[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 81 (Monday, April 28, 1997)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 22880-22881]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-10803]


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FEDERAL ELECTION COMMISSION

[Notice 1997-6]

11 CFR Part 104


Electronic Filing of Reports by Political Committees

AGENCY: Federal Election Commission.

ACTION: Final rules; Announcement of effective date.

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SUMMARY: On August 15, 1996, the Commission published the text of 
regulations implementing a voluntary system of electronic filing for 
reports of campaign finance activity filed with the agency. These rules 
were put into effect on an interim basis on January 1, 1997, pending 
Congressional review at the start of the 105th Congress. The Commission 
announces that the interim rules are in effect as final rules as of 
April 28, 1997.

EFFECTIVE DATE: April 28, 1997.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Susan E. Propper, Assistant 
General Counsel, or Paul Sanford, Staff Attorney, 999 E Street, NW., 
Washington, DC 20463, (202) 219-3690 or (800) 424-9530.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Today, the Commission is announcing the 
effective date of regulations as final rules implementing a voluntary 
electronic filing system for reports of campaign finance activity filed 
with the agency. The new regulations, set out at 11 CFR 104.18, were 
originally published on August 15, 1996. 61 FR 42371 (Aug. 15,

[[Page 22881]]

1996). These rules implement provisions of Pub. L. No. 104-79, which 
amended the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971, 2 U.S.C. 431 et seq. 
[``FECA''], to require, inter alia, that the Commission create a system 
to ``permit reports required by this Act to be filed and preserved by 
means of computer disk or any other electronic format or method, as 
determined by the Commission.'' Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971, 
Amendment, Pub. L. No. 104-79, section 1(a), 109 Stat. 791 (December 
28, 1995).
    The rules being put into effect today as final rules have been in 
effect as interim rules since January 1, 1997. See 61 FR 58460 (Nov. 
15, 1997). The Commission put these rules into effect as interim rules 
in order to meet the statutory deadline set out in section 1(c) of Pub. 
L. No. 104-79. The Commission originally expected to be able to meet 
this deadline when it approved these rules on August 9, 1996, and sent 
them to Congress for legislative review. 61 FR 42371 (Aug. 15, 1996). 
However, Congress adjourned sine die on October 4, 1996, before the 
expiration of the legislative review period. Therefore, the Commission 
put the rules into effect as interim rules, and resubmitted the rules 
for review in the 105th Congress.
    Since these rules are not major rules within the meaning of 5 
U.S.C. 804(2), the FECA controls the legislative review process. See 5 
U.S.C. 801(a)(4), Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act, 
Pub. L. No. 104-121, section 251, 110 Stat. 857, 869 (1996). Section 
438(d) of the FECA requires that any rules or regulations prescribed by 
the Commission to carry out the provisions of Title 2 of the United 
States Code be transmitted to the Speaker of the House of 
Representatives and the President of the Senate 30 legislative days 
before they are finally promulgated. Thirty legislative days expired in 
the House of Representatives on April 15, 1997. Thirty legislative days 
expired in the Senate on March 14, 1997.
    Announcement of Effective Date: 11 CFR 104.17 and 104.18, as 
published at 61 FR 42371 (Aug. 15, 1996), are effective as final rules 
as of April 28, 1997.

    Dated: April 22, 1997.
John Warren McGarry,
Chairman, Federal Election Commission.
[FR Doc. 97-10803 Filed 4-25-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE: 6715-01-P