[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 34 (Thursday, February 20, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9772-9775]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-03262]


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FEDERAL ELECTION COMMISSION

[NOTICE 2020-01]


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

[[Page 9773]]

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 new limits apply beginning on January 1, 2020.

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. 30101-45, coordinated party expenditure limits (52 U.S.C. 
30116(d)(2)-(3)) and the disclosure threshold for contributions bundled 
by lobbyists (52 U.S.C. 30104(i)(3)(A)) are adjusted annually to 
reflect changes in the consumer price index. See 52 U.S.C. 
30104(i)(3)(B), 30116(c); 11 CFR 109.32(a)(2), (b)(3), 110.17(a), (f). 
The Commission is publishing this notice to announce the adjusted 
limits and disclosure threshold for 2020.

Coordinated Party Expenditure Limits for 2020

    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 (5.18508), 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 2020 general elections for 
House candidates in these states, districts, and territories is 
$51,900.
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    \1\ Currently, these are Puerto Rico, 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, 
5.18508 (which totals $103,700); or $0.02 multiplied by the VAP of the 
state, multiplied by 5.18508. See 52 U.S.C. 30116(c)(1)(B), (d)(3)(A); 
11 CFR 109.32(b), 110.17. Amounts are rounded to the nearest $100. 52 
U.S.C. 30116(c)(1)(B)(iii); 11 CFR 109.32(b)(3), 110.17(c). The chart 
below provides the state-by-state breakdown of the 2020 general 
election expenditure limitation for Senate elections. The expenditure 
limitation for 2020 House elections in states with only one 
congressional district \2\ is $103,700.
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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, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the United States 
Virgin Islands, and the Northern Mariana Islands because those 
jurisdictions do not elect Senators. See 52 U.S.C. 30116(d)(3)(A); 
11 CFR 109.32(b)(2)(i).

                   Senate General Election Coordinated Expenditure Limits--2020 Elections \3\
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                                                    Voting Age     VAP x .02 x the     Senate expenditure limit
                      State                         Population       price index      (the greater of the amount
                                                       (VAP)          (5.18508)        in column 3 or $103,700)
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Alabama.........................................       3,814,879           $395,600                     $395,600
Alaska..........................................         551,562             57,200                      103,700
Arizona.........................................       5,638,481            584,700                      584,700
Arkansas........................................       2,317,649            240,300                      240,300
California......................................      30,617,582          3,175,100                    3,175,100
Colorado........................................       4,499,217            466,600                      466,600
Connecticut.....................................       2,837,847            294,300                      294,300
Delaware........................................         770,192             79,900                      103,700
Florida.........................................      17,247,808          1,788,600                    1,788,600
Georgia.........................................       8,113,542            841,400                      841,400
Hawaii..........................................       1,116,004            115,700                      115,700
Idaho...........................................       1,338,864            138,800                      138,800
Illinois........................................       9,853,946          1,021,900                    1,021,900
Indiana.........................................       5,164,245            535,500                      535,500
Iowa............................................       2,428,229            251,800                      251,800
Kansas..........................................       2,213,064            229,500                      229,500
Kentucky........................................       3,464,802            359,300                      359,300
Louisiana.......................................       3,561,164            369,300                      369,300
Maine...........................................       1,095,370            113,600                      113,600
Maryland........................................       4,710,993            488,500                      488,500

[[Page 9774]]

 
Massachusetts...................................       5,539,703            574,500                      574,500
Michigan........................................       7,842,924            813,300                      813,300
Minnesota.......................................       4,336,475            449,700                      449,700
Mississippi.....................................       2,277,566            236,200                      236,200
Missouri........................................       4,766,843            494,300                      494,300
Montana.........................................         840,190             87,100                      103,700
Nebraska........................................       1,458,334            151,200                      151,200
Nevada..........................................       2,387,517            247,600                      247,600
New Hampshire...................................       1,104,458            114,500                      114,500
New Jersey......................................       6,943,612            720,100                      720,100
New Mexico......................................       1,620,991            168,100                      168,100
New York........................................      15,425,262          1,599,600                    1,599,600
North Carolina..................................       8,187,369            849,000                      849,000
North Dakota....................................         581,891             60,300                      103,700
Ohio............................................       9,111,081            944,800                      944,800
Oklahoma........................................       3,004,733            311,600                      311,600
Oregon..........................................       3,351,175            347,500                      347,500
Pennsylvania....................................      10,167,376          1,054,400                    1,054,400
Rhode Island....................................         854,866             88,700                      103,700
South Carolina..................................       4,037,531            418,700                      418,700
South Dakota....................................         667,558             69,200                      103,700
Tennessee.......................................       5,319,123            551,600                      551,600
Texas...........................................      21,596,071          2,239,500                    2,239,500
Utah............................................       2,274,774            235,900                      235,900
Vermont.........................................         509,984             52,900                      103,700
Virginia........................................       6,674,671            692,200                      692,200
Washington......................................       5,951,832            617,200                      617,200
West Virginia...................................       1,432,580            148,600                      148,600
Wisconsin.......................................       4,555,837            472,400                      472,400
Wyoming.........................................         445,025             46,100                      103,700
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3. Expenditure Limitation for President

    The national party committees have an expenditure limitation for 
their general election nominee for President. 52 U.S.C. 30116(d)(2). 
The formula used to calculate the Presidential expenditure limitation 
considers not only the price index but also the total VAP of the United 
States. Id. The VAP figure used to calculate the expenditure limitation 
was certified by the U.S. Census Bureau. The VAP of the United States 
is also published annually in the Federal Register by the U.S. 
Department of Commerce. 11 CFR 110.18. The formula used to calculate 
this expenditure limitation is $0.02 multiplied by the total VAP of the 
United States (255,200,373), multiplied by the difference in the price 
index, 5.18508. See 52 U.S.C. 30116(c)(1)(B), (d)(2); 11 CFR 
109.32(a)(2), 110.17. Amounts are rounded to the nearest $100. 52 
U.S.C. 30116(c)(1)(B)(iii); 11 CFR 109.32(a)(2), 110.17(c). Based upon 
this formula, the expenditure limitation for 2020 Presidential nominees 
is $26,464,700.

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

    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 
2019-2020 election cycle:

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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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Lobbyist Bundling Disclosure Threshold for 2020

    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), (i)(3)(A). The Commission must 
adjust this threshold amount annually to account for inflation. 52 
U.S.C. 30104(i)(3)(B). The disclosure threshold is increased by 
multiplying the $15,000 statutory disclosure threshold by 1.26815, 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). See 52 U.S.C. 30104(i)(3), 30116(c)(1)(B); 11 CFR 
104.22(g). The resulting amount is rounded to the nearest multiple of 
$100. 52 U.S.C. 30104(i)(3)(B), 30116(c)(1)(B)(iii); 11 CFR 
104.22(g)(4). Based upon this formula ($15,000 x 1.26815), the lobbyist 
bundling disclosure threshold for calendar year 2020 is $19,000.


[[Page 9775]]


    Dated: February 13, 2020.

    On behalf of the Commission,
Caroline C. Hunter,
Chair, Federal Election Commission.
[FR Doc. 2020-03262 Filed 2-19-20; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6715-01-P