[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 29 (Monday, February 12, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6022-6024]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-02163]


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FEDERAL ELECTION COMMISSION

[NOTICE 2018-03]


Price Index Adjustments for Expenditure Limitations and Lobbyist 
Bundling Disclosure Threshold

AGENCY: Federal Election Commission.

ACTION: Notice of adjustments to 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 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: These adjustments are applicable January 1, 2018.

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)) 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); 11 CFR 109.32, 110.17(a), (f). The Commission is publishing 
this notice to announce the adjusted limits and disclosure threshold 
for 2018.

Coordinated Party Expenditure Limits for 2018

    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 (4.97135), 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 2018 general elections for 
House candidates in these states, districts, and territories is 
$49,700.
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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

[[Page 6023]]

greater of: The base figure ($20,000) multiplied by the difference in 
the price index, 4.97135 (which totals $99,400); or $0.02 multiplied by 
the VAP of the state, multiplied by 4.97135. 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 2018 general election expenditure limitation for 
Senate elections. The expenditure limitation for 2018 House elections 
in states with only one congressional district \2\ is $99,400.
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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/.
    \3\ This expenditure limit does not apply to 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 52 U.S.C. 30116(d)(3)(A); 11 CFR 
109.32(b)(2)(i).

                                       Senate General Election Coordinated Expenditure Limits--2018 Elections \3\
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                                                                                                                              Senate expenditure limit
                             State                               Voting age population (VAP)   VAP x .02 x the price index   (the greater of the amount
                                                                                                        (4.97135)              in column 3 or $99,400)
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Alabama.......................................................                     3,779,274                      $375,800                      $375,800
Alaska........................................................                       554,867                        55,200                        99,400
Arizona.......................................................                     5,382,780                       535,200                       535,200
Arkansas......................................................                     2,298,739                       228,600                       228,600
California....................................................                    30,476,517                     3,030,200                     3,030,200
Colorado......................................................                     4,345,321                       432,000                       432,000
Connecticut...................................................                     2,844,358                       282,800                       282,800
Delaware......................................................                       757,455                        75,300                        99,400
Florida.......................................................                    16,782,417                     1,668,600                     1,668,600
Georgia.......................................................                     7,914,681                       786,900                       786,900
Hawaii........................................................                     1,121,794                       111,500                       111,500
Idaho.........................................................                     1,273,151                       126,600                       126,600
Illinois......................................................                     9,904,838                       984,800                       984,800
Indiana.......................................................                     5,093,409                       506,400                       506,400
Iowa..........................................................                     2,413,764                       240,000                       240,000
Kansas........................................................                     2,200,585                       218,800                       218,800
Kentucky......................................................                     3,443,650                       342,400                       342,400
Louisiana.....................................................                     3,575,930                       355,500                       355,500
Maine.........................................................                     1,083,273                       107,700                       107,700
Maryland......................................................                     4,704,671                       467,800                       467,800
Massachusetts.................................................                     5,489,864                       545,800                       545,800
Michigan......................................................                     7,785,662                       774,100                       774,100
Minnesota.....................................................                     4,277,949                       425,300                       425,300
Mississippi...................................................                     2,270,533                       225,800                       225,800
Missouri......................................................                     4,730,561                       470,300                       470,300
Montana.......................................................                       821,604                        81,700                        99,400
Nebraska......................................................                     1,444,343                       143,600                       143,600
Nevada........................................................                     2,312,576                       229,900                       229,900
New Hampshire.................................................                     1,084,022                       107,800                       107,800
New Jersey....................................................                     7,026,626                       698,600                       698,600
New Mexico....................................................                     1,599,980                       159,100                       159,100
New York......................................................                    15,694,902                     1,560,500                     1,560,500
North Carolina................................................                     7,971,073                       792,500                       792,500
North Dakota..................................................                       579,621                        57,600                        99,400
Ohio..........................................................                     9,053,374                       900,100                       900,100
Oklahoma......................................................                     2,971,579                       295,500                       295,500
Oregon........................................................                     3,269,157                       325,000                       325,000
Pennsylvania..................................................                    10,141,022                     1,008,300                     1,008,300
Rhode Island..................................................                       852,307                        84,700                        99,400
South Carolina................................................                     3,919,695                       389,700                       389,700
South Dakota..................................................                       654,810                        65,100                        99,400
Tennessee.....................................................                     5,208,482                       517,900                       517,900
Texas.........................................................                    20,938,557                     2,081,900                     2,081,900
Utah..........................................................                     2,175,134                       216,300                       216,300
Vermont.......................................................                       506,832                        50,400                        99,400
Virginia......................................................                     6,600,844                       656,300                       656,300
Washington....................................................                     5,759,927                       572,700                       572,700
West Virginia.................................................                     1,446,139                       143,800                       143,800
Wisconsin.....................................................                     4,512,839                       448,700                       448,700
Wyoming.......................................................                       442,832                        44,000                        99,400
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[[Page 6024]]

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

    For the convenience of the readers, the Commission is also 
republishing the contribution limitations for individuals, non-
multicandidate committees and for certain political party committees 
giving to U.S. Senate candidates and national party committees for the 
2017-2018 election cycle:

 
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                                             Statutory
           Statutory provision                amount         2017-2018
---------------------------------------------------------------limit----
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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Lobbyist Bundling Disclosure Threshold for 2018

    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. 52 
U.S.C. 30104(i)(1). The disclosure threshold is increased by 
multiplying the $15,000 statutory disclosure threshold by 1.21588, 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 1.21588), the lobbyist bundling 
disclosure threshold for calendar year 2018 is $18,200.

    On behalf of the Commission.

    Dated: January 29, 2018.
Caroline C. Hunter,
Chair, Federal Election Commission.
[FR Doc. 2018-02163 Filed 2-9-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6715-01-P