a(a)(1)(A)
(contributions to candidates) and 441a(a)(1)(B) (contributions to
national party committees); (2) the biennial aggregate contribution
limitations applicable to individuals under 2 U.S.C. 441a(a)(3); and
(3) the limitation on contributions made to U.S. Senate candidates by
certain political party committees at 2 U.S.C. 441a(h). See 2 U.S.C.
441a(c). These contribution limitations are increased by multiplying
the respective statutory contribution amount by 1.29668, the percent
difference between the price index, as certified to the Commission by
the Secretary of Labor, for the 12 months preceding the beginning of
the calendar year and the price index for the base period (calendar
year 2001). The resulting amount is rounded to the nearest multiple of
$100. See 2 U.S.C. 441a(c) and 11 CFR 110.17(b). Contribution
limitations shall be adjusted accordingly:
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Statutory provision Statutory amount 2013-2014 Limit
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2 U.S.C. 441a(a)(1)(A).......... $2,000............ $2,600.
2 U.S.C. 441a(a)(1)(B).......... $25,000........... $32,400.
2 U.S.C. 441a(a)(3)(A).......... $37,500........... $48,600.
2 U.S.C. 441a(a)(3)(B).......... $57,500 (of which $74,600 (of which
no more than no more than
$37,500 may be $48,600 may be
attributable to attributable to
contributions to contributions to
political political
committees that committees that
are not political are not political
committees of committees of
national national
political political
parties). parties).
2 U.S.C. 441a(h)................ $35,000........... $45,400.
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The increased limitation at 2 U.S.C. 441a(a)(1)(A) is to be in
effect for the two-year period beginning on the first day following the
date of the general election in the preceding year and ending on the
date of the next regularly scheduled election. Thus the $2,600 figure
above is in effect from November 7, 2012, to November 4, 2014. The
limitations under 2 U.S.C. 441a(a)(1)(B), 441a(a)(3)(A) and (B), and
441a(h), shall be in effect beginning January 1st of the odd-numbered
year and ending on December 31st of the next even-numbered year. Thus
the new contribution limitations under 2 U.S.C. 441a(a)(1)(B),
441a(a)(3)(A) and (B), and 441a(h) are in effect from January 1, 2013,
to December 31, 2014. See 11 CFR 110.17(b)(1).
[[Page 8533]]
Lobbyist Bundling Disclosure Threshold for 2013
The Act requires certain political committees to disclose
contributions bundled by lobbyists/registrants and lobbyist/registrant
political action committees once the contributions exceed a specified
threshold amount. The Commission must adjust this threshold amount
annually to account for inflation. The disclosure threshold is
increased by multiplying the $15,000 statutory disclosure threshold by
1.13887, the difference between the price index, as certified to the
Commission by the Secretary of Labor, for the 12 months preceding the
beginning of the calendar year and the price index for the base period
(calendar year 2006). The resulting amount is rounded to the nearest
multiple of $100. See 2 U.S.C. 434(i)(3)(A) and (B), 441a(c)(1)(B) and
11 CFR 104.22(g). Based upon this formula ($15,000 x 1.13887), the
lobbyist bundling disclosure threshold for calendar year 2013 is
$17,100.
On behalf of the Commission.
Dated: January 31, 2013.
Ellen L. Weintraub,
Chair, Federal Election Commission.
[FR Doc. 2013-02520 Filed 2-5-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6715-01-P