[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 22 (Tuesday, February 3, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5750-5752]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-01963]
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FEDERAL ELECTION COMMISSION
[NOTICE 2015-01]
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 52
U.S.C. 30116(a)(1)(A) is November 5, 2014. The effective date for the
limitations at 52 U.S.C. 30104(i)(3)(A), 30116(a)(1)(B), 30116(d) and
30116(h) is January 1, 2015.
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, 52 U.S.C. 30101 et seq., coordinated party expenditure limits (52
U.S.C. 30116(d)(2) and (3)(A), (B)), certain contribution limits (52
U.S.C. 30116(a)(1)(A) and (B), and (h)), and the disclosure threshold
for contributions bundled by lobbyists (52 U.S.C. 30104(i)(3)(A)) are
adjusted periodically to reflect changes in the consumer price index.
See 52 U.S.C. 30104(i)(3) and 30116(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 2015
Under 52 U.S.C. 30116(c), the Commission must adjust the
expenditure limitations established by 52 U.S.C. 30116(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).
[[Page 5751]]
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 (4.80133), rounding to the nearest $100. See 52 U.S.C.
30116(c)(1)(B) and 30116(d)(3)(B), and 11 CFR 109.32(b) and 110.17.
Based upon this formula, the expenditure limitation for 2015 general
elections for House candidates in these states is $48,000.
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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,
4.80133 (which totals $96,000); or $0.02 multiplied by the VAP of the
state, multiplied by 4.80133. Amounts are rounded to the nearest $100.
See 52 U.S.C. 30116(c)(1)(B) and 30116(d)(3)(A), and 11 CFR 109.32(b)
and 110.17. The chart below provides the state-by-state breakdown of
the 2015 general election expenditure limitation for Senate elections.
The expenditure limitation for 2015 House elections in states with only
one congressional district \2\ is $96,000.
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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 Coordinated Expenditure Limits--2015 Elections
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Senate
expenditure limit
Voting age VAP x .02 x the (the greater of
State population (VAP) price index the amount in
(4.80133) column 3 or
$96,000)
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Alabama................................................ 3,741,806 $359,300 $359,300
Alaska................................................. 550,189 52,800 96,000
Arizona................................................ 5,109,792 490,700 490,700
Arkansas............................................... 2,259,350 217,000 217,000
California............................................. 29,649,348 2,847,100 2,847,100
Colorado............................................... 4,109,494 394,600 394,600
Connecticut............................................ 2,821,247 270,900 270,900
Delaware............................................... 731,367 70,200 96,000
Florida................................................ 15,839,713 1,521,000 1,521,000
Georgia................................................ 7,604,061 730,200 730,200
Hawaii................................................. 1,111,117 106,700 106,700
Idaho.................................................. 1,203,384 115,600 115,600
Illinois............................................... 9,892,106 949,900 949,900
Indiana................................................ 5,014,928 481,600 481,600
Iowa................................................... 2,381,172 228,700 228,700
Kansas................................................. 2,181,355 209,500 209,500
Kentucky............................................... 3,400,843 326,600 326,600
Louisiana.............................................. 3,536,183 339,600 339,600
Maine.................................................. 1,071,112 102,900 102,900
Maryland............................................... 4,625,863 444,200 444,200
Massachusetts.......................................... 5,354,940 514,200 514,200
Michigan............................................... 7,686,087 738,100 738,100
Minnesota.............................................. 4,175,347 400,900 400,900
Mississippi............................................ 2,262,810 217,300 217,300
Missouri............................................... 4,670,966 448,500 448,500
Montana................................................ 798,555 76,700 96,000
Nebraska............................................... 1,414,894 135,900 135,900
Nevada................................................. 2,175,874 208,900 208,900
New Hampshire.......................................... 1,059,672 101,800 101,800
New Jersey............................................. 6,926,094 665,100 665,100
New Mexico............................................. 1,583,623 152,100 152,100
New York............................................... 15,517,321 1,490,100 1,490,100
North Carolina......................................... 7,656,415 735,200 735,200
North Dakota........................................... 570,955 54,800 96,000
Ohio................................................... 8,955,859 860,000 860,000
Oklahoma............................................... 2,925,352 280,900 280,900
Oregon................................................. 3,112,217 298,900 298,900
Pennsylvania........................................... 10,086,316 968,600 968,600
Rhode Island........................................... 842,321 80,900 96,000
South Carolina......................................... 3,747,734 359,900 359,900
South Dakota........................................... 642,768 61,700 96,000
[[Page 5752]]
Tennessee.............................................. 5,054,826 485,400 485,400
Texas.................................................. 19,841,344 1,905,300 1,905,300
Utah................................................... 2,038,787 195,800 195,800
Vermont................................................ 504,976 48,500 96,000
Virginia............................................... 6,457,174 620,100 620,100
Washington............................................. 5,458,809 524,200 524,200
West Virginia.......................................... 1,470,179 141,200 141,200
Wisconsin.............................................. 4,457,375 428,000 428,000
Wyoming................................................ 445,830 42,800 96,000
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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 2015-2016 Election Cycle
The Act requires inflation indexing to: (1) The limitations on
contributions made by persons under 52 U.S.C. 30116(a)(1)(A)
(contributions to candidates) and 30116(a)(1)(B) (contributions to
national party committees); and (2) the limitation on contributions
made to U.S. Senate candidates by certain political party committees at
52 U.S.C. 30116(h). See 2 U.S.C. 30116(c). These contribution
limitations are increased by multiplying the respective statutory
contribution amount by 1.33702, 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 52 U.S.C.
30116(c) and 11 CFR 110.17(b). Contribution limitations shall be
adjusted accordingly:
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Statutory provision Statutory mount 2015-2016 limit
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52 U.S.C. 30116(a)(1)(A)........ $2,000 $2,700
52 U.S.C. 30116(a)(1)(B)........ 25,000 33,400
52 U.S.C. 30116(h).............. 35,000 46,800
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The increased limitation at 52 U.S.C. 30116(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 $2,700 figure
above is in effect from November 5, 2014, to November 8, 2016. The
limitations under 52 U.S.C. 30116(a)(1)(B) and 30116(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 52 U.S.C. 30116(a)(1)(B) and 30116(h) are in effect
from January 1, 2015, to December 31, 2016. See 11 CFR 110.17(b)(1).
Lobbyist Bundling Disclosure Threshold for 2015
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
1.17429, 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 52 U.S.C. 30104(i)(3)(A) and (B), 30116(c)(1)(B)
and 11 CFR 104.22(g). Based upon this formula ($15,000 x 1.17429), the
lobbyist bundling disclosure threshold for calendar year 2015 is
$17,600.
On behalf of the Commission, January 28, 2015.
Ann M. Ravel,
Chair, Federal Election Commission.
[FR Doc. 2015-01963 Filed 2-2-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6715-01-P