[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 26 (Thursday, February 7, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2504-2506]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-01516]


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FEDERAL ELECTION COMMISSION

[Notice 2019-03]


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: The effective date for the limitation at 52 U.S.C. 
30116(a)(1)(A) is November 7, 2018. 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, 2019.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Elizabeth S. Kurland, Information 
Division, 1050 First Street NE, 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); 11 CFR 109.32, 110.17(a), (f). The Commission is publishing 
this notice to announce the adjusted limits and disclosure threshold.

Coordinated Party Expenditure Limits for 2019

    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 (5.09279), 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 2019 general elections for 
House candidates in these states, districts, and territories is 
$50,900.
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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, 
5.09279 (which totals $101,900); or $0.02 multiplied by the VAP of the 
state, multiplied by 5.09279. 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 2019 general 
election expenditure limitations for Senate elections. The expenditure 
limitation for 2019 House elections in states with only one 
congressional district \2\ is $101,900.
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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 2505]]



                     Senate General Election Coordinated Expenditure Limits--2019 Elections
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                                                                                                      Senate
                                                                                                    Expenditure
                                                                    Voting age      VAP x .02 x     Limit (the
                              State                                 population       the price    greater of the
                                                                       (VAP)           index         amount in
                                                                                     (5.09279)      column 3 or
                                                                                                     $101,900)
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Alabama.........................................................       3,798,031        $386,900        $386,900
Alaska..........................................................         553,622          56,400         101,900
Arizona.........................................................       5,528,989         563,200         563,200
Arkansas........................................................       2,310,645         235,400         235,400
California......................................................      30,567,090       3,113,400       3,113,400
Colorado........................................................       4,430,329         451,300         451,300
Connecticut.....................................................       2,837,472         289,000         289,000
Delaware........................................................         763,555          77,800         101,900
Florida.........................................................      17,070,244       1,738,700       1,738,700
Georgia.........................................................       8,013,724         816,200         816,200
Hawaii..........................................................       1,117,077         113,800         113,800
Idaho...........................................................       1,307,236         133,100         133,100
Illinois........................................................       9,883,814       1,006,700       1,006,700
Indiana.........................................................       5,123,748         521,900         521,900
Iowa............................................................       2,425,378         247,000         247,000
Kansas..........................................................       2,205,544         224,600         224,600
Kentucky........................................................       3,459,573         352,400         352,400
Louisiana.......................................................       3,564,062         363,000         363,000
Maine...........................................................       1,088,000         110,800         110,800
Maryland........................................................       4,702,570         479,000         479,000
Massachusetts...................................................       5,535,291         563,800         563,800
Michigan........................................................       7,831,247         797,700         797,700
Minnesota.......................................................       4,308,564         438,900         438,900
Mississippi.....................................................       2,280,389         232,300         232,300
Missouri........................................................       4,749,622         483,800         483,800
Montana.........................................................         832,871          84,800         101,900
Nebraska........................................................       1,452,427         147,900         147,900
Nevada..........................................................       2,345,395         238,900         238,900
New Hampshire...................................................       1,098,288         111,900         111,900
New Jersey......................................................       6,954,877         708,400         708,400
New Mexico......................................................       1,613,275         164,300         164,300
New York........................................................      15,474,107       1,576,100       1,576,100
North Carolina..................................................       8,082,975         823,300         823,300
North Dakota....................................................         581,379          59,200         101,900
Ohio............................................................       9,096,117         926,500         926,500
Oklahoma........................................................       2,986,593         304,200         304,200
Oregon..........................................................       3,317,146         337,900         337,900
Pennsylvania....................................................      10,158,149       1,034,700       1,034,700
Rhode Island....................................................         852,102          86,800         101,900
South Carolina..................................................       3,978,182         405,200         405,200
South Dakota....................................................         664,629          67,700         101,900
Tennessee.......................................................       5,263,790         536,100         536,100
Texas...........................................................      21,303,746       2,169,900       2,169,900
Utah............................................................       2,228,643         227,000         227,000
Vermont.........................................................         510,326          52,000         101,900
Virginia........................................................       6,647,893         677,100         677,100
Washington......................................................       5,872,306         598,100         598,100
West Virginia...................................................       1,441,672         146,800         146,800
Wisconsin.......................................................       4,537,465         462,200         462,200
Wyoming.........................................................         442,962          45,100         101,900
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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 2019-2020 Election Cycle

    The Act requires inflation indexing of: (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 1.41818, 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 2506]]



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                                             Statutory
           Statutory provision                amount         2019-2020
---------------------------------------------------------------limit----
52 U.S.C. 30116(a)(1)(A)................          $2,000          $2,800
52 U.S.C. 30116(a)(1)(B)................          25,000          35,500
52 U.S.C. 30116(h)......................          35,000          49,600
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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 $2,800 figure above is 
in effect from November 7, 2018, to November 3, 2020. 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, 2019, to December 31, 2020. See 11 CFR 110.17(b)(1).

Lobbyist Bundling Disclosure Threshold for 2019

    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 1.24558, 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 1.24558), the lobbyist bundling 
disclosure threshold for calendar year 2019 is $18,700.

    On behalf of the Commission.

    Dated: February 4, 2019.
Ellen L. Weintraub,
Chair, Federal Election Commission.
[FR Doc. 2019-01516 Filed 2-6-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6715-01-P