[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 22 (Thursday, February 2, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7088-7090]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-02135]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

FEDERAL ELECTION COMMISSION

[NOTICE 2023-03]


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.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

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 new limitation at 52 U.S.C. 30116(a)(1)(A) applies beginning 
on November 9, 2022. The new limitations at 52 U.S.C. 30104(i)(3)(A), 
30116(a)(1)(B), 30116(d) and 30116(h) apply beginning on January 1, 
2023.

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) and (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)(B), 30116(c); 11 CFR 109.32(a)(2), (b)(3), 
110.17(a) and (f). The Commission is publishing this notice to announce 
the adjusted limits and disclosure threshold.

Coordinated Party Expenditure Limits for 2023

    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)(B)(i) and (2)(B)(i).

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 (5.93544), rounding to the nearest $100. See 52 U.S.C. 
30116(c)(1)(B) and (d)(3)(B); 11 CFR 109.32(b) and 110.17. Based upon 
this formula, the expenditure limitation for 2023 general elections for 
House candidates in these states, districts, and territories is 
$59,400.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \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.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

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, 
5.93544 (which totals $118,700); or $0.02 multiplied by the VAP of the 
state, multiplied by 5.93544. See 52 U.S.C. 30116(c)(1)(B) and 
(d)(3)(A); 11 CFR 109.32(b) and 110.17. Amounts are rounded to the 
nearest $100. 52 U.S.C. 30116(c)(1)(B)(iii); 11 CFR 109.32(b)(3) and 
110.17(c). The chart below provides the state-by-state breakdown of the 
2023 general election expenditure limitations for Senate elections. The 
expenditure limitation for 2023 House elections in states with only one 
congressional district \2\ is $118,700.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \2\ Currently, these states are: Alaska, Delaware, North Dakota, 
South Dakota, Vermont and Wyoming. See http://www.house.gov/representatives/.

                   Senate General Election Coordinated Expenditure Limits--2023 Elections \3\
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                     Senate
                                                                                 VAP x .02 x   expenditure limit
                                                                 Voting age       the price     (the greater of
                            State                                population         index        the amount in
                                                                    (VAP)         (5.93544)       column 3 or
                                                                                                   $118,700)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alabama......................................................       3,962,734        $470,400           $470,400
Alaska.......................................................         557,060          66,100            118,700

[[Page 7089]]

 
Arizona......................................................       5,770,187         685,000            685,000
Arkansas.....................................................       2,348,518         278,800            278,800
California...................................................      30,523,315       3,623,400          3,623,400
Colorado.....................................................       4,624,351         549,000            549,000
Connecticut..................................................       2,895,175         343,700            343,700
Delaware.....................................................         810,269          96,200            118,700
Florida......................................................      17,948,469       2,130,600          2,130,600
Georgia......................................................       8,402,753         997,500            997,500
Hawaii.......................................................       1,142,870         135,700            135,700
Idaho........................................................       1,475,629         175,200            175,200
Illinois.....................................................       9,861,901       1,170,700          1,170,700
Indiana......................................................       5,263,114         624,800            624,800
Iowa.........................................................       2,476,028         293,900            293,900
Kansas.......................................................       2,246,318         266,700            266,700
Kentucky.....................................................       3,507,735         416,400            416,400
Louisiana....................................................       3,528,548         418,900            418,900
Maine........................................................       1,137,442         135,000            135,000
Maryland.....................................................       4,818,071         571,900            571,900
Massachusetts................................................       5,644,540         670,100            670,100
Michigan.....................................................       7,924,418         940,700            940,700
Minnesota....................................................       4,423,022         525,100            525,100
Mississippi..................................................       2,261,996         268,500            268,500
Missouri.....................................................       4,813,049         571,400            571,400
Montana......................................................         889,114         105,500            118,700
Nebraska.....................................................       1,491,246         177,000            177,000
Nevada.......................................................       2,487,994         295,300            295,300
New Hampshire................................................       1,142,307         135,600            135,600
New Jersey...................................................       7,267,590         862,700            862,700
New Mexico...................................................       1,653,831         196,300            196,300
New York.....................................................      15,687,863       1,862,300          1,862,300
North Carolina...............................................       8,404,094         997,600            997,600
North Dakota.................................................         596,486          70,800            118,700
Ohio.........................................................       9,193,508       1,091,400          1,091,400
Oklahoma.....................................................       3,066,654         364,000            364,000
Oregon.......................................................       3,403,149         404,000            404,000
Pennsylvania.................................................      10,347,543       1,228,300          1,228,300
Rhode Island.................................................         889,822         105,600            118,700
South Carolina...............................................       4,164,762         494,400            494,400
South Dakota.................................................         690,659          82,000            118,700
Tennessee....................................................       5,513,202         654,500            654,500
Texas........................................................      22,573,234       2,679,600          2,679,600
Utah.........................................................       2,449,192         290,700            290,700
Vermont......................................................         532,307          63,200            118,700
Virginia.....................................................       6,816,709         809,200            809,200
Washington...................................................       6,139,213         728,800            728,800
West Virginia................................................       1,423,234         169,000            169,000
Wisconsin....................................................       4,646,910         551,600            551,600
Wyoming......................................................         451,267          53,600            118,700
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Limitations on Contributions by Individuals, Non-Multicandidate 
Committees and Certain Political Party Committees Giving to U.S. Senate 
Candidates for the 2023-2024 Election Cycle
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \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).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    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 52 U.S.C. 30116(c). These contribution 
limitations are increased by multiplying the respective statutory 
contribution amount by 1.65284, 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). 52 U.S.C. 
30116(c)(1)(B)(i) and (2)(B)(ii). 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 7090]]



------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                             Statutory
           Statutory provision                amount         2023-2024
---------------------------------------------------------------Limit----
52 U.S.C. 30116(a)(1)(A)................          $2,000          $3,300
52 U.S.C. 30116(a)(1)(B)................          25,000          41,300
52 U.S.C. 30116(h)......................          35,000          57,800
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    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. 52 U.S.C. 30116(c)(1)(C); 11 CFR 
110.1(b)(1)(ii). Thus the $3,300 figure above is in effect from 
November 9, 2022, to November 5, 2024. 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. 11 CFR 110.1(c)(1)(ii). Thus the new contribution 
limitations under 52 U.S.C. 30116(a)(1)(B) and 30116(h) are in effect 
from January 1, 2023, to December 31, 2024. See 11 CFR 110.17(b)(1).

Lobbyist Bundling Disclosure Threshold for 2023

    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) and (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 1.45167, 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) and 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) and 30116(c)(1)(B)(iii); 11 CFR 
104.22(g)(4). Based upon this formula ($15,000 x 1.45167), the lobbyist 
bundling disclosure threshold for calendar year 2023 is $21,800.

    Dated: January 27, 2023.

    On behalf of the Commission,
Dara S. Lindenbaum,
Chair, Federal Election Commission.
[FR Doc. 2023-02135 Filed 2-1-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6715-01-P