[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 31 (Thursday, February 16, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10904-10906]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-03090]


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FEDERAL ELECTION COMMISSION

[Notice 2017-02]


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 
(``the Act''), the Federal Election Commission (``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 9, 2016. 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, 2017.

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, 52 
U.S.C. 30101-46, coordinated party expenditure limits (52 U.S.C. 
30116(d)(3)), 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), 
30116(c)(1); 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 2017

    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). 52 U.S.C. 30116(c).

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. 
See 52 U.S.C. 30116(d)(3)(B). This limitation also applies to the 
District of Columbia and territories that elect individuals to the 
office of Delegate or Resident Commissioner.\1\ Id. The formula used to 
calculate the expenditure limitation in such states and territories 
multiplies the base figure of $10,000 by the difference in the price 
index (4.86767), rounding to the nearest $100. See 52 U.S.C. 
30116(c)(1)(B), (d)(3)(B); 11 CFR 109.32(b), 110.17. Based upon this 
formula, the expenditure limitation for 2017 general elections for 
House candidates in these states, districts, and territories is 
$48,700.
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    \1\ .Currently, these are 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. See 52 U.S.C. 30116(d)(3)(A). The formula used to calculate 
this expenditure limitation considers not only the price index but also 
the voting age population (``VAP'') of the state. Id. The VAP figures 
used to calculate the expenditure limitations were certified by the 
U.S. Census Bureau. The VAP of each state is also published annually in 
the Federal Register by the U.S. 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, 
4.86767 (which totals $97,400); or $0.02 multiplied by the VAP of the 
state, multiplied by 4.86767. Amounts are rounded to the nearest $100. 
See 52 U.S.C. 30116(c)(1)(B), (d)(3)(A); 11 CFR 109.32(b), 110.17. The 
chart below provides the state-by-state breakdown of the 2017 general 
election expenditure limitation for Senate elections. The expenditure 
limitation for 2017 House elections in states with only one 
congressional district \2\ is $97,400.
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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/.

[[Page 10905]]



                     Senate General Election Coordinated Expenditure Limits--2017 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
                                                                                (4.86767)         column 3 or
                                                                                                    $97,400)
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Alabama................................................          3,766,477           $366,700           $366,700
Alaska.................................................            554,567             54,000             97,400
Arizona................................................          5,299,579            515,900            515,900
Arkansas...............................................          2,283,195            222,300            222,300
California.............................................         30,157,154          2,935,900          2,935,900
Colorado...............................................          4,279,173            416,600            416,600
Connecticut............................................          2,823,158            274,800            274,800
Delaware...............................................            747,791             72,800             97,400
Florida................................................         16,465,727          1,603,000          1,603,000
Georgia................................................          7,798,827            759,200            759,200
Hawaii.................................................          1,120,541            109,100            109,100
Idaho..................................................          1,245,967            121,300            121,300
Illinois...............................................          9,875,430            961,400            961,400
Indiana................................................          5,057,601            492,400            492,400
Iowa...................................................          2,403,962            234,000            234,000
Kansas.................................................          2,192,338            213,400            213,400
Kentucky...............................................          3,426,345            333,600            333,600
Louisiana..............................................          3,567,717            347,300            347,300
Maine..................................................          1,076,765            104,800            104,800
Maryland...............................................          4,667,719            454,400            454,400
Massachusetts..........................................          5,433,677            529,000            529,000
Michigan...............................................          7,737,243            753,200            753,200
Minnesota..............................................          4,231,619            412,000            412,000
Mississippi............................................          2,267,438            220,700            220,700
Missouri...............................................          4,706,137            458,200            458,200
Montana................................................            814,909             79,300             97,400
Nebraska...............................................          1,433,791            139,600            139,600
Nevada.................................................          2,262,631            220,300            220,300
New Hampshire..........................................          1,074,207            104,600            104,600
New Jersey.............................................          6,959,717            677,600            677,600
New Mexico.............................................          1,590,352            154,800            154,800
New York...............................................         15,564,730          1,515,300          1,515,300
North Carolina.........................................          7,848,068            764,000            764,000
North Dakota...........................................            581,641             56,600             97,400
Ohio...................................................          9,002,201            876,400            876,400
Oklahoma...............................................          2,961,933            288,400            288,400
Oregon.................................................          3,224,738            313,900            313,900
Pennsylvania...........................................         10,109,422            984,200            984,200
Rhode Island...........................................            848,045             82,600             97,400
South Carolina.........................................          3,863,498            376,100            376,100
South Dakota...........................................            652,167             63,500             97,400
Tennessee..............................................          5,149,399            501,300            501,300
Texas..................................................         20,568,009          2,002,400          2,002,400
Utah...................................................          2,129,444            207,300            207,300
Vermont................................................            506,066             49,300             97,400
Virginia...............................................          6,541,685            636,900            636,900
Washington.............................................          5,658,502            550,900            550,900
West Virginia..........................................          1,456,034            141,700            141,700
Wisconsin..............................................          4,491,015            437,200            437,200
Wyoming................................................            446,600             43,500             97,400
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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 2017-2018 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 1.35550, 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); 11 CFR 110.17(b). Contribution limitations shall be adjusted 
accordingly:

[[Page 10906]]



------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Statutory provision        Statutory amount       2017-2018 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                33,900
52 U.S.C. 30116(h)..........                35,000                47,400
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    The 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 9, 2016, to November 6, 2018. 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, 2017, to December 31, 2018. See 11 CFR 110.17(b)(1).

Lobbyist Bundling Disclosure Threshold for 2017

    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. 52 U.S.C. 30104(i)(1), (3)(A). 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 1.19052, 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), 30116(c)(1)(B); 11 CFR 104.22(g). Based upon this formula 
($15,000 x 1.19052), the lobbyist bundling disclosure threshold for 
calendar year 2017 is $17,900.

    Dated: February 2, 2017.

    On behalf of the Commission.
Steven T. Walther,
Chairman, Federal Election Commission.
[FR Doc. 2017-03090 Filed 2-15-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6715-01-P