[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