[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 232 (Monday, December 3, 2018)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 62283]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-26111]


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FEDERAL ELECTION COMMISSION

11 CFR Part 112

[Notice 2018-15]


Rulemaking Petition: Advisory Opinion Procedures

AGENCY: Federal Election Commission.

ACTION: Rulemaking petition; notification of availability.

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SUMMARY: On February 10, 2016, the Federal Election Commission received 
a Petition for Rulemaking that asks the Commission to promulgate rules 
establishing specific time periods for the submission of public 
comments on drafts of advisory opinions. The Commission seeks comments 
on this petition.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before February 1, 2019.

ADDRESSES: All comments must be in writing. Commenters are encouraged 
to submit comments electronically via the Commission's website at 
http://sers.fec.gov/fosers/, reference REG 2016-01. Alternatively, 
commenters may submit comments in paper form, addressed to the Federal 
Election Commission, Attn.: Robert M. Knop, Assistant General Counsel, 
1050 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20463.
    Each commenter must provide, at a minimum, his or her first name, 
last name, city, and state. All properly submitted comments, including 
attachments, will become part of the public record, and the Commission 
will make comments available for public viewing on the Commission's 
website and in the Commission's Public Records Office. Accordingly, 
commenters should not provide in their comments any information that 
they do not wish to make public, such as a home street address, 
personal email address, date of birth, phone number, Social Security 
number, or driver's license number, or any information that is 
restricted from disclosure, such as trade secrets or commercial or 
financial information that is privileged or confidential.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Robert M. Knop, Assistant General 
Counsel, or Ms. Cheryl A. Hemsley, Attorney, Office of the General 
Counsel, 1050 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20463, (202) 694-1650 or 
(800) 424-9530.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On February 10, 2016, the Federal Election 
Commission received a Petition for Rulemaking from Make Your Laws PAC, 
Inc., Make Your Laws Advocacy, Inc., Make Your Laws, Inc., and Dan 
Backer, Esq., asking the Commission to modify its regulation at 11 CFR 
112.3 to provide time for the public to comment on drafts of advisory 
opinions before the Commission votes on the drafts.
    Current Commission advisory opinion procedures state that the 
Commission ``will provide at least one draft response to the Requestor 
and the public no later than one week prior to the Commission open 
meeting at which the advisory opinion will be considered.'' Advisory 
Opinion Procedure, 74 FR 32160, 32161 (July 7, 2009). These procedures 
also note that ``prior to the open meeting, additional advisory opinion 
draft responses may be produced after the initial draft(s) is released 
publicly,'' and that ``[t]he Commission will make available to the 
public and to Requestors any and all additional draft responses as soon 
as possible.'' Id. The petition asks the Commission to modify its 
regulation at 11 CFR 112.3 to codify procedures establishing specific 
time periods for public comment on drafts of advisory opinions before 
the Commission votes on the drafts. The petition further asks the 
Commission to amend existing regulations to require that, when the 
Commission makes public multiple drafts of an advisory opinion, the 
Commission indicate the differences between those drafts.
    The Commission seeks comments on the petition. The public may 
inspect the petition on the Commission's website at http://sers.fec.gov/fosers/, or in the Commission's Public Records Office, 
1050 First Street NE, 12th Floor, Washington, DC 20463, Monday through 
Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
    The Commission will not consider the petition's merits until after 
the comment period closes. If the Commission decides that the petition 
has merit, it may begin a rulemaking proceeding. The Commission will 
announce any action that it takes in the Federal Register.

    On behalf of the Commission.

    Dated: November 16, 2018.
Caroline C. Hunter,
Chair, Federal Election Commission.
[FR Doc. 2018-26111 Filed 11-30-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6715-01-P